No matter why you might be using an Android hotspot, you may also want to know who is connected to it. While you can use your Settings menu to view how many users are on your hotspot, seeing who they are is a bit difficult. If you're tech-savvy (or simply patient), you can see who's on your hotspot using a rooted Android or access to at least one other device on the hotspot. This wikiHow article teaches you how to see who is connected to your Android device's active Wi-Fi hotspot. We'll also teach you how to get rid of unauthorized users .
Find Out Who's Connected to Your Android Hotspot
- Go to Settings > Connections > Hotspot & Tethering > Mobile Hotspot to see how many people are connected.
- To see who is connected, have a friend or family member connect to your hotspot and use the Fing app.
- Alternatively, root your Android and run the ip neigh command in a terminal app to view all connected IP/MAC addresses.
Steps
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Open theSettings app. If you are content to simply know the number of users on your hotspot, you can find out via the Settings menu.
- Set up a Wi-Fi hotspot if you haven't already.
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Tap Connections . This option has an icon of the Wi-Fi symbol. This option might be called Network & internet on some Android devices.Advertisement
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Tap Hotspot & Tethering . This option has an icon of a series of concentric circles.
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Look for "Mobile Hotspot". Tap this option to set up your Wi-Fi hotspot . But from this page, you can also see the number of users on your hotspot. [1] X Research source
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Retrieve another smartphone. Use an app called Fing to see who else is on the same Wi-Fi network. Ask to borrow a friend or family member's phone to get started.
- Fing works only to identify others on a network you're connected to, not a network you're hosting. That's why you need another phone to connect to your network to use Fing.
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Install Fing on the other device. The app is available on the Google Play Store . Its full name is Fing - Network Tools . [2] X Research source
- This is also a great tool if you're staying at another location and want to make sure there aren't hidden cameras or microphones around!
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Connect to your own device's hotspot. Set the hotspot up if you haven't already. Then, connect the device you are borrowing to it.
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Open Fing. The app may offer you a walkthrough when you first open it. Either take the time to learn about the app, or tap through the different options to continue.
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Tap the blue SCAN button at the bottom of your screen. Fing will quickly scan your device's Wi-Fi connection, pulling up a list of all other devices that are on the same network.
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Read Fing's list of devices. Go through the list of devices to see who else is on your device's hotspot.
- You can repeat these steps at any time with any other device.
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Root your Android phone or tablet. Rooting your Android allows you to take advantage of custom apps and extra memory that would otherwise not be available to you. It often requires a PC, but wikiHow can help you root your device without one!
- Rooting your device can be dangerous, as your Android could become unresponsive. You will also almost certainly lose your device's warranty, as rooting is in direct violation of it. Proceed with caution!
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Download and install a command terminal app. There are several terminal emulator apps available on Android. We recommend Terminal Emulator for Android or Termux . [3] X Research source
- These apps can be found in the Google Play Store and are available without rooting your device. However, the commands we will need to use to view who is on our hotspot can only be run with a rooted device.
- Rooting an Android essentially involves restoring the Linux function that is removed from the device before it is released commercially. The Linux function is what allows us to run the command terminal. [4] X Research source
- These apps can be found in the Google Play Store and are available without rooting your device. However, the commands we will need to use to view who is on our hotspot can only be run with a rooted device.
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Open the terminal app. Once the app is installed, open it to get started.
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Enter ip neigh in the terminal. Type the command exactly as it is written, then hit Enter or Return to run it.
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View the list of IP/MAC Addresses. If entered properly, the command will return a list of all IP and MAC Addresses connected to your Android's hotspot. You will also see additional information, including the connection state (STALE, REACHABLE, etc.)
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Open theSettings app. You can tap the app icon on your Home screen, or swipe down from the top of your screen to open the Quick Settings panel and tap the gear icon.
- If you use any method above and see someone on your hotspot that you don't recognize, you can change the hotspot's password to kick them off.
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Tap Connections . It is represented by the Wi-Fi icon. This might be Network & internet on some devices.
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Tap Hotspot & Tethering . It is represented by a series of concentric circles.
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Tap the "Password" field to change it. This might have a default password included inside. However, if others know about it, they will be able to join your hotspot if they are within range. Kick off unwanted users by changing this password and keeping it a secret.
- In that case, the only devices that can connect are yours. [5] X Research source
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow can I tell how many people are connected to my WiFi hotspot?Community AnswerYou can just count how many addresses/names are on the list with connected users.
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QuestionWhen I check my hotspot it has one device tethered and it is showing up as Android system 10.32. What does this mean?Community AnswerIt is the model of the phone tethered, meaning that the phone's system has not been renamed by the user.
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QuestionOn Android 5.1.1 and later, the notification isn't shown anymore. How does one view the connected clients?Community AnswerInstall an app called "Portable Wifi Hotspot Manager" from Play Store. You can view who's connected, and also set usage limit for your Hotspot.
Video
Tips
References
- ↑ https://support.google.com/android/answer/9059108?hl=en
- ↑ https://www.fing.com/news/getting-started-guide/
- ↑ https://www.androidcentral.com/root
- ↑ https://www.androidcentral.com/root
- ↑ https://support.google.com/pixelphone/thread/255301584/how-do-i-view-kick-devices-connected-to-my-wifi-hotspot?hl=en
About This Article
1. Create a mobile hotspot on your device.
2. Tap Tethering or Mobile HotSpot active
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3. Review the connected users.