How to Change Your Wi-Fi Password

Regularly updating your home Wi-Fi password prevents unauthorized neighbors from piggybacking on your bandwidth and safeguards connected smart home cameras and computers from local network intrusions.

Here is the universal step-by-step guide to changing your Wi-Fi password on any router brand (TP-Link, Netgear, ASUS, Linksys, Xfinity, or Verizon).

Step 1: Find Your Router's Gateway IP Address

You need your router's default gateway address to open its configuration portal:

On Windows:

1. Press Windows Key + R, type cmd, and press Enter.
2. Type ipconfig and press Enter.
3. Look for Default Gateway (commonly 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, or 10.0.0.1).

On iPhone / iPad:

1. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the (i) info icon next to your network.
2. Look for Router.

On Android:

1. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi.
2. Tap the Gear icon next to your network and look for Gateway.

Step 2: Log In to Your Router's Admin Dashboard

1. Open your web browser on a device connected to your Wi-Fi.
2. Type the gateway IP into the URL address bar (e.g., http://192.168.1.1) and press Enter.
3. Enter your Admin Username and Password:

• (If you never changed it, check the printed sticker on the bottom or back of your physical router). Common defaults include admin / admin or admin / password.

Step 3: Update Wireless Security Settings

1. Look for the Wireless, Wi-Fi Settings, or WLAN section in the navigation menu.
2. Locate the Wi-Fi Password / Network Key / Pre-Shared Key (PSK) field.
3. Choose modern WPA3-Personal (or WPA2/WPA3 Mixed Mode) encryption.
4. Type your new strong password (at least 12 characters).
5. Click Apply or Save Settings.
6. Your router will reboot; reconnect all your phones and laptops using the new password.