How to check how many computers and gadgets are connected to your Wi-Fi router

Have you noticed your internet has slowed down and pages are loading slowly? One possible cause is that too many devices are simultaneously using your Wi-Fi network. But how do you know how many computers, smartphones, or smart speakers are currently connected to your router? This information will not only help you identify unauthorized users but also optimize your network load.

In this article we will look at 7 proven methods Checking connected devices—from standard router tools to specialized programs. You'll learn how to view a list of gadgets on popular models. TP-Link, ASUS, Keenetic and others, and learn to distinguish legitimate devices from potential "invaders" of your Wi-Fi. We will pay special attention hidden connections, which may remain unnoticed in the basic interface.

Important: If you detect unknown devices, it doesn't always mean a hack. It's possible that guests, neighbors (if the password is simple), or even smart devices Like light bulbs or cameras you forgot to adjust. But it's worth checking anyway!

1. Checking via the router's web interface (universal method)

The most reliable and accurate method is to go to the router control panel. This is where you'll see all active connections, including wired (cable) and wireless (Wi-Fi) devices. This guide is suitable for 90% of modern routers, but menu paths may vary slightly depending on the model.

To open the web interface:

• 🌐 Enter in the address bar of your browser 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 (less often - 192.168.8.1 for some TP-Link). If the IP is not suitable, find it on the sticker on the back of the router.
• 🔑 Enter your login and password (usually by default admin/admin or admin/empty field). If you changed them, use your information.
• 📊 Go to the connection statistics section. It's often called:
  • DHCP → DHCP Clients (For ASUS, Keenetic)
  • Wireless Mode → Wireless Mode Statistics (For TP-Link, Mercusys)
  • Local Network → Devices (For Zyxel, Tenda)

In the table you will see:

⚠️ Attention: If the list contains devices with unfamiliar names (for example, android_abc123 or Unknown Device), but with the MAC addresses of the manufacturers like Xiaomi or SamsungThese could be your household members' gadgets. Check with them before blocking them!

2. Using mobile applications from the manufacturer

Router manufacturers release official apps that simplify network management. They not only display a list of connected devices but also allow you to block unwanted gadgets directly from your phone. Let's look at the most popular ones:

• 📱 Tether (For TP-Link): Shows all devices on the network, their IP and MAC addresses. You can set traffic limits for each device.
• 📱 ASUS Router: Displays connected devices with the type (Wi-Fi/cable) and the speed consumed. There is a function AiProtection to identify vulnerabilities.
• 📱 Keenetic: Tab Devices It even displays your connection history. You can set up notifications about new gadgets on the network.
• 📱 Mi Wi-Fi (for routers Xiaomi): Visualizes the network as a diagram, where each device is assigned a color-coded load indicator.

How to use:

1. Download the app from App Store or Google Play (official only!).
2. Connect to your Wi-Fi network.
3. Log in to the application using your router credentials (login/password).
4. Find the section Devices, Clients or Net.

Apps often have a "Guest Network" feature. If you spot an unknown device, you can move it there, restricting access to local resources (for example, a printer or network folders).

Check the MAC address using a search engine (the first 6 characters will indicate the manufacturer)|

Ask your family if this is their gadget|

Move the device to the guest network for testing|

Change your Wi-Fi password if you suspect hacking|

Update your router firmware (this will fix vulnerabilities)

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3. Windows Command Prompt: Who is Connected to the Router

If you have a computer on WindowsYou can find a list of devices on your local network without logging into the router. To do this, use the command arp, which shows a table of IP and MAC address mappings.

Instructions:

1. Open Command line (Win + R → enter cmd → Enter).
2. Enter the command:

   arp -a

   It will list all the IP addresses your PC has interacted with recently.

3. To see only active connections, first ping your entire network range. For example, if the router has an IP 192.168.0.1, execute:

   for /L %i in (1,1,254) do ping -n 1 192.168.0.%i

   Then enter again arp -a — now the list will be more complete.

Example output:

Interface: 192.168.0.100 --- 0x12
Internet Address Physical Address Type
192.168.0.1 aa-bb-cc-dd-ee-ff dynamic <-- This is a router
192.168.0.101 11-22-33-44-55-66 dynamic <-- Laptop
192.168.0.103 99-88-77-66-55-44 dynamic <-- Unknown device

⚠️ Attention: This method will only show devices that have recently communicated with your PC. If a device is simply connected to Wi-Fi but not using the internet, it may not appear. For a complete list, it's best to use the router's web interface.

4. Special programs for network monitoring

If you need to not only see the list of devices, but also track their activity (For example, who's consuming the most traffic) can be helped by third-party utilities. They scan the local network and provide more detailed information.

Top 5 programs:

• 🔍 Wireless Network Watcher (from NirSoft): Free, displays IP, MAC address, device name, and manufacturer. Works without installation.
• 📊 Angry IP Scanner: Scans a range of IP addresses and displays open ports. Suitable for advanced users.
• 🛡️ GlassWire: Monitors traffic in real time, shows which programs on your PC are using the network.
• 🌐 Fing (mobile version available): Scans the network, identifies device types (smartphone, PC, IoT) and checks for vulnerabilities.
• 🔧 Advanced IP Scanner: In addition to the list of devices, it allows you to remotely turn on/off computers on the network (if allowed).

Example of work Wireless Network Watcher:

1. Download the program from the official website NirSoft (it is portable and does not require installation).
2. Launch WNetWatcher.exe.
3. Click Play — the program will scan the network and display a list:

The advantage of such programs is that they show all devices on the network, even those that are not displayed in the router's web interface (for example, if DHCP is disabled).

How can I hide my device from these scanners?

To prevent your PC or smartphone from being visible in such programs, you can:

1. Disable response to ICMP requests (ping) in the firewall settings.

2. Use a static IP outside the DHCP range.

3. Enable the "invisible" mode in some routers (for example, Keenetic allows you to hide devices from scanning).

However, this will not protect against detection via the MAC address in the router.

5. Checking through the router menu on TVs and smart devices

If you don't have a computer at hand, but you do have Smart TV, a game console, or even a smart speaker, you can try finding out the number of devices connected through them. This method isn't as accurate as the web interface, but it'll work in a pinch.

On TVs with Android TV or Samsung Tizen:

• 📺 Open Settings → Network → Network Status.
• 🔄 In some models (for example, Samsung QLED 2022+) there is a section Devices on the network, where other gadgets are displayed.
• 📱 On Android TV (For example, Sony Bravia or Xiaomi Mi TV) install the application Fing from Google Play.

On game consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X):

• 🎮 On PlayStation 5: Settings → Network → Connection Status → View Network InformationHere you can see the local IP and gateway (router address), but not the list of devices.
• 🖥️ On Xbox Series X|S: Settings → General → Network settings → Advanced settings → Network statistics.

⚠️ Attention: Smart speakers (Alice, Google Home, Amazon Echo) typically don't provide information about other devices on the network. They can only report their own connection status.

6. Traffic analysis: who's hogging your Wi-Fi

Sometimes it is not enough to just know the number of devices - you need to identify which one consumes the lion's share of trafficThis is especially true if your internet speed has dropped sharply. Most modern routers have built-in monitoring tools.

Where to watch:

• 📈 TP-Link: Advanced Settings → Traffic Statistics → Devices. Shows the loading in real time.
• 📊 ASUS: AiProtection → DevicesThere are graphs of consumption over time.
• 🔍 Keenetic: Statistics → Traffic by DeviceYou can set up notifications when the limit is exceeded.
• 🌐 Zyxel: Monitoring → Traffic. Displays top consumers.

Example from the interface ASUS:

If your router does not support detailed statistics, use programs like GlassWire (for PC) or Fing (for mobile). They will show which device and which service (for example, YouTube, Torrent, ) loads the network.

- A virus on one of your gadgets (for example, a mining bot).

- Connections from a neighbor who downloads torrents via your Wi-Fi.

- A smart device (camera, TV box) that updates or streams video in the background.

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7. Alternative methods: from routers without a web interface to IoT devices

What if your router is an older model, doesn't have a web interface, or is connected to a public network (like a hotel)? Let's look at some unconventional solutions.

For routers without a web interface (for example, some models from the provider):

• 📞 Call your provider's support team and ask for information about your connected devices. Some carriers (e.g., Rostelecom or MTS) see these statistics in their billing.
• 🔄 Reboot your router and monitor the indicators. On many models, the number of lights on Wi-Fi corresponds to the number of connected gadgets (but this is very approximate!).

For smart devices (IoT):

• 💡 Smart light bulbs (Xiaomi Yeelight, Philips Hue) often have their own app where you can see which network they are connected to.
• 📹 IP cameras (Hikvision, Dahua) usually show their IP and MAC in the web interface at 192.168.x.x:8080.

For public networks:

• ☕ In cafes or hotels there is usually no access to router settings, but you can use mobile applications like Fing or Network Analyzer to scan the local network.
• 🔒 If the network is password-protected, but you suspect "extra" devices, notify the establishment's administrator.

As a last resort, if nothing helps, you can change your Wi-Fi password and observe which devices reconnect. Those that fail to log in were most likely "outsiders."

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about connected devices

Is it possible to find out which websites a device is visiting on my network?

Yes, but this requires special tools:

• On routers with firmware DD-WRT or OpenWRT You can enable traffic logging.
• Programs like Wireshark (for advanced users) analyze data packets.
• Some routers (ASUS With AiProtection) show the domains that devices are accessing.

⚠️ Please note: Intercepting traffic from other devices may violate privacy laws!

Why does the device list show "Unknown Device" with MAC address?

This could be:

• Smart devices (lamps, sockets, vacuum cleaners) that do not broadcast their name.
• A gadget with a disabled broadcast name (for example, some Android-devices).
• Your neighbor's device if your Wi-Fi is not password protected or has a weak password.

To identify it, check the MAC address through a service like MAC Vendors - it will show the manufacturer.

How to block an unknown device on the network?

Blocking methods:

1. Via the router's web interface:
   • Find the section Wireless Mode → MAC Filter.
   • Add the MAC address of the unknown device to the blacklist.

In a mobile application (for example, Tether or ASUS Router):

• Select the device from the list.
• Click Block or Deny access.
• Change your Wi-Fi password - all devices will be disconnected, and unknown devices will not be able to reconnect.

Can a router notify about new devices on the network?

Yes, some models support notifications:

• Keenetic: Turn on the option Notifications → New Devices in the mobile application.
• ASUS: IN AiProtection → Notifications You can set up notifications about new connections.
• TP-Link (with firmware) OneMesh): Application Tether sends push notifications.

If your router does not support this feature, use programs like Fing - They can send alerts.

How many devices can connect to Wi-Fi at the same time?

It depends on:

• Router models:
  • Budget routers (TP-Link TL-WR840N) — to 20-30 devices.
  • Middle class (ASUS RT-AX55) — to 50-60.
  • Flagships (Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500) — 100+.
• Connection type:
  • 2.4 GHz - greater coverage, but lower speed per device.
  • 5 GHz - less coverage, but higher speed and less interference.
• Device activities:
  • A simple smartphone (checking email) - minimal load.
  • 4K streaming or online gaming is a high load.

If there are too many devices, the router starts to slow down - it helps network splitting (guest network, VLAN) or firmware update.