Wi-Fi at Home: How to Set a Password and Secure Your Router

A router is a box through which the entire home connects to the internet. If it has a factory password, an outsider can change its settings or eavesdrop on what you send. Most fixes take about fifteen minutes.

Where to Find Router Settings

There is usually a sticker on the router's casing. According to CISA, the U.S. Cybersecurity Agency, you will find the IP address for logging in, the network name (SSID), the factory Wi-Fi password, and the administrator account name on it. This address is typically entered in a browser on a device connected to the home network, and then you log in using the information from the sticker. Each router looks different, so look for exact menu names in the manufacturer's manual. If you received the router from your internet provider, ask them how to change the settings and whether they install updates themselves.

Step by Step

1. Change the router's administrator password. Factory logins, such as "admin" and "admin," can be found online. CERT Polska warns that criminals use programs that automatically check such passwords. The new password should be long and not used anywhere else.
2. Change the Wi-Fi password. CISA suggests a phrase with 5–7 unrelated words, totaling at least 16 characters. Do not use it for other accounts. Changing the Wi-Fi password does not change the administrator password and vice versa.
3. Change the network name (SSID). The factory name may reveal the router model. Do not include your name or address in the name.
4. Check the encryption. Choose WPA3 Personal, and if it is not available, WPA2 Personal with AES. WEP, WPA, and WPA2 with TKIP are outdated. If the router does not have WPA2 or WPA3, ask your provider for a new one or purchase a new one.
5. Update the router's firmware. Updates patch known vulnerabilities. If the router has automatic updates, enable them.
6. Disable remote management, WPS, and UPnP. These features make life easier but also facilitate intrusions. UPnP may be needed when connecting certain devices, so enable it temporarily and then disable it.
7. Enable the guest network. Give it a separate, long password. Connect guests to it, as well as your TV, speaker, or other "smart" devices that only need internet access.
8. Check if the router's firewall is enabled, and finally, log out of the panel. Place the router where outsiders cannot access it.

It is best to save passwords in a password manager. We discuss how to use it in the guide how to secure accounts: 2FA and password manager.

If This Didn't Help

• You don't remember the administrator password. The router can be reset to factory settings (how to do this is in the manual). This will restore the passwords from the sticker, and you must change them to your own immediately.
• You cannot log in to the provider's router. Call your internet provider. Some settings can only be changed by them.
• You do not see WPA3. An older router may not have it. WPA2 with AES is still considered secure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I leave the sticker password since it is unique?

It is better not to. CERT Polska points out that anyone with access to the router can read such a password, and it may have been known to people during production and printing of labels.

Why have a guest network if I trust my family?

It's about the guests' devices, not the people. According to CISA, devices on the guest network do not see other home devices and do not have access to the router's settings.

Sources

Status as of October 24, 2026. Menu names may vary depending on the router model and internet provider. This guide is for informational purposes. If in doubt, contact the router manufacturer or your internet provider.