If I join a computer network ...?

Question

Can people check up on it easily?

Ok, so I have a computer in my room, and it couldn't connect to the internet (I think my dad blocked it) but now it can.

When I went to connect the internet (I have Windows XP) I got this little pop-up from Norton 2004 (Don't ask why I have it on a computer which has no internet) which said choose security settings. I quickly shut off my computer when it said that in case my parents could find out.

So, anyway if I joined the network, would it be easy to find out whether i've been on it or not (I know the router gives an IP which can be found if you search hard enough, but my parents never actually go on the router settings) Does my computer silently join the network without leaving much trace unless you look for it, or does the main computer with the router settings show that a new computer has joined the network when you boot up the computer?

Answer 1

On Windows XP it doesn't show if another computer joined the network. Just don't share any folders because it may show up on other computers. You could check if other computers are connected by going to the router settings.

Well, I've never used vista but i'm pretty sure it wouldn't show that your computer was on the network.

btw, there is no "main" computer. All computers that connect to the network are the same. And all of them can connect to the router settings. So it would be odd for all the computers to be able to show if other users are using it.

Like i said, if you go to the router settings it will show you ip addresses of other connected devices.