Router showing up as computer in network folder?

Hi all, and thank you firstly.

I had noticed that under explorer>network, that my router showed up as a computer. I was able to connect to my router before by going her before that changed. Once I saw that, I couldn't. I can open that icon just like a drive, but it says it is empty. Like I said before, my system has been hacked into, and it seems that changed about the same time. Should the router show up as a PC there and be able to be opened like a drive?
Something just doesn't seem right about that to me.
Thank you all for any help!

Nate8 said:

Hi all, and thank you firstly.

I had noticed that under explorer>network, that my router showed up as a computer. I was able to connect to my router before by going her before that changed. Once I saw that, I couldn't. I can open that icon just like a drive, but it says it is empty. Like I said before, my system has been hacked into, and it seems that changed about the same time. Should the router show up as a PC there and be able to be opened like a drive?
Something just doesn't seem right about that to me.
Thank you all for any help!

Router access varies somewhat by brand, but I have never encountered what you describe. Have you cut off access to the hacker? You might consider formatting your drive and doing a fresh install to be absolutely sure you've closed all back doors left by the hacker. If you have backups dating to prior the time that the hacker accessed your system, a restore would be a good idea. For now, open a command prompt and run sfc /scannow. If it reports no errors that it found and fixed errors, keep running the command until it reports no errors found.

Once you have regained access to your router, change the user name (if possible), and the PASSWORD.

Garyw said:

Router access varies somewhat by brand, but I have never encountered what you describe. Have you cut off access to the hacker? You might consider formatting your drive and doing a fresh install to be absolutely sure you've closed all back doors left by the hacker. If you have backups dating to prior the time that the hacker accessed your system, a restore would be a good idea. For now, open a command prompt and run sfc /scannow. If it reports no errors that it found and fixed errors, keep running the command until it reports no errors found.

Once you have regained access to your router, change the user name (if possible), and the PASSWORD.

Thank you very much for your reply Garyw! I've erased all my drives with the Guttman 35 pass. Waiting on a new windows 10 install now just to make sure. Not fooling with any old data at all. Not done anything to the network just yet, but know how to fix that. Wasn't sure about why or if the router was supposed to show up like that though. Doesn't seem like it should have to me. Anything I'm unsure of, I'd rather ask ones who do.
Thank you and all for any help!

Bree said:

As Garyw says, that varies by brand, and by model within that brand.

My router is supplied by my ISP, about a year ago they gave me an updated router.

The old model appeared twice under Network in File Explorer, first as a Computer, second under 'Network infrastructure'. As a Computer it gave me access to a shared network drive, an external USB HDD pugged into the router's USB port. With no drive in its USB port it would be empty when clicked on, like yours. If your router has a USB port, try pugging a memory stick or external HDD into it and see if your 'computer' remains empty, I would expect you to see the USB as a network share.

The Network infrastructure entry when clicked opens my default browser at the router's admin page.

The new replacement router only appears in Network infrastructure. It also can share the external USB HDD, but does not appear as a computer. I now have to explicitly map to the share by the IP address of the router and the share name, eg: \\192.168.1.254\ShareName.

I see what you and Garyw are saying now. It does have a USB 3.0 on it, but has nothing in it. I'll just have to change all my settings. I can take care of that.
Thank you very much for your help!

- - - Updated - - -

Samuria said:

Does the router have a USB port as that may show as a pc drive

It does but has never had anything in it. It never showed up before as a drive then did for whatever reason. I'll do what I can with all of it.
Thank you very much for the help!

Nate8 said:

I see what you and Garyw are saying now. It does have a USB 3.0 on it, but has nothing in it. I'll just have to change all my settings. I can take care of that.
Thank you very much for your help!

- - - Updated - - -



It does but has never had anything in it. It never showed up before as a drive then did for whatever reason. I'll do what I can with all of it.
Thank you very much for the help!

im late to the party but dont worry. my router has a usb slot also and is why it shows like that

tomdsr said:

im late to the party but dont worry. my router has a usb slot also and is why it shows like that

It's ok. It was odd because of all that happened and it didn't show up that way before. It's never had anything plugged into it. As best I know. I'll fix it or stay offline permanently. Been without a cell for over 2 years so I can do that to if I have to.
Thank you very much for the reply!