How to Get the Password for Your Routerby Jedadiah Casey
Routers designed to share a high-speed Internet connection, such as cable or DSL, among multiple computers in a home or small office networking environment can have two different passwords set if the router has wireless capabilities. One password is the default administrative password, and the other is the password, or WEP key, for the wireless network. You can get the wireless password for the router by logging into the administrative interface.
Open a Web browser, then type the router's IP address into the address bar. For example, for a Netgear router, type "192.168.1.1" without quotes, then press "Enter." Refer to the router owner's manual for the default address.
Log in with the router's administrative username and password. Common combinations are "admin" and "password," and a blank username and "admin" for the password. Refer to the router owner's manual for details.
Click the "Wireless" or "Wireless Settings" link.
Click the "Security" or "Wireless Security" link to view the wireless password.
- If the administrative password has been changed from the default, the router must be reset to the factory defaults by pressing and holding the reset button on the back of the router for 30 seconds.
- If you do not currently have wireless access to the router, temporarily connect a computer to the router with an Ethernet cable before proceeding.