How to change WiFi network password on router or access point

Whether you are at home or the office, a Wi-Fi connection makes it easy to connect all your devices to the network and the internet, and having a strong password makes sure the connection is secure.

If the wireless connection has a weak password, no password, or default password, the network will become vulnerable to unauthorized access, allowing others to use your internet without your consent. Or it could also allow malicious individuals to access the network to steal your information.

The best way to protect your Wi-Fi network is to change the security key on the access point or router to something easy for you to remember but complicated for anyone else to guess.

In this guide, you will learn the steps to change the Wi-Fi network password on your router and the steps to reconnect a Windows 10 device to the internet.

Change Wi-Fi network password on router

Use the following steps to change the Wi-Fi password on your home router (or access point):

1. Open your preferred web browser.
2. Type the router’s IP address in the search bar and press Enter.
   Quick tip: Usually, the IP is 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, or 192.168.2.1, but it might be different depending on the configuration. You can always find out the router address using the ipconfig command in Command Prompt and confirm the Default Gateway address.
3. Sign in to the router with your username and password.
   Quick note: Check your router manufacturer or service provider support website for specific details to determine the credentials you need to use to login.
4. Under the “Advanced settings” section, click the wireless page. (This page may be called “Wireless,” “Wireless Networks,” “Windows Security,” or something similar.)

    

   

5. In the “Security Key,” “WiFi password,” “WPA Pre-Shared Key,” or “Key” field, enter the Wi-Fi password you want to use for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks.
   

   

   Quick tip: When setting up a security password, you always want to use a complex and hard-to-guess passphrase. So, make sure to make it long and use a mix of numbers, letters, and special characters.
6. (Optional) In the “Network Name (SSID)” or “WiFi Network Name (SSID)” field, you can also change the name of the wireless network.
7. Click the Apply or Save button.

Once you complete the steps, the wireless network will now be accessible with the new password. This means that previously configured devices will need to reconnect with the new password to access the internet.

Change Wi-Fi network password on Windows 10

Use the following steps to reconnect the device to the Wi-Fi network:

1. Open Settings on Windows 10.
2. Click on Network & Internet.
3. Click on Wi-Fi.
4. Under the “Wi-Fi” section, click the Show available networks option.
   

   

   Quick note: You can also click the network icon from the taskbar notification area to view the list of networks.
5. Select the wireless network.
6. Click the Connect button.
7. Enter the new network security key.

    

   

8. Click the Next button.

After you complete the steps, the Windows 10 device will now connect to the network and internet.

Although the dashboard to update your network settings will be different per-manufacturer and even per-device model, the idea is always the same. Sign in to the network device, find the wireless settings, update the security key, and reconnect devices.