Have you ever wondered how to check browsing history on a WiFi router?
This article will give you details about the two methods that you can use to see the web activities of the users connected to your WiFi network.
A WiFi router keeps the records of all the browsing history on its log page. You can find detailed or basic information on the log page depending on the type of router you are using.
For example, if three devices are connected to your WiFi network, you can refer to the router’s history to check the sites visited by these devices, including the time and date.
Generally, no one wants their browsing history to be seen by anyone even if it is as innocent as looking for a gift for a loved one or checking the correct spelling of a particular word.
For those wanting privacy, we’ll explain how you can hide the browsing history from the router’s owner.
Continue reading to learn how to check your router’s browsing history.
Can I See What Websites Have Been Visited On My WiFi?
If you have access to the administrative panel of the WiFi router, you can view the surfing history.
Your WiFi router acts like a big vault that stores most of the important information like websites visited by users connected to the network.
How To Check Browsing History On A WiFi Router
You need to know the router’s default IP address, password, and username before checking the WiFi history of your router.
The following are the two methods of checking your router’s history:
1. Access the Router’s Settings On Your Computer
Some WiFi routers can generate traffic and system logs of the connected devices at any time. Therefore, this is a beneficial resource if you want to spy on the websites visited on your WiFi router.
Checking the browsing history through your computer can take between 10 to 30 minutes.
Below are the steps to check your router’s browsing history on a computer:
- The first thing that you need to do is find your IP address. To open the command window, press the Windows key and R on your keyboard at the same time.
- In the box, type cmd and click okay.
- A new window will open. Type ipconfig/all and to execute the demand, click the Enter
- Scroll down and you will see Default Gateway which shows your IP address in the format of ‘000.000.0.0’.
- Copy the IP address to your browser.
- You will be asked to log in to the account of your router. If you do not remember the password and name, check the instruction book and packaging of your router or go to ‘asking for help’ on your router’s website.
- Once you have logged in, tap on the outgoing Log Table to see the activities of the connected devices.
NB: this method of viewing the browser’s history only contains a basic list of sources, names, MAC addresses, and IP addresses. It does not indicate the specific URLs visited by individuals on a specific website. The next method shows more information.
2. Check Router’s Browsing History Using KidsGuard Pro (iOS & Android)
Various programs are available online that you can use to access web browsing history whether the phone (iPhone and Android) is using mobile data or connected to the router.
One of the best phone tracking applications is the KidsGuard Pro. You can use it to see a person’s social media interactions, surfing records, location, and many more.
This app gives you an online remote portal where you can check the browsing history of any device connected to the WiFi router.
As KidsGuard Pro operates in incognito mode, the target person does not have an idea that they are being tapped.
Features of KidsGuard Pro for Accessing Android’s Web History
- You can check all the sites visited as well as the specific URLs on mobile data or WiFi. You can also track sites that work in incognito mode.
- You can see the specific time and date of every site and the number of times it has been opened by the individual you are targeting.
- You can remotely log in to your dashboard and see what is happening on the target phone.
- As the data that is recorded syncs in real-time, you can check the latest web history.
- This app also comes with 30 plus tracking features such as tracking location and tracking text messages.
- You do not need any technical knowledge as it is easy to use. Once you have downloaded and installed the app, you can follow the steps to check the browsing history of the devices connected to your router.
How To Hide Browsing History From The WiFi Owner?
You can use the following steps to hide your browsing history from the owner:
1. Use HTTPS Browser Extension
There are two different websites that most consumers regularly access. One of them encrypts your activities on the website by following the HTTPS protocol so that no one can see them.
The other one is not secured as it follows the HTTP protocol and a third party can access your web activities.
Therefore, to encrypt your activities on websites that use HTTP protocol, you can use ‘HTTPS Everywhere’ which is an extension for the HTTPS browser.
2. Use VPN (Virtual Private Network) Service
You can protect your web browsing from logging and spying activities by using a VPN service as it hides your IP address, and the owner cannot see your browsing history.
You should choose a paid VPN service to keep your online privacy intact and get the best benefits.
3. Switch to a Different ISP
If you notice that your internet service provider can see all your web activities and sell them to third parties, you can change to a different ISP.
When selecting an ISP, ensure that they store fewer web activities for future reference and not for selling reasons.
Also, the ISP should respect the online privacy of its customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You See What Someone Is Doing On Your WiFi?
Yes, if you are the administrator, you can see the activities done by those connected to your WiFi. This is because some of the modern routers come with specific features that you can use for monitoring purposes.
But if your router does not have these features, you can use apps like OpenDNS and WireShark to monitor the activities on your WiFi.
Who Can See My Internet Activity?
First and foremost, your internet activity can be seen by your ISP.
Additionally, the WiFi administrator can see your activity if you are connected to the WiFi network.
Apart from them, your internet activity can be seen by scammers and hackers if you have installed any spyware apps.
Finally, your online activity can be seen by the search engine.
How Do I Clear My WiFi Router History?
Clearing your WiFi router history is a simple process.
First, login to your router via the IP address, which may resemble an ID similar to 192.168.0.1, but can differ depending on the brand.
Login to the portal with your network credentials, and once loaded, click ‘Advanced’. Next, select ‘System’ and then ‘System Log’, where you can then browse through the system history.
To clear your history, select ‘Clear All’ or ‘Clear System Log’.
Does Incognito Window Hide Your Browsing History?
Using an incognito window on a search browser allows you to hide your WiFi router history.
Search engines such as Firefox, Chrome or DuckDuckGo all have this functionality which allows you to surf the internet anonymously with no ability to trace the browser history.
This can be ideal if you are a guest on a network and don’t want your browser history being accessed by the owner.
Final Words
Hopefully, this guide has given you all the information that you need to know about checking the browsing history through your WiFi router.
The methods mentioned above allow you to monitor the internet activity of connected devices.
You mustn’t misuse the power of being able to spy on your network users. Therefore, you should inform your guests who wish to connect to your network that your router has a logging feature that can see their internet activity.
