Check devices connected to your wifi

How Can I See What Devices Are Connected to My Network?

Are you paranoid that your neighbor is stealing your wifi? Maybe you don’t want certain guests to have access to your network. Whatever the reason, you’re asking, “How can I see what devices are connected to my network?” This article will show exactly how to check with step-by-step guides, so you don’t get lost along the way. Read on to learn more.

In Short: How Can I See What Devices Are Connected to My Network?

You basically have three options for checking devices that are connected to your wifi:

• Using the router settings
• Using third-party software
• Using Command Prompt (Windows Only)

How to See What Devices Are Connected to My WiFi Using the Router Settings

All internet routers have firmware installed on them. This is what allows routers to work smartly. Most modern routers allow you to open a graphical user interface to change and view your router’s settings. These options will allow you to check who is connected to my WiFi. You can open the interface on the browser on your PC. Let’s take a look at how you can do this.

Here is how to know how many devices are connected to my WiFi router:

1. Open your browser on your PC. Most modern browsers will allow you to do this. In this example, we are using Microsoft Edge, but it would work with any alternate browser.
2. Click on the address bar and type in the router’s IP address.

1. On the page that opens, you will need to enter your Username and Password. Most routers have this printed on the back or in the user manual. Typically, the default ones used are “Admin” and “12345”.

1. Once you’re on the router’s main page, you need to look for an option that shows you the WiFi clients list. These options vary from device to device but are typically found under the Wireless category. In our router, this was found under Device Info and then DHCP.

You can usually find the router’s IP address printed at the back. However, IP addresses can vary depending on the model and make of the router. Some of the commonly used IP addresses for routers are 10.0.0.1 and 192.168.1.1. You can also check the user manual to find the IP address.

Using a Windows computer, you can also find the IP address using the Command Prompt. You can easily open this by clicking on the start menu icon and then typing CMD into the search bar. There, select the Command Prompt option to open it. Here, type in ipconfig/all and press Enter. The IP address beside the Default Gateway is the one you need to use to see who’s using your WiFi.

If you notice a drive in the list that shouldn’t be there, then make sure to change the WiFi password. An encrypted password is always a bonus so use the WPA2-PSK encryption method if possible. This will remove all devices meaning they will have to reenter the password in order to connect.

How to Check How Many Devices Are Connected to My WiFi Using Software

There is software that allows you to view detailed information about the network you’re connected to. One of these which we can recommend is a free, portable software called Wireless Network Watcher. It’s a small tool that allows you to scan your network and display a list containing all connected devices.

For every connected device, the software will show the name of the device, its IP and MAC address, and other relevant information like when it was first and last detected and whether the device is active or not.

We recommend downloading the portable versions when you go to the website, especially if you plan to use it sparingly. This way, you can delete the folder to remove the software from your computer rather than go through the uninstall process.

Launch the program, and it will start scanning the network for any connected devices. In the bottom-left corner of the window, you will see a Scanning label indicating that the software is checking the network.

Once done, it will populate a list with the devices connected to the network.

You may have trouble understanding the list if you’re not particularly tech-savvy. You can ignore the MAC and IP address if you’re just looking to find the users on your network. Focus on the Device Name and the Network Adapter Company sections.

For example, the second device in my WiFi-connected devices list does not have a name. Still, its Network Adapter Company is ASUSTek COMPUTER INC., which is the manufacturer of my PC This way, I can know that the IP for the device connected to my WiFi belongs to my PC.

If you’re an Apple user, sadly, you need more options to check who’s connected to my WiFi. However, you can use LanScan, a great tool, but you will have to pay $6 for full functionality.

Most other apps are either paid or can be a hassle to deal with. If you’re an iPhone user, then you should give Fing a try to see who’s on my WiFi.

How Can I See All Devices Connected to My WiFi Using Command Prompt?

Another way to view the devices connected to your Wi-Fi without the need for installing software is to use the Command Prompt or terminal on your computer. This only works on Windows, and there is unfortunately no Macbook pro alternative.

Here is how to check how many devices are connected to your WiFi using Command Prompt:

1. While on your desktop, press the Windows key and search for Command Prompt. There, click the Run as Administrator option. This will open the Command Prompt terminal on your screen.

1. Here, type in the arp -a command.
2. Now, press the Enter button to execute it.

A list of IP addresses will be displayed on the screen, allowing me to see my WiFi connections. Although these aren’t as detailed as the ones seen in the previous example, this can still be a viable option if you’re wondering, “How can I see all devices connected to my network?”

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Detect if Someone Is Using Your WiFi?

You can go to your router’s settings management page and check the list of connected devices to see the users using your WiFi. You can also download software that allows you to view detailed logs of the connected devices.

How Can I Disconnect Other Devices From My WiFi?

You can disconnect other devices from your WiFi device in several ways. Changing the password is the best way to keep unauthorized devices from reconnecting to your WiFi. However, if you only wish to remove a device from your network temporarily, you can go to your router’s management page.

Why Is There a Random Device on My Network?

If you see a strange device on your router’s manager, your WiFi security is compromised. It could be due to you giving your password to a friend or your WiFi password being hacked. If you do see an unknown device on your network, you should look to change your WiFi password.

How Do I Identify Amazon Devices on My Network?

You can look Amazon devices up on your routers management page by searching for their MAC address. If you’re using an Amazon Kindle device, you can find the MAC address by going to Settings and then clicking on Device info. For users of Amazon Fire TV devices, you can check the MAC address by heading to Settings. There, click on System and then on About. There click on Network to find the MAC address.

How Do I Identify Devices on My Network Using MAC and IP Addresses?

Most of the time, MAC and IP addresses alone won’t be enough if you want to figure out the device connected to your WiFi network. One way to do this is to check for the device’s MAC address. You can do this by going to the settings of the device. Every network-enabled device has a MAC address, and knowing which MAC address belongs to which device will help you figure out the name of the device connected to the network.

Wrapping Up the WiFi Check Guide

Hopefully, you now know the answer to “How can I see what devices are connected to my network?” We’d recommend learning how to do it from the browser router setting because then you can check from any device at any time without installing software. But, if you find that a little difficult, some third-party software may make it a little easier for you.

Chris is a spreadsheet expert and content writer for Productivity Spot and Spreadsheet Point. He has a double Bachelor’s Degree in Teaching and has been working in the education industry for over 11 years. His experience makes him adept at breaking down complex topics so that everyone is able to understand.

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