How Do I Connect To Someone Else’s Bluetooth Speaker?
So many devices have Bluetooth installed in them today. As technology advances and devices are more connected, Bluetooth plays a crucial role on the connection of these devices. A Bluetooth speaker is one of the most convenient devices that you can have in your home.
These speakers allow you to play music, make hands-free calls, and even send communications between devices that are connected. Although the technology has made it easier for devices to share files, it has its flaws as some users can intrude or hack the system. So, can people access your Bluetooth speaker?
How Do I Connect To Someone Else’s Bluetooth Speaker?
You can connect to someone else’s Bluetooth speaker if you are within 30 feet from where the speaker is and you pair to the speaker. If the speaker is on, and you are within the Bluetooth range, search for the speaker from your Bluetooth settings and pair. Once you pair, you can send music to the speaker, and it will play.
When connecting to someone’s Bluetooth speaker, you only need the speaker to be on and discoverable. It happens when people are living in apartments. You might leave your Bluetooth speaker on only to find it playing funny songs.
For you to connect, both your Bluetooth and the neighbors Bluetooth speaker need to be on. Your device will scan for available Bluetooth devices, and you can pair from there. Advanced versions of Bluetooth such as v. 5 have a longer range and someone can connect devices up to 100 feet apart.
These advanced Bluetooth versions are safer, so the range should not scare you. The lucky part is, your neighbors cannot connect to your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or PC. Unless they have the technical skills to hack you, your other devices are safe.
However, if you had connected your smartphone, laptop, or tablet to your neighbor’s smartphone or laptop, and they leave the device on, you can connect automatically.
The same way you can connect to someone’s Bluetooth speaker is the same way they can connect to yours. This means that you need to take necessary measures to keep your Bluetooth device safe.
How Can You Tell Someone Else has Made a Connection with Your Bluetooth Speaker?
Most Bluetooth speakers do not have a screen to show connected devices. They also do not have settings to restrict other devices from connecting. As such, you may not know when someone else connects to them.
The first sign that another device secured a connection with your device is when your speaker fails to automatically connect as it routinely used to. Most of these speakers will automatically connect to the very last device they connected to. However, if you find that you must renew the connection whenever you need to play music, then it means someone has been connecting to the speaker.
These speakers do not request for pairing as they are designed to work automatically. There are days that your speaker will instantly start playing audio and no one in your family is connected. The connection to other devices might be deliberate or by mistake.
The challenge is, you will not know which of your neighbor connects to your Bluetooth device unless they tell you.
How Can Someone Kick You Off Their Bluetooth Speaker?
If you connect to someone’s speaker, they have a chance to kick you out and regain control of their speaker. The good thing about these speakers is that they do not store any personal data that a hacker can access. Even if someone plays audio through them, this will only be an inconvenience, but nothing to worry you.
To remove someone connected out of your Bluetooth speaker, you need to power off the speaker. Open your phone’s Bluetooth and power it on. Your Bluetooth speaker should be on the list of your phone’s paired devices, so all you need to do is click pair.
As the device starts to pair, switch on your Bluetooth speaker and the two will connect and start sharing data. While this will work, your neighbor can still connect if you leave your speaker on after use. Granted, you need to keep your speaker off when not in use.
You can also reset the Bluetooth speaker so that it forgets paired devices. Different speakers reset in different ways. In most, you need to press the power button for long, while in others, you need to press the mode button for long.
For others, you need to press the Bluetooth button and the speaker will go back to its original state. After resetting, the Bluetooth goes back to its factory settings and no device can connect automatically.
Some speakers allow multiple devices to connect. This means that you can still connect to your speaker even if someone else is connected.
For the most advanced speakers, you will have a simple software control panel that you can use to control the devices that connect to your speaker. These speakers allow you to see the devices connected, and you have to pair before a connection is established. With such devices, no one can connect unless they have physical access to the speaker, or they had ever connected and the speaker remembers their Bluetooth.
Another way to remove someone who’s connected from your Bluetooth speaker is to take the speaker out of range. Walls interfere with Bluetooth signals and most Bluetooth devices cannot connect if they are more than 30 feet apart.
If you connect to someone’s speaker, they can search for your Bluetooth device using their smartphone. Once they know you are the neighbor who connects to their device, they will come to you and tell you to stop.
How Can Someone Protect Their Bluetooth Device from Hackers and Intruders?
You can use codes, switch of the speaker when not in use, turn off visibility, and update your software. These simple tactics will help you keep off disturbing devices that keep playing audio through your speaker.
The first thing you can do is to use security codes. Unfortunately, this is not possible in most Bluetooth speakers as they do not have the option for security codes. If your Bluetooth speaker, however, has a software panel, you can use a security code that someone has to enter to pair to the speaker.
Using a code is a simple way to ensure that your device is safe and secure. Most of the Bluetooth speakers on the market have a default code of either 1234 or 0000. Most speakers may not allow you to change that, but some have a panel through which you can do that.
This means it is important to get advanced speakers as you can secure them with ease.
If your speaker doesn’t allow you to set a security code, you need to keep it off when not in use. Switching off the speakers ensures no device can connect automatically or otherwise, and you also save on battery.
A speaker has to be on for somebody to be able to connect to it. Only switch it on when you need to pair. Even better, there are speakers that have a button for you to press before initial pairing.
For a speaker with such a pairing button, not anyone can connect unless they have the technical skills to hack the speaker. In most cases, people who connect to someone’s speaker just want to have fun with the speaker and nothing more.
Another way to keep the Bluetooth speaker safe is to turn off visibility. When you set the speaker to undiscoverable mode, your neighbors cannot see them when they turn on their Bluetooth. This way, you can only make it discoverable when you need to connect.
After you connect the first time, your speaker will connect to your device automatically in consequent times, so you never have to make it discoverable. You also need to unpair all other devices that are not your devices. You can do that by resetting the speaker so that it forgets all other devices.
Latest Bluetooth versions are safer and faster. You need software updates to have the latest security features. Most Bluetooth speaker manufacturers are offering more advanced security features to protect you and your device.
Closing Thoughts
I recommend that you buy an advanced speaker. This way, you will have more control of the Bluetooth devices that connect to it. For instance, a simple speaker with a button for pairing comes in handy when you need to lock out a neighbor who keeps connecting to your device.
If you are the neighbor who connects to other people’s speakers, you need to have the device to do the initial pairing. Again, you can pick a device with a software panel. Such a speaker shows your connected devices and allows you to choose which to unpair or pair. You can also reset the speaker and set it to be discoverable or undiscoverable.
Always update your devices to have the latest version of Bluetooth and other software. Your neighbor doesn’t have to give up their speaker because you connect to it, they only need to lock you out using any of the methods above.