I think I may be being monitored...?

This started last night. I was trying to load up a movie for my kids on the PS3. The controller was acting as though there was someone hacked into my network controlling it. It was cycling through menus and would not stay on a selection so I could start the movie. Okay, I know you're thinking that someone in the next house might have a controller on at the same time. This has never happened before, and I don't think controllers have that kind of range.

But now it is happening to my laptop. As I sit here on ATS, my cursor backs up and moves as though there is someone logged on via remote desktop application.

Anyone know what might be causing this? I'm not paranoid or anything by nature, but this is getting annoying.

I should mention that it is a MacBook Pro.

I know sometimes, my mouse does that when its not sitting properly in a even place(usually optical mouse have this problem).

PS3 only does this if you accidentally got the joystick stuck.


One simple way to see if someone is remote using your desktop is to disable internet connection.

Other methods including, opening up Task Manager and noticing any non system programs running that you are not familiar with.

Sounds like a simple loading issue on both fronts. My cursor does the same thing, but it only happens when my network is down to 2 or 3 G instead of 4. It happens here as well as other sites. When a system "thinks" about an action longer than usual things like what you described will happen.

It is annoying though.

reply to post by AwakeinNM


Macbook pros have a tendency to be activated by bluetooth devices. I know that apple's magicmouse can interfere with my macbook pro from another room. I am guessing you have a bluetooth device messing with you nearby. (PS3 controllers are bluetooth)

I feel like a moron. Computers are not one of my strengths, I'll admit. I can use the hell out of them for all kinds of things, but under the hood is not my domain.

I recently upgraded to Mountain Lion and it installed MagicPrefs again. I had two copies of MagicPrefs running. But as I type this, it is happening again, so I guess that wasn't it.

I do have an apple mouse that uses bluetooth.

Funny story. I wanted to name my WiFi connection "FBI Surveillance Van 7" to freak out the neighbors, but my wife made me change it.

Originally posted by AwakeinNM
Funny story. I wanted to name my WiFi connection "FBI Surveillance Van 7" to freak out the neighbors, but my wife made me change it.

My husband has ours as "NSA Break Room"

Dont feel bad Awake.. I was trying to watch direct TV.. a crime show I was trying to pay attention to.. and the channels kept changing. I was pissed, yelling, taking batteries in and out of the remote.. yelling for the husband.
Come to find out my idiot kid had downloaded an application that turns her cell into a remote control for direct tv..
Damn technology...

Interference is very possible with WIFI and blue tooth. Cell phone sitting to close can make your keyboard and mouse go out of wack for a moment cell phones re-sync all the time. I know this sounds silly but a hair caught in the laser lens will also do make the mouse do jitters like that. Dropped connections like on a router can be caused by to many devices in the neighborhood all using the same channel and you get a crosstalk going on. It's more difficult to get more info on networks using windows, but on Linux you can get more data or using a specific program to analyze the spectrum will reveal how congested things are. Shows just exactly what channel their routers are on what strength etc. You would be surprised to see how many routers are all on channel 6 or something.