Ex wants to install antenna to use Internet from my property

[Wifispy]

My ex reluctantly left a few months ago as he was emotionally abusive and controlling, and hurt the children more than once. He rents a shared property around the corner and over the road (bit too close for comfort, but at least he's not in the house).

I was concerned he had access to my phone somehow, he knew things I'd talked about in private etc and he's extremely tech savvy (part of his job). So I bought a new phone and haven't connected it to the house WiFi, which he still pays for. Now he wants to install an antenna on the outside of my house so he can access the WiFi at his new place. He needs a good connection for wfh, and says the Internet at his new place is rubbish (we have the fastest you can get here). He won't ask his landlord about upgrading or moving his contract over there, claiming it would require the house to be rewired.

AIBU to think he wants access to spy on me somehow or am I being paranoid? When I asked him who the internet was with the other month he claimed he couldn't remember, and I don't have the password to access it (my laptop and the TV etc are already connected so I only ever ask for it if I have a guest who wants to connect, and he never tells me).

That looks well dodgy - like he's taken that board off and there's something underneath

Hes using you IP address so say he starts looking at "unmentionables" that comes back to you.

No idea how far apart the houses are and what the line of sight is like between them, but I know that I have a wifi network for my own cameras and it struggles to transmit 1Mb/s over a distance of 30m through a couple of robust walls, so he certainly isnt going to be accessing high speed internet through it, more like something specific to that homes network, thinking smart devices, mic or cams, social media etc wouldnt require it and can be accessed anyware.

It could be as simple as the antenna has a little camera on it, and its to simply watch whos coming and going to and around the property, to get faster signal he could have suggested other methods that an antenna but costs and the "pain in the arse" factor mean it would be a million times more preferable for him just to get proper internet where he is now.

Thank you MoxieFox.

I was wondering why specifically, an antenna as he obviously has access to the router.
I don't think for a second that it's because he can't access WiFi at home 🙂

Those 2 white wires should just go down to the top of the two pins, there is a little hold they pass through dunno if anything can be seen throught those.

OP does the black square look anything like this? Not sure on the scale of your lights but there are even smaller cameras/microphones than this available:

Thank you Thatladdo. Hope op gets sorted quickly. I just wanted to use your brain while you were on the thread!

Hes using you IP address so say he starts looking at "unmentionables" that comes back to you.

He can’t. IP addresses are specific to not just location but also the device and are not frozen, they change. So if you reset your router- that part of your IP address will change. You go on holiday- that part of your IP address will change. You switch from BT to Virgin- that part of your IP address will change.

My current uptime is over 6 months, people rarely cycle power them barring power cuts, I know most user IP's are dynamic so does a device connecting through the OP's IP at her house have a unique identifier other than the IP service provider one?
Given its connecting to her network, it wouldnt at least initially come back to her connection?
Keen to learn, not proud of my lack of networking knowledge! 😆

Definitely something odd.
Id be light and breezy when you tell him. Oh I’ve arranged my own internet provider, you get this one moved to you, I felt bad you having slow WiFi ( sinister laugh but in your head only)

Yeah but on the "left edge" of that circle bit in the first picture that looks like it's been prised off to me

Why has he asked you?

He's almost certainly been told no by his landlord.

Something illegal.

Spying on you.

Absolutely no.

Maybe invest in a “Bug Finding “ device & check around whole house. Never leave him alone in your house & sweep again anytime he visits. Once you have a new Wi-Fi ask a tech savvy friend to make it impregnable…..then RELAX. He’s obviously Enjoying messing with your head! Another way of controlling you!

Superslooth! 😆

Looking closer again, both these joint have been redone, which would allow for the led board to be removed.
Blue arrow looks like a provision to be a plastic weld point to secure the board in place, it is clearly not sitting higher than the top of the post as some flux has run down into it.

Tinkering has taken place it seems.

behind there will actualy be a little transformer/driver on top those are just ic's and appear normal and unmolested

DP is a lamp nerd, he says nothing there looks out of the norm, but just buy new (GU10) bulbs to be safe. However, he doesn't think that a black rectangle should show on the outside of the lamp, that is odd (none of mine look like that).

It's definitely suspicious.

extreme - but I would move house

Absolute hard no.
Well done for getting rid and I’m sorry for what you and your children have endured.

How is it that you didn't know who your Internet provider was ? Are you saying he set it up without your input on best company, package to use and how to link up your devices ? Password etc ?

No techie advice here but a big WELL DONE to you for coping with this! How horrible even to have to think about this. How horrible to worry about soft toys and techie gifts to your children and even freakin' lightbulbs, like some terrible McGuyver/Bourne scene come to life.

Intrusive tech is a new headache for separated people and you are coping well.

Hang in there, lady!!

Wouldn’t the provider be printed on the router? Mine’s in fairly big letters across the front and also printed on the label on the back.

I’m a tech idiot so this may be a very stupid question but it’s worth asking as safety may be in question.
Is there any possibility that he could find this thread by spying and kick off catching the OP unawares?

Was just coming to say the same thing. I couldn't cope with living somewhere where someone could be spying on me.

I don't get why you are still using the broadband he is paying for. Just unplug the entire thing and set up your own broadband with a different provider, in your own name. He'll be left to pay the cancellation fee when the other contract is terminated but that's his problem.

Why has he done this in your opinion, what's the benefit?

The fact that he sounds like a narcissistic control freak makes me think you should DEFINITELY be changing your WiFi provider. Try not to second guess yourself and listen to your gut. It's usually right x

on the technical, side its a mix if eg its running cat5 or cat 6 for the wifi and broadband etc.

if its not connected to your wifi then your ex should not be able to hack or clone the device unless he has access to security service type equipment etc
at least thats my guess