The first thing you should do when you get a new WiFi router is change your network’s default name and password. Even if you’ve already changed your password, the Wi-Fi Alliance recommends you change it at least once a year. Here’s everything you need to know about how to change your WiFi network’s name and password on a Windows or Mac computer.
Note: If you forgot your WiFi password, you can always find it using your computer, as long as it’s connected to the same wireless network. Check out our step-by-step guides on how to find your WiFi password on Windows and how to find any passwords on a Mac.
Before you can change your WiFi name and password, you need to log in to your router. In order to do that, you need to know your router’s IP address and login information.
Read More: What is an IP address?
How to Find Your WiFi Router’s Default IP Address
You might be able to find your router’s IP address on the back, bottom, or side of the physical router. While this default login information can be changed, you can always reset your router to change it back to default.
Note: If you see a name and password on the back of your device, it will probably be the login details to sign into your router – not your WiFi network name and password.
Read More: How to reset your WiFi router to factory settings
If that IP address doesn’t work, or you can’t find the default login information, you can also use your Windows or Mac computer to find your router’s current IP address. Here’s how:
Read More: How to find your router’s IP address on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android
How to Find Your Router’s IP Address on Windows
To find your IP address on a Windows computer, press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard, type “CMD” into the Run window, and click OK. Finally, type “ipconfig” into the Command Prompt window and hit Enter. You will find your router’s IP address next to Default Gateway.
How to Find Your Router’s IP Address on a Mac
To find your router’s IP address on a Mac, click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen and go to “System Settings.” Then click Network in the left sidebar, go to WiFi, and select your WiFi network. Finally, click Details, and you will see your IP address next to Router.
If you have an older Mac, you might have to take different steps to find your router’s IP address. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen and select “System Preferences.” Then click “Network,” select “Wi-Fi “in the left sidebar, and click “Advanced.” Finally, go to the “TCP/IP” tab, and you will find your router’s IP address next to “Router.”
How to Change Your WiFi Name and Password
To change the name and password of your WiFi network, open any web browser and type your router’s IP address into the address bar. Then enter your router’s username and password. Finally, search for Wireless settings, enter the new username and password, and click Apply or Save.
Note: Your computer or smartphone will need to be connected to your router’s WiFi network before you can use it to change your WiFi name and password.
Open a web browser. You can use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or any other web browser on your computer, smartphone, or tablet.
Note: If you have a mesh WiFi system, like Amazon eero or Google Nest, you might have to use the companion app to change your WiFi network’s settings instead.
Then type your router’s IP address into the search bar and press the Enter key. Many routers use the same private IP addresses. So, you can try entering “192.168.0.1” or “192.168.1.1” or “10.0.0.1” into the address bar of your browser. If those don’t work, check out our step-by-step guide on how to find your router’s IP address on a Windows, Mac, iPhone, or Android device.
Note: If you don’t want to use your IP address, some routers also let you log in using a URL. For example, if you have an Asus router, you can go to http://www.asusrouter.com. If you have a Linksys router, try http://myrouter.local on a Mac or http://myrouter on Windows. Netgear users can visit www.routerlogin.net. And TP-Link users can use http://tplinkwifi.net.
Note: After entering your IP address, you might see a warning that says your connection is not private. This warning was designed to stop you from visiting malicious websites by requesting a certificate from the address. Routers don’t use these certificates, but they have other ways of securing your connection. As long as you entered your IP address correctly, you’ll be safe to click Advanced or Show Details and then Proceed or Continue.
Next, enter your router’s username and password and click Sign In. Your router’s username and password are NOT the same as your WiFi username and password. You might be able to find your router’s default username and password printed somewhere on your router or in its manual. If not, you can also use this list to find the most common usernames and passwords that your router might have based on its brand.
Note: The most common router usernames are “admin,” “user,” or just leave it blank. The most common router passwords are “admin,” “password,” or leave it blank. If you can’t find your router’s login credentials, you might want to reset your router and use the default username and password.
Then click Wireless. You will usually see this in a menu on the left side of your window. This button might have a different name, depending on your router. You might also have to click through other buttons or find the Advanced settings of your wireless router.
Here are the most common paths to change your WiFi name and password based on the brand of your router
•Asus: Wireless > General
•Linksys: Configuration > WiFi > Wireless Security
•Netgear: Basic > Wireless, or Settings > Wireless Setup
•TP-Link: Wireless > Wireless Setting, or Basic > Wireless, or Basic Settings > Wireless Security, or Basic Settings > Wireless Security
Next, change your WiFi name and password. You will usually be able to change your WiFi network name in a text box next to “Name” or “SSID” (Service Set Identifier). Then you can usually change your WiFi password in a text box on that same page next to “Password,” “Passphrase,” or “Pre-Shared Key.”
Note: You might have to choose a security option before you can change your WiFi password. If you want to know more about which router security option you should choose, check out our previous article here.
Note: If you have a dual-band or tri-band router, make sure to change the password for the right WiFi network by looking for “band” in your router’s settings.
Read More: What is the difference between 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi bands?
Finally, click Apply or Save. Your changes won’t go into effect until you click Apply or Save.
Note: After you change your WiFi username or password, you will have to reconnect all the devices using the new WiFi network name and password. If your computer was connected to the same WiFi network, it will automatically be disconnected from the internet until you sign in with your new WiFi username and password..
If you still can’t log in to your router, you can always contact Hello All to fix any of your WiFi problems. We have thousands of technicians across the country who can come to your home as soon as today to install a WiFi router, troubleshoot your network issues, and answer any questions you have.
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