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How to spy on devices connected to my Wi-Fi? It’s a common question. Data breaches are on the rise, so it’s important to know who is connected to your Wi-Fi and what they are doing.
Whether you want to protect your children from cyberbullying and inappropriate content, track your partner’s online activity, or simply check if unknown devices are connected to your network, you need to know who is using your Wi-Fi. I’ll show you how to monitor who is connected to your router and see what exactly they’re up to.
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Techopedia’s Top 3 Wi-Fi Spying Apps
Using WiFi spyware apps is an easy and affordable way to identify unauthorized connections and see what websites are visited by devices on your network. This will help you protect your family, your relationship, or your business. Our top picks of WiFi spy apps are:
- mSpy – Top-tier spy app with ‘Invisible Mode’ for covert monitoring and surveillance needs
- uMobix – Advanced parental control tracker app for real-time tracking of children’s devices
- Spynger – Feature-rich spy app designed for partner tracking
Why Use Spyware to Spy on Devices Connected to My Wi-Fi?
Can you see what people are doing on your Wi-Fi? The short answer is yes. WiFi spyware lets you spy on devices connected to your Wi-Fi network, whether it’s your child, partner, or employee. You can use an app to monitor websites visited on your Wi-Fi, as well.
This will help prevent exposure to harmful or inappropriate websites and apps and monitor their online activity. Most of these tools also have additional features, like the ability to track a device’s location. Here are the key benefits of Wi-Fi spyware:
Parental Control
Malicious internet content is always a concern for parents. These parental control apps can help you track and monitor your child’s online activity to ensure their online safety.
With access to what they are doing, who they are talking to, and the kind of sites and forums they visit, you can rest assured that your children have a secure device.
Monitoring Your Partner
Unfortunately, affairs that start online are becoming more prevalent and easier to hide with smartphones and social media apps. Wi-Fi spy software is a simple way to monitor your partner’s online activities on your home network. Some apps also let you see other Wi-Fi networks they connect to as a way to track someone’s location.
Employee Monitoring
Encrypted messaging and email tools make safeguarding company secrets and sensitive information more challenging. Many companies provide work devices and don’t let employees use their personal smartphones. You can install a Wi-Fi tracking app on work devices to monitor employees’ activity and internet usage.
How to Spy On Devices Connected to My Wi-Fi
Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to access other devices connected to your Wi-Fi network using mSpy, one of the best monitoring apps around. Note: for iOS devices, you'll also need the Cydia app.
Create an mSpy Account
- Go to the official mSpy website and enter your email address.
- You will be asked to pick an operating system (I’m using an Android phone for this guide).
- Choose a plan and subscribe to mSpy.
- mSpy will email you your login information, Control Panel link, and Installation URL. It’s best to save the email or note the information since you will need it later.
Disable Google Play Protect on the Target Device
- If the device you want to monitor is an Android phone, you will have to disable Play Protect. Open the Google Play Store on the phone. Make sure you can first bypass any lock screen protection. You might also want to check out our guide to the best spy apps for Android phones.
- Tap the account icon at the top right corner, choose Play Protect, and enter settings.
- Toggle off “Improved Harmful App Detection” and confirm the change.
Install mSpy on the Other Device Connected to Your Wi-Fi
- You will need physical access to the device. Open the browser and enter the Installation URL you received from mSpy.
- Follow the steps and complete the installation process.
- Open the Control Panel URL on your device and log into your mSpy account. You can now use the mSpy dashboard to monitor the phone and the Wi-Fi networks the device is connected to.
Is Wi-Fi Spying Possible Without a Wi-Fi Spy App?
Yes, you can use something called a packet sniffer to spy on devices connected to your wi-fi, but they come with some major drawbacks. Firstly, they are difficult to to use, you will need some technical knowledge to install it. Unlike wi-fi spying apps, which are intuitive and simple to install and use.
Again, in comparison to wi-fi spy apps, packet sniffers are limited in what they can do. They can only spy on devices connected currently to your wi-fi, the moment the device is disconnected you will no longer be able to spy on that device.
A final word of warning about packet sniffers: they are illegal to use in many places, so be very careful about using one.
How Do Wi-Fi Spy Apps Work?
Wi-Fi spying apps gain access to a device’s data by pretending to be a trusted app or a part of your phone’s operating system.
With features like keylogging and screenshots, the app collects data on the device’s activity that you can then see on the spy app’s dashboard. These apps can be incredibly difficult to detect and run in the background without the user’s knowledge.
Can I Use a MAC Address To See Who Is Connected to My Wi-Fi?
Yes, you can. Most router admin interfaces will display both the MAC addresses and IP addresses of all the devices connected to your Wi-Fi network. Look for the router IP address—it will either be on a sticker on the router or in the manual—and log in to your Wi-Fi router’s admin interface.
Next, go to the “connected devices” section, where you can view their MAC addresses. You should regularly check this list and watch out for unknown devices. If you do find any, I recommend changing your Wi-Fi password or enabling MAC address filtering for additional security.
That’s all you need if you’re just worried about unknown devices connected to your Wi-Fi. However, tracking apps offer more if you’re looking for information about what someone on your Wi-Fi is doing on their phones.
Can I Spy On Any Devices Connected to My Wi-Fi?
Yes, most spyware apps allow you to spy on any connected devices using your Wi-Fi, even PCs. However, keep in mind that these won’t work on public Wi-Fi networks.
Most Wi-Fi spyware can monitor mobile phones, and they don’t necessarily have to be connected to your router either. Apps like mSpy can also monitor tablets.
The information you can see with these apps includes:
- Calls made and received
- Text messages and chat conversations
- GPS location tracking
- Installed apps and usage history
- Internet browsing history and bookmarks
- Photos and videos taken with the device’s camera
There are limited options for spying on PCs and laptops connected to a Wi-Fi router. However, ClevGuard is considered the best app for monitoring PC activity. Here are some of the things you can see:
- Keystrokes and login credentials
- Screenshots of the device’s screen
- Internet browsing history and bookmarks
- Installed apps and usage history
- Email and chat conversations
- Application usage, such as how long certain programs were used
The Best Wi-Fi Network Tracking Apps Compared
I’ve created a comparison table to easily compare the key features of the best Wi-Fi tracking apps. This will allow you to make a quick, informed decision about the best one for your needs:
| Provider | Cheapest Plan | No. of Devices | Demo Included | Money-Back Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mSpy | $11.67/month | 1 | Yes | 10 days |
| uMobix | $12.49/month | 1 | Yes | 14 days |
| Spynger | $9.28/month | 1 | Yes | 30 days |
| SpyBubble Pro | $12.49/month | 1 | Yes | 14 days |
| Phonsee | $8.85/month | 1 | Yes | 14 days |
| Eyezy | $7.99/month | 1 | Yes | 14 days |
| ClevGuard | $4.99/month | 1 | Yes | 30 days |
How to Monitor Devices Connected to My WiFi for Free
While there are a few free Wi-Fi spy apps available, it’s better to opt for a paid app. A free spy app is prone to errors, bugs, and crashes. It also likely only works as a network scanner, doesn’t come with as many features, isn’t as accurate, and lacks support.
In more malicious cases, these free apps might contain malware or pose other security risks to a target phone.
On the other hand, paid solutions typically offer a more comprehensive set of features and a higher level of security and privacy. They won’t look like third-party software is installed on a target phone. They also include regular updates and customer support and perform more stable and reliably.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Wi-Fi Spy App
Finding a reliable, easy-to-use, invisible monitor app can be challenging since providers aren’t always transparent with their information. Here’s what you should look for when choosing an app to spy on devices connected to your Wi-Fi:
You should avoid installing apps that require more than 10 minutes of physical access.
Ideally, the app should also operate in stealth mode and run in the background without noticeable data transmission on a target device without causing performance issues. You should also be able to easily access the app dashboard and the provided information on your device.
The best apps will let you spy on a mobile phone connected to your Wi-Fi router. Apart from being able to detect devices and monitor network activity, most should also offer additional features. Consider your needs to determine which app has the features you will use the most. Other features might include:
- Keylogger
- Browser history viewer
- Reading deleted messages
- Remote screenshotting and recording
- Blocking dangerous websites and apps remotely
- SMS, social media, and instant messaging apps chat history
- Ability to track all types of devices
My list of the best apps for spying via Wi-Fi includes various tools at different price points. While most come with a robust feature set, some might offer extras you don’t need but are priced higher.
You shouldn’t have to pay more if you don’t plan to use all the features available. The cost also adds up if you need to track more than one device.
Conclusion
Using a Wi-Fi spy app is the best way to monitor devices on your wireless network. Whether you want to monitor your child’s online presence, track a spouse or partner, or check an employee’s work, you can do this best with an app that keeps tabs on your WiFi network.
There are plenty of apps to choose from, depending on your needs, but the one I would recommend is mSpy. mSpy is the best option if you want to spy on devices connected to a WiFi router. It offers features like robust security, two-factor authentication, symmetrical and asymmetrical encryption, budget-friendly plans, and responsive customer service.
FAQs
Can someone spy on you through Wi-Fi?
Can you spy on an iPhone through Wi-Fi?
Can I read someone’s texts if they’re using my Wi-Fi?
How can I see what devices are connected to my network?
Can you see what someone is doing on their phone through Wi-Fi?
How do you prevent Wi-Fi spying?
How can you tell if you are being spied on through Wi-Fi?
Is it possible to spy on another device that is connected to the same home network via WiFi?
References
- What’s Behind the Increase in Data Breaches? (Wall Street Journal)
