Stop Neighbor's WiFi names showing on my iMac WiFi drop-down menu selection?

[rlm45]

I have this network named "Family Room TV" that keeps appearing in my WiFi selection list, has a very strong signal.

It is not my network. I can connect to it but of course this Network is not connected to my router so I can not access the IP address.


I used the advanced network preferences and deleted it (-) from my preferred networks but it still keeps showing in the drop-down menu. This is annoying?

How do I stop this network from showing in my network list?

I only want to see the networks connected to my router.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

You can't control that. WiFi access points broadcast their SSID and all listening devices in the vicinity see it. From my home, I can pick up the WIFi networks of my neighbors, though it's weak.

Just ignore the SSIDs that don't belong to you.

All of them should be secured with a password anyway, so you can't really connect to them.

 

[Rod]

I dont believe there is any way to prevent this. The function of the WiFi scanner is to search for available WiFi networks within range and unfortunately in heavily populated areas that means your neighbour's networks as well.
Until Apple introduces some sort of filter there is no way I know of to block or black list other available networks on macOS.
I have two networks in my home, one for guests and the other for myself and my wife so in WiFi settings > Advanced I have activated "Require admin authorisation to change networks". This prevents my laptop from swapping to the downstairs network without my permission but it doesn't stop it from trying.

 

[toMACsh]

That means that your WiFi network is also showing up on all of your neighbors' "Other Networks" lists.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

That means that your WiFi network is also showing up on all of your neighbors' "Other Networks" lists.

Yes. Go to any densely populated area, apartment, commercial area and look at the sheer number of WiFi networks around you.

One of the bigger issues with those dense areas is isolating your WiFi channel to get good signal strength. Older access points had fewer channels and were more prone to interference. Newer devices have more channels (not to mention different frequencies) and do more to prevent interference.

 

[Jimmysb]

Not sure why you are looking at the network list, once connected, I very rarely look at my list, only when posts like this appear.

 

[Slydude]

In one of the previous apartments that I lived in, I could pick up six or seven networks from surrounding apartments.

One morning, I noticed that my iBook seemed slower than usual. It had been starting to show its age but this was ridiculous.

As part of my troubleshooting routine, I noticed that internet-related tasks seemed much slower than usual. I clicked the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar and discovered that rather than join our network as usual, the iBook had joined the one nearby network with no password.

 

[Rod]

That's why i added that,"Require admin authorisation to change networks" on mine. Occasionally my MBP would swap to the downstairs network which typically has a lot more activity (and a weaker signal) resulting in slower performance. That would prompt me to check and swap back. Now I get asked if I want to swap.

 

[Slydude]

I think I'm going to add that setting to mine. I haven't had this problem in a long time but that's a simple preventative measure.

 

[Sawday]

I actually find it quite useful. Several times in the last year Openreach have been messing around with my telephone line and I have lost my broadband for several hours or even days but I have been able, with their permission, to link to my neighbours Wi-Fi and carry on as normal.

 

[IWT]

Openreach have been messing around with my telephone line

Join the Club!! "MeToo" as it's customary to say. Took over 6 months to get everything right. Turned out, of course, to be human error, corrected by someone who knew what he was doing!

Ian