I need proof I was at home, can my Router log help me to prove this please

[#1]

Hi there, 

I need to prove that I was at home at a certain time of day and on a certain day, can my router log show if I was at home and active or not? Laptop and or phone connected to the internet, and /or website activity?

Thanks to anyone that can help me.

Kind regards

Paul 

[#2]

@Paul2025 Unfortunately I don't think your router, or any connected devices, could prove that - not enough to give you a legal leg to stand on, anyway.

The router does not record such detail, and a phone/laptop can/could be used anywhere.

[#3]

There is a Router log, I've found that in the home page, you have to click on something to take you to a second page, I just don't understand what it says in the log.

[#4]

I agree there is a router log, but that only reports what is happening on the router, which does not include what you are actually doing.

[#5]

@Paul2025 

According to the various pop-ups trying to sell me a VPN that sometimes appear when I'm on the internet, my "ISP knows everything that I do online", which I assume means what sites I visit etc. These pop-ups also display my external IP address.

So, my ISP can link my broadband connection to a particular website on a particular day and time.

The question is, do the ISP know which device was used within the home network to access that site? If they knew the MAC address of the device then they might be able to link the two. In theory, (though not in practice in my experience - but that's another story!), every single device that can connect to a network has a totally unique MAC address that is not replicated on any other device anywhere in the world.

So, if Plusnet are able to see the MAC address of each device and what sites they are connecting to, you might be able to prove that you were at least within range of your home WiFi network.

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[#6]

Thanks for the reply, I'm not over bothered about websites visited etc, someone has implied that I was somewhere when I wasn't, I just want to prove that I'm at home working  

[#7]

Some of those 'pop-ups', which fortunately don't plague me because of the way I'm set up, are a little, shall we say, disingenuous - the only people who can request them are the police/security services, and then via the courts.

[#8]

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@Paul2025 wrote:

Thanks for the reply, I'm not over bothered about websites visited etc, someone has implied that I was somewhere when I wasn't, I just want to prove that I'm at home working  

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I doubt, unless it is an official individual - the police for instance - who are making these claims, that Plusnet have the authority to release the data.

[#9]

@jab1 

"I doubt, unless it is an official individual - the police for instance - who are making these claims, that Plusnet have the authority to release the data."

Probably not generally, but I wonder what GDPR regulations say about it?

AIUI, under GDPR, anyone can request from any organisation, a complete record of all of the written data that is held about the person making the request.

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/subject-access-requests/a-guide-...

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[#10]

So, if Plusnet are able to see the MAC address of each device and what sites they are connecting to, you might be able to prove that you were at least within range of your home WiFi network.

No they can't. All traffic going out of your router, as well as being encapsulated in a PPPoE protocol, will have the MAC address of the router.

[#11]

@Mr_Paul - I am aware of the GDPR, and agree with what say, but from reading about peoples use of those regulations, it appears it is a long-winded exercise, and some organisations are a little less than forthcoming.

[#12]

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@Paul2025 wrote:

Hi there, 

I need to prove that I was at home at a certain time of day and on a certain day, can my router log show if I was at home and active or not? Laptop and or phone connected to the internet, and /or website activity?

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Tricky!

Just some random thoughts:

When you were at home working, how was this done? Were you using a laptop or a (non portable) desktop?
Was it connected to the router by Wi-Fi or cable? Do you leave your PC powered on all the time or boot it up in the morning when you start working - are you the only person who has the PC account password? Do you leave your router on all the time or turn it off overnight? Did you have cause to log into the PN router using the admin password on the day concerned?

It would ultimately depend on the level of 'proof' the other party would accept.

[#13]

Logs, stats, devices,  IP address, MAC address & browsing history. There’s nothing there to identify a specific individual.

[#14]

I'm not sure what the Plusnet supplied router logs. I use Ubiquity kit, and have a number of APs. From the logs I can track the movement of devices across APs, can see how active they have been, etc. It has been useful to locate lost devices on occasions, and to show the presence of an unrecognised device at the time of a theft.

However, that only shows a particular device is present, not that the user of that device was, or that they were working rather than replying to a Plusnet forum post (its my lunch break - honest).

[#15]

@Paul2025 

You'd probably have thought of this yourself if you had them so I guess you haven't got any CCTV cameras around your home?