Recently we shared several methods to check if someone is stealing your WiFi, most of them aimed at Android devices. That means a small detail was left in the inkwell, because many users want to know if their WiFi is being stolen on Windows, using a desktop application. Fortunately, the inexhaustible NirSoft comes to the rescue with its excellent Wireless Network Watcher, which scans our wireless network and detects all devices connected to it.
Why do we insist on this topic? It's simple: There are many clever people out there, waiting for a slip or an unusual opportunity to get a bit of extra WiFi. The price of peace (and the stability of our connection) is eternal vigilance. Therefore, if you have any suspicion that someone is stealing your WiFi, you need to have adequate tools under all environments. Our previous article explores different options for Android, and an exploration through the router with DD-WRT, but in the case of Windows, you can always go to the NirSoft page and download a copy of Wireless Network Watcher.
Want to see if someone is stealing your WiFi? Try Wireless Network Watcher
As NirSoft has accustomed us, Wireless Network Watcher is completely portable and has no external dependencies. All we have to do is open its executable with elevated privileges and let it finish its first scan. The results include IP address, device names, their MAC addresses, manufacturers, device information (for example, which is the router, which is your computer, etc.), their names for the Windows network, date/number of detections, and their current status.
Wireless Network Watcher will continue its search for devices in the background. You can also tell the program to issue an audible alert in case of a new detection or disconnection, while in advanced options you have the possibility to force the use of a specific adapter, limit the search to a custom range of IP addresses (for example, the DHCP range), and execute automatic commands if something new appears.
Now, remember that Wireless Network Watcher is a simple viewer, and you cannot block anything from here. However, the information it produces is more than enough to identify intruders on your network and proceed with their expulsion, either by changing the password or using a blacklist system if your router allows it.
Official site and download: Click here
