How can I find which devices are using my home internet connection?
Quick answer
Open the app or management page for your home router and look for a connected-devices or network-devices list; the exact menu depends on your equipment. If you use Google Home or Google Wifi, its Devices view can show device names and details, but may include devices that connected within the past 30 days, not just those connected now [S1]. Treat an unfamiliar name as a clue, not proof: compare its MAC address with the device’s settings or check whether its entry disappears after disconnecting a suspected device [S2].
The question, the details, the next step.
How can I find which devices are using my home internet connection? I want a list I can understand, not just a row of strange names.
Start with the app or management page for your router and look for a section called something like “Devices,” “Connected devices,” or “Network.” The wording and steps vary, so use the instructions for your particular router rather than assuming every screen looks the same.
If you use Google Home or Google Wifi, open its Devices view. Google says that view can show devices’ connection status, IP address, MAC address, and data usage. Its list can also include devices that used the network during the past 30 days, even if they are not connected now [S1]. So first note whether an entry is currently connected or is only in the recent history.
The names aren’t helpful. One entry is just letters and numbers. How do I tell what it is?
Don’t assume an unfamiliar label belongs to a stranger. Device names can be hard to recognize; Google specifically cautions about this in its app context [S2]. Make a small inventory and match entries one at a time.
For each device you own, record a recognizable description—such as “living-room tablet”—and check its network details in that device’s settings. In Google Home, you can compare the device’s MAC address with the address displayed for an entry [S2]. Keep the description and address together in your notes, but don’t post those details publicly.
Could I just turn things off one by one and watch the list?
That can be a useful cross-check if you can safely and conveniently disconnect the device you suspect. Google suggests disconnecting a suspected device and seeing whether its entry disappears [S2]. Do this with an ordinary device you recognize, not by changing router settings or disrupting equipment you cannot identify.
For example, suppose your inventory has “tablet,” “TV,” and “unknown-7A.” You turn off the tablet’s Wi-Fi, refresh the list, and see whether “unknown-7A” changes or disappears. If it does, record that as a possible match, then verify with the tablet’s own network details if available. One observation alone may not settle the identity.
What should I do if an entry stays unfamiliar after those checks?
Keep it marked “unidentified” rather than concluding it is unauthorized. Check whether it is currently connected or merely appears in recent history, and repeat your comparison when the relevant household devices are available. The Google source describes a 30-day view that can include devices no longer connected [S1], so an old entry is not necessarily an active connection.
If you still cannot identify it, consult the help materials for your router or internet provider, or ask their support how to interpret that specific entry. The supplied sources explain Google Home and Google Wifi views; they do not establish how every router labels devices, whether a particular unknown entry is safe, or whether someone else has access to your network.
A practical checklist
Open your router’s app or management page and find its device list; use your equipment’s own instructions for exact steps.
Mark each entry as currently connected or recently seen, where that information is available.
Write down recognizable device descriptions and compare details such as MAC addresses when the app and device settings provide them.
Use a convenient disconnect-and-check test only for a device you recognize; record it as a clue, not final proof.
Leave unresolved entries labeled “unidentified” and ask your router or provider’s support for help interpreting them.
A few more useful answers
Does an unfamiliar device name mean someone else is using my internet?
No. A label alone does not identify who owns a device. Google cautions that listed names can be difficult to recognize, so compare device details or use a careful disconnect check before drawing a conclusion [S2].
Why is a device listed if it is not connected right now?
In Google Home’s Devices view, the list can include devices that used the network during the past 30 days, including some that are no longer connected [S1]. Other router interfaces may work differently; the supplied source does not establish their history period.
What details should I write down for my home network inventory?
Use a familiar description, the displayed device name, connection status, and—if available—a matching MAC address. Keep the notes private and mark uncertain matches as unconfirmed.
Sources
References used for this guide.
- [S1] View devices connected to your network and review data usage support.google.com · Checked
- [S2] Can't find or identify device in Family Wi-Fi support.google.com · Checked