Is someone stealing your Wi-Fi? 6 free apps to help you find out who's stealing your Wi-Fi at home.

Wi-Fi has become a resource as essential as electricity or water in homes. Working, studying, watching movies, playing online games, or simply staying connected depends on a stable network. However, it's not uncommon for users to notice their internet slower than usual, even when there's no high usage inside the home. Therefore, these six apps can help you detect if your service is being stolen.

Although sometimes restarting the router may be enough, in many cases the problem persists and the question immediately arises: Could someone be using my Wi-Fi without permission? This scenario, more common than it seems, affects both the connection speed and the security of personal information circulating online. Faced with this situation, specialists recommend users take control of their own network and rule out the presence of intruders. The good news is that it doesn't require extensive technical knowledge or expensive software: simply use free applications that allow you to analyze who is connected to your network in real time.

Through these tools, in addition to detecting intruders, users can obtain useful information about the status of their network and strengthen their Wi-Fi security with simple adjustments. This is what the specialized site Andro4all recommends:

1) PingTools Network Utilities: Advanced tool that displays connected devices, scans ports and allows pinging.

2) WiFiman: with a simple interface, it shows the connected devices and even signal strength maps.

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3) Wi-Fi Monitor: Provides complete network information, identifies intruders, and helps optimize the transmission channel.

4) Fing – Network Scanner: One of the most popular, it provides accurate details of each connected device and allows you to run speed tests.

5) Who's using my network – WiFi Scanner: Identifies connected devices and allows you to tag them to easily identify intruders.

6) WiFi Detector: Who's Using WiFi?: Scans the network, shows which devices are connected, and gives quick access to router settings.

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1. Slower than normal internet: If your connection suddenly starts to slow down, without any increase in usage at home, this could be a sign that additional devices are connected without your permission. According to ADSL Zone, every device connected to Wi-Fi consumes bandwidth, and even if it's minimal, several intruders can significantly affect speed, especially when streaming videos, downloading large files, or making video calls.

2. Unknown devices:

Most routers allow you to review the list of connected devices . If you find names or MAC addresses you don't recognize, it's a sign that someone is using your network without permission. Even if the names seem generic, it's a good idea to compare them to the devices you own and, if in doubt, disconnect or block them.

3. Changes to password or settings:

If you notice that your Wi-Fi password has been changed without your permission, or if different settings appear in your router's configuration, this is a red flag. Intruders sometimes gain access to gain full control of the network or to hide their presence . Reviewing and restoring secure settings is essential.

4. High data usage:

Some routers and apps allow you to monitor data usage. If you notice a significant increase without performing traffic-intensive activities, it could be unauthorized users downloading content, streaming videos, or sharing files over your network. Detecting this early helps prevent overload and potential security risks.