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How to find and remove unwanted devices connected to your network
If you use wireless internet at home, you probably have several devices connected to your network. It’s so easy to keep piling on additional devices, too. Your new laptop, another video game console, a tablet or even your friend’s phone.
All that congestion can slow down your network, but there are other culprits.
You may begin to lose track of everything connected or, worse, notice things that don’t belong. Users may even have tried to connect to your Wi-Fi without your permission. Luckily, there are simple ways to determine which devices are connected to your network, and you can remove what shouldn’t be there.
Use your router’s online interface
This is a relatively simple way to get an idea of who’s using your network. Log into your router to see the most up-to-date information about which devices are connected. Most models will support this as it’s a pretty universal feature.
First, you’ll need your computer’s IP address. Tap or click here for instructions on how to find it.
Once you have it, type the IP address into your browser’s address bar. You should be brought to your router’s menu. You’ll need to log in with your router’s custom username and password or the default information if you never set one.
Once you’re in, check for a list that says DHCP Client or Connected Devices. From there, you’ll be met with a list of devices currently using your network. If you see something you don’t recognize, change your Wi-Fi password and reconnect only the devices you trust. It’s a pretty lengthy process, but one worth doing.
You can also manually remove individual devices from the list of connected gadgets. Look for the command to delete, block or remove.
Use Advanced IP Scanner
If you don’t feel comfortable digging into your network, you can always have an app do it for you. Advanced IP Scanner is a free and reliable option that delivers fast results with very little input from you. It’s compatible with Windows 10 and 11.
To use Advanced IP Scanner, you must download and install it, then run the program to analyze your wireless network. Click the large green button that says SCAN. It will commence a network scan to show you all the devices currently connected to your Wi-Fi.
It should only take a few seconds, and you can even export your results for safekeeping. This is an excellent method for anyone less comfortable with tech, especially since it’s fast and easy.
Use Acrylic Wi-Fi Analyzer
If you’re looking for something with more oomph, try Acrylic’s Wi-Fi Analyzer. You can choose between the free and paid options, and it does more than allow you to see what devices are on your Wi-Fi network.
The free version gives you information on up to five devices, while the paid version gives you info for unlimited devices. It can also help monitor traffic on your network, manage passwords, and more. This would be a fantastic business solution or a realistic option for anyone with multiple networks.
Don’t forget to remove these devices, too
While you certainly want to boot strangers from your network, you should also look closer to home:
- Remove devices you’re no longer using: old phones, speakers, laptops, gaming consoles and tablets.
- Boot any guests you haven’t had over in a while. And next time you have people over, let them connect to your guest network rather than your main one. Tap or click here and scroll to number four to learn how to set this up.
- Sometimes, a technician needs to access your network to diagnose a problem or set up a new system or device. For example, a smart sprinkler tech may need to access your Wi-Fi to set up the sprinkler zones. Once they’re finished with the job, remove their device.
- If you go through a breakup, remove all your ex’s devices and any shared ones just to be safe.
Important: Change your network password as needed, especially when kicking off a snooping stranger or someone you’ve parted ways with. It’s the safest way to protect your privacy. Tap or click here for tips to secure your accounts with strong passwords.
Bonus: Your online activity is your business
Big Tech corporations are supposed to safely handle our personal online data, but now they’re getting into the political game. I don’t want to be any part of that, and neither should you.
That’s why I trust and use my sponsor, ExpressVPN. These Big Tech companies match your internet activity to your identity or location by using your public IP address, but with ExpressVPN, no one can see your IP address — no one.
