Is your internet sluggish? If you suspect a neighbor is stealing your Wi-Fi, here’s how to identify devices using your connection and boot them off.
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– Is your internet moving A little slower than usual? Are there any devices you
don’t recognize on the Wi-Fi? If you’re beginning to suspect That a neighbor is
stealing your Wi-Fi signal, Here’s how to check… and
how to kick them off. I’m Eric Griffith from PCMag, And here’s how to see who
is on your Wi-Fi network. Now, Windows users can
download a free program Called ”Wireless Network Watcher.” This will conveniently show you a list Of every device currently
connected to your network. After installing and launching
Wireless Network Watcher It will immediately begin
scanning your network. Once complete, a list of
connected devices will appear. The list may look a little cryptic Especially if you aren’t super
tech savvy, but don’t worry. Just pay attention to the device name And the network adapter company columns. Those names should seem familiar to you And or your household. And for Mac users, unfortunately,
there aren’t as many quick And convenient options. LanScan is a decent pick, But it costs six bucks for
the full functionality. Most other apps are either expensive Or have caveats that make
them less than ideal. If you’re on a Mac, your
router’s settings page May have all the information you need. Let’s say that the list provided By Wireless Network
Watcher gave you something You may not recognize though. What do you do? It’s a good idea to always
check your router’s settings.
You can typically open your
router’s management page By typing its IP address Into your browser’s address bar, Though many home WiFi products
today also offer a mobile app For configuration. In the router settings, look for an option That sounds like ”Attached
Devices” or ”Client List.” This will provide you with a similar list As you get with Wireless Network Watcher, Albeit maybe formatted differently. Sometimes, cross-referencing
the two lists will provide you With the answers that you need. If you see any other
unlabeled devices in the list, Check around your house for
any internet connected gadgets, You might’ve missed. For example, I realized once That my Echo from Amazon wasn’t listed. So, after checking the
Alexa app on my phone, I was able to match its unique MAC address To one of the unlabeled items
in Wireless Network Watcher. If all goes well, You should be able to identify
every device on your network. If there are any left over, And you’ve checked your entire house, It’s possible someone nearby
may be using your Wi-Fi. Now, let’s say there is
someone stealing that signal. Instead of hunting them down,
you can just kick them off With a change in your router security. Go back to your router’s web interface, And change your password. And be sure to choose WPA2
for the password type. It’s far more difficult to
crack than the now-outdated WEP. Also, if WPS, which is short for Wi-Fi Protected Setup, is
turned on, turn it off.
This feature makes it easier
for people to crack your Wi-Fi, If they can get physical
access to the router. It doesn’t happen often that
someone steals your Wi-Fi, But making sure that all of
the devices on your network Belong to you is always a good idea. For PCMag, I’m Eric Griffith.
