Who's Using My Wi-Fi? 7 Ways to Check from Your Phone (No PC)

• TP-Link: Advanced Settings → Wireless → Wireless Statistics
• ASUS: Network Map → Clients
• Keenetic: Devices → Device List

In the list you will see all active connections with the indication MAC addresses, IP, device name and even model (if the router supports Fingbox or similar services). Unknown devices can be blocked by adding them MAC address blacklist (section MAC filtering or Access control).

Device name and MAC addresses|Connection time (are there any night sessions)|Traffic consumption (unusually high)|Unknown manufacturers in the list-->

3. How to identify "friend" and "foe" devices on the network

Even if you see a list of connected gadgets, how can you distinguish yours from others? Here are a few tips:

• 🔤 Device names: Their gadgets usually have meaningful names (for example, iPhone-Masha or Samsung-Galaxy-S21). Outsiders are often displayed as android-123456 or Unknown.
• ⏱️ Connection time: If the device is active at night when you are sleeping, it is suspicious (especially if you do not have any smart gadgets like Robot Vacuum).
• 📡 Manufacturer by MAC address: The first 6 characters of the MAC address indicate the manufacturer. For example:
  • 00:1A:79 — Samsung
  • 3C:5A:B4 — Google (Pixel, Nest)
  • 78:31:C1 — Apple

  You can check it on the website MAC Vendors Lookup.

• 📉 Traffic consumptionIf an unknown device is eating up gigabytes of data, this is a clear sign of an unauthorized connection.

A critical sign of hacking: a gadget with a MAC address corresponding to routers appears in the list of devices (for example, TP-Link Technologies), but you know for sure that you only have one router on the network. This could mean that an attacker has connected a second router in "bridge" mode to steal traffic.

4. Specialized applications from router manufacturers

Many brands release official router management utilities. These are often more user-friendly than web interfaces and offer advanced monitoring features. Examples:

• 🌐 Tether (For TP-Link) — shows connected devices, traffic consumption speed, and allows you to block unwanted gadgets.
• 🏠 ASUS Router - visualizes the network as a map, displays the connection history and offers to configure Parental Control.
• ⚡ Mi Wi-Fi (For Xiaomi) - integrates with the ecosystem Mi Home and allows you to control the network by voice through Alice or Google Assistant.
• 🛡️ Keenetic — supports the "Guest Network" function with a separate password and time limit.

The advantage of official apps is that they don't require manual entry of the router's IP address and often provide notifications about new connections. For example, ASUS Router You can set up an alert if a device with an unknown MAC address connects to the network.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (eg. Mi Wi-Fi) collect data about devices on the network and send it to the manufacturer's servers. If privacy is important, use them only for diagnostic purposes and then delete them.

5. Checking via the command line (for advanced users)

If you have Android With root rights or iPhone With jailbreak, you can use the terminal to scan the network. Android install the application Termux and run the commands:

pkg install nmap
nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24

This command will scan all IP addresses in the range 192.168.1.1–192.168.1.255 and will display a list of active hosts. For iOS the app will do iNet or Network Analyzer — they don't require jailbreaking, but have limitations in functionality.

An alternative way is to use arp-table. On Android (as root) enter:

su
cat /proc/net/arp

You'll see a list of IP and MAC addresses of devices your phone has recently interacted with. Compare this list with the data from your router's admin panel to identify any discrepancies.

6. How to block unauthorized devices

Found a suspicious device online? Here's how to disable it:

1. Through the router's admin panel:
   • Find the section MAC filtering or Access control.
   • Add the MAC address of other people's devices to the blacklist.
   • Save the settings and reboot the router.
2. Changing your Wi-Fi password:
   • Set a new complex password (at least 12 characters, with numbers and special characters).
   • Use an encryption standard WPA3 (if the router supports it).
3. Disabling WPS:
   • Function WPS Vulnerable to brute-force attacks. Disable it in your router settings.

• In the wireless network settings, disable the option Broadcast SSIDYour network won't be visible in the public list, but you can connect to it if you know its name.

After blocking, check the network again in 10-15 minutes. If the device disappears from the list, the problem is solved. If not, the attacker may be using MAC address spoofing (replacing the address with an authorized one). In this case, the only solution is a full reset of the router to factory settings.

7. How to prevent unauthorized connections in the future

To minimize risks, follow these guidelines:

• 🔒 Use WPA3This encryption protocol is harder to crack than the older one. WPA2.
• 🔄 Update your router firmware: Manufacturers regularly patch vulnerabilities. Check for updates in the section System or Administration.
• 📵 Disable remote administrationThis feature allows you to control your router from the internet and is often used by hackers.
• 👤 Set up a guest network: For friends and temporary guests, create a separate network with limited access to local resources.
• 📡 Control signal strength: If the router is located near a window, reduce the transmitter power so that the network is not available outside the apartment.

Additionally, you can use monitoring services, for example, GlassWire (For Android) or Fingbox (hardware solution). They monitor new connections and alert you to suspicious activity.

⚠️ Warning: Some routers (especially older models) have vulnerabilities that allow MAC address blocking to be bypassed. If your router was manufactured before 2018, consider replacing it.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about checking your Wi-Fi network