Third-party access to your network can lead to unpleasant consequences, such as hacking. A skilled person can access files you unknowingly share, infect you with malware, and in some cases even steal your passwords and other personal information.

What should I do

To identify such intruders There is a variety of software, including free software.

Users Windows You can download the portable Wireless Network Monitor app, which lists all the devices connected to your network so you can identify which ones are yours.

• To use Wireless Network Watcher, start the program and it will immediately start scanning your network.
• This will take a minute or two – you’ll know the program is running when “Scan…” appears in the lower left corner.
• Once complete, this message will disappear and you will see a complete list of connected devices.

Example of using Wireless Network Watcher / Screenshot of Channel 24

The resulting list may seem a bit mysterious, but don’t worry. You can ignore the IP address and MAC address lists for now. Focus on the “Device Name” and “Network Adapter Company” columns. Here you can control all your devices and filter others. If the device does not have a name, additional information about the device, such as the manufacturer, may be helpful. You can double-click the device to get more information.

If you haven’t been able to recognize any device even after using Wireless Network Watcher, you can get some more information from your router’s web interface.

• To do this, enter your IP in the search bar of the browser, which can be seen in the same Wireless Network Watcher program (the first line is marked with the name “Your Router”).
• The system will ask you to enter your username and password. It is written at the bottom of the router and is usually the word “admin” for both lines.
• Once on the page, look for the option that is responsible for the connected devices. It can be called differently depending on the manufacturer – “Customer list”, “Connected devices”, etc.
• You will see a list similar to Wireless Network Watcher.

If you see devices you don’t recognize in the list, check your home for Internet-connected devices you may have missed. These can be “smart” appliances, watches, smartphones, kettles, TVs, speakers and more. This way you can identify every device in your network.