How to Change Your WiFi Router Password (2026)

You want to change your Wi-Fi password, maybe because you shared it too widely, you suspect a neighbor is freeloading, or you are simply rotating it for safety. The good news: every modern router lets you do this in a few minutes once you know where to look.

The single thing that trips most people up is this: your Wi-Fi password (the network key devices use to join) is NOT the same as your router's admin password (the one that unlocks the settings page). Changing the Wi-Fi key forces every device to reconnect with the new password; changing the admin login does not affect how devices connect at all. This guide covers both, plus the exact menu paths for the most common routers and ISP gateways.

One thing to expect up front: the moment you save a new Wi-Fi password, every connected device drops off until you re-enter the new key on each one. If you are making the change from a phone or laptop over Wi-Fi, that device will disconnect too and you will reconnect with the new password. Pick the section that matches your router and follow it.

Confirm What You Need Before You Start

Two prerequisites apply to almost every method. First, you must be connected to the router's own network (by Wi-Fi or Ethernet), or signed in to the ISP/vendor app that manages it. Second, for web-interface methods you need the router's admin login. Defaults are usually printed on a label on the router; NETGEAR and Verizon often default to the username admin.

Note whether your network uses one shared password across all bands or separate names for 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz. Some routers let each band carry its own name and password; Verizon Fios shares one password across both bands. App-based methods (eero, Google, Xfinity) also need their matching cloud account: an eero account, Google account, Xfinity ID, My Verizon login, and so on.

If you plan to use the web interface, you first need the router's IP address (the default gateway). The two most common are 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.0.1.

1.On Windows, click Start and search "CMD" (or press Windows Key + R, type "CMD", and click OK) to open Command Prompt.
2.Type ipconfig and press Enter; find the address next to "Default Gateway".
3.On Mac, click the Apple icon > System Settings > Wi-Fi (or Network), select your connection, then click "Details..."; the address appears next to "Router".
4.On Mac, alternatively open Terminal (Spotlight > "Terminal") and run netstat -nr | grep default; the gateway is listed next to "default".
5.Open any browser, type the gateway IP into the browser's address bar (not the search bar) and press Enter; a username/password login prompt appears.

If you type the IP into a search box instead of the address bar, the login page will not open. Many vendors also offer a friendly hostname so you can skip the IP entirely, covered below.

Change the Wi-Fi Password on a NETGEAR Router

You can use the web interface from any computer on the network.

1.Open a browser and go to www.routerlogin.net.
2.Log in with username admin and your admin password (both case-sensitive).
3.Select Wireless. On Nighthawk Pro Gaming routers, select Settings > Wireless Setup instead.
4.To rename the network, edit the Name (SSID) field.
5.Enter the new password in the Password (Network Key) fields.
6.Click or tap Apply to save, then reconnect your devices with the new key.

Prefer your phone? Open the NETGEAR Nighthawk app while connected to the router's Wi-Fi and log in. Tap WiFi Settings, tap the network you want to modify, type the new name and the new password in the Network Key (Password) field, then tap SAVE.

Change the Wi-Fi Password on a TP-Link Router

TP-Link's exact menu path varies by model, so this covers the common variants.

1.Connect by Wi-Fi or Ethernet, open a browser, and go to tplinkwifi.net or 192.168.0.1; log in to the management page.
2.Open the wireless settings. Depending on model this is Advanced > Wireless > Wireless Settings, Wireless > Wireless Settings, or Basic > Wireless.
3.Edit the Network Name (SSID) and the Password (case-sensitive).
4.For Security, choose WPA2-PSK[AES] or WPA3-Personal+WPA2-PSK[AES].
5.Optionally toggle individual 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz / 6 GHz bands or "Hide SSID".
6.Click SAVE. If you are on Wi-Fi, you will be disconnected and must reconnect.

With the TP-Link Tether app, connect your phone to the router's Wi-Fi, open Tether, and log in with the device (admin) password. Tap More > Wi-Fi Settings (path can vary by model), select the network, change the name and password, then tap Save or Done. The default SSID and Wi-Fi password are printed on the label on the bottom of the router.

Change the Wi-Fi Password on an ASUS Router

ASUS lets each band keep its own name and password, so confirm which band you are editing.

1.Connect to the router and go to http://www.asusrouter.com; log in with the router username and password.
2.On firmware 3.0.0.6.102_35404 or later, go to [Network] > [Main network profile] and edit the Network Name (SSID) and wireless security/password.
3.On earlier firmware, go to [Wireless] > [General], select the band (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz / 5 GHz-2 / 6 GHz), and edit the Network Name (SSID) and WPA-PSK Key.
4.Click [Apply] to save.

The password must be 8 to 63 characters (letters/numbers/mixed) or 64 hexadecimal characters; if you leave it blank, ASUS auto-assigns "00000000". Using the ASUS Router app, log in and tap [Settings] > [Network] > [Main network profile] (newer firmware) or [Settings] > [WiFi] > [Wireless Settings] > [Network Settings] (earlier firmware), edit the name and password, then tap [Apply].

Change the Wi-Fi Password on Google Nest Wifi or Google Wifi

Google's mesh systems are managed entirely from the app.

1.Open the Google Home app.
2.Tap Home > Wifi > Network settings, then tap to reveal and edit your existing password.
3.Enter a new password.
4.Tap Save.

Google passwords must be 8 to 63 alphanumeric characters with no spaces, including no accidental leading or trailing space. All devices stay disconnected until you update each one; after 7 days, the app sends a network-insight notice for any device that still cannot connect.

Change the Wi-Fi Password on Verizon Fios

For a Fios Quantum Gateway or Fios Advanced Router, use the My Verizon website.

1.Go to My Verizon (secure.verizon.com/signin), sign in, and select Home.
2.Hover over Services, then select Internet.
3.Under My Network, select a network to Manage.
4.Enter your new name and/or password and click Save Changes. If Wi-Fi is off, first choose Enable Wi-Fi Access in the popup.

On Fios dual-band, the password is always the same for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks, so reconnect every device afterward. If you use a non-Verizon router, browse to 192.168.1.1, sign in (username admin, password on the router label), and change the Wi-Fi settings there.

Change the Wi-Fi Password on an eero Network

1.Open the eero app.
2.Tap Settings in the bottom-right corner.
3.Tap Wifi name & password.
4.Edit the password (and/or name) and save the change.

Changing the password requires you to manually reconnect each wireless device with the new key. The eero app is available on the Apple App Store, Google Play, and the Amazon Appstore.

This is the password that unlocks the settings page, not the one your devices use to connect. On NETGEAR, log in at www.routerlogin.net, then go to ADVANCED > Administration > Set Password (Nighthawk Pro Gaming: Settings > Administration > Set Password). Enter the old password, the new password twice, optionally check Enable Password Recovery, and click Apply. If you disable password recovery and later forget the password, only a factory reset will recover it.

On TP-Link, log in at tplinkwifi.net or 192.168.0.1 and go to Advanced > System > Administration; enter the current password, set the new one, and click Save. DSL modem routers use Advanced > System Tools > Administration at tplinkmodem.net or 192.168.1.1. In the Tether app, tap More > System > Manage Password (or Tools > System > Login Account), enter the current and new password, and tap Save or Done.

Watch Out for These Common Gotchas

Selecting WPA3 or WPA3/WPA2 mixed for stronger security can lock out older devices that only support WPA2, so switch back if a device cannot connect.
If an old router keeps broadcasting after you reuse the same credentials, devices split between the two networks and behave oddly; disable the old router or put it in bridge mode.
Forgetting the admin/login password generally forces a factory reset, which wipes all custom settings and reverts the Wi-Fi name and password to the label defaults.
ISP-managed gateways (Xfinity, Verizon) are often managed through the ISP's app or website rather than a local router page, and the ISP account login is yet another separate credential.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Wi-Fi password and the admin password?
The Wi-Fi password (network key or passphrase) is what devices use to join the network. The admin password unlocks the router's settings page. These are separate; changing one does not change the other.

Why did all my devices disconnect after I changed the password?
That is expected. Changing the Wi-Fi password forces every device to re-authenticate with the new key, so each one drops off until you re-enter the new password. If you made the change from a phone or laptop over Wi-Fi, that device disconnects too.

What IP address do I type to reach my router?
Type your default gateway into the browser's address bar. The two most common are 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.0.1. Find yours with "ipconfig" on Windows or the Network details on Mac. Many vendors also offer a hostname, such as routerlogin.net for NETGEAR, tplinkwifi.net for TP-Link, or asusrouter.com for ASUS.

I forgot my router's admin password. What now?
A forgotten admin password generally requires a factory reset, which wipes all custom settings and reverts the Wi-Fi name and password to the defaults on the router's label. On NETGEAR, disabling "Password Recovery" makes a forgotten admin password unrecoverable except by factory reset.

Are there rules for what my new password can contain?
It depends on the router. Google Nest Wifi and Google Wifi require 8 to 63 alphanumeric characters with no spaces (including no accidental leading or trailing space). ASUS requires 8 to 63 characters or 64 hexadecimal characters, and auto-assigns "00000000" if you leave it blank.

Does each band need its own password?
It varies by model. Some routers, such as ASUS, let each band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz) carry its own name and password, while others, such as Verizon Fios dual-band, force one shared password across bands. Check which type you have before assuming.