Is your network slow? Do you suspect that someone is stealing your WIFI? Are you seeing hints of unknown devices connected to your WIFI? With everything turning online, having a good WIFI signal is very important. Slow internet can waste a lot of your time. The work that would take only one hour with a good internet connection might take up to three hours. Although there are plenty of factors that might be the reason for your internet to get sluggish. For instance, if you use an outdated router your internet strength will be poor, or if you have subscribed for a lower net plan.
But even after checking all the factors that might affect your network speed and strength, your network is poor. Then there is a chance that someone is stealing your WIFI. Someone using your WIFI should be a matter of concern not just because you are facing a bad network.
But also because if someone has access to your network, then they can even have access to all the devices connected to that computer. They could access all files, including the personal files that you might have stored in the device, and that is dangerous. Therefore, you should make sure that your network is safe and secure to use. And is in on with only those devices that you know. If you are looking for how to find out if someone is stealing your WIFI, then don’t worry. In this article, we will help you find out ways in which you can find out who is stealing your WIFI.
Check Who Is On Your Network?
The first step to finding out if someone is stealing your WIFI or not is by seeing who’s on your network? Windows users can download a free application called “Wireless Network Watcher”. This application will provide a list of every device that is currently connected to your network. This will help you identify all those devices that do not belong to you.
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To use the wireless network watcher, just launch the program after downloading and installing it. As soon as it opens, it will immediately begin to scan your WIFI. The speed of scanning can vary, depending upon your system and network. Once the app has completed scanning your network, the “Scanning” message will disappear. Now it will present a list of all devices connected to your device. The resulting list might look a little cryptic to a few of you. But the list will contain the columns: IP address and MAC address of devices connected to the network, device name, and network adapter company.
If you are a Mac user, then finding an application that might do the same charm as the application on windows is not easy. Mac users don’t have many great options. One of the best options that you can utilize is the LanScan program. This application is a decent pick but will cost you $6 for full functionality. Although there are other apps, they are either too expensive or have some faults that make them less ideal. If you are on a Mac, your router’s settings page may have the required information.
Consult your router settings
You can open your router’s management page by typing its IP address in your browser’s address bar. Once the page opens, look for “Attached Devices” or “CLient List” on the page. This will bring you a list that is similar to the Wireless Network Watcher. However, the information contained in the list will be different. Now all you have to do is cross-reference both pages and find out which unlabeled devices on the lists are not yours. Once you have found those devices that are yours, you will get to know whether someone is using your network or not. Even after looking and comparing all the device names if you do not find any. Then there is a chance someone nearby is stealing your WIFI.
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Apps That You Can Use
There are plenty of other apps like Wireless network watcher that can automatically search the number of devices connected to your network. This will help you know if some unknown device is using your network or not. These are a few apps that can help you know whether someone is stealing your WIFI or not.
1. WIFI thief detector
This is the best app that is easy to download as well as produces fast results. It will show how many devices are using your WIFI, spot out all those devices that are not yours. And after all this, it will connect you to your router settings. So that you can make the necessary changes to secure your WIFI.
2. Paessler PRTG Network Monitor
This app gives the perfect solution for the router management system. It includes automatic detection of strange traffic, analysis of how the network is being used by devices, and other in-depth tools.
For an average household that only wishes to find whether someone is using their network or not this might be a bit much. But this app is an excellent tool for small businesses concerned about their network. It provides a 30 day trial period. We suggest you make use of the trial period before buying the app.
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3. WIFI Guard
It has a pleasant interface that allows you to check out all devices that are linked to your network. This app even lets you take a look at the details of any unknown device and get notifications for the same.
Final Words
That said this is how you find out whether someone is stealing your WIFI or not. If your connection doesn’t have a strong password, your WIFI will be easy to crack and use it. Therefore, make sure after removing the unwanted devices, you set a good password to protect your network as well as your device.
We would like to suggest you not use old security protocols like WEP and WPA. These security protocols do not provide much security. If you are using something more modern like WPA2, make sure you are using the WPA2-AES security protocol instead of WPA2-TKIP.
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