How to change your home Wi-Fi router password and admin login
Change the Wi-Fi password and the router's own admin login so neighbours and attackers cannot use or control your home network.
Many home routers still use the password printed on the sticker, or a default admin login. Anyone who has seen the sticker, or who guesses the default, can join your network or change its settings. Changing two passwords, the Wi-Fi one and the admin one, is a quick job that makes your whole home safer.
Steps
- Find the router's settings page. The sticker on the router or your internet provider's guide shows the page address, often a number address. Connect to the Wi-Fi from a phone or laptop and open it in your browser.
- Sign in with the admin login. The sticker or provider guide shows the default login. If you changed it before and forgot it, you may need to reset the router, so ask your internet provider using the number on your bill.
- Change the admin password first. Find a section called Administration, System or Password. Set a new, strong password that is different from your Wi-Fi password. Write it down and keep it safe at home.
- Change the Wi-Fi name and password. Open the Wireless or Wi-Fi section. Use a plain network name without your family name or flat number. Pick WPA2 or WPA3 and a password of 12 characters or more.
- Update and check connected devices. Look for a firmware or update option. Also check the list of connected devices and remove any you do not know. Menu names differ between routers, and from phone settings.
- Reconnect your devices. After changing the Wi-Fi password, every device must join again with the new one. On your phone, open Settings, search for Wi-Fi, forget the old network and sign in again.
Menu names differ a little between phone makers and Android versions. If you cannot find a setting, open Settings and use the search box.
Why it matters
Your router is the front door to everything at home: phones, laptops, TVs and cameras. A default or shared password lets neighbours use your connection, and an unchanged admin login lets an intruder change settings, such as where your internet requests go. Two new passwords close both gaps. Do it once, write them down at home, and you are safer for years.
Watch out for
- Never use the default admin password.
- Do not share the router's admin login with visitors.
- Be careful of anyone who offers to fix your router remotely and asks for the login.
- Remove the sticker password from view.
How Safeavio helps
Safeavio's Wi-Fi safety check reviews the network your phone is on and its local DNS filter can help check where lookups go. It cannot change your router or see its settings, so you do that on the router's own page or with your provider's help. It only warns about the network your phone is using.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions
How often should I change my Wi-Fi password?
There is no fixed schedule. Change it once from the default, and again if you shared it widely or someone you do not trust had it. A strong password that stays private is better than a weak one that changes often.
What if I cannot open the router page?
Check that you are connected to that router, and look at the address on the sticker. If you still cannot get in, your internet provider can help, using the number on your bill. Avoid numbers from search results.