why is the FBI monitoring me?

hi, all
i'm a new ibook user and new airport user. i live in suburban new jersey and am a doctor. now, i mention this just to give a little perspective. when i hit the airport icon on the taskbar, the list of networks drops down. on it is my ususal home network, selected with the check next to it. under this, however, is another network called "FBI_Monitor". when i click on it i am asked for a WEP password. now, needless to say, i am worried about this. i'm very new to wireless internet and unsure if this is some malicious hack due to some lack of security i don't know about; or, if the FBI really is monitoring me (neither is a pleasant thought!). any thoughts about this will be greatly appreciated. thanks............................................................................

Sounds like someone has named their wireless network FBI-monitor for a joke.

Maybe they were trying to freak someone out, and it seems to have paid off. neye:

It's probably someone else's network in your neighborhood. In highly populated suburban areas (especially subdivisions), you can pick up other people's networks since homes are so close together and more and more homes are set up on networks. I highly doubt the FBI is watching you unless you have given them a reason to, hehe. It's probably just your neighbors network name and it has a WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) password to be able to connect to the network. As for me I am in the mountains so I don't pick up anybody elses network. I have picked up others at my relatives house though when I am in the city.

lol that is exactly what is was... no need to worry nobody is watching you and if the FBI really was, they wouldn't let you know.

It's definately a joke, doc. What you're seeing is called an SSID, which is basically a broadcasted name of someone's wireless network. When you set up a wireless network the hardware (a router) asks the user what you want to name your network. It can be called anything you want. So someone's got their network cleverly named.

Lastly, if the FBI wanted to really spy on someone they'd never even know it.

Oh, welcome to the forums, by the way.

Yeah, this is definitely a joke. Do you really think the FBI would go around labeling their network "FBI Monitor"? Methinks not.
:black:

thanks to all for your input. in retrospect, it's very true that the FBI isn't going to be announcing their surveilance activities, to me. and NO--i haven't given them any reason to pry (although with the patriot act, who needs a reason!). this sure gave me a spook. i gotta find out which one of my neighbors' network this is and then pull some sort of prank on them. ahhh, revenge...

You don't have any young gullible children; you could taunt with FBI_Monitor signal, do you? Ask them, what is the meaning of this? Do you have anything to tell me? Then, watch the dirty laundry fly out the window! Bah ha ha ha!

Boy, I scare myself sometimes.

lol that would be a great way to get the kids in your family to stop the illegal activity they are doing on the computer..

Yeah, but the FBI wouldn't broadcast the SSID, and we definitely use WPA2... wait, I meant to say THEY, not WE

***post terminated on behalf of national security***

Yeah I vote the same.. definitely a joke.. if the FBI announced they were monitoring someone.. seems very un-FBI-ish But definitely sounds like a good joke.

Hmm... I live in an apartment complex with almost a dozen wifi units I can see here just sitting in my living room.... I think it is time for me to change the SSID on my router... *shifty eyes*

Sorry to use your thread, but this is the only one i've seen about this. If you have a Airport express for traveling can you change the SSID even if I don't use it at home.

You can change the SSID as much as you want, just open the browser utility.