Osegi
Security·2 min read

Is someone on your Wi-Fi? How to see devices connected to your router

Slow internet or a data plan that vanishes early can mean a stranger is using your Wi-Fi. Here are the signs and how to check your router's device list.

SUMODialoediviewergiftdetect

Your internet crawls for no obvious reason, or your data plan runs out before it renews, even though you haven't changed how you use it. Before blaming your provider, it's worth checking whether someone else is on your Wi-Fi. A weak password, or one you've shared widely, is all it takes.

There are six signs to watch for. Videos and downloads are slow. The data plan is used up early. Phones or computers you don't recognise show up in the router's device list. The connection keeps dropping. The router's data light keeps blinking while nobody is online. Or the network name, password or other settings have changed and you didn't do it. None of these proves anything on its own: slowness can come from network congestion or a provider fault, and a blinking light can just be apps and home devices updating themselves.

How to see which devices are connected to your Wi-Fi

You do this from the router's settings page:

  1. Open a web browser on your phone or computer.
  2. Type the router's admin page address. It is usually 192.168.1.1, depending on the device and its settings.
  3. Enter the router's admin username and password.
  4. Look for the list of connected devices. It may be called Connected Devices, Attached Devices or Wireless Clients.
  5. Go through the device names, MAC addresses (a hardware ID for each device) and the number of devices connected.
  6. Pick out the ones you don't recognise and check them before you do anything.

How to stop others using your Wi-Fi

Change the Wi-Fi password to a strong one that is hard to guess, and use WPA2 or WPA3 encryption if your router supports it. Change the default password of the router's admin panel too, update the router's firmware, and switch off WPS if you don't need it. Most routers can also block unknown devices from their settings.

One catch: device names and addresses can be unclear or change from one device to the next, so be sure what a device is before you block it. Slow internet doesn't automatically mean a freeloader. But if several of these signs keep showing up, check the connected devices and your security settings.

Apps worth a look

SUMO: the number puzzle

Tap the right tiles, add them up, hit the target. Easy to learn, hard to master. Free, for all ages.

Tags:wifirouterhome networknetwork securityhow-to

More from this day

See all →

More in: Security

See all →