Networks·41,398 discussions

Devices logged on to Wi-Fi

Tags: Security, Security

I have a cell phone and a laptop on my Wi-Fi at home. But when I download apps that detect devices on my Wi-Fi, they invariably show 4 instead of 3 devices. They show the Arris router, my LG phone, my HP aptop, and
a mysterious fourth device with a different Mac and IP address, but is also an Arris.

The first three devices are automatically and correctly tagged by the app as “router”, “phone”, and “laptop” respectively. The fourth however is simply called ” device”..

Are these 2 Arris devices actually just a single device reported twice as a convention followed by these apps? Or is the 4th device really a distinct device I don’t know about.

Topic

Possibility….

In reply to Devices logged on to Wi-Fi

It is possible there is a device within range of your router that is not in your house and is not being identified correctly. For example, from time to time when I am going to a doctor’s office (for example), my phone may detect a printer or an additional router that can only be accessed with a password that is not meant for my access that may or may not be properly identified on my phone.

Nothing seems wrong here.

In reply to Devices logged on to Wi-Fi

Since many devices have both 2.4 and 5 GHz WiFi radios, each radio and subsystem could have it’s own MAC Address.

Not much of a mystery here but what has failed that caused you to look into this area?

[Author]

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