- Find out if someone is connected to your Wi-Fi network by following a few simple steps and learn how to avoid it.
If your Internet connection does not work as it should and you have already tried to restart the router and establish communication with the technical service, it is not unreasonable to consider that perhaps someone is connected to our Wi-Fi without our permission.
Although it seems crazy, it is possible that a neighbor has taken over your Wi-Fi password and is enjoying the benefits of it without you knowing. But this has a solution since you can easily discover which intruders are connected to your network and kick them out of it. We explain what to do and what steps you should follow to find out if someone is connected to your Wi-Fi and how to “unhook” them from your connection.
How to know if someone is connected to your Wi-Fi network without permission
Not only should you protect yourself when you’re browsing public Wi-Fi networks, but you should also protect yourself when using your private connection at home. One of the possible causes why your Wi-Fi network does not have adequate performance is because devices are connected to it that should not; that is, there are intruders in the connection.
To know if there are devices connected to your router without your permission, you must first see which devices are connected to it. When you have the complete list, you must analyze each device until you know if they are yours or correspond to other users who have taken the password for your router.
To do this, first of all, you must know what the connected devices are. In the Play Store, you can find many free applications for your Android mobile or tablet, although we recommend 3 of them: Fing, WiFiman, and Who’s on my Wi-Fi ?. Here below, we leave you the links so you can download them.
These applications, and the rest that you can find in the store with the same functions, are simply network scanners that reveal who is connecting to your Wi-Fi. By knowing this information, you will know if it is your mobile, tablet computer, and other technological devices or an odd intruder.
To differentiate your devices from those that are connected without your permission, you must look at their names, their IP addresses, or MAC addresses. These are identifying data of each device, and therefore they will help you detect which ones should not be there.
In addition to these applications, you can also see what devices are connected to your Wi-Fi network if you enter the router settings from your Android. One of the ways to do it is to put the address “192.168.1.1” in any web browser. Afterward, you will have to enter the username and password, usually “admin” both (a major weakness).
Access to the configuration of your router may vary depending on the telephone operator. For example, in the case of Vodafone, the user is “Vodafone,” and the password appears on the router itself. Once inside the configuration, you will see which devices are connected to the Wi-Fi network, detecting those that do so without permission. Once recognized, it is time to expel them from your network to work again normally.
How to kick intruders off your Wi-Fi and prevent them from re-entering
Let’s get to the important point, how can you kick out those intruders who have taken over your Wi-Fi network? There are several methods for this, but the simplest is to change the router password so that only you can access the connection. To do this, you will have to enter the router configuration and modify the password you had so far. Of course, you should choose a complicated alphanumeric code and not limit yourself to the dangerous 12345.
Another method is to use the NetCut application, whose installation file you can download to your Android or your computer for free. After installing the application or program, you must analyze the network to find all the connected devices and eject those that are not yours by selecting them and clicking on the “Cut Off” option.
After you’ve driven out intruders, it’s time to beef up your Wi-Fi network to prevent them from re-entering. After configuring a password of great difficulty, you must deactivate the WPS function of the router, which allows access to the connection with a PIN code of only 8 digits. For hackers, it is much easier to discover this code and access the router, so it is best to disable it.
In addition to expelling the intruder, it is also recommended to filter their MAC address in the router configuration so that the same device cannot reconnect in the future, even if it knows the password. Speaking of the latter, you can change it with a certain frequency to ensure that only you know it.
Finally, it is a good idea to turn off the router every time you know you are not going to use it, especially if it will be for a considerably long period. In this way, you will have the certainty that no one takes advantage of your Wi-Fi network without your permission to connect to the Internet.
If you need more tips, we recommend you take a look at our guide to correctly configure your Wi-Fi and prevent it from being stolen, where you will find even more useful tips and tricks.
Sharlene Meriel is an avid gamer with a knack for technology. He has been writing about the latest technologies for the past 5 years. His contribution in technology journalism has been noteworthy. He is also a day trader with interest in the Forex market.
