Log Into Your Router to Change Wi-Fi Settings
Access your router's settings page by typing 192.168.1.1 in a browser to change your WiFi name, password, or see connected devices.
5 min read · 6 steps · Checked April 2026
Step 1. Connect to your home WiFi
Make sure your computer, phone, or tablet is connected to your home WiFi network (not using mobile data). You can only access your router's settings from inside the network. If you're on a computer, either WiFi or a wired (Ethernet) connection works.
Step 2. Find your router's address
On most routers, try typing 192.168.1.1 in your web browser's address bar (where you normally type website addresses like google.com). If that doesn't show a login page, try 192.168.0.1 or 10.0.0.1. If none of those work, find the address on Windows by opening Command Prompt and typing "ipconfig" — look for the "Default Gateway" number. On Mac, go to System Settings > Network > WiFi > Details > TCP/IP and look for "Router."
Quick Tip
The address is also often printed on the sticker on the bottom of your router, sometimes labeled "Gateway" or "Default IP Address."
Step 3. Log in with the admin username and password
After entering the address, a login screen appears asking for a username and password. This is the router's admin login — not your WiFi password. Check the sticker on the bottom of your router for the default admin credentials. They're often "admin" for both username and password, or "admin" / "password." Enter them and click Login.
Warning
If the default credentials don't work, someone may have changed them (possibly when the router was set up). Contact your internet provider if the router was provided by them. They can tell you the credentials or help you reset the router.
Step 4. Change your WiFi name (SSID)
Once logged in, look for a menu called "Wireless," "WiFi Settings," or "Wireless Setup." Find the field labeled "SSID," "Network Name," or "WiFi Name" — this is what appears when people search for WiFi networks. Change it to whatever name you prefer, then click Save or Apply. Your WiFi devices will need to reconnect using the new name.
Step 5. Change your WiFi password
On the same Wireless settings page, look for "Password," "Security Key," or "WPA Password." Delete the old password and type your new one. Use at least 12 characters and mix letters, numbers, and symbols for security. Click Save. After saving, all devices currently connected will be disconnected and will need to re-enter the new password.
Quick Tip
Write down your new WiFi password somewhere safe, like on a sticky note kept near the router, before saving. You'll need to reconnect all your devices.
Step 6. View connected devices
Look for a menu called "Connected Devices," "Device List," "Client List," or "DHCP Clients." This shows every device currently connected to your WiFi. Each entry shows a device name and its network address. If you see a device you don't recognize, you may have an unauthorized user on your network — changing your WiFi password will disconnect them.
Quick Tip
Device names aren't always obvious. Your phone might appear as a model number like "iPhone-14-Pro" or your name. Smart TVs and other devices may show as a brand name or a random string of characters.
Your home router has its own settings page — a mini website hosted by the router itself — where you can change your WiFi network name, update your password, and see which devices are connected to your network. Accessing it doesn't require any special software. You type an address into your web browser.
Most home routers use the address 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. These are called IP addresses — they're the router's own local address on your network. Some routers use a different address, like 10.0.0.1 (common for Apple AirPort routers) or 192.168.100.1. If the most common address doesn't work, there's a reliable way to find the right one using your computer's network settings.
To log in, you'll need the router's admin username and password. This is different from your WiFi password. The admin login is used to access the router's configuration, while the WiFi password is what guests and devices use to connect. Many routers have a default admin username of "admin" and a default password of "admin" or "password" — these are printed on a sticker on the bottom or back of the router.
If the defaults were changed and you don't know the admin password, you can usually reset the router to factory settings by holding the reset button (a small pinhole button on the back) for 10–15 seconds — but this also resets your WiFi name and password. So it should be a last resort.
Once logged in, the router's admin page has menus for WiFi settings, parental controls, connected devices, and more. The exact layout varies by brand — Netgear, Linksys, TP-Link, and Eero all look different, but the core options are similar.
Common reasons to access your router: changing your WiFi name (called the SSID) or password, seeing what devices are connected (to check for unauthorized users), setting up a guest network, or adjusting parental controls.
Official sources
- Microsoft Support — support.microsoft.com
- Windows Help — support.microsoft.com
- Microsoft 365 Help — support.microsoft.com
Still stuck?
A real person can walk you through it over the phone.
Get help from a person