My AT&T fiber alerts say a Nest Protect has connected since I upgraded my WiFi. I don't own any Google smart home devices or share my WiFi password. What could be causing this?
Why does my WiFi show a Nest Protect when I don't own one?
Asked by
c52!sundial_816
Answers
The device name could simply be wrong. Routers sometimes misidentify connected devices, so the label alone doesn't establish that there's an actual Nest Protect on your network.
Check the device's MAC address in the router, then temporarily block that address and see whether anything you own loses connectivity. Smart bulbs and other small WiFi devices are worth checking too.
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You can also investigate without relying on the router's label. Note the device's IP and MAC addresses, ping the IP, and, if you're comfortable with network tools, run an Nmap scan against that device on your own network. Open ports may provide clues about what it is, though they won't necessarily identify it definitively.
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If you're not using whatever is behind that address, just leave it blocked for now. If something stops working, you've got a lead. If nothing changes, at least the unidentified device can't connect while you investigate.
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c52!sundial_816:
I blocked it and a Govee bulb stopped working around the same time. The other bulbs show up correctly, so I wasn't sure if it was related.
5s~gasket_318:
That bulb is a good suspect. Try unblocking the address to see if it reconnects, then block it again to check whether the bulb consistently goes offline.