How to Change Router Password
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How to Change Router Password
According to Wireless Network Watcher, I have an occasional "hitchhiker" on my network who must have gotten a lucky guess on my router's password. I want to change the password on the router in hopes of keeping the thieving person of questionable parentage off but I have no clue how to do so. The router is a Netgear WNR2000 and was set up by the ISP. It's located on a shelf in the linen closet in the bathroom (the only place I had room for it, the modem, and the telephone modem).
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Hey Lady Fitzgerald,
Do you wish to change your wireless security password or the password needed to enter your router setup?
If you wish to change your wireless security password then you will have to reassign all of your wireless devices with the new network password.
Your routers Manual - http://documentation.netgear.com/wnr...FullManual.pdf
Page 2 will show you how to access your routers settings.
Page 36 and onward will show you how to change your wireless security pass phrase
Hope This Helps,
Josh :)
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Which one do I need to change to get rid of the hitchhiker?
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Most likely your wireless pass phrase (WEP, WPA, WPA-2 ... etc)
Remember to update your devices with the new connection. This can be done by forgetting your wireless network and then re-joining it
Josh :)
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Using the directions in the manual you linked (thanks for that; I have it saved), I was able to change the password for accessing the network and have reset my desktop and my printer to the new password (I'll deal with my notebook the next time I have it out). Hopefully, that will keep the Wi-Fi thief out. Thanks again!
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No worries, Glad I could help :)
In your router you should find a table showing all connected devices. You should also see device names like (Josh-PC ...etc) if anything is out of the ordinary then please post back and we will do some further troubleshooting.
Note
If your router cannot find a hostname it will show a MAC address (FOR EXAMPLE: AA-3E-54-9F-00-01-A8-B6). If you see these do not worry they are normal :)
Josh :)
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In addition to the excellent advice already given by Shadowjk I would also change the login credentials for router setup interface, if you still use the default ones (username:admin password:password as told in page 18 of the manual).
If default credentials are used it is a simple task for outsider free-riders to try different router manufactures default credentials to login and find out or change the credentials. Really, manufacturers use so simple username / password combinations (admin, admin and admin, password are the most common) that you do not need to be a hacker to get in to other peoples routers.
Kari
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In addition to the excellent advice already given by Shadowjk I would also change the login credentials for router setup interface, if you still use the default ones (username:admin password:password as told in page 18 of the manual).
If default credentials are used it is a simple task for outsider free-riders to try different router manufactures default credentials to login and find out or change the credentials. Really, manufacturers use so simple username / password combinations (admin, admin and admin, password are the most common) that you do not need to be a hacker to get in to other peoples routers.
Kari
Apparently, that is how the *&^%$#@! is getting in since s/he did a little earlier today. I changed the router's setup password a little while ago.
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Lots of good advice given here. First thing I do when setting up a new router is to change the login credentials to an ID/PW the client is comfortable with, if it is secure enough, and I make a text file with that information for myself because 90% of the people I deal with don't remember the router ID/PW a week after it is set up. Then I set the Wireless Key to something the client can remember but make sure it is not the same as the router password. As far as I know, none of my clients have had any problems. A little trick on passwords: something common that you may remember or may be important to you can be made really secure if you misspell the word purposely, or use it in a phrase. I listen to music while braiding kables(no spaces), for example, would be nearly impossible for someone who knows what they are doing to crack, so they would move on to the next wireless network. You could disable SSID broadcasting but that makes it more of a pain in the butt when connecting your own devices as well.
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In addition to the excellent advice already given by Shadowjk I would also change the login credentials for router setup interface, if you still use the default ones (username:admin password:password as told in page 18 of the manual).
If default credentials are used it is a simple task for outsider free-riders to try different router manufactures default credentials to login and find out or change the credentials. Really, manufacturers use so simple username / password combinations (admin, admin and admin, password are the most common) that you do not need to be a hacker to get in to other peoples routers.
Kari
Apparently, that is how the *&^%$#@! is getting in since s/he did a little earlier today. I changed the router's setup password a little while ago.
Hmmm , The only way they would access your routers setup would be to be connected to the wireless or wired network. I am assuming such person doesn't have a wired connection to their laptop so they must have accessed the router wirelessly. The above suggestion is a good tip with disabling SSID broadcasting however that would be extreme cases. Please note that if they have already successfully connected once and saved the profile for that network then disabling the SSID broadcasting will not make any difference.
Josh :)