Since rent in my apartment complex includes internet access, the complex seems to be set up with a shared central router. Each apartment has its own access point with unique Wi-Fi credentials, using an Edimax Pro CAP 1750.
Today, I received a security warning from my firewall indicating that it had blocked an attempted port scan from another device. However, as far as I know, only my devices are connected to my apartment's Wi-Fi. When I checked the firewall's network settings, I found that I could see dozens of other devices on the network—phones, printers, computers, and more—along with their internal IP addresses. The IP that triggered the warning had the label "TP-Link," but I couldn’t see any additional details.
So even though each tenant logs into their Wi-Fi with their own password, the set up of this complex allows visibility of other users' devices and internal IP addresses.
Out of curiosity, I accessed 192.168.0.1 and the page name suggests that the landlord might be using a Hitron CGNV4 router. However, this doesn't quite align with what I'd expect, as each apartment has very stable gigabit internet with very high upload speeds, and that router model seems insufficient for managing such heavy traffic across dozens of apartments.
If I can see other tenants' devices on the network and received a port scan alert, does this mean there are potential security vulnerabilities? My understanding was that each apartment’s Wi-Fi should be isolated since each Wi-Fi has a different name and password. I wouldn't expect to be able to see a device that is logged into a separate Wi-Fi whose password I don't even know.
Could this configuration expose my devices to unauthorised access or risks from other users on the same network? Also, is there anything I should do on my end to better secure my connection or minimise potential risks? I already use a VPN on all my devices (I got the security warning when I briefly disconnected my PC from the VPN), disabled local network sharing in the VPN, and configured my devices to use randomised MAC addresses on the network. And in Windows I configured it as a public network.
Any opinions or advice appreciated!
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