Powerline adapters - do they need encryption?

[WarezMaestro]

Will these: Extra Value 85Mbps Powerline Adapter Twin Pack | Ebuyer.com

 

Be ok to use in my own home without the encryption that came with them? Will people outside my home be able to hack in or see data on my network? :)

 

Thanks

[DSTM]

Hi WarezMaestro. Of course you need to use encryption.:)

Do you know what Encryption is?

[Synapse]

Only to keep other users of your local network out.

 

Any potential hacker would need to be hooked up to another power socket on the same ring main to attempt to get in, for homes that aint going to happen. Its more likely in an office I guess.

[Plastic Nev]

Just to follow on from DSTM, these units transmit your data via the mains power network in your home, but can also send it off out down the street to the next house on the same power phase, probably even further.

If you don't use the encryption, any one who knows what to do can see every part of your in house network, and if that type, steal all your personal data for their own use or profit.

They do seem a good idea in principle but look at your security, or lack of it without the encryption.

 

Edit to add, I hadn't seen your post Synapse, but these days and with a suitable signal amplifier, I reckon the data could be read some distance away if on the same phase.

Nev.

[Synapse]

No worries Nev. I've had them on different ring mains in the same house and some makes work, some don't. The instructions say that they don't work on a different ring circuit.

 

Be interesting to try them in 2 homes side by side and see if any of 'next doors' devices can be seen on the network.

 

Having thought about it further, with 2 routers, same makes and models in adjacent houses giving out the same ranges of IP addresses, and if each house then had homeplugs in use, and the signals could be picked up next door, there would be massive problems with IP conflicts, router conflicts etc.

 

Storm in a teacup???

[DSTM]

I agree,Nev. I once saw a Video of this Guy parked in the Street picking up everything the Guy did on his Computer inside the house.Amazing what information can be stolen with wireless set ups.

I prefer wired for everything.:)

[Plastic Nev]

These devices are actually a wired system so unlikely to be radiating a strong enough signal to be picked up by a wireless device in a car parked outside.

The idea of the next house being able to either join or at least read the data from the power system will only work in a rural area where say four or five houses are fed from one single phase line. Most city dwellings are shared across the three phases of power, so next door will likely be on one of the other two. This means the most likely receiver will be three houses away.

I have in the past come across mains wired baby alarms transferring signal this way. In this case the baby in one house crying was alerting not only its own parents via the alarm, but the couple three houses away also had the same system, so they were going up to their baby to find it fast asleep, but could still hear the other one crying from their downstairs speakers.

That was a, dare I say, nightmare to sort out. The usual ferrite HF filters didn't work when only fitted in the one house, it meant filters in both and also in line passive filtering to stop it.

What is more I was getting the blame for it because I was, and still am, the licensed radio amateur. They thought it was my radio transmissions doing it.

 

I don't think the signal would be strong enough for a direct connection so IP addresses might not come into it, however if the data is not encrypted the data could be picked up using a high sensitivity amplifier and then read by any interested party. OK it may take someone technically skilled to be able to do it and also having the right equipment. But do you know your neighbour three houses away, well enough to know he or she isn't that type? Hackers with the skills have to live somewhere.

Nev.