How To Change Your Network Name And Password

The network security key is amend known as the Wifi or Wireless network countersign. This is the countersign that you lot employ to connect to a wireless network. Each access point or router comes with a preset network security key that you lot can modify on the settings folio of the device.

The network security key is important because it protects your network from intruders. Without the key, you tin't connect to the wireless network. So keeping your network security strong is important.

At present it's pretty mutual to forget the security key of your wireless network. Almost default keys are non piece of cake to think and you only enter them in one case or twice a year.

In this commodity, I will explain where yous can find your network security key on your router, access point, or computer (if yous already accept a connectedness) and how y'all tin can alter it.

Finding your Network Security Key
Modify your Network Security Central
Network Security Primal Mismatch error

Unlike types of Network Security Keys

So let'south start start with some background info on the different types of security keys that can exist used to protect your wireless network.

WEP – Wired Equivalent Privacy

The WEP security cardinal is one of the older types of keys that are used for wireless networks. It uses a 40-bit central for encrypting the data between your router and computer.

WEP keys aren't and shouldn't exist used anymore. The encryption tin can be cracked inside a minutes, exposing your network to the hacker. Well-nigh modern admission points and routers don't support WEP anymore.

WPA – WiFi Protected Access

These days we use mainly WPA2, and soon WPA3, to protect our wireless network. Network Security Keys encrypted with WPA2 are more secure and harder to crevice. The WPA protocol uses a temporary key (TKIP) that changes with every bundle.

E'er use WPA2 to protect your domicile network. Starting from 2018, you might see the first devices that back up WPA3, but it may take a couple of years before it's fully supported.

Finding your Network Security Central

There are different scenarios when you are looking for the key for the wireless network. You just bought a new router or access indicate or you want to requite another device (mobile telephone or estimator) access to an existing wireless network but you don't think your key anymore.

If you take a device that is already continued to the wireless network then you can find the key in the network settings. Each device that is connected to wireless network stores the key so it can reconnect automatically when the network comes into range.

Finding the Network Security Central on a Router

If yous have a new router or admission betoken and so the default wireless network key tin well-nigh of the time be found on a label on the bottom or dorsum of the device. Unfortunately, each manufacturer is using a different label for information technology, simply wait for a fundamental that is labeled with 1 of the following (similar) phases:

Password (cardinal)
Wireless countersign
WPA key

You lot will notice it close to the (Wireless) Network Name. Use this key phrase to connect to your wireless network. Now it's important to modify the default primal, so brand sure you continue reading this commodity.

If yous take ever changed the central of your wireless network and y'all don't accept a device that is connected to the network, then your simply option is to look the countersign up in the router or access bespeak self. Follow these steps to recover the key.

Finding the Network Security Primal on Windows 10

If yous have a Windows 10 device that is already connected to the wireless network, then you can relatively easily observe the network security key in Windows 10 self.

Just follow these steps:

Right-click on the Start Carte (a context bill of fare will appear)
Click on Network Connections
Ringlet downward and click on Network and Sharing Middle
Click on your Wireless network (starting with Wi-Fi)
Click on the Wireless Properties button
Go to the Security Tab. You volition see that your password is masked
Select the "Bear witness characters" checkbox, your network security central volition exist revealed.

Finding the wifi password on a Mac

Also on a Mac, you can notice the fundamental pretty easily.

Click on the search icon (magnifying glass)
Search for Keychain Access
In the Keychain Access screen search in the top right corner for your Wifi network
Double click on your network
Select the Testify Password checkbox
You demand to enter the password of your Mac

Alter your WiFi password

It is important that yous change the default WiFi Password (Network Security Central) when y'all get a new Router or Access Bespeak. Your wireless network is broadcasted to anybody that is in range of your device, and then a strong password is important.

Now every router or admission point is different. But I volition provide you with some of the first steps to log in to your router and give y'all a full general direction.

Commencement, we need to know the IP Address of the router. 90% of the routers accept the post-obit address: 192.168.i.1 or 192.168.0.1. You can look it up in the transmission or detect information technology on your estimator.

Correct-click on start > select run and type cmd <enter>.

In the black control box type ipconfig and press <enter>. You volition see a couple of lines, we are looking for the line Default Gateway and the accost backside it.

Open your browser and type 192.168.0.i (or the address that you found with ipconfig ) in the address bar and press enter
Y'all will see the login folio of the router. Find the login credentials in the manual (links below)
Find a page with Wireless, Wireless Security or Wireless Settings
Select WPA atleast, but the all-time encryption is WPA2.
Change the passphrase, key or password of the wireless network to something potent (atleast 10 characters, a symbol and number)
Reconnect your devices with the new password.

Router manuals / instructions

Netgear
TP-Link
D-Link
Asus
Linksys

Network Security Primal Mismatch

When you lot try to connect to a wireless network and yous get the error, Network Security Key Mismatch, then the fundamental/password that you are using is wrong.

At that place are a couple of common reasons why y'all might get the error near the mismatch:

Wrong password – The most common reason is that you simply entered the wrong password. Double-check the password, proceed in mind that it's case sensitive. Sometimes it helps to type the countersign fist in Notepad or Word so you can see what you blazon. So copy-paste it in the wireless network password field.
Incompatible device – Some older devices don't support the new WPA2 network passwords. And so you may run into the network, merely your device can't connect to information technology because it doesn't support the same network security key protocol.
Router or access points hangs – Not oft, but sometimes a router or access signal simply hangs. A quick reboot of the router (pull the plug) may solve the outcome.

If goose egg works so you will accept to reset the wireless network. Now you take two options here, yous can create only a new wireless network or reset the whole router/access indicate.

To create a new wireless network, log in to your router or access point and become to the wireless network tab. Remove the old network and create a new one. Make sure y'all choose a strong countersign, I recommend using a password manager to keep your passwords condom.

The other option is to reset the whole router. Make sure y'all look up the default router login credentials and make sure you keep the internet settings at hand. With some routers, you lot tin can create a backup of the configuration, if possible, do that earlier resetting the device.

Conclusion

I hope this article helped to observe your network security fundamental. Always make sure yous use a strong and unique password for your wireless network. If you want to know more nigh setting up your home network, make sure you check this article.

If you have any questions, just leave a comment beneath.