# Computer question, killing just one wifi network **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 11, 2014, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417 "2014-03-11T07:19:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/1 "2014-03-11T07:19:55Z")
Without getting into the details, can I permanently disable one wifi network that’s near my apt so it can’t be accessed by my home computer? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Wheeljack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@Wheeljack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheeljack)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/2 "2014-03-11T08:08:24Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Without getting into the details, can I permanently disable one wifi network that’s near my apt so it can’t be accessed by my home computer? Thanks Not without _some_ details. Are you trying to keep anyone who uses your machine from accessing your neighbor’s network, or is this a thing where your machine connects to it automatically and you want it to stop? Also, what OS are you using? For the latter situation in Windows 7, open the list of networks in the wireless taskbar icon and right-click the network. Choose Properties and on the Connection tab, uncheck “Connect automatically when this network is in range.” I imagine the process is similar for other versions of Windows. If you want to disable access to that network entirely from one machine… I haven’t a clue. Maybe ask your neighbor to secure it? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/3 "2014-03-11T08:16:26Z")
You might be able to do it by configuring the advanced properties of the network inappropriately - i.e. tell your OS that it’s encrypted using WEP or something it isn’t, rather than letting the OS determine it automatically - that way, the computer may see it and prompt for a password, but even if the correct password is entered, it won’t authenticate. But if you’re doing this to thwart another user (i.e. offspring), and that user has administrative privilege, they could potentially discover and undo the above change. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/4 "2014-03-11T09:13:35Z")
> [@Wheeljack](#): > > Not without _some_ details. Are you trying to keep anyone who uses your machine from accessing your neighbor’s network, or is this a thing where your machine connects to it automatically and you want it to stop? > > Also, what OS are you using? > If you want to disable access to that network entirely from one machine… I haven’t a clue. > [@Mangetout](#): > > But if you’re doing this to thwart another user (i.e. offspring), and that user has administrative privilege, they could potentially discover and undo the above change. OS X10.9. Yeah, I want to make it impossible for someone to use this network from my computer. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/5 "2014-03-11T09:18:17Z")
Some particular person? Or anyone? In the former case you’re looking at it from the wrong end: you should block them at the far end. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/6 "2014-03-11T09:46:10Z")
n/m - didn’t see that you were using OSX ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/7 "2014-03-11T11:47:03Z")
If it’s a desktop computer you may be able to unscrew the wifi antenna which may limit it’s ability to connect to a far off wifi network but your home network may be close enough. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/8 "2014-03-11T12:23:46Z")
I am pretty curious about WHY anyone would ask this question. The only reason I can think of for wanting to do this, is to prevent someone else - a family member? - from downloading stuff at your neighbour’s expense. If that’s the case, then surely it would be better to take more control of the computer’s use, and possibly to instill some sense of right and wrong into the person concerned. Stealing bandwidth is - well - stealing. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/9 "2014-03-12T08:17:16Z")
Well, I have a desktop for home use, the laptop is for roadwork, since there’s only one unsecured network in range, I was hoping there was a way to to make it inaccessible, preferably a method not easily undone. ---
**Author:** ![kahlereese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4da419/32.png) [@kahlereese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kahlereese)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/10 "2014-03-12T10:47:32Z")
Could you knock on their door and ask them to secure their network? Might be the easiest solution. From what I can tell there is no way in OSX to blacklist an SSID (access point). You can only take it off the preferred networks list, which can be easily undone. Are you trying to do this for the laptop and desktop? Like kanicbird said, can you run a wired connection to the desktop and just disable the wireless adapter? Just remove the wifi driver…probably stop most people from using it. Seems like Airport has a feature that requires an admin password to change wifi networks. As long as your access point has the strongest signal at boot this should work as well. the anti-social way would be to eat their bandwidth until they blocked you…a couple days of heavy torrenting would probably work good luck ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/11 "2014-03-12T11:01:55Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > OS X10.9. Yeah, I want to make it impossible for someone to use this network from my computer. In System Prefs / Network, there are options “Ask to join new networks”, and under Wi-Fi, “Require administrator authorization to… change networks” etc. If you can limit this person to a non-administrator account, then I think that might give you enough to prevent them from joining networks other than those you’ve added as an admin. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2014, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/12 "2014-03-12T12:31:04Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I am pretty curious about WHY anyone would ask this question. The only reason I can think of for wanting to do this, is to prevent someone else - a family member? - from downloading stuff at your neighbour’s expense. If that’s the case, then surely it would be better to take more control of the computer’s use, and possibly to instill some sense of right and wrong into the person concerned. Stealing bandwidth is - well - stealing. Could be many reasons, Perhaps a child would use his/her friends wifi who lives across the street to bypass parental restrictions? ---
**Author:** ![busterpickle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@busterpickle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/busterpickle)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/13 "2014-03-13T22:07:23Z")
I would advise against using any free or unsecured AP, ever. Never, ever, ever. That’s why I keep my grandfathered unlimited data plan for my phone. I rarely go over 2 GB, but, if I travel I do and I never use the “free” WiFi from any place. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/14 "2014-03-14T12:40:03Z")
One approach would be to buy a cheap WiFi router and assign it to the same channel as the one you want to block. Being closer it would hopefully block out the farther one. Don’t bother plugging it into the Internet or anything except for setup. You could even give it the same network name as the other one. Just check from time to time to see if the other one has had its channel changed. ---
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/15 "2014-03-14T18:52:54Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > One approach would be to buy a cheap WiFi router and assign it to the same channel as the one you want to block. Being closer it would hopefully block out the farther one. That would be a waste of time, because it won’t work. WiFi is designed to allow multiple SSIDs on the same channel. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/16 "2014-03-14T19:19:29Z")
> [@andrewm](#): > > That would be a waste of time, because it won’t work. WiFi is designed to allow multiple SSIDs on the same channel. But as noted, changing the network name (SSDID) to the same as the other network would “confuse things”. Adding a dummy device that just spews packets back and forth on that network would also make things harder. (But I think the FCC frowns on deliberate useless radio traffic, even on unlicensed bands.) ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/17 "2014-03-14T19:36:36Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > One approach would be to buy a cheap WiFi router and assign it to the same channel as the one you want to block. Being closer it would hopefully block out the farther one. Don’t bother plugging it into the Internet or anything except for setup. You could even give it the same network name as the other one. Just check from time to time to see if the other one has had its channel changed. This might work, since IIRC multiple Access Points with the same SSID, the computer typically connects to the closer (stronger) one. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/18 "2014-03-14T20:01:24Z")
They probably haven’t changed the default password on their router. Connect to it, log in as administrator and either disable or password protect wifi. Either they are so clueless that they’ll never notice, or they’ll freak out and set up security themselves because they’ve been “hacked”. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/19 "2014-03-14T20:07:26Z")
> [@Eliahna](#): > > They probably haven’t changed the default password on their router. Connect to it, log in as administrator and either disable or password protect wifi. Either they are so clueless that they’ll never notice, or they’ll freak out and set up security themselves because they’ve been “hacked”. Or possibly blacklist your MAC address. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417/20 "2014-03-16T05:18:13Z")
> [@Eliahna](#): > > They probably haven’t changed the default password on their router. Connect to it, log in as administrator and either disable or password protect wifi. Either they are so clueless that they’ll never notice, or they’ll freak out and set up security themselves because they’ve been “hacked”. If they don’t notice, it would only be because they never use it. Both options would make any computers set up to use that access point not work. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-killing-just-one-wifi-network/683417.md?page=2)