How can you detect someone steal your Wi-Fi internet?

United States
September 21, 2010 3:39pm CST
Probably majority of us might have more than one computer at home, and we would like to install a router to connect all the computers to be ready to surf the internet. Most Routers you purchase from the store might have Wi -Fi connection capability, so, if you don't lock your router with a password, you neighbors might steal your connection without your notice. Even though you lock your password, some hackers can hack into the Wi-Fi router, and still have your connection. I just wonder is there anyway you can detect whether someone is stealing your internet connection?
9 responses
• Philippines
12 Jan 11
Yes there is a way to know whether there are people stealing your wifi connection. If you are using a router you can actually access the router's setup page and go to status. From there, you will be able to see the different IP address that the router gives to those devices connected to it. All you have to do is to count the number of IP addresses and compare it with the number of devices connected to the router. :-)
@ellyse2003 (1463)
• Philippines
22 Sep 10
I don't know how to detect cheaters around but at home, what I did, I opened my routers default ip address and changed the default password. For my safety, I also configured it with my modem. In short, I made two doors to pass on, first, when somebody hacked my wifi, they cannot access it even they figured out my wpa key that's my first first door and my first connection to my internet. Second, my modem, that's the second door of course nobody can access my modem because it is directly connected to my computer through an s-utp wire. And for security purposes, it also has a password.
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
22 Sep 10
I don't know about it, but I think that if we set a password for our wifi, no one can steal it. I have bought a wifi and am using it in the office. If someone else wants to use it, they need to ask me for the password. Otherwise they can not use it.
• Singapore
22 Sep 10
Your network could slow down and accessing the internet would be really slow and data packets will keep losing. It'll be very irritating.
@o0jopak0o (6394)
• Philippines
22 Sep 10
well i dont really have personal experience with WIFI but i know you can. but the best thing is just add a password into it.
@jennbart (1330)
• Philippines
22 Sep 10
I do not have any idea.But maybe those who has a router would be able to know based on their statistics.If the stat for uploading and downloading is high but if the owner are just into browsing, then there they go! They would be able to know.
@rosdimy (3926)
• Malaysia
21 Sep 10
Try AirSnare. It is an old software but it still works. The program lists down all computers connected to the network. You get information like the time, MAC address, IP address, and manufacturer. The computers can be marked as friendly or left as being unfriendly. A connection made by an unfriendly MAC will cause an audio warning whiich is set to on by default.
@adhyz82 (36249)
• Indonesia
21 Sep 10
i dont know to detect it..maybe we must make a prevention action before somebody else steal our wifi connection
@topffer (42156)
• France
21 Sep 10
Quite all routers have a log history that you can access from the admin menu of the router. It gives the MAC address (sometimes the SSID) of the computers using your internet. However a hacker is able to use your own MAC address and SSID to connect to your router. Giving a new -- fake -- MAC address needs 3 words in a Linux command line : locking the WiFi access of your router to the MAC addresses of your computers is not secure if you don't use also a WEP or -- better -- a WPA key. Have a nice day.