Is Your Neighbor Stealing Your Wi-Fi? Time To Cut the Cord

Because everyone uses the internet these days, many people “borrow” the net by accessing their neighbor’s network. Router owners usually can’t notice that, so they pay for the internet themselves, and others use it for free. We’ll explain how you can check which devices are using your internet and how you can get notified when a new device connects to it.

If your network is secure with a secret and strong key, but you notice the internet speed changes, it’s the right time to test the number of users who use your Wi-Fi. Learn how to disconnect all those who have managed to “break” the protection.

Check your Wi-Fi router

While internet traffic is active, your wireless router should have lights on. Turn off all your Internet-connected gadgets and check for any activity. If you still see the Wi-Fi light, someone might have unauthorized access to your Wi-Fi network.

There is another good way to check your internet: a good old internet speed test. You can still check if the internet-connected devices are off. When you do that, run the test online to see if it’s the same speed as before. Slow internet speed is a good indicator that something isn’t right, and you should do a further investigation. After all, the more devices share your bandwidth, the less high-speed the experience becomes.

Change your password from time to time

You can make your internet connection only available to you and any other person of your choice.

At first, changing the password for wireless may be complicated, but you don’t need any skills to set it. It’s much easier than you think. First, you need to turn on your computer and open any browser.

You need to access the router’s administrator panel. Make sure your password is strong – combine as many numbers as possible, characters, and capital letters. Once you’ve changed the Wi-Fi password on the router, don’t forget to finally press the save or submit button.

Check devices connected to Wi-Fi

In the Start menu’s search box, type cmd. Right-click the Windows icon and select Command Prompt. In the pop-up window, type “ipconfig.” The command helps you find computer configuration information.

Default Gateway – Displays and allows you to find out your router’s IP address.

If you find unknown connections, block them from accessing your Wi-Fi hotspot. Another technique to prevent outsiders from invading your internet connection is to use the following method.

On the router, press the WAN button. Some routers are unable to function without the use of external antennas. Without this component, the coverage area is drastically decreased.

Use the guest network

You create a guest Wi-Fi network for anyone that visits your home. Devices linked to this wireless network can isolate your primary local network’s resources in this situation. That will protect it by allowing third-party users to access the Internet.

Your local network contains valuable information that can fall victim to viruses found on your friends’ devices. To do this, you can offer your friends guest Wi-Fi. Guest Wi-Fi isn’t just for guests. You should connect all your non-essential smart gadgets – your television, thermostat, and even your child’s iPad.

An attacker cannot gain access to any of your sensitive devices, such as a laptop or smartphone, or listen to their network traffic.

Use VPN to protect your network

Sometimes, there might be no signs that an outsider is using your Wi-Fi. Sadly, joining the same network can mean many things. One of them is that the stranger can gain access to your online activities. Thus, you need a VPN for Windows to help you protect the data you exchange online. Your home computer is likely the one involved in a lot of confidential tasks. Therefore, its protection should take priority.

A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, preventing anyone from eavesdropping. Not even your ISP will be able to tell what you do online. Hence, it is a great solution in case someone is exploiting your network without your knowledge.

Conclusion

This article provided extensive information on how to block or notice those connected to your Wi-Fi. There are many ways to do that, and you can choose the more convenient one. These methods will allow you to protect your internet from fans of free web surfing. It can also help you protect your confidential information from possible intruders.