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Is your connection speed slightly below what you’re used to? Do you see unidentified devices when you cast content to your TV or in File Explorer? Well, your Wi-Fi may be under attack from a nosy neighbor.
For instance, if someone is using your internet connection to stream Netflix, obviously there will be problems. If they’re illegally downloading movies, your ISP may blame you if you both try to stream at the same time and your connection slows down.
You wouldn’t want a neighbor to be able to access your network and all the computers on that network even if they had the bandwidth to do so. That’s because, they may gain access to files you have unwittingly made public, be infected with malware, or have access to sensitive information such as passwords.
The good news is that you can prevent all of this by being cautious about the devices you let onto your network. Additionally, you can contact Xfinity customer service to learn about how you can make your network more secure.
But before that, read this guide and follow our tips!
Find Out Who Is Connected To Your Wi-Fi Network
Verifying your wireless router is your best bet. The process takes only a few minutes and requires no additional software or plugins. To begin, locate the IP address of your wireless router.
Discovering the IP Address of Your Router
To access the router’s admin page, you need to launch a web browser on one of your networked computers or mobile devices. The next step is to launch a new browser window and enter the IP address of your router.
The IP address of most routers is either 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. If entering either of those into your browser yields no results, you can locate your router’s IP address on the device’s back.
If you’re still not sure what your router IP address is, there are a couple more ways to determine it. Some are less difficult to accomplish than others. If you’re using Windows, the Command Prompt is your best bet. Launch the program and then type ipconfig into the command prompt.
Under Default Gateway, you will see your IP address. To access your Mac’s network settings, locate the Wi-Fi menu item and select it.
Select Wi-Fi from the list of options on the left side of the window that appears when you click on Network, and then select Advanced from the menu that appears. In the subsequent window, select the TCP/IP tab. The IP address can be found in the router section.
How to Monitor Your Wi-Fi for Visitors
Open a new tab in your browser and enter your IP address. Follow this link to enter the router’s administrative interface. The default username and password for certain routers are “admin” and “password,” respectively.
Alternatively, you can locate these particulars, along with the IP address, on the router’s rear. You can use your new login information if you’ve changed it. You can use the default username and password to access the router after a reset if you have forgotten them.
Once you’ve logged in, head to the list of associated gadgets. The specific location of this data may vary from router to router. On the main screen of some routers, you may see a list of all connected Wi-Fi devices.
With D-Link routers, you’ll need to navigate to the Status tab and look for Wireless Clients to get a list of connected devices. Verizon routers have a feature called “My Network” that you’ll need to access. You must navigate to the Attached Devices section of Netgear.
The data provided by the list of linked devices is typically consistent across different router models. Every item on the list will have a hostname and MAC address, shown in a table format.
When you notice a device you don’t recognize, your initial goal will usually be to kick it from your network. But before doing that, ensure that you know for sure if it’s a stranger using your Wi-Fi or just a gadget you haven’t yet discovered. The MAC address of each device on the list can be compared to the MAC addresses of all of your own devices that potentially connect to the wireless network.
To Discover Who Is Connected to Your Wi-Fi, Use a Network Scanner.
The best approach to see who is using your Wi-Fi is to log into your router’s web interface. There are, however, alternate approaches. Software that scans your Wi-Fi network and displays a list of connected devices can be downloaded to your computer if your router does not provide a way to view the list via the web interface.
There is a wide variety of network scanners available. To mention a few tools that have demonstrated their value, we suggest LanScan on Mac, SoftPerfect for Windows as well as Mac, along with Angry IP Scanner for Mac, Windows, and Linux.
The one drawback is that these programs will only show you connected devices. In other words, the list will not include any gadgets that are currently unavailable.
Final Thoughts
There is a secure method to share your local area network with someone who needs access. If you’re worried about anyone accessing your Wi-Fi, it’s time to safeguard your network. If you take these precautions, no one will be able to use your computer to send spam or commit other forms of cybercrime. You may rest easy knowing this.
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