How to See Who Is Connected to Your WiFi

To see every device on your home network, run a network scan from your phone: it lists each connected device with its IP address, name, and manufacturer in seconds. This lets you confirm what belongs on your network, spot anything unexpected, and keep your connection working for the devices that should be using it.

Why check who is on your network

Knowing exactly what is connected to your WiFi serves three practical purposes. It protects your bandwidth, since every active device shares the same connection and an unknown one can quietly slow everything down. It protects your security, because a device you did not add may have joined with a leaked or guessed password. And it gives you an inventory, which is useful when you set up a new gadget, troubleshoot a problem, or simply want to understand your own network.

Most people are surprised by how many devices appear. A modern home easily runs phones, laptops, a TV, a streaming stick, a game console, smart bulbs, a thermostat, a doorbell, and more – often a dozen or more entries. Recognising them all is the first step to noticing the one that does not belong.

How a network scan finds devices

A scan works by checking your local network – the private range your router hands out, usually something like 192.168.0.x. The app reaches across that range, sees which addresses respond, and then gathers extra details about each device it finds, such as its name, type, and manufacturer.

What makes a dedicated scanner thorough is that it looks for devices in several different ways at once rather than relying on a single check. Devices vary in how readily they reveal themselves – a smart speaker, a printer, and a phone each answer some prompts and stay quiet to others – so a good scanner builds a far more complete and accurate list than a basic check. That is why it often finds devices your router’s own admin page misses.

Step 1: Scan your network

1. Connect your phone to the WiFi network you want to check.
2. Open WiFi Tools (Android, iOS) or IP Tools (Android) and select LAN Scanner.
3. The app auto-detects your subnet – leave it as is for your current network.
4. Enable Deep Scan for a more thorough sweep, then tap Start.

The scan must run from a device on the same network, because private addresses are only reachable from inside that network. If results look incomplete, run it again with Deep Scan on – some devices respond slowly or only on a second pass. For the meaning of each result field, see the LAN Scanner help page.

Step 2: Identify each device

1. Read each entry’s IP address, hostname, and manufacturer.
2. Tap a device to see full details, including its MAC address.
3. Match each one to something you own, starting with the obvious names.

The manufacturer is your best clue. Every network device has a MAC address, and the first half of that address is an identifier registered to the company that made the network chip – so the scanner can show “Apple”, “Samsung”, or “TP-Link” even when the device has no friendly name. A generic or blank hostname is common for smart-home gadgets and is not suspicious by itself; what matters is whether the manufacturer and device type make sense for something you own.

Step 3: Spot and handle an unknown device

1. Flag any entry you cannot match to a device in your home.
2. Temporarily turn a suspected device off, or unplug your known devices one by one, and re-scan to see which entry disappears.
3. If something is genuinely unaccounted for, secure the network.

The process of elimination is the reliable way to identify a mystery entry: when you power a device off and its line vanishes from the next scan, you have named it. If an entry remains after everything you recognise is accounted for, treat it as unauthorised. The surest fix is to change your WiFi password – but be aware this disconnects every device at once, so afterwards you must reconnect and reconfigure each one you own (phones, TVs, smart-home gadgets, printers) with the new password and re-pair anything that syncs over the network. For routine bandwidth questions rather than security, see how to speed up your home WiFi.

FAQ

Can I see who is on my WiFi without an app?
Your router’s admin page lists connected devices, but it is often slower to load and shows less detail. A scanner app adds manufacturer and device-type information and works the same way on any network you join.

What is a MAC address?
It is a unique hardware identifier assigned to each network adapter. Its first half identifies the manufacturer, which is how a scanner labels devices that have no readable name.

A device shows no name – is it dangerous?
Not necessarily. Many smart-home devices report a blank or cryptic hostname. Judge it by whether the manufacturer and type match something you actually own.

How often should I check?
A scan every few weeks, plus one whenever your internet feels slower than usual or right after guests visit, is enough for most homes.