How to sign in to your router

First, what is a router?

The router is the box from your internet company that makes your Wi-Fi. It has its own settings page, like a control panel. That is where you can turn off the things our check warns about.

Before you start

Use a computer or phone that is connected to your own home Wi-Fi, or plugged into the router with a cable. The settings page only opens from inside your home.

Step 1: find the sticker

Turn the router over or look at the back. There is usually a sticker. It often shows a web address to type (such as 192.168.1.1 or routerlogin.net), and a user name and password. Some stickers only show your Wi-Fi name and Wi-Fi password. That is a different password.

Step 2: open the settings page

1. Open your web browser (Edge, Chrome, Safari or Firefox).
2. Click the long bar at the very top. This is the address bar. It is not the search box in the middle of the page.
3. Type the address from the sticker and press Enter.

Some routers show a "not private" warning page, because their settings page is not set up like a public website. If you typed the address from your own router's sticker, that is common. If you are unsure, stop and ask someone you trust.

Step 3: sign in

Type the user name and password. Newer routers ask you to create your own admin password when they are first set up, so the password may not be on the sticker. Older routers often use admin for both. Do not keep guessing: some routers lock you out for a while after several wrong tries.

If you do not know the address

Your computer or phone knows it. It is called the router address or default gateway.

• Windows: click Start, type cmd and press Enter. A black window opens. Type ipconfig and press Enter. Find the line Default Gateway. The numbers next to it are the address.
• Mac: open System Settings, click Network, choose your Wi-Fi, and look for the line called Router in its details.
• iPhone: open Settings, tap Wi-Fi, tap the small i next to your network, and look for Router.

Usual addresses

These are the common ones. The sticker on your own router always wins.

If you forgot the password

Call your internet company first. Some makers also let you recover access through an account you made when you set it up. A reset is the last resort. It erases the router's settings, so your Wi-Fi name and password go back to the ones on the sticker, and every device must be connected again. Ask for help before you do it.

A safety rule

Never give your router's password to someone who phones you, even if they say they are from your internet company. Real support does not need it to call you.