How to check the number of devices connected to a Keenetic WiFi router

A modern home network resembles a complex organism, where every gadget plays its role, but sometimes this organism starts to behave strangely. Internet speeds drop, pages load slowly, and ping times in games skyrocket. In such situations, the first thing that comes to mind is suspicion of intruders. You could simply have forgotten to turn off your laptop, but it's also possible that your password has been compromised or stolen.

Router Administrative Panel Keenetic (formerly known as Zyxel Keenetic) provides users with powerful, often underappreciated network activity monitoring tools. Unlike budget solutions, where information is hidden or presented in an inconvenient manner, here you get detailed statistics in real time. Knowing how to correctly interpret this data allows you to not only count devices but also diagnose bandwidth issues.

In this article, we'll cover in detail all available methods for checking connected clients, from the standard web interface to advanced traffic analysis methods. You'll learn how to distinguish system processes from user devices, block access to uninvited users, and configure notifications for new connections. Access control — This is a basic skill that every router owner should master to ensure the security of their data.

Using the Resource Monitor widget on the home page

The fastest way to get a general overview of what's happening on your network is to look at the web configurator's home page. Immediately after logging into the interface KeeneticOS A dashboard opens, displaying summary information in the "Resource Monitor" or "Client List" widget. Here you'll see the total number of active connections, broken down by wired (Ethernet) and wireless (Wi-Fi) ports, giving you an instant understanding of network interface load.

However, relying solely on the numbers on the main page isn't recommended, as they don't provide much detail. Clicking the corresponding icon or the "Connected" link will take you to an expanded list, where each device is assigned its status. The system automatically attempts to identify the device type by its MAC address, assigning it a user-friendly name, such as iPhone, Windows PC or Smart TV, which significantly simplifies navigation.

Pay attention to the activity indicators next to each device. If a green indicator is lit next to a gadget or a data transfer graph is displayed, it means the device is actively exchanging packets with the router or the internet. Passive connectionWhen a device is simply registered on the network but not transmitting data, it is also displayed, but with a time stamp indicating the last activity, which helps identify dormant or forgotten devices.

It's important to understand that the widget on the main page doesn't update instantly, but rather with a delay depending on the router's processor load. If you've just connected a new smartphone, it may take 10-30 seconds for it to appear in the list, so don't jump to conclusions about "missing" devices. To get the most up-to-date data, always use the forced refresh button or navigate to specialized menu sections.

Detailed analysis in the "Client List" section

To perform a deep check of all connected devices, you need to go to the menu My Networks and Wi-Fi → Client ListThis is the central access control hub, where all technical information is presented in a table. It displays IP addresses, MAC addresses, hostnames, connection types, and address lease times, allowing for a complete audit of your local network.

In this section, you can not only monitor but also manage each device individually. Clicking on a client's name takes you to the device card, where you can assign an IP address, change the name for convenience, or completely block internet access. Permanent IP address (static binding) is useful for devices you access over the network, such as printers or security cameras, so that their address does not change after you reboot the router.

Pay special attention to the "Lease Time" column. If you see a device that was active a few days ago but is now physically away (for example, a guest's phone), the entry may still be present in the table until its DHCP lease expires. This is normal, but if there are many such "dead souls," the list can become bloated, although this usually doesn't affect performance.

⚠️ Attention: The KeeneticOS interface is regularly updated. Menu locations and item names may vary slightly between firmware versions. If you can't find the "Client List" item, use the settings search (the magnifying glass in the corner of the screen) and type "clients."

Sorting the table allows you to quickly find the device you need. You can sort the list by IP address to view ranges, or by name to group devices of the same type. This is especially convenient for large networks with dozens of connected devices, including smart plugs, sensors, and light bulbs.

Identifying devices by MAC address

It often happens that a device with the name appears in the list android-xyz123 Or simply a string of numbers, and it's unclear whose phone or tablet it is. In such cases, the MAC address—a unique network interface identifier consisting of 12 hexadecimal characters—comes to the rescue. The first six characters (OUI) identify the hardware manufacturer, allowing for precise device identification.

To find out the manufacturer, copy the first 6 characters of the MAC address (for example, A4:CF:12) and enter them into any online OUI search service or use the built-in hint in the router, if available. Keenetic It often automatically detects the manufacturer's icon, but if in doubt, a manual check through the MAC address database provides a 100% guarantee of identifying the vendor.

Compare the manufacturer you received with your devices. If you don't have equipment from this brand, Xiaomi, and a device with the same brand's MAC address is online, this is a warning sign. Also, pay attention to the number of connections: a single physical smartphone can have two MAC addresses if the MAC randomization feature (privacy protection) is enabled, which is common on modern devices. iOS And Android.

What is MAC address randomization?

This is a security feature in modern smartphones that changes the MAC address when connecting to different Wi-Fi networks. This can cause the same device to appear in the router's client list as a new device with a different address. To avoid confusion, you can select "Use device MAC address" instead of "Random MAC" in your phone's Wi-Fi settings for your home network.

Traffic monitoring and active downloads

Just because a device is listed doesn't mean it's consuming your data right now. To identify the heavy hitters that are slowing down your network, go to the section Monitoring → Traffic Or use the "Traffic" widget on the homepage. It displays the data transfer speed for each connected client in real time, allowing you to instantly identify who's downloading torrents or watching 4K video.

The graphs show incoming (Download) and outgoing (Upload) traffic. If you see a device transmitting a large amount of data (high Upload) without your knowledge, this could be a sign of a botnet or hidden miner. Anomalous activity at night, when everyone is asleep, should also alert the network owner.

Keenetic allows you to set speed limits for individual devices directly from the client list. If you've identified a device that's not critical to your internet connection but is actively consuming bandwidth (for example, a console or Smart TV being updated), you can artificially limit its speed to ensure a comfortable experience for your primary users.

Hidden Threats: Miners and Botnets

The most dangerous situation is when a device you know and trust (such as an old computer or IP camera) connects to your network, but it behaves strangely. In the age of the Internet of Things (IoT), devices often have vulnerabilities that allow attackers to inject malicious code. Such devices can participate in DDoS attacks or mine cryptocurrency using your electricity and internet connection.

Signs of a compromised device include: a constantly high load on the router's processor, unexplained connections to unknown IP addresses abroad (can be checked in the logs if logging is enabled), and the inability to disable the device's network activity programmatically. In such cases device insulation Connecting to a guest network or completely disconnecting from the internet is the only correct solution until the circumstances are clarified.

To protect against such scenarios, it is recommended to regularly update the firmware of all smart devices, not just the router. Keenetic has a built-in security system. Keenetic Plus Device Protection (from Dr.Web or SkyDNS), which can block known malicious domains, preventing infected devices from communicating with control servers.

⚠️ Attention: If you find a device you can't identify and it's actively transmitting data, immediately block its access by MAC address. Afterward, it's a good idea to change your Wi-Fi network password to a complex and unique one, as it may have been compromised.

Setting up notifications and network protection

To avoid manually checking your client list every day, set up automatic notifications. Modern versions of KeeneticOS have a feature (often requiring Keenetic Cloud services) that can send push notifications to your smartphone whenever a new device is connected. This allows you to immediately respond to an intrusion, even when you're away from home.

For maximum security, enable MAC address filtering in "Allow only selected" mode. In this mode, no device will be able to connect to your Wi-Fi, even if they know the password, unless their MAC address is whitelisted on the router. This is a "paranoid" but the most reliable level of protection, eliminating the possibility of password guessing.

Don't forget about your guest network. If you frequently have friends over or have a lot of smart devices with poor security, assign them a separate SSID (guest network). This will create logical isolation: guests won't be able to access your NAS files or manage your main router, and you'll be able to clearly see who's who.

Why does the router show more devices than there are in the house?

This can happen for several reasons. First, modern smartphones use different MAC addresses for different networks or when privacy features are enabled. Second, the list may still contain "dead" entries for devices that were connected weeks ago but whose IP leases have not yet expired. Third, some smart devices (lamps, sockets) have multiple network interfaces or virtual adapters that are displayed separately.

Can my neighbor connect to my Wi-Fi without a password?

Without a password (if you have WPA2/WPA3 protection), it's impossible to connect. However, if you have WPS enabled, it's theoretically possible to brute-force the PIN, although this feature is often disabled or protected by default on Keenetic devices. A simple password, which can be brute-forced, also poses a risk, as does a password previously saved on a device that has fallen into the hands of attackers.

How to permanently delete a device from the router's memory?

To remove a device from the list, simply turning it off isn't enough. You need to wait for the DHCP lease time to expire (usually 1 to 24 hours) or forcefully clear the DHCP lease table in the router settings (if your firmware version has this option). The fastest way is to reboot the router, after first blocking the unwanted device so it can't request an address again.

Does the number of connected devices affect internet speed?

Yes, it does. Each active device shares the available bandwidth. Even when devices aren't downloading files, they exchange service packets, which puts a strain on the router's processor and the Wi-Fi network. The more devices in the network, the higher the level of collisions and noise, which reduces the actual speed for each client.