I Tried Hacking My Own Wi-Fi — Here’s What I Learned

Most people assume their home Wi-Fi is secure just because it has a password. I used to think the same — until I decided to put my own network to the test. As someone passionate about cybersecurity, I wanted to see how easy (or hard) it would be to ethically hack into my own router using tools like Kali Linux and Aircrack-ng.

What started as a simple experiment quickly turned into a revealing and educational experience. Not only did I learn how vulnerable home networks can be, but I also discovered steps anyone can take to protect themselves — without needing to be a hacker.

Let me take you through what I did, what I learned, and why you should care — even if you’re not a tech expert.

🛠️ Setting the Stage: My Lab Environment

I didn’t want to mess with my main system, so I set up a virtual machine running Kali Linux on VMware. Kali comes pre-installed with all the tools you need for ethical hacking and penetration testing.

I used:

Aircrack-ng (a popular Wi-Fi cracking tool)

A TP-Link USB Wi-Fi adapter that supports packet injection and monitor mode

My home Wi-Fi router as the target

Important Note: This was all done on my own network for educational purposes. Hacking someone else’s Wi-Fi is illegal and unethical.

📡 Step 1: Going into Monitor Mode

To begin, I needed to set my Wi-Fi adapter into monitor mode — this allows the system to capture all wireless packets in the air.

Using these commands in Kali Linux:

airmon-ng start wlan0

Once in monitor mode, I scanned for available networks using:

airodump-ng wlan0mon

I quickly spotted my own router’s BSSID (MAC address) and channel. It was strange to see how easily visible all this information was — names of nearby Wi-Fi networks, their signal strength, encryption types — all right there in my terminal.

🔓 Step 2: Capturing the Handshake

To crack the password, I needed a WPA2 handshake. This happens when a device connects to the Wi-Fi. So I waited — or forced it.

Using the deauthentication attack, I disconnected one of my own devices from the network so it would reconnect and generate the handshake:

aireplay-ng --deauth 10 -a [router BSSID] wlan0mon

hen I watched as the handshake was captured by Aircrack-ng.

It took just a few seconds.

💣 Step 3: Cracking the Password

Now came the fun part — trying to crack the captured handshake file using a dictionary attack.

I used:

aircrack-ng -w /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt -b [router BSSID] capturefile.cap

The rockyou.txt file is a famous password list used in many brute-force attacks. It contains millions of commonly used passwords.

After a few minutes… boom.

The password was cracked.

It wasn’t even a weak one — it was 10 characters, a mix of letters and numbers. But it was still in the wordlist.

That’s when it hit me: most people use passwords they think are strong, but if they’re in a public wordlist, they're vulnerable.

🧠 What I Learned

Here’s what I learned from hacking my own Wi-Fi:

1. Your Wi-Fi is only as strong as your password

If you use a password that’s even slightly predictable — names, birthdates, keyboard patterns — it’s probably in a wordlist. Tools like Aircrack-ng will find it.

2. Most routers don’t defend against brute-force attacks

Home routers lack protection mechanisms like CAPTCHA or login attempt limits. This means attackers can keep trying until they get in — especially offline using a captured handshake.

3. Deauthentication attacks are shockingly easy

I was surprised at how simple it was to disconnect a device from the network. Anyone within range could do this. This is why public Wi-Fi is so risky — anyone can mess with it.

4. Even a strong password can be cracked

It’s all about the wordlist. If your password is in there, even if it looks strong, it can be cracked. Random, unique passphrases that don’t exist in public lists are much safer.

🛡️ How to Protect Your Wi-Fi (and Yourself)

After this experiment, I immediately changed how I secure my network. Here's what I now recommend:

✅ Use a long, truly random passphrase

Don’t use dictionary words. Use a password manager to generate and store it.

✅ Disable WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)

This is a known vulnerability. Turn it off in your router settings.

✅ Update your router’s firmware

Manufacturers often fix bugs or security holes — but only if you apply updates.

✅ Create a guest network

Separate your smart devices or visitors from your main devices.

✅ Use WPA3 if available

It’s the latest and most secure Wi-Fi encryption standard.

💬 Final Thoughts

This experiment opened my eyes to how insecure home networks can be — even when we think we’re doing everything right. It doesn’t take a genius or a criminal to break into a Wi-Fi network. All it takes is time, the right tools, and a weak link.

I started this test to sharpen my cybersecurity skills — but I ended up learning lessons every internet user should know.

So the next time you connect to Wi-Fi, ask yourself:

“Is this network really secure?”

Stay curious. Stay safe.

AzmatWritesTech