We all need the internet constantly to keep up with our tasks. Whether educational or work-related or maybe even needing to check the recipe on YouTube to impress our date. It has become essential to our life. Not everyone wants to or nor can afford to spend a fortune on buying the internet, therefore services providers like CenturyLink stand out when it comes to providing affordable internet and telecommunication services, that are not heavy on the pocket.
Since not everyone can afford the internet as well or sometimes is just having an issue with their providers, they try piggybacking their nearby networks to have their work sorted for the while. Well, in all honesty, it is not much difficult to do, however, you can detect if someone is piggybacking off your Wi-Fi internet connection. when Keep reading, If you are intrigued to find out how to detect it.
What is Piggybacking?
The act of accessing someone else’s Wi-Fi internet connection without their permission is known as Wi-Fi piggybacking. Wi-Fi piggybacking is possible because many home networks are left unencrypted or otherwise unprotected, allowing anyone within the Wi-Fi router’s broadcast range to connect.
Wireless squatters chew up your bandwidth when they take your Wi-Fi. They may even steal information from your computer or infect equipment on your network with a virus in severe situations. Therefore it is important to keep a check so that you can detect if ever there is such activity happening to your network.
How To Detect Piggybacking Off A Wi-Fi Internet?
It is not very difficult to find out if someone is hogging on your Wi-Fi connection. They although there are people,Who let it slide easily.It is not something to be taken lightly. However, first, you need to take a precautionary step just to prevent this all from happening in the first place.
Set Up A Secure Network
To keep the wireless squatters from utilizing your internet connection, you only need one thing and that is a strong password. An encryption protocol, such as WPA2, WPA3, or Wi-Fi Protected Access, is the most basic part of wireless security. All you have to do now is set up WPA2 security on your wireless router and create a network password. Make it something you’ll remember and that others won’t be able to predict. Without a password, anyone can connect to your wireless network. However, a password isn’t enough to ensure complete security. You should also update the router’s login information from admin to something else. This will prevent almost anyone from tampering with your router.
Now that we have the most important thing discussed. Let’s move on to how you can find out if your connection is being piggybacked.
Intermittent Losses in Internet Connection
No one is most likely taking your internet. A sluggish connection can be caused by a variety of factors. It’s possible that your internet service provider is having problems or is overburdened with traffic. Your Wi-Fi router may be suffering interference from other equipment, or it may just be having problems getting a wireless signal to your computer through the walls and furniture of your home.
The Unique Address
It’s unlikely that anyone will ever piggyback on your network if WPA2 security is enabled. Squatters, on the other hand, are simple to spot: Because each device connected to your network has its own MAC address and IP address, you can easily see a list of linked devices which are commonly referred to as clients, on one of your wireless router’s settings pages.
Even if a device’s name does not appear in the router’s client list, you can count the number of devices connected and compare it to the number of devices you believe should be there to determine whether the numbers are off.
Blinking Lights
You have a variety of investigator tools at your disposal if you suspect someone is stealing your Wi-Fi. To begin, turn off all of your Wi-Fi devices, including your phone and laptop, and then look for blinking lights on the front of your router. You may have someone piggybacking off of you nearby if the router appears to be exhibiting data transfer even when your family’s devices are turned off.
What Should You Do Next?
Now that you have figured that your Wi-Fi internet connection is being piggybacked. There is one very simple solution. Change The Password! Of course, you’ll need to reauthorize all of your Wi-Fi devices. The new password, but this is the most straightforward approach to resecure your network and put your mind at ease.
Conclusion
Piggybacking is an unlawful act and is considered. A felony in many states of the United States. You can follow the aforementioned steps if you ever feel there is some suspicious activity going on with your Wi-Fi connection to ensure the safety of yourself and the family.
