When you click on the Wi-Fi icon in the Notification area, you’ll see the list of Wireless network broadcasts that are within your connection range. With high range routers available in the market, the Wi-Fi broadcast signals are powerful and cover a long range. If you’re an apartment dweller, you’ll see too many SSIDs from your neighbors, which are of absolutely no use to you. You can clear the clutter by hiding those unneeded Wi-Fi networks from the list.
How to Hide your Neighbors’ WiFi Networks (SSID) on Your Computer?
Using the Netsh.exe console tool, you can hide your neighbors’ Wi-Fi networks (SSIDs) from appearing on your computer’s available Wi-Fi networks list.
You have two options to remove unwanted networks from appearing in the Wi-Fi tab:
- Method 1: Block and hide individual SSIDs (or)
- Method 2: Block all SSIDs and then whitelist your own Wireless network(s).
Method 1: Block or Blacklist Unwanted Wi-Fi Network SSIDs
To hide the SSIDs KUKUKEKE and Aathikesh shown in the above screenshot, use the Netsh.exe command:
Open an Admin Command Prompt window and run these two commands:
netsh wlan add filter permission=block ssid=KUKUKEKE networktype=infrastructure netsh wlan add filter permission=block ssid=Aathikesh networktype=infrastructure
This removes the two items from the list of available Wi-Fi connections.
If you plan to delete the filters in order to show those Wireless networks in the list again, use this command to undo the filter:
netsh wlan delete filter permission=block ssid=KUKUKEKE networktype=infrastructure netsh wlan delete filter permission=block ssid=Aathikesh networktype=infrastructure
Method 2: Block All Wi-Fi Networks & Allow (Whitelist) Your Wi-Fi Network(s)
By default, all Wi-Fi networks are allowed. You can configure Windows to block or deny all SSIDs (permission=denyall) so that none is displayed/allowed to be connected. And then, whitelist individual SSIDs using the permission=allow parameter as mentioned below. The disallowed SSIDs don’t appear in the list of Wi-Fi networks in Windows 10.
Here is the command-line to deny all Wi-Fi networks:
netsh wlan add filter permission=denyall networktype=infrastructure
At this point, your existing Wi-Fi network will disconnect and none will show up in the list. The Wi-Fi flyout in Windows 10 shows the message “No Wi-Fi networks found.”
Now, add or whitelist your own Wi-Fi connection SSID (e.g. “Ramesh”), using this command:
netsh wlan add filter permission=allow ssid=Ramesh networktype=infrastructure
Likewise, you can add as many SSIDs to the “allow” list.
If you plan to remove the “deny all” filter in the future, use this command-line:
netsh wlan delete filter permission=denyall networktype=infrastructure
Note that the filters are honored only by Windows. Third-party apps can see all Wi-Fi networks regardless of the Netsh filters. For example, here is a screenshot of WifiInfoView, a Wi-Fi network viewer software from Nirsoft.net.
Hide your own SSID from neighbors
For security reasons, you may also want to hide your SSID from neighbors. You can do it in the router settings page.
If you deselect the “Enable SSID Broadcast” checkbox, the wireless device will not broadcast its name (SSID) on the air. However, if someone knows the Wireless network name (SSID) and password already, they can still connect to your Wireless network. If you have the Wireless network credentials saved on your devices, then you may turn off SSID broadcast and switch it On only when needed.
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How could i block the SSID in the mobile device’s
good question about hiding on mobile devices, my neighbors are total assholes and cost me $4800 in devices last 2 years
Im sorry is there a way to block someone again that you have block him with the same ssid name,but he unfortunetaly i dont know he found a way to unblock himself…and i cannot block him…even thought i have block his SSID when i try to block the same ssid tells me that is already on the list ….and i see it on my network….please help me out!!! im begging you!!! :'(
@Maximus: Try the “Whitelist” method instead.
How to block someone’s ssid name from appearing when there is an emoji in their ssid? I do not know how to translate the emoji to a code the command prompt will recognize to filter out their wifi from appearing in my list.
@Helpa: What does the command “netsh wlan show networks” show?
since the windows 10 – 1903 – this doesn’t seem to work anymore
@chuck: I tested the netsh command in v1903 to block neighbor’s wi-fi, and can confirm that it still works.
If a program is installed on a neighbours PC or lap top and it shows their wifi network with same SSID as yours (your neighbours created their wifi SSID first, even if your network is hidden it’s impossible to deter them if they can keylog whatever you do even if you create a long password. WinInfoView is worrying if it shows up your network even though you disabled your SSID. You don’t know what your neighbours have got installed on their PC or laptop they can easily access your network first time no matter how hard you’ve made it (or at least it should have made it near impossible (33 million years to crack a wifi password using WPA2 encryption but got in straight away))
I don’t know what’s the best defence to defeat keylogging for either neighbour snooping or using your network. Switch off wifi connection and then enter wifi SSID and password disable SSID, switch wifi back on and then click on connect? Unless they also have an program installed on their PC or lap top that records exactly every detail you entered after you are connected even if you’ve hid your wifi network and entered seemingly uncrackable password while disconnected (or so you thought), then you’re completely defenceless.
Can programs installed on your neighbours PC or lap top auto connect to your wifi network even if you used a mifi device or smartphone to create a hotspot and connected to your on a tablet or smartphone and you did it somewhere well away from the vicinity of your neighbours?
Even though your neighbours are connected to your wifi network, is there a program/app that clearly shows that’s the case. How is it impossible to hide your connection from your neighbours, but they can hide their connection to your wifi network
I’ve tried this multiple times using:
netsh wlan add filter permission=block ssid=”name” networktype=infrastructure
After that I run netsh wlan show filters and all the blocked networks appear on the blocked list
But when I run netsh wlan show networks, the supposedly blocked networks all still appear.
Is there some trick to this operation?
Best method i found is this ? go into your router setting and cut your range back from 100% Defualt and put it on 50?-55 range then your neighbors cannot gain enough signal strength to access your Router i had 3 Crack / meth dealers behind me and one meth head 2 houses down from me on one side and a idiot next door and a group of 9 Hispanics across the street as well as 4 others all hacking and using my WiFi .
once i cut my range/signal strength back to just allow my personal system / printers ect… Only to access my router ? i seen people pack up and litter-ally Move from the Neighborhood
i know it works on ATT BGW-210 LOL well enough they have been stealing my WiFi for over 11 years even at one point they had hacked my system info and gained ownership of my router but i stole it back and blocked them out