[Dyre Straits]

I'd like to know if anyone else has had this happen to them:

I left my cellphone connected to my PC the other night after I had download some photos from it. With it connected via USB, the cellphone also charges. I do have a separate AC adapter that I normally use to charge the phone, though.

But, this time, I left it connected via USB and went to bed. When I woke up, my Network had changed to PUBLIC and I had to go through all the hoops to get it back to Home Network.

This really caused me some concern. We do have our Link-Sys router limited to the number of connections allowed and also have it password protected.

So, can having a cellphone connected for a long duration of time cause a problem like this?

[Jac]

I leave my cell connected via USB all the time and it has never changed the network setting for me.

[BlueMak]

I have never every heard of anything like this before. It sounds impossible to my untrained eh eyes.

Are you sure that it is not a coincidence and you don't have a real security issue?

[Dyre Straits]

Originally Posted by BlueMak

I have never every heard of anything like this before. It sounds impossible to my untrained eh eyes.

Are you sure that it is not a coincidence and you don't have a real security issue?

I know exactly what you are saying. But, the only thing that was any different from what I normally do is to have had my cellphone connected while I was sleeping. When I got up and checked the PC, there was a notice that the network had changed. No one else was around during that time.

I may leave the cellphone connected again to see if there's any repeat.

[Tipstaff]

I've seen instances where a router got reset (either via overheating, or where the user connected via wireless, and the connection crapped out on them ie.crappy signal, or even in cases where a router is not Vista/Windows 7 compatible, rather not IPv6 compatible, thereby causing the router to hard lock), and the computer would switch over to use the cellphone as a network device. In every instance this has always happened on Vista or Windows 7 machines (with one case being an XP laptop that had a network software that auto switches to the fastest connection, so if you hook up by wire it would switch off the wireless).

Check the logs on your router to see if anything like a connection loss to your provider happened, or if there was some kind of power loop (where the router reset).

BTW, do you have an phone specific software on your PC? Either one that came with your phone, Active Sync, or if it's a BlackBerry, do you have it's desktop software running?

[Dyre Straits]

@Tipstaff:

There's a possibility that the service from Comcast was lost briefly while I was sleeping. They've been doing upgrades and maintenance in the area. So, that IS a distinct possibility.

There is no specific cellphone software involved. My cellphone is a Samsung Messager II [R560]. When I connect it via USB, it simply shows up as a Removable Disk. But, the phone does have Internet connectivity, email, etc.

The Link-Sys router, WRT54G, has the latest firmware for it's version.

Also, my daughter-in-law recently got a new iPad and she does use it lot. But, I'm not sure she was using it during this episode.

Thanks for the reply. I'll update if there are any further developments.

[Randomletters]

it does sound like you lost internet connection some time during the night and the pc thought the cellphone was a new connection and tried to go through the steps.

For example, My smartphone lets me tether to my pc and use the phones internet connection on the computer

[Judas]

i can't plug my cell phone into my computer using the supplied or new usb cable, did twice when it was new, and ever since, windows on all machines detects it as a malfuctioning device....