Block Suspicious MAC Addresses

A MAC address is a code assigned to a specific, unique device that identifies that device for online connections. It’s very handy – in this case, it can help you identify any suspicious devices that may have hitched a ride on your Wi-Fi.

Head to your router administration website (you can usually find this by plugging in your public IP address into your search engine) and look for the section that shows all the devices and their MAC addresses connected to your internet.

Watch for MAC addresses that don’t match any of the devices your family owns or other suspicious addresses that shouldn’t be there. Router settings include an option to block those specific MAC addresses so they can’t connect again.

Hackers can duplicate and mimic MAC addresses, but blocking MAC addresses you don’t recognize can still help a lot if someone is trying to sneak on your Wi-Fi for free.