How to Find Out Who Is Connected to Your Wi-Fi and Kick Out Strangers

Open the router’s control panel

Connect to your Wi-Fi or by cable, open a browser and enter the router’s address. For TP-Link it is tplinkwifi.net, 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1; other manufacturers list the address on the sticker and in the manual. If there is no address, open the Command Prompt on a Windows computer and enter the command: the router’s address will be on the “Default Gateway” line.

ipconfig

Then log in with the administrator login and password. If the default login doesn’t work, check the sticker on the router. If your internet provider supplied the router, its interface may be simplified: ask the provider’s support where to find the client list.

Result: The router’s control page is open.

Find the list of connected devices

The list goes by different names: “Clients”, “Connected devices”, “DHCP clients”. Here is where to find it on two popular brands:

If you have an access point or a mesh system behind another router, check the client list on the main router: it is the one that assigns addresses to devices. Google Wifi and Nest Wifi routers can send a notification about a new device; you turn this on in the Google Home app.

Result: You see a list of devices with names, IP and MAC addresses.

Identify your own devices

Compare the list with your own gadgets. Many “strangers” turn out to be a smart TV, a speaker, a printer, a camera or a robot vacuum: such devices often have names made up of the manufacturer’s name and a string of characters. If the name isn’t enough, look at the IP address and identify the manufacturer from the MAC address.

There’s a catch: iPhones and Android phones hide the real MAC address. By default, Apple uses its own “Private Wi-Fi Address” for each network, and since Android 10, it uses a random MAC address by default. So the address in the router may not match the one the phone shows in its settings. The simplest way is to turn off Wi-Fi on each of your devices in turn and see which entry disappears from the list.

If you need to match the address, turn off the private address for your home network. On iPhone: Settings → Wi-Fi → the ⓘ icon next to the network → Private Wi-Fi Address → Off. On Android, the network details include a random MAC address setting; its name depends on the phone’s interface skin. Turn this off only for the time of the check, then switch the previous setting back.

Result: All devices on the list are identified, and the unidentified ones are noted down.

Block the unknown device

Blocking disconnects a device quickly, but not always reliably. Ways to do it:

• TP-Link, browser: “Advanced” → “Security” → “Access Control” → turn the function on → “Change Mode” → “Deny List”, then “Add” and choose the device from the list or add it manually by its MAC address → “OK”. In older firmware, the modes are called “Blacklist” and “Whitelist”.
• TP-Link, Tether (Wi-Fi 6, 6E, 7): “Local Device” → “More” → “Block List” → “+” → “Select Clients”. On older models: “Clients”, then swipe the device left, and it moves to “Blocked Clients”.
• ASUS, browser: click the device icon, turn on “Block Internet Access” and click “Apply”. In the ASUS Router app: “Devices” → the device name → “Block”.
• Routers from other manufacturers: look for “Access Control”, “MAC filter”, “Parental control” or a block button in the client list.

Result: The unknown device is blocked or has no internet access.

Change the Wi-Fi password and protect the network

This is the most reliable method. According to TP-Link, after you change the password, all current devices disconnect at once and need the new one. Here’s how:

1. In the wireless network settings (Wi-Fi), set a new long password that no one else has. It’s easier to create and store such passwords in a password manager: here is our review of password managers.
2. Choose WPA3 Personal or WPA2 Personal protection. The FTC advises: if the router only supports WPA or WEP, update its firmware first, and if no newer modes are available, consider replacing the router. Our selection of Wi-Fi routers for home can help you pick a model.
3. Change the router’s administrator password to a separate one: it must not match the Wi-Fi password. Also change the network name to one that doesn’t include your name, address or the router’s brand.
4. Turn off WPS, remote management and UPnP if you don’t need them: the FTC calls them features that weaken security. Update the firmware from the manufacturer’s website.
5. For guests, create a guest network with its own password, so that only you know the main password.
6. Connect your devices with the new password and log out of the router panel.

Result: Wi-Fi is locked with a new password; strangers’ devices have lost access.

Check the network again and turn on notifications

A few minutes later, open the client list again: only your own devices should remain. If an unidentified device shows up again, check whether it is yours under a new MAC address, and make sure the administrator password and WPS are set up as described above.

You can check the network from a phone or computer with the Fing app. Fing Mobile for iOS and Android shows a list of devices with brand, model, IP and MAC; it is a snapshot as of the time of the check. Device blocking (in Fing Desktop), automatic blocking and constant monitoring with alerts about new devices are available on Fing’s paid plans.

If someone has used your network, change the passwords for your important accounts and turn on two-factor authentication.

Result: The client list is clean, and you get notifications about new devices.