Change Your Router Defaults!

Just a reminder that EVERYONE should change the name of their home network from the random string of numbers the local ISPs set up by default.   There are many reasons to do so, the first and foremost being to increase security.  ANYONE can Google the default log-ins and access YOUR precious network.  But more importantly, it makes ones life A LOT easier when one has to change out equipment.  How many devices have those credentials stored?  4? 8? 12+?

 I recently had to change out my equipment.  Believe me, it is always a thousand times easier to reset up a network when I can change the settings to match those I've previously set. In this case, all my devices pretty much cooperated and reconnected to my network without a lot of reconfiguring settings.

Don't know how to change your defaults?  These are instructions for windows users:

• To find your router's IP address, go to network & sharing center, then click on the name of your network to pop up the status box. From there, click on details. In the box that follows, you'll see something that says "default gateway". (You can also google for the default IP for your brand.model of router.) Mine is 192.168.1.1 .
• Enter http://(ip number) in a browser window. You should get a log in page. "Admin" and "password" are usually the default log-ins. (You should change that password to help secure your router from break-ins.)
• Once inside the router, you're looking for something that says "wireless", then for "SSID". Changing the SSID changes the name of your network. On that same page, you should see the field for "password." You can likewise change that here. Be aware that once you click on "apply," you'll be disconnected, and you'll need to log in (on all of your devices) with the new SSID and password.

Parents: if you want to make "today's wifi password" dependent on chores, etc., well that is how you go in and change it.

If you hardwire (ethernet) into the router, you do not need a wifi password. So if you screw up your wifi network, you can hardwire in to change things to how you need them to be.

It's much easier to connect, in general, to an easy-to-recognize named network. If you're tired of being BHN324642a12GH, it is easy to change that to something more memorable.  If you haven't done so, change your defaults today.