topic Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices? in Broadband & Landline

Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

User7171 — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 11:47:23 GMT

Hello

I am hoping someone here is able to help. Is there any way we can prevent people who are connected to our wifi from adding other devices without us knowing? We are finding lots of “new” devices being added. We are managing WiFi so it’s going off at certain times. Is there a way we can prevent new devices joining without needing to change password?

Also, how does guest wifi work? Are you able to set times to manage etc

Sorry, but I’m not very tech minded anymore!

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

Northerner — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 12:02:25 GMT

Hi @User7171

Which router do you have.

Thanks

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

Timbo45 — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 13:11:58 GMT

@User7171

Most mobile phones these days have a facility to generate a random MAC address when connecting to wifi and this might be your issue that when leaves the wifi (goes out) and then reconnects (comes home) a new device is added to your wifi. Does this sound like an explanation?

On Apple devices the default for this random generation (Private WI-Fi Address) is ON by default. Likely the same on android.

The solution is to ensure that anyone connecting to your wifi sets this option to OFF.

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

Chris_B — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 13:31:27 GMT

@Timbo45 It can be set to off or fixed instead of rotating.

@User7171 It helps to know what devices these are so if you name your own devices these get listed even with a rotating private WiFi address, you’ll then know if it’s actually the same device ie one of you’re own but just with a different IP or it’s actually a “new device” added by someone else.

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

Profile closed — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 14:10:12 GMT

@User7171

This reads to me as if there are some users of your connection you have expressly (or implicitly) allowed on, but you’re wanting to manage the number of devices they use.

Are you in shared accommodation, or in a block of flats etc?

Other community members might be better able to make suggestions if you could elaborate.

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

XRaySpeX — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 14:14:38 GMT

Instead of telling your other users your WiFi pwd you type it in yourself on their individual devices hidden from their eyes. So they have to come to you for it.

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

User7171 — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 15:55:39 GMT

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

User7171 — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 16:03:05 GMT

So we are foster carers to teenagers who think they know everything tech wise. They have mobiles that we manage, to go off at certain times, homework, bedtime etc and they are constantly trying to get around these restrictions. Their phones are named on our app, but we keep getting other apple and android phones being added - maybe to try and get around the restrictions? We also have to keep eye out for alternative devices they might have that their social worker is not aware of.

we typed the wifi password in ourselves, but they have managed to pass this around amongst themselves and even add their friends when they come around.
I really am not tech minded and am struggling to keep on top of what social worker is asking.

Thank you for all replies so far 👍🏻

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

Timbo45 — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 17:27:19 GMT

@User7171

I think you're really up against it for it's easy to get around anything you do.

The MAC randomisation is one way they get around it and the other is that , certainly on Apple devices , they can share the wifi password without knowing what it is from device to device and I assume the same is likely to apply to Android devices.

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

XRaySpeX — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 16:59:14 GMT

@Timbo45 : I don't think it is for Android. Once entered a pwd is not shown in clear.

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

Timbo45 — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 17:27:00 GMT

You can't see it on Apple devices either but you can share it (invisibly)

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

XRaySpeX — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 17:36:28 GMT

Ah, yes, there's a Share Network on Android.

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

User7171 — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 22:06:57 GMT

Thanks for the replies guys - so there’s no way I can prevent them adding devices then? What’s the guest wifi I have heard about - how does this work? And would I be able to put restrictions on like in main wifi?

Appreciate all the help here, even if it does not solve my problem🤦🏼‍♀️ kids huh!

Re: Is there a way to prevent people on my wifi from adding more devices?

XRaySpeX — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 02:40:42 GMT

The Guest Network is a separate WiFi network that keeps the devices on it separate from the devices on your main network. You could change the pwd on the main network & just give them the pwd for the Guest Network.