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The password for your home wifi unlocks your gateway to the web. And since just about everything we own these days is internet-ready, you probably have your password memorized after hooking up dozens of devices. Your router comes with a default wifi network name (the Service Set Identifier or SSID) and password, often printed somewhere on the router itself or in the supplied instruction manual. However, for the sake of security, it's a good idea to change the password regularly.
The main benefit is it kicks off devices and users (hello neighbors!) that are hooked up to your wifi and shouldn't be. Sure, it's a bit of a pain to have to get everything reconnected again, but it's also an opportunity to reevaluate your network setup. If there are older devices that no longer need to be online, it frees up bandwidth for the others.
Changing your wifi password isn't difficult, but the process does vary depending on the make and model of your router. While we can't give you step-by-step instructions for every router out there, we can hopefully point you in the right direction. Note that to log into your router settings, either in an app or a web browser, you'll often need the router admin username and password, too. This is different than your wifi password, and again should be printed on the router or supplied with its documentation, though you may have changed it during setup.
If you're not sure what the login details are for your router, a quick web search for the defaults for your router make and model should turn up the information you need.
Changing your wifi password via an app
Plenty of modern day routers come with apps attached to help you manage the device setup and configuration. If yours does, this is the best place to start looking for the option to change the wifi password.
If you have some Eero hardware set up at home, for example, you can change the password through the Eero app for Android or iOS. Tap the Settings gear icon (lower right), then pick Wi-Fi password and Edit password. Or, if you have a Netgear Nighthawk router, you'll have installed the Nighthawk app for Android or iOS when you were setting up the device for the first time. To change your wifi password, tap WiFi Settings from the main screen, then the network name.
We'll take you through the process in one more app, the Asus app for Android or iOS: In this case, you need to tap Settings, then choose WiFi, Wireless Settings, and Network Settings to find and edit the W-Fi password.
As you can see, if your router has a companion app, the option to change the Wi-Fi password should be somewhere fairly obvious. Try finding the settings screen or tapping through on the name of the network you're connected to.
Changing your wifi password via a web browser
Whether or not your router has an app attached, you should always be able to change the wifi password through a desktop browser tab. As with the apps, the details of the process vary, but generally speaking it's the same for every router.
With your desktop or laptop computer connected to the router via Wi-Fi or a wired connection, open a new browser tab and type in your router's address on the network: It will most commonly be something like "192.168.1.1" or "192.168.0.1". Some manufacturers use a friendlier URL, like "tplinkwifi.net" for TP-Link devices.
The address you need should be printed on the router or somewhere on the documentation that came with it. If not, a web search for the router make and model should reveal the address you need to type into the top of your browser. You'll then usually have to enter the admin username and password for the device.
With that done, it's simply a question of finding the right option: Look for a heading marked Wi-Fi or Security or something similar. In the case of Xfinity routers, for example, it's behind Gateway, Connection, and WiFi. On Linksys routers, it's Configuration, Wi-Fi, and Wireless Security.
On some routers, including those from AT&T and Verizon, you just need to sign into your account on the relevant support page on the web, which is straightforward enough. If all else fails, you can do a factory reset on your router, which will return you to the default credentials for accessing the router and the wifi.
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