How To See Who Is Connected To My WiFi
Also shows any network shares on the LAN
Have you noticed your WiFi working slower than usual? Before digging into how to boost your signal and improve WiFi performance, find out who is connected to your WiFi network.
Many devices in your house could be connected to your WiFi network, like laptops, smartphones, tablets, as well as smart bulbs, and home assistants. However, it could just bestrangers logging inthat’s causing your WiFi signal to lose speed.
There can be many different reasons why you’d like to know what devices are connected to your WiFi. Luckily, it’s an easy check. There are two ways you can go about this: Through your router’s web interface, or using network scanning software. For better results, try both ways and see if you find the same connected devices on the list.
See Who Is Connected To WiFi With Your Router
Your best option is to check your wireless router. You can do it in just a few minutes and don’t need to download any third-party apps to perform the check.
One thing you need before you do this is your wireless router’s IP address.
In order to log into your router’s web interface, you’ll need to open a browser on any of your devices that are connected to your router. Then open a new browser tab and type your router’s IP address into the address bar.
Mostrouters have a default IP addressof 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. If you tried typing both of them into your browser and neither of them works, you can find your router’s IP address on the backside of your wireless router.
If you’re still not sure what your router IP address is, there are a few more ways to find it. Some are more complicated than others.
The easy way to do it on Windows is by using theCommand Promptutility. When you launch the utility, type theipconfigcommand and pressEnter.
From there, you’ll find your IP address underDefault Gateway.
On Mac, click on the WiFi icon in the menu bar and chooseOpen Network Preferences.
In your Network settings, chooseWi-Fifrom the left-side menu and clickAdvancedin the bottom-right corner of the window.
Then choose theTCP/IPtab in the next window. There you’ll find your IP address underRouter.
How To See Who’s Connected To Your Wifi Network
Now that you have your IP address, open a new browser tab and type it in. This will take you to the router’s login page. Some routers will haveadminandpasswordas the default login credentials.
Alternatively, you can find those details on the backside of your router together with the IP address. If you have changed that previously, enter your new details to log in. If you don’t remember your username and password, you can reset the router and then use the default credentials to log in.
After you log in, you’ll need to navigate to the list of connected devices. Depending on your router, this information could be located in different places.
Some routers will have all the devices listed on the main page underWiFi.
On D-Link routers, you have to go toStatustab and findWireless Clientsto get the list of the devices.
On Verizon routers the section you need is calledMy Network. While on Netgear, you need to look forAttached Devices.
No matter what router you’re using, the list of connected devices normally offer the same information. You’ll see some sort of table that includes the hostname and MAC address for every device on the list.
When you see a device you don’t recognise, your first intention will probably be toboot it off your network. However, before you do that, make sure to check whether it’s actually a stranger feeding off your WiFi, or one of your devices that you simply didn’t recognize. A good way to do this is to compare the device’s MAC address from the list to the MAC addresses of the devices you own that could be connected to your wireless network.
Use a Network Scanner To See Who’s Using Your WiFi
Using your router’s web interface is the ideal way of checking who’s connected to your WiFi. However, there are other methods you can use. If your router doesn’t offer an option to see the list via its web interface, you can download software to your computer that will scan the WiFi network you’re using and list the connected devices.
There are quite a few different network scanners out there that you can use. To name a few tools that have proven its worth, we recommendLanScanfor Mac,SoftPerfectfor Windows and Mac, andAngry IP Scannerfor Windows, Mac, and Linux.
The only downside is that these apps will only list active devices – the ones that are currently online. That means you won’t see any devices that are currently offline on the list.
Secure Your WiFi Network
In a situation where you need to give someone access to your local network, there’s a safe way to do that. At the same time, if you’re worried about someone hijacking your WiFi, it’s time tosecure your network. Doing this will keep anyone from using your internet connection to perform malicious acts. It’ll also give you peace of mind.
Have you ever checked who’s been using your WiFi? What tools did you use to do that? Share your experience with us in the comments below.
Anya is a freelance technology writer. Originally from Russia, she is currently a full-time Remote Worker and Digital Nomad. With a background in Journalism, Language Studies, and Technical Translation, Anya couldn’t imagine her life and work without using modern technology on a daily basis. Always looking out for new ways to make her life and location-independent lifestyle easier, she hopes to share her experiences as a tech- and internet-addict through her writing.Read Anya’s Full Bio
Welcome to Help Desk Geek- a blog full of tech tips from trusted tech experts. We have thousands of articles and guides to help you troubleshoot any issue. Our articles have been read over 150 million times since we launched in 2008.
HomeAbout UsEditorial StandardsContact UsTerms of Use
Copyright © 2008-2024 Help Desk Geek.com, LLC All Rights Reserved
