Found a weird device on my WiFi… what do I do?

General Security Topics and Discussions
1

Hi everyone. I’m staying at a house owned by my dad, and my sister, who I’ve had issues with, seems to be spying on me. She’s repeated things I’ve said while she was over 100 miles away, which is making me paranoid. I haven’t done anything illegal, but spying on someone is definitely not okay.

I downloaded an app to scan my WiFi, and it found a device named ‘gateway145cc7.home’ that I don’t recognize. It could be the thermostat, but there’s nothing else high-tech in the house. While I was talking to my boyfriend about it, the WiFi cut out, which has never happened before.

Am I imagining things? Is this worth reporting to the police? I’d like to figure out what this device is. Any advice?

2

If you can get the MAC address (a 12-character alphanumeric code), you can use a tool to look up the manufacturer. This site might help:

3

Teddy said:
If you can get the MAC address (a 12-character alphanumeric code), you can use a tool to look up the manufacturer. This site might help:

I used the Fing app and got ‘02:00:00:00:00:00,’ but the link you gave me didn’t recognize it. :person_shrugging:

Edit: I realized Apple is being annoying with its privacy features. I’ll try checking the MAC address on an Android device tomorrow.

4

Maybe it’s time to talk to a professional about how you’re feeling.

5

Consider getting your own router, setting up your own WiFi, and unplugging the current one. It’s a good starting point if you suspect something.

6

Leon said:
Consider getting your own router, setting up your own WiFi, and unplugging the current one. It’s a good starting point if you suspect something.

I’m only here for three more weeks, and this is a super rural area. We just got fiber internet a few months ago!

7

@Jerome
In that case, just hang in there until you can leave. No point in making big changes now.

8

Leon said:
@Jerome
In that case, just hang in there until you can leave. No point in making big changes now.

I really want to show this to the police. Isn’t spying illegal?

9

Jerome said:

Leon said:
@Jerome
In that case, just hang in there until you can leave. No point in making big changes now.

I really want to show this to the police. Isn’t spying illegal?

If you’re serious about that, you’ll need to do more digging. Maybe check YouTube for tutorials on finding devices on your network. You could also try logging into your modem’s admin panel to see all connected devices.

Also, if your sister hasn’t been around since the fiber internet was installed, anything she may have set up before might not even work anymore. But without knowing your exact setup, I can’t say for sure.

10

@Leon
She’s been here a few times since the install, and she’s definitely the kind of person to do something sneaky.

11

Jerome said:

Leon said:
@Jerome
In that case, just hang in there until you can leave. No point in making big changes now.

I really want to show this to the police. Isn’t spying illegal?

You might find this guide helpful: What Listening Devices Look Like (& How To Detect Them) - AlfredCamera Blog

12

Are there any other WiFi signals showing up nearby?

13

Lexi said:
Are there any other WiFi signals showing up nearby?

Just the printer.

14

Lexi said:
Are there any other WiFi signals showing up nearby?

The app shows devices connected to the WiFi. Let me turn off the printer and double-check. Thanks for the idea.

15

Jerome said:

Lexi said:
Are there any other WiFi signals showing up nearby?

The app shows devices connected to the WiFi. Let me turn off the printer and double-check. Thanks for the idea.

Actually, I was asking if there’s more than one WiFi base station showing up.

16

@Lexi
Nope, just one. And it’s not the printer—I turned it off, and I’m still seeing this ‘gateway’ device. Do you know if bugs emit infrared signals?

17

Jerome said:
@Lexi
Nope, just one. And it’s not the printer—I turned it off, and I’m still seeing this ‘gateway’ device. Do you know if bugs emit infrared signals?

Wait, you’re calling it a ‘gateway device’ just because of its name? What do you think ‘gateway’ even means here?

18

@Eva
Honestly, I have no idea. That’s why I’m asking.

19

The police won’t take you seriously if this is all you have. They don’t usually act on vague suspicions. This doesn’t really prove anything. I’ve heard so many paranoid rants like this, and there’s always some other explanation.

Even if it’s a spying device, how can you prove it’s your sister’s? Just because you don’t like her? The police aren’t going to want to get involved without solid evidence. And the whole ‘gateway’ thing might just be the name of a normal device on your network.

20

@Eva
I get your point, but this is a weird situation. My sister has texted me about private conversations I’ve had with my boyfriend, and it happens too often to just be coincidence. I’m open to the idea that I might be imagining things, but I need to figure it out. She’s the only person who comes here regularly, and I’m really frustrated.