How Do I Change My Home Wifi Password?

How to Change Your Wi-Fi Network Name and Password

Jan 18, 2022 Share
FAQ, How-To

Changing your Wi-Fi network name and password is a unproblematic and important way to keep your devices secure, but it can besides be a bit daunting.

Fortunately, it doesn't thing if y'all have Xfinity, AT&T, or whatsoever other service provider—the steps to irresolute your Wi-Fi settings are the same. The process is also similar across different router manufacturers, similar NETGEAR or TP-Link.

We'll show you how to find your router's IP address (if needed) and modify the network proper name using a web interface and an app.

Update password on standalone routers and wireless gateways

The whole process of changing your Wi-Fi network name and password can exist cleaved downwards into four main steps:

Get your router's IP accost.
Log in to your router using a standard browser.
Change your network settings.
Examination your new network configuration.

These steps are pretty simple, but there's a bit of variation depending on diverse factors, similar what kind of device yous're using to connect. Keep reading for a more than detailed breakdown of these steps.

Become your router's IP address (web interface merely)

All standalone routers and wireless gateways provide a spider web interface so yous tin change the settings. Yet, manufacturers may likewise provide a mobile app for irresolute the network name, password, and other settings from your telephone or tablet.

Use the mobile app if available, then skip ahead to the testing portion of this guide.

If you're using the web interface instead, you'll need to discover your router or gateway'southward individual IP address outset so y'all tin can enter information technology into the browser's address bar.

Function one: Connect wirelessly or with a cable

If you lot're setting upwardly a new router for the first time, there's unremarkably an Ethernet cable in the box that will allow you to connect a PC directly to your router. This is probably the easiest way to set things up, but sometimes this won't work. Many slim laptops, like MacBooks, don't have Ethernet ports and crave a USB adapter for a wired connectedness to the network. Sometimes it'south more convenient to use a phone or other mobile device.

To connect wirelessly, you'll demand the default network proper name and password for your router. These tin can be plant in the didactics manual and sometimes plant on the router itself, printed on a sticker or label. The network is often labeled equally the "SSID."

If you're changing the settings on a network that's already set up, you don't demand this default information and can just connect to the network with the name and countersign you typically use.

Part 2: Detect your router's default IP address

Next, you'll need your router'southward private IP address. There are several ways to do this, depending on what kind of device you're using:

iOS fourteen/iPadOS xiv
Android
Windows 10
macOS Big Sur and newer

iOS 14/iPadOS 14

Step 1: Tap to open Settings .

Step 2: Tap on Wi-Fi .

Step iii: Tap on your network's proper name.

Step four: Write downwardly the number displayed next to Router .

Android xi (stock)

Stride one: Swipe a finger down from the top to expand the Notification Shade and tap the "cog" icon to open the Settings panel.

Step ii: Tap on Network & internet .

Footstep 3: Tap on Wi-Fi .

Pace 4: Tap on the "cog" icon displayed side by side to your network'southward proper noun.

Step v: Tap on Advanced .

Step 6: Ringlet downwards and write down the number displayed next to Gateway under Network Details .

Android 10/11 (Samsung)

There'southward no way to observe your router's IP address on a Samsung phone, but you can get an thought using the phone's IP address.

Step 1: Swipe a finger down from the top to aggrandize the Notification Shade and tap the "cog" icon to open the Settings console.

Step 2: Tap on Connections .

Footstep 3: Tap on Wi-Fi .

Stride 4: Tap on the "cog" icon next to your network's name.

Hither you will come across your Samsung phone'south IP accost. Generally, the first 3 portions address the router, and the concluding portion is your device. For case, "192.168.7" is the router and "155" is your device. So, the router's full address is probably 192.168.7.1.

Many mobile apps developed for analyzing networks, such as Network Analyzer , make it easy to discover your router'south IP address. Using an app is besides a handy mode to detect your router's IP address using an Android device.

Windows 10

You can use the IPCONFIG control to get the IP accost. To practice this, follow these steps:

Step 1: Right-click on the Start button and select Windows PowerShell on the Power User Carte du jour.

Step two: Type the command "IPCONFIG" into Windows PowerShell and press the Enter key.

Step iii: Write downwardly the number listed adjacent to Default Gateway .

macOS Large Sur and newer

Step i: Click on the Organisation Preferences icon on the Dock or click the Apple logo in the tiptop left corner, followed past System Preferences on the drib-downwardly carte du jour.

Step ii: Select Network.

Stride 3: If yous're on a wired connection, write down the number next to Router .

If yous're on a Wi-Fi connection, click the Avant-garde button.

Step 4: Click on the TCP/IP tab.

Step v: Write down the number next to Router.

Log in to your router using a browser

Now that you have the IP address of your router, you can access its settings using a standard web browser similar Firefox or Chrome.

Footstep 1: Open up any spider web browser and type the router'due south IP address in the accost bar.

Step two: Your router's spider web interface appears within the browser. Log in using your username and password.

First fourth dimension logging in?

You'll demand to log in using the router's default username and password. Unlike brands of routers have dissimilar default usernames and passwords, but they are usually very generic. In nearly cases, the combo is "admin" and "countersign."

This data is oftentimes printed on a sticker somewhere on the router itself. Otherwise, refer to your router's instructions to find the correct username and password, or become to the manufacturer's website, which will often list them as well.

Modify your wireless network

Once yous log in to your router, you lot'll quickly discover that there are many settings yous can adjust. Nonetheless, we're going to focus on just two: your network proper name and password.

Part ane: Change your network name

Your network name, often referred to as its SSID, is how people will see your network when they are searching for Wi-Fi networks on their devices. Past default, this will usually be the proper name of the router manufacturer with some added numbers. You can change this to whatsoever yous want, as long as information technology'southward a proper name that yous volition apace recognize, especially if you're in an urban area where there are many overlapping Wi-Fi networks.

The following instructions are based on a Linksys router, and so they may differ from what you see on the screen.

Step 1: Click on Wi-Fi Settings listed on the left under Wi-Fi Settings.

Step ii: Enter a new name in the text field next to Wi-Fi Name . Do this for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, but exist sure they're different.

Step 3: Click the Employ button.

Part ii: Change your network security

Once you lot've named your network, you want to secure it with a skilful password so that passersby tin't steal your Wi-Fi or, worse, employ your network to distribute malware to your devices.

There are several options for security protocols, including merely leaving your network open, but the best option is WPA2, also known as WPA2-PSK or AES. This allows you lot to put a password on your network.

As with any countersign you frequently use, brand sure that information technology'southward something you lot tin think. Likewise, it's important non to use a countersign that you also use for important sites, especially if you're going to be giving it out to guests who want to utilize your Wi-Fi.

The following instructions are based on a Linksys router, then they may differ from what you see on the screen.

Footstep one: Click on Wi-Fi Settings listed on the left under Wi-Fi Settings.

Footstep two: Click the download arrow adjacent to Security Way and select WPA2 Personal on the drib-down card. Do this for both the 2.iv GHz and 5 GHz bands.

Step ii: Enter a new password in the text field next to Wi-Fi Password . Do this for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, only be certain they're different.

Step 3: Click the Apply button.

Test your new network settings

You have now updated the Wi-Fi network name and password. But earlier you pack upwardly your laptop and go about your business concern, y'all should double-check to make sure everything's working.

Part 1: Examination the wireless connection

Grab a device and find your new network name in the list of available networks. Enter your new countersign to make sure you tin connect wirelessly. It's better to find out now than having to start the process all over once again when you're belatedly for a Zoom coming together or ii minutes away from winning an auction on eBay.

Function ii: Reconnect other devices

Now that you lot updated the network'due south proper noun and password, all the devices that were previously continued to your Wi-Fi network will need their information updated then they can reconnect . Recall that this doesn't only include all your computers and mobile devices, but smart TVs, smart thermostats, security systems, and any other devices that use your Wi-Fi network to connect.

Is your new home Wi-Fi network too dull?

Be certain to consult our guide on how to increase the speed of your dwelling house Wi-Fi. Some of our suggestions include power cycling your router, relocating your router, and more.

Update password on mesh networking kits

Mesh networking kits are different from your standard router. Yous can't access a backend web interface to change the settings. Instead, you use a mobile app to log in to an account and make adjustments. That too means y'all don't demand to go out of your way to locate the kit'southward IP accost equally yous would with a standard router.

The following instructions are based on the Eero kit, so they may differ from what you may see on your screen.

Stride 1: With the Eero app open, tap on the Settings icon located in the bottom right corner.

Step two: Tap on Wi-Fi Proper name .

Step 3: Tap in the new proper noun and and so tap on the Save button.

Step 4: Tap on Wi-Fi Password .

Step v: Tap on the Edit Password button.

Stride half-dozen: Enter a new countersign and then tap on the Salvage button.

Update password using your Isp's app

Many ISPs provide mobile apps then yous tin easily pay your bill, add or remove services, and manage the router or wireless gateway. The following instructions are based on Spectrum's cable internet service as an example, so they may differ from what you lot run into in your ISP's app.

Pro tip:

If you have Spectrum's wireless gateway but you're using a router yous purchased from a store, these instructions but use if you lot're even so using the gateway'due south Wi-Fi. Become to the first department in this guide for instructions on making changes to your shop-bought router.

Pace 1: Open up the My Spectrum app.

Step two: Tap on the Services icon displayed at the lesser of your screen.

Footstep 3: Tap on Update .

Footstep 4: Enter a new network name, a new password, or both.

Step 5: Tap on Salve Changes .