How to see all devices on your network

Every device on your Wi-Fi gets its own private address from your router, so your router keeps a list of everything connected. Checking that list is the most reliable way to see who and what is on your network.

Check your router's list (most reliable)

1. Open your router's admin page. It's usually at 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, or 10.0.0.1. Our router login guide shows how to find yours.
2. Sign in with the admin password from the router's label or the one you set.
3. Look for a page called Connected devices, Attached devices, Device list, Clients, or DHCP client list.

You'll see each device's name (if it shares one), its private IP address, and its MAC address, a hardware ID that helps tell similar devices apart.

Use your router's app

Many newer routers and mesh systems are managed with a phone app from the maker or your internet provider. These apps usually show connected devices on the home screen, often with friendly names and icons, and let you pause or block a device with a tap.

From a computer

On Windows or Mac, open Command Prompt or Terminal and run arp -a. It lists the IP and MAC addresses your computer has recently talked to on your network. It's a quick check, but it can miss devices that have been quiet, so the router's list is more complete.

Network scanner apps

Free scanner apps for phones and computers search your whole network and try to identify each device by its maker. They're handy when you can't access your router. Only scan networks you own or have permission to check.

Don't recognize a device?

Unknown names are often harmless: smart plugs, TVs, printers, speakers, or a guest's phone that connected earlier. Many devices show only a model code or a MAC address. To identify one, unplug or switch off your gadgets one at a time and watch which entry disappears.

If a device still looks suspicious:

• Change your Wi-Fi password. Every device has to reconnect, and only people you give the new password to can.
• Use WPA3 or WPA2 security, never an open network or the outdated WEP.
• Change the router's admin password if it's still the default one.
• Turn off WPS, a push-button pairing feature that's easier to abuse.
• Put guests and smart gadgets on a guest network so they're kept apart from your computers and phones.

Common questions

Can someone see what I do on my Wi-Fi?

The router owner can usually see which devices are connected and sometimes which websites they reach. Most websites use encryption (HTTPS), so the actual content of pages and messages stays private.

How many devices is too many?

Most home routers handle dozens of devices. If things slow down when many devices are busy, the limit is usually your internet speed or Wi-Fi coverage. Our internet speed calculator estimates what your household needs.

Why does the same device appear twice?

Phones and computers can connect to both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands, and modern phones may use a different private MAC address for each network. Both can create duplicate-looking entries.