Can my ISP see whether or not I have a WiFi password?
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
I'm interested in knowing if my ISP can see if I'm using a password for my wireless router or not and, in the case they can, if they can also see my password.
I'm using both wired (computer) and wireless (phone) connections. I'm in essence wondering if they can see if it's a protected or unprotected network. I'm in Sweden, if that matters.
networking wireless-networking router
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
I'm interested in knowing if my ISP can see if I'm using a password for my wireless router or not and, in the case they can, if they can also see my password.
I'm using both wired (computer) and wireless (phone) connections. I'm in essence wondering if they can see if it's a protected or unprotected network. I'm in Sweden, if that matters.
networking wireless-networking router
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
I'm interested in knowing if my ISP can see if I'm using a password for my wireless router or not and, in the case they can, if they can also see my password.
I'm using both wired (computer) and wireless (phone) connections. I'm in essence wondering if they can see if it's a protected or unprotected network. I'm in Sweden, if that matters.
networking wireless-networking router
I'm interested in knowing if my ISP can see if I'm using a password for my wireless router or not and, in the case they can, if they can also see my password.
I'm using both wired (computer) and wireless (phone) connections. I'm in essence wondering if they can see if it's a protected or unprotected network. I'm in Sweden, if that matters.
networking wireless-networking router
edited Aug 22 at 3:22


Blackwood
2,57151227
2,57151227
asked Aug 21 at 20:59
Jamiou
212
212
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
up vote
9
down vote
It depends.
If your wireless router is managed by your ISP, then they may be able to see whether your wireless network is password protected or not and possibly even the password. As an example, Comcast had an issue like this where customer Wi-Fi passwords were leaked.
If, however, you purchased your own wireless router, then your ISP should not be able to access any of that information.
1
In NYC Time Warner Cable/Spectrum routers send passwords back
– David Grinberg
Aug 22 at 4:24
2
If the wireless router is managed by the ISP, they can usually read more config data than you and take-over the router in a blink.
– Mast
Aug 22 at 7:08
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
If its an ISP supplied router, especially a modem router or they have some additional control over it - it is possible. If its your own router, practically short of having someone wander around checking, its unlikely.
However, some ISPs might suspend service due to "suspicious" activities or send you nastygrams.
On your own router or routers - it should be impossible for the ISP to see your wifi password (it would be a nasty security hole), nor should there be any reason for them to need your wifi password (so they shouldn't need to know it, or ask for it).
Even with many ISP supplied routers, the password is randomised on a router in a sealed box so it is unlikely the ISP will know what it is.
Any service that sends your password to a third party is a terrible idea. People sometimes don't realise things are terrible ideas. If you suspect your ISP is doing this, you may want to check, both online and with the ISP what their services are.
Unless you're on a farm or wilderness area, they could check with google's database of wifi's found at your location during mapping, or if they are also a cellphone provider (or partner with one, or some) they could have reports from cellphones that have been used near your location. Nit: this could tell them if your wifi uses a secure protocol like WPA2, but not specifically a password, e.g. you could be using some forms of EAP.
– dave_thompson_085
Aug 22 at 7:21
In terms of the password, Spectrum when installing a service for me said the password was chang3me. Not very randomized
– Hogstrom
Aug 22 at 16:46
Hence me saying with many, not all.
– Journeyman Geek♦
Aug 23 at 10:45
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
The things to consider are what means would your ISP have to determine the state of your home network.
Things will vary from ISP to ISP. That said, if you bought the bundle where they provide the modem and router chances are pretty good they set some knowable values and may have even "stored them to trouble shoot". Worst case scenario imho.
If you have your own equipment there are still things that they can mine from you. They can sniff your traffic (if its not encrypted) and store DNS results. Build a profile on your likes and dislikes.
They also could potentially sniff the wireless network to crack the encryption to look at you traffic but that would seem unlikely. Possible, but, it would be expensive and they would probably only do that as part of some legal action.
Best advice I have is assume your network is not safe and use a VPN to access your favorite services and the majority of your profile would be hidden.
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
Indeed, as Worthwelle puts it, whether an ISP can know the WiFi password depends on whether your wireless router is your own (That is, it is provided by the ISP or purchased by yourself).
I would like to add that the encryption modes currently available in wireless routers are: WEP, WPA-PSK (TKIP), WPA2-PSK (AES) and WPA-PSK (TKIP) + WPA2-PSK (AES). They can all encrypt the data, making our network a protected network, whether the router we use is ISP's or purchased by ourselves.
So it depends on whether the ISP knows whether the router uses a certain encryption scheme to determine whether the ISP knows whether it is a protected network or an unprotected network.
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Something to remember is that you are on your ISP's network, and they usually can directly connect to yours (depending on the individual users permissions within the ISP), if you have a provided router that came with a default username/password and you haven't changed it, they will most likely be able to access the configuration of your router.
If you have brought a new router, then as long as you have changed the login details then they won't be able to see the configuration.
Source: I worked for an ISP (In the software dept.)
add a comment |Â
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
9
down vote
It depends.
If your wireless router is managed by your ISP, then they may be able to see whether your wireless network is password protected or not and possibly even the password. As an example, Comcast had an issue like this where customer Wi-Fi passwords were leaked.
If, however, you purchased your own wireless router, then your ISP should not be able to access any of that information.
1
In NYC Time Warner Cable/Spectrum routers send passwords back
– David Grinberg
Aug 22 at 4:24
2
If the wireless router is managed by the ISP, they can usually read more config data than you and take-over the router in a blink.
– Mast
Aug 22 at 7:08
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
It depends.
If your wireless router is managed by your ISP, then they may be able to see whether your wireless network is password protected or not and possibly even the password. As an example, Comcast had an issue like this where customer Wi-Fi passwords were leaked.
If, however, you purchased your own wireless router, then your ISP should not be able to access any of that information.
1
In NYC Time Warner Cable/Spectrum routers send passwords back
– David Grinberg
Aug 22 at 4:24
2
If the wireless router is managed by the ISP, they can usually read more config data than you and take-over the router in a blink.
– Mast
Aug 22 at 7:08
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
up vote
9
down vote
It depends.
If your wireless router is managed by your ISP, then they may be able to see whether your wireless network is password protected or not and possibly even the password. As an example, Comcast had an issue like this where customer Wi-Fi passwords were leaked.
If, however, you purchased your own wireless router, then your ISP should not be able to access any of that information.
It depends.
If your wireless router is managed by your ISP, then they may be able to see whether your wireless network is password protected or not and possibly even the password. As an example, Comcast had an issue like this where customer Wi-Fi passwords were leaked.
If, however, you purchased your own wireless router, then your ISP should not be able to access any of that information.
answered Aug 21 at 21:15


Worthwelle
686114
686114
1
In NYC Time Warner Cable/Spectrum routers send passwords back
– David Grinberg
Aug 22 at 4:24
2
If the wireless router is managed by the ISP, they can usually read more config data than you and take-over the router in a blink.
– Mast
Aug 22 at 7:08
add a comment |Â
1
In NYC Time Warner Cable/Spectrum routers send passwords back
– David Grinberg
Aug 22 at 4:24
2
If the wireless router is managed by the ISP, they can usually read more config data than you and take-over the router in a blink.
– Mast
Aug 22 at 7:08
1
1
In NYC Time Warner Cable/Spectrum routers send passwords back
– David Grinberg
Aug 22 at 4:24
In NYC Time Warner Cable/Spectrum routers send passwords back
– David Grinberg
Aug 22 at 4:24
2
2
If the wireless router is managed by the ISP, they can usually read more config data than you and take-over the router in a blink.
– Mast
Aug 22 at 7:08
If the wireless router is managed by the ISP, they can usually read more config data than you and take-over the router in a blink.
– Mast
Aug 22 at 7:08
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
If its an ISP supplied router, especially a modem router or they have some additional control over it - it is possible. If its your own router, practically short of having someone wander around checking, its unlikely.
However, some ISPs might suspend service due to "suspicious" activities or send you nastygrams.
On your own router or routers - it should be impossible for the ISP to see your wifi password (it would be a nasty security hole), nor should there be any reason for them to need your wifi password (so they shouldn't need to know it, or ask for it).
Even with many ISP supplied routers, the password is randomised on a router in a sealed box so it is unlikely the ISP will know what it is.
Any service that sends your password to a third party is a terrible idea. People sometimes don't realise things are terrible ideas. If you suspect your ISP is doing this, you may want to check, both online and with the ISP what their services are.
Unless you're on a farm or wilderness area, they could check with google's database of wifi's found at your location during mapping, or if they are also a cellphone provider (or partner with one, or some) they could have reports from cellphones that have been used near your location. Nit: this could tell them if your wifi uses a secure protocol like WPA2, but not specifically a password, e.g. you could be using some forms of EAP.
– dave_thompson_085
Aug 22 at 7:21
In terms of the password, Spectrum when installing a service for me said the password was chang3me. Not very randomized
– Hogstrom
Aug 22 at 16:46
Hence me saying with many, not all.
– Journeyman Geek♦
Aug 23 at 10:45
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
If its an ISP supplied router, especially a modem router or they have some additional control over it - it is possible. If its your own router, practically short of having someone wander around checking, its unlikely.
However, some ISPs might suspend service due to "suspicious" activities or send you nastygrams.
On your own router or routers - it should be impossible for the ISP to see your wifi password (it would be a nasty security hole), nor should there be any reason for them to need your wifi password (so they shouldn't need to know it, or ask for it).
Even with many ISP supplied routers, the password is randomised on a router in a sealed box so it is unlikely the ISP will know what it is.
Any service that sends your password to a third party is a terrible idea. People sometimes don't realise things are terrible ideas. If you suspect your ISP is doing this, you may want to check, both online and with the ISP what their services are.
Unless you're on a farm or wilderness area, they could check with google's database of wifi's found at your location during mapping, or if they are also a cellphone provider (or partner with one, or some) they could have reports from cellphones that have been used near your location. Nit: this could tell them if your wifi uses a secure protocol like WPA2, but not specifically a password, e.g. you could be using some forms of EAP.
– dave_thompson_085
Aug 22 at 7:21
In terms of the password, Spectrum when installing a service for me said the password was chang3me. Not very randomized
– Hogstrom
Aug 22 at 16:46
Hence me saying with many, not all.
– Journeyman Geek♦
Aug 23 at 10:45
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
If its an ISP supplied router, especially a modem router or they have some additional control over it - it is possible. If its your own router, practically short of having someone wander around checking, its unlikely.
However, some ISPs might suspend service due to "suspicious" activities or send you nastygrams.
On your own router or routers - it should be impossible for the ISP to see your wifi password (it would be a nasty security hole), nor should there be any reason for them to need your wifi password (so they shouldn't need to know it, or ask for it).
Even with many ISP supplied routers, the password is randomised on a router in a sealed box so it is unlikely the ISP will know what it is.
Any service that sends your password to a third party is a terrible idea. People sometimes don't realise things are terrible ideas. If you suspect your ISP is doing this, you may want to check, both online and with the ISP what their services are.
If its an ISP supplied router, especially a modem router or they have some additional control over it - it is possible. If its your own router, practically short of having someone wander around checking, its unlikely.
However, some ISPs might suspend service due to "suspicious" activities or send you nastygrams.
On your own router or routers - it should be impossible for the ISP to see your wifi password (it would be a nasty security hole), nor should there be any reason for them to need your wifi password (so they shouldn't need to know it, or ask for it).
Even with many ISP supplied routers, the password is randomised on a router in a sealed box so it is unlikely the ISP will know what it is.
Any service that sends your password to a third party is a terrible idea. People sometimes don't realise things are terrible ideas. If you suspect your ISP is doing this, you may want to check, both online and with the ISP what their services are.
answered Aug 22 at 3:49
Journeyman Geek♦
111k43214358
111k43214358
Unless you're on a farm or wilderness area, they could check with google's database of wifi's found at your location during mapping, or if they are also a cellphone provider (or partner with one, or some) they could have reports from cellphones that have been used near your location. Nit: this could tell them if your wifi uses a secure protocol like WPA2, but not specifically a password, e.g. you could be using some forms of EAP.
– dave_thompson_085
Aug 22 at 7:21
In terms of the password, Spectrum when installing a service for me said the password was chang3me. Not very randomized
– Hogstrom
Aug 22 at 16:46
Hence me saying with many, not all.
– Journeyman Geek♦
Aug 23 at 10:45
add a comment |Â
Unless you're on a farm or wilderness area, they could check with google's database of wifi's found at your location during mapping, or if they are also a cellphone provider (or partner with one, or some) they could have reports from cellphones that have been used near your location. Nit: this could tell them if your wifi uses a secure protocol like WPA2, but not specifically a password, e.g. you could be using some forms of EAP.
– dave_thompson_085
Aug 22 at 7:21
In terms of the password, Spectrum when installing a service for me said the password was chang3me. Not very randomized
– Hogstrom
Aug 22 at 16:46
Hence me saying with many, not all.
– Journeyman Geek♦
Aug 23 at 10:45
Unless you're on a farm or wilderness area, they could check with google's database of wifi's found at your location during mapping, or if they are also a cellphone provider (or partner with one, or some) they could have reports from cellphones that have been used near your location. Nit: this could tell them if your wifi uses a secure protocol like WPA2, but not specifically a password, e.g. you could be using some forms of EAP.
– dave_thompson_085
Aug 22 at 7:21
Unless you're on a farm or wilderness area, they could check with google's database of wifi's found at your location during mapping, or if they are also a cellphone provider (or partner with one, or some) they could have reports from cellphones that have been used near your location. Nit: this could tell them if your wifi uses a secure protocol like WPA2, but not specifically a password, e.g. you could be using some forms of EAP.
– dave_thompson_085
Aug 22 at 7:21
In terms of the password, Spectrum when installing a service for me said the password was chang3me. Not very randomized
– Hogstrom
Aug 22 at 16:46
In terms of the password, Spectrum when installing a service for me said the password was chang3me. Not very randomized
– Hogstrom
Aug 22 at 16:46
Hence me saying with many, not all.
– Journeyman Geek♦
Aug 23 at 10:45
Hence me saying with many, not all.
– Journeyman Geek♦
Aug 23 at 10:45
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
The things to consider are what means would your ISP have to determine the state of your home network.
Things will vary from ISP to ISP. That said, if you bought the bundle where they provide the modem and router chances are pretty good they set some knowable values and may have even "stored them to trouble shoot". Worst case scenario imho.
If you have your own equipment there are still things that they can mine from you. They can sniff your traffic (if its not encrypted) and store DNS results. Build a profile on your likes and dislikes.
They also could potentially sniff the wireless network to crack the encryption to look at you traffic but that would seem unlikely. Possible, but, it would be expensive and they would probably only do that as part of some legal action.
Best advice I have is assume your network is not safe and use a VPN to access your favorite services and the majority of your profile would be hidden.
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
The things to consider are what means would your ISP have to determine the state of your home network.
Things will vary from ISP to ISP. That said, if you bought the bundle where they provide the modem and router chances are pretty good they set some knowable values and may have even "stored them to trouble shoot". Worst case scenario imho.
If you have your own equipment there are still things that they can mine from you. They can sniff your traffic (if its not encrypted) and store DNS results. Build a profile on your likes and dislikes.
They also could potentially sniff the wireless network to crack the encryption to look at you traffic but that would seem unlikely. Possible, but, it would be expensive and they would probably only do that as part of some legal action.
Best advice I have is assume your network is not safe and use a VPN to access your favorite services and the majority of your profile would be hidden.
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
The things to consider are what means would your ISP have to determine the state of your home network.
Things will vary from ISP to ISP. That said, if you bought the bundle where they provide the modem and router chances are pretty good they set some knowable values and may have even "stored them to trouble shoot". Worst case scenario imho.
If you have your own equipment there are still things that they can mine from you. They can sniff your traffic (if its not encrypted) and store DNS results. Build a profile on your likes and dislikes.
They also could potentially sniff the wireless network to crack the encryption to look at you traffic but that would seem unlikely. Possible, but, it would be expensive and they would probably only do that as part of some legal action.
Best advice I have is assume your network is not safe and use a VPN to access your favorite services and the majority of your profile would be hidden.
The things to consider are what means would your ISP have to determine the state of your home network.
Things will vary from ISP to ISP. That said, if you bought the bundle where they provide the modem and router chances are pretty good they set some knowable values and may have even "stored them to trouble shoot". Worst case scenario imho.
If you have your own equipment there are still things that they can mine from you. They can sniff your traffic (if its not encrypted) and store DNS results. Build a profile on your likes and dislikes.
They also could potentially sniff the wireless network to crack the encryption to look at you traffic but that would seem unlikely. Possible, but, it would be expensive and they would probably only do that as part of some legal action.
Best advice I have is assume your network is not safe and use a VPN to access your favorite services and the majority of your profile would be hidden.
answered Aug 22 at 0:23
Hogstrom
630114
630114
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
Indeed, as Worthwelle puts it, whether an ISP can know the WiFi password depends on whether your wireless router is your own (That is, it is provided by the ISP or purchased by yourself).
I would like to add that the encryption modes currently available in wireless routers are: WEP, WPA-PSK (TKIP), WPA2-PSK (AES) and WPA-PSK (TKIP) + WPA2-PSK (AES). They can all encrypt the data, making our network a protected network, whether the router we use is ISP's or purchased by ourselves.
So it depends on whether the ISP knows whether the router uses a certain encryption scheme to determine whether the ISP knows whether it is a protected network or an unprotected network.
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
Indeed, as Worthwelle puts it, whether an ISP can know the WiFi password depends on whether your wireless router is your own (That is, it is provided by the ISP or purchased by yourself).
I would like to add that the encryption modes currently available in wireless routers are: WEP, WPA-PSK (TKIP), WPA2-PSK (AES) and WPA-PSK (TKIP) + WPA2-PSK (AES). They can all encrypt the data, making our network a protected network, whether the router we use is ISP's or purchased by ourselves.
So it depends on whether the ISP knows whether the router uses a certain encryption scheme to determine whether the ISP knows whether it is a protected network or an unprotected network.
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
Indeed, as Worthwelle puts it, whether an ISP can know the WiFi password depends on whether your wireless router is your own (That is, it is provided by the ISP or purchased by yourself).
I would like to add that the encryption modes currently available in wireless routers are: WEP, WPA-PSK (TKIP), WPA2-PSK (AES) and WPA-PSK (TKIP) + WPA2-PSK (AES). They can all encrypt the data, making our network a protected network, whether the router we use is ISP's or purchased by ourselves.
So it depends on whether the ISP knows whether the router uses a certain encryption scheme to determine whether the ISP knows whether it is a protected network or an unprotected network.
Indeed, as Worthwelle puts it, whether an ISP can know the WiFi password depends on whether your wireless router is your own (That is, it is provided by the ISP or purchased by yourself).
I would like to add that the encryption modes currently available in wireless routers are: WEP, WPA-PSK (TKIP), WPA2-PSK (AES) and WPA-PSK (TKIP) + WPA2-PSK (AES). They can all encrypt the data, making our network a protected network, whether the router we use is ISP's or purchased by ourselves.
So it depends on whether the ISP knows whether the router uses a certain encryption scheme to determine whether the ISP knows whether it is a protected network or an unprotected network.
answered Aug 22 at 8:13
S.Leon
2545
2545
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Something to remember is that you are on your ISP's network, and they usually can directly connect to yours (depending on the individual users permissions within the ISP), if you have a provided router that came with a default username/password and you haven't changed it, they will most likely be able to access the configuration of your router.
If you have brought a new router, then as long as you have changed the login details then they won't be able to see the configuration.
Source: I worked for an ISP (In the software dept.)
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Something to remember is that you are on your ISP's network, and they usually can directly connect to yours (depending on the individual users permissions within the ISP), if you have a provided router that came with a default username/password and you haven't changed it, they will most likely be able to access the configuration of your router.
If you have brought a new router, then as long as you have changed the login details then they won't be able to see the configuration.
Source: I worked for an ISP (In the software dept.)
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
up vote
-1
down vote
Something to remember is that you are on your ISP's network, and they usually can directly connect to yours (depending on the individual users permissions within the ISP), if you have a provided router that came with a default username/password and you haven't changed it, they will most likely be able to access the configuration of your router.
If you have brought a new router, then as long as you have changed the login details then they won't be able to see the configuration.
Source: I worked for an ISP (In the software dept.)
Something to remember is that you are on your ISP's network, and they usually can directly connect to yours (depending on the individual users permissions within the ISP), if you have a provided router that came with a default username/password and you haven't changed it, they will most likely be able to access the configuration of your router.
If you have brought a new router, then as long as you have changed the login details then they won't be able to see the configuration.
Source: I worked for an ISP (In the software dept.)
answered Aug 22 at 3:05
FabianCook
14611
14611
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fsuperuser.com%2fquestions%2f1351119%2fcan-my-isp-see-whether-or-not-i-have-a-wifi-password%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password