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How to Access My Router? | Don’t Fret: We Have an Easy to Follow Guide

Your wireless internet router stores the settings for your home or office Wi-Fi network. In order to change something on your Wi-Fi network, you must access the router by logging into your router's software, also called router's firmware.

Once you are logged in, you can then customize and change settings to your wireless network account. You can change settings such as renaming your network, modifying the network password, adjusting the security level, creating a guest WI-FI network account, or modifying other network settings on your WIFI router. In addition, if you are frequently on the move, and need a portable solution, check out our review of the best travel router.

The first step is to access your router by logging in with the appropriate credentials of a username and password. You can also find out what is the best modem router combo for your home or office setting. And in case you need better connection and range while playing your Xbox or PS4, there are numerous WiFi extenders for gaming.

How do I find my username and password for my router?

Make sure you have the router's correct login information for its username and password in order to access the router s settings.

To locate your router's username and password, you can first look in the user manual provided with the wi-fi router. If for some reason, the user manual has been lost or you cannot find it, then you can search for it doing a simple "Google" internet search. Just search for your router's model number and the word "manual" after it. You can also search for your wi fi router's model and the word "default password" after it as a search query.

Once you have successfully found the default user name and password to the Wi-Fi router, you can open a web browser like Internet Explorer or Chrome and input those credentials into the router login page to gain access to your Wi FI router s settings.

If the default username and password to access the Wi-Fi router s settings is not working, you may need to reset the router to its factory defaults. Keep in mind that You can do this by pressing the "reset" button on the back of the router to reset the wi fi router unit to its default settings.

Next, open up another web browser and input the username and password again to login.

How do I log in to my router?

In order to log in to your router, you will need two crucial pieces of information, regardless of the model and mark of the WIFI router you are trying to access whether it is Netgear, Google, Asus, Linksys, or any other router brands.

  • router login - Make sure you remember and save the password you need to access the router. If you did not change the default password of the router, then you can easily find the default password in the router's user manual or on the internet by searching for a directory listings of all makes and models of routers with their corresponding ID's and default passwords.
  • router IP address - Copy and paste in your IP address into your web browser in order to access your router. Depending on your operating system, you can find your IP address by following these instructions: 
  • macOS - Go to "System Preferences" > "Network" > "Advanced" > "TCP/IP". Once selected, you will be able to see your router's IP address.
  • Windows - Start a command prompt and enter the phrase "ipconfig". The "Default Gateway" will indicate the IP address of your router.

NoteMost modern routers, such as TP-Link Tether, Xfinity app, or D-Link Wi-Fi, have mobile applications for accessing their settings. Typically, these applications supply the router's default address and router's admin password.

Next, you can open a web browser and paste in the IP address that you have copied previously. Make sure you are connected to your router's network. Enter the IP address (usually it is "http://192.168.1.1" ) into the address bar. Once the login page shows up, you can enter your credentials and click "Enter".

If you have not changed your default username and password, it might be a good idea to create and customize your own username and password when using the router.

best travel router

How do I find my router’s IP address?

Finding your router's default IP address is as simple as going to your Wi-Fi settings. For MacOS, first, select your network connection (Wi-Fi or wired connection) on the drop down menu. for the wireless network connection settings. Then click on the "Advanced" button on the screen.

Next, in the "Network" window, click on the "TCP/IP" tab. There you will see your router's IP address listed to the right of the subject titled "Router".

For Windows users, you can find your router's IP address by using the Command Prompt app or the Control Panel. For Command Prompt, just type in "ipconfig" and hit the "Enter" key to bring up your default gateway or IP address of your PC.

For Control Panel, you can go to "Network and internet" > "View network status and tasks" > "Ethernet" > "Details". Your Wi-Fi router's IP address will be the number next to the subject titled "IPv4 Default Gateway".

How do I see all devices connected to my router?

On your computer, you can see which gadgets that are connected to your router by checking your router's web interface. Remember that your router hosts your WiFi network, so you can know which mobile devices and other gadgets are connected to the router by logging in to your router with the appropriate network name, admin user name and admin password.

Once you have your IP address copied to your clipboard, you can enter the IP address into your web browser's address bar and press "Enter". You should now see your wireless router's interface with a login page. If you are having trouble when you try to connect to the login page, you may have to double-check that your admin username and admin password have been entered correctly.

Otherwise, check that the settings on your router are enabled correctly. If the problem persists, you may need to do a "hard" reboot by going to the back of your wireless router and holding down the "Reset" switch for about 10 seconds, which will reset the device back to factory settings.

Inside the router's web interface on your web browser, look for a link or button with something named along the lines of "attached devices" or "connected devices". Sometimes, it may have a more technical term such as "DHCP clients". DHCP stands for "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol" which will display the wireless clients connected to the AP (Access Point).

On many D-Link routers, the list of devices that connect to it is under the menu option "Status" > "Wireless". For many Netgear routers, you may see the list of connected devices under "Attached Devices" in the sidebar. For both D-Link and NetGear, check appropriate documentation or user manuals online that may have more up-to-date information of where to get the settings options for different routers.

Many routers also log in different information on devices that connect to the network such as admin name, network name, connected time, MAC address, mode, IP address, and device name.

Is it better to get a modem router combo or separate?

If you are using a modem-router combo, it may be more convenient as a one-unit device to access the WiFi. However, sometimes when you use a combo unit, the WiFi is not as good as dedicated units. Using a separate dedicated unit may provide more flexibility if you want to use your home network or upgrade to faster speed or more features without having to replace the combination unit.

Another factor to consider with modem-router combo or separate use is dependency on the cable provider. We reviewed the best internet providers for you, as well. Settings can be changed on the router, but often times cable providers may require you to buy a completely new modem, router , or modem-router combo each time you change service providers. This can be hassle if you use your router for accessing the internet.

How can I add parental controls on my router?

Some parents wish to protect their children from viewing and browsing certain internet sites at home. You should visit the router manufacturer's main website and review the official user manual or user guide to see what you need to know to configure or change certain settings on the router. Make sure you know the model number or version number of your WiFi router to get the most relevant information from the manufacturer's website.

First, we need to find the IP address of the wireless router. Following the instructions from above, open a web browser window and type in or paste in the IP address to go to the main home page. Type in your username and password to log in to your router's settings.

Usually all routers will have different security features to protect young children. You can click on an option that may be named something along the lines of "Family Wi-Fi" or "Family Security" to access and change the security access controls of the router.

Once you get to the right login page of your router, you can begin to view and change different settings. You might consider limiting the total internet time use, restricting specific websites, or scheduling certain days or times for your children or other users to use the computer.

Many WiFi routers might have additional "Parental Controls" settings that make accessing the world wide web on the computer for your children safer and more fun. It might also be a good idea to create a password to access parental settings. If your spouse has changed the WI-FI password and you forget the password, you can request to change the password to regain access to the parental settings.

Conclusion

Be sure to follow us at VSSMonitoring.com for more up-to-date reviews and tips on the latest products and services in technology, software, hardware, and web security. From finding the best WiFi routers to using the best web security tools, VSSMonitoring is dedicated to help protect and enrich your digital life.

FAQs

1. What is a 192.168 IP address?

192.168.0.1 is one of 17.9 million private IP addresses and is used as the default router IP address for a number of routers, including some models from Cisco, D-Link, LevelOne, and Linksys.

2. How do I hard reset my router?

Here is a simple guide on how to Reset a Router.

- Maintain a wireless connection to your router.
- Locate the reset switch on your router. This will be located on the router's back or bottom.
- For 30 seconds, use a paperclip to hold down the reset button.
- Depress and release the button.
- Restart the router.

3. How do I know if my IP is public or private?

Each IP-enabled device or local network has a private address that uniquely identifies it. Each address must be network-specific. If an IP address falls within one of the  correct IP address ranges reserved for private networks, such as a Local Area Network, it is considered private (LAN)

4. Is resetting your router bad?

Resetting a home router restores it to its original state and may help resolve some wireless networking issues. The reset function is typically located in the same area of the router's web interface as the backup/restore function.

5. Do routers need to be reset?

Although there is no definitive answer to this question, experts recommend that you reset your router every couple of months, even if you do not experience any internet downtime. Rebooting your computer can resolve issues with internet connectivity and slow connections, and is one of the primary troubleshooting options available to you at home.

About Dusan Stanar

I'm the founder of VSS Monitoring. I have been both writing and working in technology in a number of roles for dozens of years and wanted to bring my experience online to make it publicly available. Visit https://www.vssmonitoring.com/about-us/ to read more about myself and the rest of the team.

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