I have a Lenovo Thinkcentre preloaded with Windows 10 Pro. Sometimes when I go to File Explorer and click on Network it shows something called "Ralink Linux Client" connected to my home network. When I select its properties the only information I get is it's MAC address. But the funny thing is when I check my router's list of connected devices the Ralink Linux Client doesn't show up on my router's list even though it shows up on Network on my computer. I am using a Buffalo WHR-300HP router. I also have a Thinkpad notebook computer running Windows 7 Pro on my home network and this phantom device never shows up on Network on the Thinkpad. This Ralink Linux Client comes and goes on my Thinkcentre showing up sometimes but not all the time.
Does anyone know what is going on here? Should I have any concerns about my network security? I have thought about using MAC address filtering on my router to block that Ralink's MAC address but I haven't done it yet.
I tried researching this on the Web and apparently others have had this problem too both with Windows 7 and Windows 8. But I am reading conflicting information about what might be going on. One forum poster suggested that this means that the router connected to the network is picking up another router within range. Someone else suggested that this is actually something to do with the local router's internal components.
If anyone can help with this I'd appreciate it. I know very little about routers and Windows networking and I am quite lost here. My main concern is whether it might be a security threat or not. Thanks.
edit - My Thinkcentre is connected to my router via Ethernet. My Thinkpad is connected wirelessly.
Google says it may be the routers chipset, among other things. See this link.
Ralink Linux Client - Google Search
I used to see a cell phone pop into my Network places once in a while. I checked in my router settings but it never appeared in the connected devices list. I don't see it anymore but that could be because I moved. I just figured it was a neighbor with a smartphone that had his WiFi turned on.
I didn't worry too much about it because it never showed up in my router and all my devices are whitelisted. Moving was a bit of a drastic way to get rid of it, but it worked!
Thanks. I already read that it might be my router's chipset. But that doesn't explain why it only shows up on my Win10 machine and not on my Win7 machine since both are connected to the same router and the same workgroup. I also considered that it could be a neighbor's cell phone looking for a wifi connection but I have turned off SSID and the problems persists.
I do have a plan however. I am using a Buffalo router but I still have an old functioning Network router in storage. I am planning when I get time to swap out the Buffalo for the Netgear and see what happens.
I have Netgear Nighthawk router and I see the same device in my list. This is indeed the router. A lot of different routers are based on that "Ralink Linux Client".I am planning when I get time to swap out the Buffalo for the Netgear and see what happens.
Nope the R7000 uses broadcom chips. So this is incorrect.I have Netgear Nighthawk router and I see the same device in my list. This is indeed the router. A lot of different routers are based on that "Ralink Linux Client".
It shows in Windows 10 but not in 7 because the two versions identify the same device with a different name and also show different content in Network and Sharing Center. If this is part of the router, I would not worry. The simplest thing to do is change your Wi-Fi password, so any neighbor trying to get free access he will be blocked out.
I was referring to R8000, but yes, it is Broadcom as well. In that case my "Ralink Linux Client" probably hides inside a D-Link switch...Nope the R7000 uses broadcom chips. So this is incorrect.
