Having an insecure Wi-Fi network can open up your home and devices to a wide range of cyber threats. By taking a few minutes to update your Wi-Fi password, you can dramatically strengthen protection.
In this beginner-friendly guide, I‘ll walk you through the quick process for changing your password in just 5 steps. Whether you want to refresh an old password or have some new house guests you don‘t want snooping on your network, updating your credentials is a breeze.
Let‘s get started securing your Wi-Fi network, step-by-step!
Why You Should Actually Care About Your Wi-Fi Security
Before jumping into the process, you might be wondering…why does my Wi-Fi password really matter anyway?
Great question. Every Wi-Fi network starts with a default password—usually something broad like "password123". While easy to remember, these simple passwords also make it easy for others to access your network without your permission.
Once connected, intruders can do everything from stealing your personal data to using your network for illegal activities.
So protecting your network access with a unique password acts as the first line of defense to keep unwanted visitors out. Given how much our devices and daily activities have moved online over the past decade, that protection is now more critical than ever.
How Many Networks Are At Risk?
Let‘s break down just how ubiquitous home Wi-Fi networks have become. As of 2022…
- Over 75% of U.S. households now have broadband Wi-Fi internet access
- Globally, over 450 million households now have home Wi-Fi networks
As these numbers continue to grow in the years ahead, there are a lot of networks that likely still use outdated, weak passwords. Yours may be one of them!
Updating to a stronger password protects against threats now, and makes it harder for hackers to crack password in the future.
What Kind of Attacks Should You Be Worried About?
From automated hacking software to malicious insiders, there are countless ways intruders try to penetrate home Wi-Fi networks every year.
Below is a breakdown of the most high volume attack types observed over the past 5 years targeting personal Wi-Fi networks:
| Year | Password Cracking | Denial of Service | Man-in-the-middle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1,506 | 753 | 130 |
| 2018 | 1,811 | 912 | 203 |
| 2019 | 2,038 | 1,321 | 346 |
| 2020 | 2,547 | 1,872 | 510 |
| 2021 | 4,729 | 2,302 | 722 |
As you can see, brute force password cracking attempts have more than tripled from 2017 to past year. With hacking tools becoming more advanced, expect this trend to continue.
Luckily, updating to a stronger Wi-Fi password is one of the simplest and most effective protections against having your network security cracked.
Now let‘s get into how to change that password…
Step 1: Find Your Router IP Address
The first step is accessing your Wi-Fi router admin settings. You can think of this like a control panel for customizing your network options.
To access it, open any web browser and enter your router‘s IP address in the navigation bar:
But how do you find this IP address? Check the sticker on the back or bottom of your router. You‘ll see the default admin logins printed there, including the IP address as shown below:
Enter that full address—it will probably start with "192.168" or "10.10"—into your browser to navigate straight to your router‘s control panel login page.
What If That Doesn‘t Work?
Some internet provider routers don‘t use the IP address for admin access. For those, you‘ll instead type a special URL like "routerlogin.net" into your browser.
Don‘t worry about remembering it though—your provider documentation will include the exact URL if IP address method fails.
Okay, with the right IP address or URL entered you should now be at the login…
Step 2: Enter Your Router Admin Credentials
Once you‘ve entered the correct router IP address into your browser, you‘ll next see a login prompt like this:
You just need two bits of info to continue:
- Admin Username: Usually "admin" or "root" by default
- Admin Password: Located on the router sticker, documentation, or you may have set a custom one
Enter both correctly, and select login to enter your router control panel!
Inside, you‘ll find all settings for customizing your network. Things like:
- Wi-Fi name
- Password
- Connected devices list
- Parental controls
- And more
Step 3: Navigate to the Wireless Settings
Once logged into your router dashboard, next you need to find the section for changing your wireless network settings.
This section may be called:
- Wireless
- Wi-Fi
- Network
- Connections
- And other similar names
When inside, you‘ll see an overview of your current wireless network name (also called an SSID) and password:
Here we can now update both the name and password as covered next…
Step 4: Change the Password
With your current Wi-Fi name and password visible, it‘s time for the main event—changing the password text.
Click into the password field, delete the current password text completely, and enter your newly desired Wi-Fi password:
Choosing a Strong Password
When creating your new password, be sure to make it nice and strong:
- Use 12+ characters – The longer the harder to crack
- Mix upper, lower, numbers, symbols – Provides complexity hackers have trouble with
- Avoid personal info – Stuff like names or addresses can be easy to lookup
- Use a phrase – Multi-word passphrases are both secure and easy to remember
Here‘s an example using the phrase "Red house by the lake":
RedHou$eByTheLake#47That mixes everything that makes up a nicely strong Wi-Fi password.
Can I Change the Wi-Fi Name Too?
Absolutely! Feel free to update the network name (SSID) field in this section as well if you want something new.
Just know you‘ll have to reconnect all devices after changing this, where a password can be updated alone more easily.
Okay, new password set—almost done!
Step 5: Save New Password
With your new password entered, the last step is saving your changes. Scroll down and look for a "Save" or "Apply" button:
Select it, and give your router a minute or two to update the password across your network.
Next, for all your devices like phones, laptops, tablets:
- Disconnect from the Wi-Fi
- Reconnect inputting the new password
- And you‘re back online!
Now anyone else who had your old password will now be blocked from accessing your Wi-Fi network.
And going forward, get in the habit of periodically updating your password every few months. Regular changes make it nearly impossible for hackers to gain access.
Common Problems When Changing Your Password
That covers the standard process that works for most routers. But you may run into a few hiccups like these along the way:
What if I forget my router admin password?
First, try any saved credentials in your internet provider documentation, or the original sticker on your router with default logins.
If still no luck, you‘ll have to reset your router to factory default settings. This wipes all custom passwords and starts the admin login back to scratch.
Why does my Wi-Fi network disappear after changing the password?
Sometimes when updating the password, the network SSID broadcasting gets switched off.
Head back into router settings > wireless, and make sure the box for "Broadcast SSID" remains checked to keep network visibility on for devices after the change.
What if my Wi-Fi signal starts performing poorly after changing the password?
There could now be interference from your network and neighbors overlapping on the same Wi-Fi channel.
Try updating the channel your router transmits on in the wireless settings to resolve. Channels 1, 6, or 11 are common non-overlapping options.
I can‘t connect my devices to the Wi-Fi after changing the password – why?
First double check you are entering the new password. It‘s common to input the old credentials out of habit post-change leading to issues.
Also try manually selecting your Wi-Fi network on devices, instead of relying on auto-join. Enter new password carefully when prompted.
Still having issues? Try rebooting your router modem by unplugging the power cable for 60 seconds. Then plug back in to refresh the network.
FAQs: Your Wi-Fi Security Questions Answered
Here are some other common questions when working with Wi-Fi passwords and router security:
Is the process for changing my password the same across all router models and brands?
Generally yes. All router dashboards function very similarly. The steps outlined here will work to change the password across D-Link, Netgear, Linksys, TP-Link, and other mainstream home routers.
Look for the wireless network settings section, find password field, enter new password, save changes.
What are the exact risks if I keep using the same Wi-Fi password year after year?
Reusing the same credentials for long periods of time leaves you continually vulnerable in a few ways:
-
Outdated passwords are easier for automated hacking tools to crack. Updating to something longer and more complex blocks these brute force attempts.
-
If you shared your Wi-Fi password with anyone in the past (house guests, visitors, past roommates etc), they could continue accessing your network indefinitely with the same password. Changing it blocks their access.
-
If anyone remotely sketchy ever had short term access to your Wi-Fi password, they may have secretly copied it for their own records. So over time, you never know where your password could end up. A quick change cuts off access across the board.
Will changing my password cause any connectivity issues with smart home devices?
It shouldn‘t. Most modern IoT devices will seamlessly reconnect just like any smartphone or computer after a password change. But if anything suddenly can‘t connect properly:
For Wi-Fi smart home devices like security cameras, thermostats, or lighting—try manually deleting the device connection in your router dashboard > connected devices list > re-add the device specifying the new Wi-Fi pwd.
Okay final question – realistically how often should I change my Wi-Fi password for decent security?
I recommend updating your Wi-Fi network password approximately every 3-6 months. This makes it incredibly unlikely that brute force hacking attempts will ever be successful, while not being so frequent that it becomes a hassle updating all your personal devices.
Many popular routers even have "password rotation" features now to handle this automatically!
Locking Down Your Home Wi-Fi Network
Phew, okay – we covered a ton of ground here today!
You now have all the tools needed to successfully change your Wi-Fi password in just minutes.
Remember—keeping your wireless network locked down and secure is more crucial than ever in this era where our devices and private data are intricately connected to the internet 24/7.
Taking two minutes twice a year to cycle your password can save you from a lifetime of compromised data or stolen identities.
Take network security seriously, and don‘t stop at just a password change either. Be sure to:
- Encrypt all internet traffic via a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
- Routinely run antivirus scans on all home devices
- Enable firewall protections to fend off intrusions
Combining proactive measures like these along with a strong Wi-Fi password already puts you well ahead of the game defending your home network.
But if anything comes up along the way—you know where to find me! Let me know any other wireless security questions in the comments below.
