How to Kick People Off Your Wi-Fi Network

Once you7;ve given someone your Wi-FI password, they have unlimited access to your Wi-Fi, and they can join your network on all their devices. That7;s how it usually works, anyway. Here7;s how to boot them off.

Option 1: Change Your Wi-Fi Password

The easiest, most secure method is merely changing your Wi-Fi network7;s password on your router. This will forcibly disconnect all devices from your Wi-Fi network2;even your own. You7;ll have to reconnect to the Wi-Fi network by entering the new password on all your devices. Anyone who doesn7;t have your new password won7;t be able to connect.

Let7;s be honest: If you have a lot of devices, reconnecting them all will be a pain. But it7;s also the only real, foolproof method. Even if you7;re capable of blacklisting a device on your router so it can7;t reconnect, someone with your Wi-Fi password could connect on a new device. (And, even if they don7;t remember the password, there are ways to recover saved Wi-Fi passwords on Windows PCs and other devices.)

To do this, you7;ll need to access your router7;s configuration settings2;usually in a web interface2;sign in, and change the Wi-Fi password. You can change the Wi-Fi network7;s name while you7;re at it, too. We7;ve got a guide to accessing your router7;s web interface, and you can also perform a web search for your router7;s name and model number to find the manufacturer7;s manual and official instructions. Look for a ;Wireless; or ;Wi-Fi; section in your router7;s options.

This all assumes you7;ve set a password on your router! Ensure you enable secure encryption (WPA2) and set a strong passphrase. If you7;re hosting an open Wi-Fi network, anyone will be able to connect.