Be especially wary of unknown items like this that are actively using network data. These could be unauthorized users or software. Disable them promptly just to be safe. If you aren't already using a password to access your home's Wi-Fi, stop now and set up password protection. By leaving your network open , anyone can use it and even steal your passwords. Already using a password? If you find suspicious devices on your network, it's time to change it -- especially if you haven't done so since you got your router.
It's always prudent to use the toughest security protocols available. Select that option if you can within your router settings. Stagnant network software is a hack waiting to happen. Check for firmware and software updates regularly, and apply them when available. This doesn't just mean your router, but anything connected to home Wi-Fi. Laptops , phones , tablets , light switches, speakers, refrigerators , all are fair game. Security researcher fined for hacking hotel Wi-Fi. These are the best wireless routers for Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic.
In , a court in Michigan let a man off on felony charges for stealing a WiFi signal from a coffee shop while parked in his car. The man had been checking his email and browsing the internet and said exactly that to a curious police officer. It was eventually determined the man had no idea what he was doing was illegal, let alone a felony. OK, it's time to get down to it. Is your wireless network running slowly?
Do you have intermittent losses in internet access and you can't figure out why? First, take a breath. In all likelihood, no one is stealing your internet. Tons of things could cause a slow connection.
Your internet service provider might be having issues or is overloaded with traffic. Your WiFi router might be experiencing interference from other electronics, or simply be having trouble penetrating the walls and furniture of your home to get a wireless signal to your computer. There's only one thing you need to prevent Because this standard requires certain hardware specifications, many millions of older WiFi devices yet aren't able to use it.
You don't need to know anything about how the encryption works — you just need to set up WPA2 or if you're an early adopter, WPA3 security on your wireless router and set a password for the network. Make it something you can remember that's not easy for others to guess please don't use "password" or "!
So how do you configure your password? Note, if you have a device that is a combo of modem and router, these instructions will work too. Logging in is usually easy, too, as most router manufacturers use a simple pair of words like "admin" and "root" for the device's username and password you should be able to find this information in the manual.
That will take you to a management tool where you can change all kinds of settings, including your wireless security. That tip might set off a little security alert in the back of your head. Without a password, your wireless network is open for anyone to hop on. But a password isn't quite all you need to be totally secure. You should also change the router's login information to something aside from the usual "admin. With WPA2 security enabled, it's unlikely anyone will ever piggyback on your network.
But there's an easy way to spot squatters: Since every device connected to your network has a unique IP address and MAC address, you can easily see a list of connected devices — often listed as "clients" — on one of the settings pages for your wireless router.
Many devices broadcast an ID because they've been named by their owners, so if you see "John's Laptop" connected to your network and you don't have a John in the house, you've found trouble! Even if a device doesn't show a name in the router's client list, you can count the number of devices connected and compare to the number of devices you know should be there to see if the numbers are off.
Want to make absolutely sure no one's going to figure out your password and worm their way onto your network? You have a few options. Your router can hide its SSID, meaning it won't show up for anyone searching for connectable networks.
The address will have to be entered manually. You can also set up a wireless MAC filter to "whitelist" devices you own, disabling access for anyone else. Of course, this makes it a bit tougher for welcome guests, such as friends, to get online at your house.
But that still leaves the burning question — what do you do if you think someone is routinely using your WiFi without your permission? If you suspect someone's stealing your WiFi, you have a number of detective tools at your disposal.
For starters, you could simply shut off all of your WiFi devices, like your phone and your laptop — and then watch for blinking lights on the front of your router. If the router seems to be showing data transfer even with your family's devices powered down, you may have a piggybacker nearby. Internet monitoring software is another option.
A program such as Wireless Network Watcher lets both Windows and MacOS users keep tabs on all connected devices and potential suspicious activity. When you launch the program, you'll see your computer nicknames, as well as manufacturer brands of the devices that are connected. If you're still confused perhaps because you have so many devices , you can turn off each one and watch as it disappears from the list.
If you power down all of your WiFi gadgets and still see active devices, you're a step closer to identifying a potential problem. If you can't identify a device on your network, simply change the password. You'll have to reauthorize all of your WiFi devices with the new password, of course, but this is quickest and easiest way to resecure your network and get peace of mind [source: Gordon ].
As long as your network has a strong and unique password, only a hacker using specialized software is going to get past your security. A simple Google search will reveal just how many password hacking resources are available to criminals. Hashcat is another popular password hacking tool. Many devices will be identified with easily understood names, like your laptop, phone, and some smart home devices.
But some may be reported as "unknown device," which is relatively unhelpful when trying to determine which are yours and which are interloping.
If you have a relatively modern Wi-Fi router, it probably works with a mobile app — in fact, you might have initially configured the router using the app. If that's the case, you can start the app on your phone and look for a network map, log, or client list. Every router is different and there's no standardization among router software, so you'll need to explore.
But if you can find this list, it's essentially an "official" version of the device list from the third-party Wi-Fi detective app. If you have a multiband router, the app will probably even show which radio such as 2. If none of those other options are fruitful, your last and often the most complicated option is to log into your router's admin control panel in a web browser. To do this, you'll need to know:. After you've logged into your admin control panel, look for a network map, user log, or client list.
As we mentioned earlier, every router is different and there's no standardization among router software, so you'll need to explore to find it. If you do find an unauthorized device on your home network, there are two simple ways to get rid of them:. For you. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App. Click here to learn more. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation.
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