Is your internet connection slower than usual? Do your devices keep disconnecting from the router? Chances are that your WiFi is being secretly used by others. It is unfortunate that you do not realize that your wifi is being stolen until you detect weird stuff happening. But once you do realize it, you can easily kick people off WiFi. There are simple ways to detect unknown connections and prevent them from getting connected to your WiFi network.
1. Get the clues
The initial step in the process of blocking someone from using the internet is to confirm if your WiFi is actually being stolen. Once you confirm it, you can decide how you want to block the person from connecting to your WiFi in the future. Slow performance and strange behaviour on the network are the most common clues that your network is being hogged without your permission.
2. Change your password
The process of blocking someone from your WiFi network is quite simple. Changing your WiFi password to something more secure with WPA or WPA2 encryption is advisable. When you change the password, your router will ask for the new password and the unauthorized connected devices will be kicked off form the network. However, if you keep your password simple and easy, chances are that others would guess it easily. Another thing that can happen is that your password could get hacked.
3. Change the WiFi name and disable the SSID broadcast
Apart from creating strong passwords, another precautionary step that you can take is to change the WiFi name and disable the SSID broadcast. When you do this, the unwanted users will think that your network is no longer available as they won’t be able to see your network on their list of nearby WiFi sources.
4. Limit the number of users
You can also keep unwanted users at bay by setting a limit to the number of users. You can set DHCP to the number of devices you and your family members use. This will block unwanted users from using your WiFi even if they get your WiFi password.
Here’s how you can see who is connected to your WiFi network:
- Login to your router
- Locate the DHCP settings and then “attached devices” section.
- Browse the list of connected devices and locate the ones that you don’t recognize. Disconnect these devices.
If you still face problems with a slow network and you are suspecting that someone still has the access to your WiFi network, you may want to check the usage parameter of your bandwidth. Chances are that you are using too many bandwidth-hogging devices simultaneously. Devices like gaming consoles and other video streaming devices can really slow down your WiFi network. Make sure to check them before coming to any conclusion. This might save you a lot of time.
The Key Takeaway
WiFi Network is one of the most used sources for internet access throughout the world. This makes it very important for taking precautionary measures to ensure that your online data remains protected from miscreant sources. WiFi security is something that should not be overlooked as it can protect you from being victim to menial cyber notoriety and other major cyber threats. Learning to kick people off WiFi is just another lesson that can help you save your bandwidth and data. There’s a lot more to learn.