How do I stop someone from plugging into my internet?

[Cathy]

I live with a roommate who needs direct support staff. The staff have been clearly told that they are not allowed to use my personal internet connection several times, but I'm almost certain they are still plugging their laptops directly into the router during the day when I am not home The wifi is locked down, but I can't stop them from physically bringing ethernet cables to work (I used to confiscate the cables, but now they are likely bringing them daily and taking them home). I can't really move the router to a different location, as the internet is in the living room. Is there a way to lock them out of the network?
I can't take the router because I actually need the internet active when I'm not there-- I use it to actively monitor a webcam on my pets.

[Questor]

Take the router when you are not there.

[Will]

dgvbab

[MikaSch]

Get into the router and see if you can block any access to it other than your personal computer. Find out what the local address is for your router (It is usually http://192.168.1.1) and type this into a browser Window ( address bar). Hit 'Enter'. This will get you into routers configuration GUI. If you yourself did not put any "User and Password" here then things are hunky-dory. Otherwise you will need to search for default User and Password to get into the router configuration GUI. and
This will then take you to the Router's control panel and you can do enough configuration from there.
You can enable MAC address filtration on the router. This would mean that only your MAC (the MAC address of your computer) address will be allowed internet access. All other MAC address will be blocked,

With MAC address filtration, they will not know what hit them or why their Internet access is not working or that it is blocked. They will see that they have WiFi access (indication on their laptops) and all that but will never actually get to the internet. Normally if you go to the "Maintenance" section of the router and look for "attached devices", or to the "DHCP table" (depending on your router) you can find out what the various MAC addresses that connects to your router are.

The only issue here is that you may not find out the other people's MAC when they are not connected to the router.

To figure this out you can simply (depending on the router) set up a block to prevent all other MAC addresses but your own. This way only you will have access to the internet.

What another answerer mentioned is correct. The router's, Password, I.P address etc and be reset, but I do not think that anyone will have the guts to do that knowing full well that you actively monitor a webcam on your pets.

[Jack]

I assume it is password protected. If it is change the password if not find the owners manual if you have it. If not than download a copy from the router manufacturer's website and change the password.

[manoz]

You have to physically block them from connecting to the router port by making custom box with lock. Otherwise even if you change some ip,mac id addresses it can be reset by physically connected device or by simply pressing reset button on the router.

[Owen]

buy a lockable termination box and mount it over the terminal then lock it and take the key with you