Your home Wi-Fi password unlocks your gateway to the web. And since nearly everything we own is internet-ready these days, you’ve probably memorized your password after connecting dozens of devices. Your router comes with a default Wi-Fi network name (called a Service Set Identifier, or SSID) and password, often printed somewhere on the router itself or in the included manual. For security reasons, however, it’s a good idea to change the password regularly.

The biggest benefit is that it disables devices and users (hello neighbors!) that are connected to your wifi that shouldn’t be. Sure, it’s a bit of a pain to reconnect everything, but it’s also a chance to reevaluate your network setup. If there are older devices that don’t need to be online anymore, it frees up bandwidth for the others.

Changing your Wi-Fi password isn’t difficult, but the process will vary depending on the make and model of your router. While we can’t provide step-by-step instructions for every router out there, we can hopefully point you in the right direction. Note that in order to log into your router settings, either in an app or a web browser, you’ll often also need the router administrator username and password. This is different from your Wi-Fi password and, again, should be printed on your router or come with its documentation, though you may have changed it during setup.

If you're not sure what the login information for your router is, a quick internet search for the default settings for your router's make and model should help you find the information you need.