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How to Remove Devices from Wi-Fi Router – Overview
Once someone has access to your Wi-Fi credentials, they can connect their devices to your network, potentially increasing the number of connected devices.
When your internet connection has too many devices connected, it can result in slower speeds or intermittent connectivity issues. A complete blackout is rare unless your router experiences a severe hardware or software issue.
That is why you should learn to remove devices from the Wi-Fi router.
Learning to remove devices is beneficial for managing network access but does not inherently restrict access to specific types of content.
You could also learn to remove devices from the Wi-Fi router to control your kids’ online time.
Additionally, many routers allow you to manage connected devices remotely via a mobile app or web-based control panel.
Remember that smart routers have more attributes you can customize while managing the multiple devices connected to your local network.
If you are unfamiliar with routers, look at how to choose a Wi-Fi router to decide the one that’s best for your specific needs.
One downside of having unauthorized devices on your network is the increased risk of them running spyware without your knowledge.
Unauthorized devices could potentially intercept network traffic and compromise confidential information, such as bank details, if encryption and other security measures are not in place.
You must regain control of your network and only share details with those you trust.
Therefore, this article will look at some measures you can employ to kick out devices from your network, ranging from password change to configuring the Mac address.
Measures to Take If Want to Know How to Remove Devices from Wi-Fi Router
Change the Wi-Fi Passcode
The simplest, most secure strategy is changing your Wi-Fi connection passcode on the router.
This will forcibly disconnect all devices from your Wi-Fi network, including your own. You’ll need to rejoin the Wi-Fi by entering the new passcode on all your gadgets.
To implement this, you’ll need to access your router’s configuration setup through a web browser.
After signing in, you can modify the Wi-Fi passcode, and while you are at it, you can modify the Wi-Fi connection name, too.
Admittedly, reconnecting numerous devices after changing your Wi-Fi password can be cumbersome. On the other hand, this is the only foolproof technique to remove devices from the Wi-Fi router.
Anyone without the new passcode can’t connect to the Wi-Fi.
Utilize Mac Address Sifting on Your Router
Many routers offer access control features to manage which devices can connect to your Wi-Fi network. All wireless gadgets have a unique MAC address.
A few routers let you blacklist gadgets with a specific MAC address from connecting.
Some routers allow you to configure a whitelist of permitted devices, blocking all others from connecting.
Nonetheless, not all routers include this option. Even if available, MAC address filtering is not entirely foolproof, as someone with your Wi-Fi password could spoof an authorized device’s MAC address.
It’s worth noting that an individual with your Wi-Fi password could clone an approved device’s MAC address, circumventing MAC address filtering. When using MAC address filtering, you must manually add new devices, which can be inconvenient and does not completely prevent unauthorized access if a hacker clones an approved MAC address.
Enable Parental Controls on Your Router
If you’d like, you can automate the procedure to not always block and unblock your kids’ gadgets when you want to grant them internet access.
Several routers come with in-built parental controls that execute comparable roles.
You can find these configurations under the Parental Controls section or in the router’s settings interface.
The configuration will differ from router to router; basic parental controls on a router will let you regulate what your children can access.
Parental controls also allow you to restrict certain activities, such as streaming or messaging, and set time limits for internet usage.
Utilize the Guest Network Feature
If you have guests, you can simplify the Wi-Fi connection issue by setting up a visitor Wi-Fi network on the router.
A guest network is an isolated internet access point.
For instance, your Wi-Fi connection name could be ‘John @ Home,’ and then the guest network will be named ‘John @ Home – Guest.’
This setup isolates guests from accessing your primary network, enhancing security and protecting sensitive data. This is another option for removing devices from the Wi-Fi router.
Many routers offer this feature under the name ‘guest network’ in their settings, often with a separate passcode. You can modify the visitor network passcode without changing your primary network passcode.
Final Thought on How to Remove Devices from Wi-Fi Router
You must take your internet security seriously and learn to remove devices from the Wi-Fi router.
Failing to secure your home or office Wi-Fi network can expose you to potential liability if illegal activities are conducted over your connection, as these could be traced back to your IP address.
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