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

[User7171]

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!

[Northerner]

Hi @User7171 

Which router do you have. 

Thanks 

[Timbo45]

@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.

[Chris_B]

@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. 

[Minkey1]

@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.

[XRaySpeX]

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.

[User7171]

 

[User7171]

Hi

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 👍🏻

[Timbo45]

@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.

[XRaySpeX]

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