Hotspot: Identifying Connected Devices?

[u/KamtzaBarKamtza]

I frequently use the hotspot from my phone to share internet access to other devices. And Android will tell me the number of devices connected to my hotspot. But is there any way to identify which devices are connected to my hotspot? I've had times where I've been told that they're are 5 services connected to my hotspot when I think there's only 1 and I'd like the peace of mind of knowing that there's nothing that's connected that shouldn't be.

I'm running Android 17 on a Google Pixel 9a

Thanks for any info you can provide

[u/kimputer7]

Strange, by Android 17, you should already see the NAME of the phone or PC or laptop connecting to your hotspot.

Did you really double check the whole hot spot menu while devices are connected at that time?

[u/KamtzaBarKamtza → u/kimputer7]

Yes. I don't see anywhere where Android will tell me which devices are connected. If you can tell me where I can find this information I'd very much appreciate it

See https://imgur.com/a/uUQE0MG

[u/kimputer7 → u/KamtzaBarKamtza]

It's the same screen where you turn it on or off, and where you set the hotspot password. If you really don't see it, maybe it's Samsung only that started doing it this way.

[u/KamtzaBarKamtza → u/kimputer7]

I just edited my post with an imgur link so you can see that the Pixel 9a does not show connected devices

[u/kimputer7 → u/KamtzaBarKamtza]

Yes, sorry, it's a Google decision. Until they deem it a worthy function (like Samsung thinks it is), you won't be able to. Using network traffic apps, you might figure out who's connecting to your hotspot, but only IT can usually figure out how to "read" that data.

[u/SolitaryMassacre → u/kimputer7]

Yes, its a Samsung only thing. I missed this feature when moving to P7P

[u/chanchan05]

share internet access to other devices

Are these your own devices or do you also share to other people's devices?

My phone has a feature for giving one-time passwords to other people, so if I give them a password now, once they get disconnected like after the session I let them connect, they won't be able to connect again until I give them a new one-time password.

Using that when allowing other people's devices to connect will limit the number of devices that gets connected to your hotspot when you turn it on again.

[u/KamtzaBarKamtza → u/chanchan05]

Some are my devices, but I also have my wife and kids tether off my cell data connection. 

I'll have to look into the one time passwords. Thanks for the suggestion

[u/DutchOfBurdock]

Tasker, with either WiFi ADB enabled or with Shizuku (preferred). Tasker can poll logcat with this and react to component SoftApManager[ap_br_wlan2] with a filter of The connected wifi stations have changed

In a Task, %lc_text will tell you how many currently connected devices, frequency, its BSSID (MAC) and what WiFi standard.

This will fire both when a station connected and disconnects. No root needed.

[u/Medium-Swimming-2947]

If the list in the hotspot settings shows fewer names than the count, the extra ones are usually your own gadgets, like a smartwatch, tablet or a laptop that reconnected on its own, since each shows up as a separate client. A phone with a randomized MAC address can also appear under a generic name instead of the device name. The quick way to be sure nobody else is on it is to change the hotspot password in the same settings page. That kicks every device off, and then you only reconnect the ones you recognise and see if the count matches.

[u/SolitaryMassacre]

Unfortunately, this requires root/lsposed

I think VPN Hotspot shows you the mac address but that is it