Can my neighbor be using my Wi

Why don't you want anyone stealing your Wi-Fi?

When somebody is stealing your Wi-Fi, speed issues are not your biggest concern. That person might be illegally downloading content or performing malicious activities that can get you in trouble. Your router is directly linked with your identity, so everything that happens on your network is your responsibility.

Furthermore, if your neighbor connects to your Wi-Fi and then accidentally downloads malware, it can spread to the network and infect all devices connected to it. This way, you can end up with a virus or Trojan and then become a victim of data theft, a ransomware attack, or a man-in-the-middle attack.

Depending on the place you live, the chances of somebody piggybacking on your network may vary. If you live in a suburban house, it’s less likely your neighbors will be stealing your Wi-Fi. However, if you live in a city center or next to a public square with a lot of people around, the odds are much greater.

How to know if your neighbor is piggybacking on your Wi-Fi

Even if you’re not experiencing issues with your Wi-Fi, it’s a good idea to check the devices connected to it from time to time. Not all internet activities require a lot of bandwidth. If a person is not downloading terabytes of data every day, it can be hard to notice anything out of the ordinary.

You can check all the connected devices by logging in to your router. However, it’s also important to go through the list of devices that were connected in the past. This way, you can see if your Wi-Fi is vulnerable and somebody occasionally uses it without your consent.

Network monitoring apps are also an option to consider. They’re user friendly and can be used on both mobile and desktop. Finding a network security key on your router/modem is not hard and doesn’t require much tech savviness, so you should take precautions.

Check out our video on this topic below.

How to protect your Wi-Fi

Change your password

How can you stop neighbors from using your wireless internet? If you notice a device connected to your network that you don’t recognize, change your password immediately. This way, that device will be disconnected from the network and will be asked to enter the new password.

Make sure to use uppercase and lowercase letters along with special characters and numbers to create a strong password. It’s also important to change your password from time to time. You can use a password manager to help you with this task.

At the same time, change your router’s username and password. Most of the time, network devices arrive with a default password that is easy to guess.

Update your router’s firmware

It’s important to update your router’s firmware to keep its security up to date. Otherwise, wrongdoers can exploit a bug that was patched months ago and put you at risk.

Hide your SSID

You can hide your Wi-Fi name so it won't be visible among available networks. While somebody with more technical knowledge can monitor even hidden networks, hiding your SSID will push back some wrongdoers.

Choose a router that supports WPA3

WPA2 is still the most used wireless security protocol, but WPA3 provides you with better security than its predecessor. Not all routers support WPA3, but you should look for this next-generation protocol when you pick a new device. You can also check our router security guide to get more ideas on how to protect it.

Use a VPN

A VPN encrypts your traffic and hides your IP address, enhancing your online security and privacy. We recommend using a VPN at home by setting up NordVPN on your router. This way, all devices connected to your network will be protected, and when you apply the tips mentioned above, you will keep your network secure. You can also get the NordVPN app for your smartphone, laptop, or tablet to protect them whenever you’re on the go.

Online security starts with a click.

Stay safe with the world’s leading VPN

You pay good money for your home internet connection, right? So how would you feel if someone was stealing it? Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to find out if someone is stealing your internet, and there are things that you can do to stop it.

Checking your internet connection for theft

You may be finding that your home Wi-Fi network is sluggish, and that you can no longer stream your favorite shows properly. Something seems to be hogging your bandwidth, but you can’t for the life of you figure out what it is. Perhaps your neighbor is stealing your internet?

The first thing you should do is to take a look at your network. Login to your router and look to see what devices it’s connected to. You should have already set up a username/password for your router. If you type 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1 in your browser while on your network, this may provide access. If you can’t do that, you can also get a free program called Wireless Network Watcher. This shows what devices are connected.

Do they all belong to you? If you see a gadget that’s not yours, someone is stealing your internet.

Securing your internet connection

If you discover that someone is stealing your internet, there are ways to stop it. Though you can’t tell who is doing the stealing, you know it’s someone fairly close in distance, like a neighbor.

One of the best ways to put a halt to the theft is to encrypt your Wi-Fi network. This is generally done simply by accessing your router and choosing an encryption setting such as WPA and setting up a password. Pretty simple stuff.

If you don’t have a password on your internet (most already do), encrypt your network now. Criminals love open Wi-Fi networks as they’re generally easy to hack. If, on the other hand, your network already has encryption, you need to change your password. Someone must have figured it out and is now able to access your internet.

If changing your password doesn’t stop the intrusion, they might have set up a backdoor. So, reset your router to the factory settings, and then set it up like new. Just keep in mind that you will have to change all of the saved Wi-Fi passwords that you have on your devices.

Once you’ve confirmed that the person stealing your internet can no longer connect, make sure you keep a close eye on your network going forward.

Speeding up slow internet connections

If you went through the tests and found that no one is stealing your internet, yet it still seems like your Wi-Fi is slow, the first thing you should do is to test your internet speed. It should match what you pay for. Make sure that you check the speed while connected to Wi-Fi and when wired directly into the router. If you notice that your speed with Wi-Fi is a lot slower than your wired speed, you might need to get a router upgrade. It could be getting overloaded with all your devices. Contact your ISP for help; you might be eligible for a new router/modem.

Protect yourself on free Wi-Fi

Whenever you are at a coffee shop, traveling, in a hotel, or at an airport, you may be connecting to open and unsecured Wi-Fi networks. While this is a great way to save money on your data plan, it’s also a great way to get hacked.

Criminals can spy on your every move if your device is connected unencrypted to free Wi-Fi. This is where a VPN such as Hotspot Shield comes in. Once installed on your laptop or mobile device, it allows you to still save money on your data plan but your information will be encrypted and hidden from spies.