How Can I Change the Password on My Internet Router?

Make sure your user credentials are secure to prevent an intruder from hacking into your home Wi-Fi network

Edward C. Baig,

AARP

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Published May 13, 2025

An illustration depicts an internet router in front of a pentagon-tiled background. Above the router on the left is password with a green check above it. On the right is a password with a red X above it.

AARP (Getty Images, 2)

I recently obtained internet in my home. To stay safe, should I change the network name and default password that I was given by the provider? — Laurie

Absolutely, Laurie, you should.

The password to your router is kind of a master key to your digital life. So just as you would not give your house key to a stranger, you shouldn’t unlock the door to your home network.

I’m not suggesting a web prowler or even a nosy neighbor is looking to hack into or hijack your Wi-Fi network. But they could, and you wouldn’t want to leave it to chance.

Besides, it is good practice to change all your digital passwords semi-regularly.

What is a router?

For the uninitiated, the router is a box that handles the internet networking chores for the myriad devices in the home that tap into cyberspace— some via wired hookup, others through a wireless Wi-Fi connection.

Nowadays, that’s not just computers. The slew of internet-connected devices in your abode may include televisions, thermostats, garage door openers, video doorbells, smart speakers, appliances and a slew of other smart home devices under the collective internet of things (IoT) moniker.

Some routers are eyesores with antennas. Others are sleeker, which in theory means you may be more willing to place them in a central location to reach every corner of your living quarters.

You, or the person charged with installing your network, connects the router with an ethernet cable to the modem that delivers internet into the home. Your internet service provider (ISP) probably sold or rented you that modem or maybe both devices.

Frequently, the modem and router from your ISP are housed in a single box, referred to as a gateway, which is what I have in my house. I also take advantage of a separate mesh router system consisting of a base router that connects directly to the gateway by ethernet, and satellite boxes placed elsewhere around the house that wirelessly piggyback off one another to spread the Wi-Fi signal.

Where do I find the original log-in information?

The default log-in credentials for your router typically appear on a sticker attached to the router itself and/or the packaging it came in, not exactly Fort Knox level security. You also can sometimes find default credentials for router models on the manufacturer’s website.

The router is assigned a default internet protocol (IP) address, which you can think of as an identification tag. It’s a string of numbers and dots, typically 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 though depending on the make and model of the router, something else.

You may also be able to find the IP address with the manual that came with the router.

Steps to change the router password

Open a web browser and enter the aforementioned IP address, followed by Enter. Enter the router credentials that you’ve hopefully found by now. If you haven’t, try entering admin as the username and admin again as the password. Or try password itself as the password.

What was it I was just saying about Fort Knox?

Ask the Tech Guru

The browser you're using may also give you privacy warnings when you enter the IP address.

No consistency in software. Navigate to the settings that will let you choose a new username and password, which shouldn’t be hard to find though every company’s area to do so differs. You will see it sometimes referred to as an administrative panel or console.

Choose a long and complex string of upper- and lower-case characters and numbers that only you and anyone else you’ve authorized can remember. You may also want to rely on a password manager that can generate a robust random password.

Use an app as an alternative. While you can make use of a web browser to change your log-in credentials, most third-party routers these days and possibly the router you got from your ISP, have corresponding apps that will also let you make such changes. You may prefer to do your bidding in those.

Bonus tip: Change Wi-Fi password, update firmware too

It’s easy to confuse the two, but the default router password you just changed is not the same as the password to your Wi-Fi network, which you should also periodically change.

As before, navigate to your router’s administrative console either through a web browser or launch the app for the router. Search under Wireless Security settings or a similar name to find the area where you can change the Wi-Fi password.

Choose a strong password, again something you’ll remember but hard for others to guess.

For added security, apply a strong level of encryption; available options should show up here. Security experts recommend standards known as WPA2 or WPA3, with the WPA shorthand for Wireless Protected Access.

Don’t stop there. Check for any available firmware updates. Firmware is permanent software programmed into the read-only memory of the device and you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the latest. If you’re not sure how to install firmware, check the manufacturer’s website for any instructions.

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Edward C. Baig covers technology and other consumer topics. He previously worked for USA Today, BusinessWeek, U.S. News & World Report and Fortune, and is author of Macs for Dummies and coauthor of iPhone for Dummies and iPad for Dummies. Follow him on LinkedIn; Threads; and X, formerly known as Twitter.