Is Your Internet Speed Slow? Are The Buffering Speeds Slow During Video Playback? Do You Need A Long Time To Download Even A Small File?

If so, bad news may await you. Probably one of your neighbors is using your Wi-Fi network without your knowledge.

Allowing unauthorized devices to use your Internet is not a good idea, significantly, since doing so will not only slow down your connection speed and cost you money but also compromise your network security. throw

The dangers ahead

The most significant damage done to a stolen Wi-Fi network is the slowing down of the connection speed. Each computer network has a specific and limited amount of bandwidth. By dividing it between several computers, a smart TV, and several mobile phones, you will gradually notice that the speed of connecting the devices to the network is decreasing, Especially if the bandwidth consumption of one of these devices is high and, for example, it is playing a video from the Internet.

Also, these days, many internet service providers calculate the cost of internet usage based on the amount of bandwidth used, and there is no news of unlimited Internet anymore. Having said that, if one of your neighbors uses this bandwidth without your knowledge and permission, you will have to pay a staggering fee for using the Internet at the end of the month.

In addition to the problem of slow network connection, an unsecured wireless router can also provide you with significant security problems. While your neighbor may only want to use your Internet to check their email for free, an unsecured router can give them access to the information you share with websites (such as account information). Your banking), accessing other devices connected to this network, or infecting your computer with a virus.

These annoying neighbors can also use your internet connection for their illegal purposes and activities. If this happens, who will be responsible for the consequences of illicit Internet use? Of course you.

How to identify if someone is stealing from our Wi-Fi network?

If you suspect that someone might be stealing from your Wi-Fi network, you should first log into your router’s management page. The most common way to do this on many router brands is to type the IP address 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1 into your browser’s address bar. If these two addresses do not work, refer to your router’s manual to obtain it.

After accessing your router’s admin page, you should see a page listing the MAC addresses connected to your router. The location of this page may be different according to your router model. Still, most of the time, this page is located under a set of wireless configuration, wireless status, or DHCP client sections. You can determine how many devices are connected to your network by carefully checking this list.

For example, if there are six MAC addresses in this list (note that every device that connects to a network has its own MAC address), but you only have four machines at home, an intruder is probably using your Internet.

Note: Any device, including old smartphones, game consoles, Wi-Fi-enabled cameras, and any other device that can connect to a wireless network, maybe in the MAC address list. For this reason, you may get confused in identifying the devices that are connected to the network. You can use the macvendors.com website to manage MAC addresses better and which addresses belong to which devices.

How to stop the Internet thief?

If you conclude that someone is stealing your Wi-Fi, the best thing to do is to increase security measures. If your network works without a password, activate it immediately. Change the router’s default username and password if you are still using it. To do this, visit your router’s admin page. To change the password, look for PSK or Pre Shared Key in the security settings section of the router.

Changing the password of the Wi-Fi network will disconnect all previously connected devices, so you must introduce your devices to the network once again after setting a new password.

Find the Service Set identifier (SSID) to change the router’s name. Usually, this option is located in the wireless settings section of the router. In the end, it will be necessary to choose a powerful coding system for the wireless network.

Usually, the best choice for common routers is to use the WPA2 standard. If your router were manufactured before 2006, it wouldn’t be compatible with the WPA2 encryption system. It is better to think about buying a new router in this situation.