If I Replace My Router Does Everyone Have to Put in the Password Again
Most people don't replace their routers that ofttimes, and there are so many important settings, it'due south easy to overlook a few and forget how your old one was gear up. Here are the first five things you demand to do correct afterward powering up your new router.
RELATED: Clone Your Current Router for a Headache-Complimentary Router Upgrade
A few minutes of tweaking and configuration right after unboxing your new router tin save y'all headaches down the road. A Wi-Fi router, left improperly configured and with poor security, tin can leave your network unstable and vulnerable to malicious users. This guide should help you establish a solid baseline level of security.
Although nosotros've included screenshots showing different settings in different router interfaces, every router is different—please refer to the documentation for your specific router to locate all the settings we refer to throughout this tutorial.
Update the Firmware
Your router'south firmware is a set of operating instructions and tools stored on its memory fleck that controls everything from the Wi-Fi radios to the firewall.
Although firmware updates are generally infrequent, and router firmware is designed to be stable, there are two reasons to check for updates immediately after getting a new router. Commencement, you lot don't know how long your router was sitting on the shelf, and a new update may have been (and well-nigh likely was) released.
Second, although non every bit common every bit problems on consumer operating systems like Windows, there are exploits and vulnerabilities that crop upwards in router firmware, so it's always good to have the latest (and most secure) firmware available. Information technology also means you have admission to the virtually up-to-date features of the router.
Change the Default Login Password
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Just nigh every router ships with a default username and countersign y'all use to manage the router. These defaults aren't even well kept secrets—a simple Google search will tell you the username and password for just about any router out there. Yous can download entire lists of known pairs, and there'southward fifty-fifty the accordingly named web site RouterPasswords where you can look upwards just about any make, model, and default login. Unremarkably they're something ridiculously simple, like "admin/admin".
And so, if you don't want it to be stupid easy for passers-by to break into your network, you should modify your administrator password…before someone changes it for you lot.
Change the Wi-Fi Network Proper name (SSID)
Your Wi-Fi's network proper name, or SSID, tin can reveal a lot about the router. For example, it might be called "Linksys", which lets outsiders know the manufacturer of your router—making it easier for them to fetch the default login, or check for vulnerabilities on that model.
Change the SSID to something different from the default, but without whatsoever identifying information in it. This ways no SSIDs like "Apartment5a" or "321LincolnSt". Something like shooting fish in a barrel to retrieve just unspecific to you is ideal—similar "Cookie Monster" or "Spaceman". Any combination of words volition do,. really.
Set a Secure Wi-Fi Password with Quality Encryption
For years, router manufacturers shipped routers with poorly configured Wi-Fi and/or default passwords enabled. Now, they're finally starting to ship routers with the highest level of Wi-Fi encryption enabled and a randomized password set (so even if new users don't know what they're doing or neglect to look upwardly a list similar this one, they're still protected).
RELATED: The Departure Between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 Wi-Fi Passwords
Not every manufacturer has individualized setups for each router they ship, however, which means it's your responsibleness to make sure your router has properly configured Wi-Fi with a secure password and the best encryption.
When you go to change your Wi-Fi network's countersign, you lot'll typically have options available like WEP, WPA, and WPA2. Select WPA2 (or, to time to come proof this communication, whatsoever ameliorate encryption comes along). Nosotros recommend using WPA2. You can read about Wi-Fi encryption and why it matters hither, but the brusque of it is that anything below WPA2 is easier to crack. WEP is and then picayune to crack a kid with the right (and widely bachelor) tool could exercise information technology.
RELATED: Warning: "Guest Mode" on Many Wi-Fi Routers Isn't Secure
Equally far every bit passwords are concerned, when yous're using stiff encryption similar WPA2 that supports up to 63 characters, information technology's far better to use a passphrase than a password. Forget simple passwords similar thedog20, blackcat, or any of the piffling passwords that Wi-Fi standards used to restrict us to. Passphrases are easier to remember and are harder to crack. Instead of "thedog20", use "My Dog Is Twenty Years Old".
While we're on the topic of securing your Wi-Fi: if you have a newer router, chances are you take a guest network. If you cull to enable information technology, the aforementioned rules apply for selecting good encryption and a strong password. Nosotros also recommend you bank check out our dedicated article near securing invitee networks and how they may not be as secure as yous think.
Disable Remote Access
If you need remote admission for some reason, it'southward a pretty handy feature. For 99.9% of home users, still, there's very little reason they would need to remotely administrate their router from distant, and leaving remote access on just opens upward a point of vulnerability that hackers tin accept advantage of. Since the router not merely functions as the network management encephalon of your abode network just also the firewall, in one case a malicious user has gained remote control, they tin can open the firewall and gain complete access to your home network.
Once again, like amend Wi-Fi security, manufacturers are finally taking default security seriously, then you might exist pleasantly surprised to find that the remote access/management features are disabled. Yet, trust only verify. Look in the advanced settings of your router and confirm that any remote admission tools are turned off.
Disable WPS and UPnP
Finally—compared to the previous examples of security measures you should accept—we accept a more arcane i: disabling Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) and (Universal Plug and Play) UPnP. While both services are intended to make our lives easier, they both have various security flaws and exploits. WPS allows you to press a push button on your router or use a Pin to pair your new devices to your router (instead of manually searching for the Wi-Fi network name and entering the password) simply there are flaws in WPS that aren't worth the convenience. If your router supports disabling WPS, information technology should exist easily found in your router'due south menus. You can read more about the process here.
RELATED: Wi-FI Protected Setup (WPS) is Insecure: Hither's Why You Should Disable It
In improver to disabling WPS, you should also disable UPnP. The UPnP system is, in fairness, way more useful than the WPS organization—it automates the process of opening ports in your firewall for applications like Skype and Plex media server—only like WPS it has security flaws that can allow malicious parties admission to your router. You should bank check through settings on your router to disable it and and then castor up on how to manually forward ports on your router so, should you run across any bug like your Plex server'southward remote admission isn't working correct with UPnP turned off, you can fix it right abroad.
By simply updating your firmware, changing default logins for the router and Wi-Fi admission, and locking down remote access, your 10 minutes of effort ensure that your router is now radically more secure than when it came out of the box.
If you'd like to further improve the security on your router every bit well as acquire a bit more well-nigh how your abode network functions, check out the following related articles:
- Secure Your Wireless Router: viii Things Y'all Can Exercise Right Now
- How to Check Your Router for Malware
- How to Troubleshoot Your Wireless Router Bug
- HTG Explains: Understanding Routers, Switches, and Network Hardware
- How Use Quality of Service (QoS) to Go Faster Net When You Actually Need It
Have a networking or Wi-Fi related question? Shoot us an email at ask@howtogeek.com and we'll do our best to help.
Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/180987/5-things-you-need-to-do-immediately-after-plugging-in-your-new-router/
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