How to add or change wifi passwords

Forgot your wifi password? Or, need to set a password for your network? Leaving your wifi network without a password is like leaving your front door unlocked — you're simply asking for trouble. By accessing your wifi network, others can see the pages you visit, the links you click, personal information you post online, and data that you send between devices. Not to mention, inviting others on to your network can lead to major bandwidth consumption. Ready to lock down your internet? Here's how to add or change wifi passwords.

If you haven't changed the standard password assigned by your internet service provider, you can locate your wifi password in any of the following ways:
 

• Check the device's owner's manual
• Find the password on the bottom or side of the physical router
• If you're a Cox customer, check the Cox Welcome Kit booklet

To change your wifi password, most laptops and computers can follow the steps below:

1.    Connect the device to an ethernet cable.

2.    Open your preferred browser and type your router’s IP address into the address bar. Start by trying the two most popular addresses: 192.168.1.0 or 192.168.1.1. If neither of these work, you can locate your IP address in one of two ways:
 

• Find the IP address on the bottom or side of the physical router.
• Use your phone’s mobile data connection to run a search query online for the model of your modem. The manufacturer’s site should list the correct address.

3.    The IP address should take you to a page hosted by your internet service provider. When prompted for login credentials, enter “admin" for the username and password. Alternatively, the password may be “password" or there may be no password.

4.    From there, steps can vary depending on the device manufacturer. Locate a section titled "wifi" and look for a specific field containing your password. For example, Cox customers can click on “Wireless" and find their password in one of two fields:
 

• For WEP encryption, the current wireless password is located in the Key 1 field.
• For WPA/WPA2 encryption, the current wireless password is located in the Passphrase field.
  

If you are a Cox customer with a Panoramic Wifi-enabled modem, you can also change your password by using the Panoramic Wifi App. Simply click in the edit field for your gateway, enter a new password, and click "Save."
 

Think of your wifi password like the lock on your front door. Passwords with personal information — like the name of your dog or your home address — are like the locks on your bathroom door. It can easily be picked or knocked down with little to no effort. Passwords that have been assigned by the service provider are like your standard door lock. While they may be more difficult to crack, most hackers have a list of commonly assigned passwords from each company. With these tools in hand, they can manage to unlock it. Then, there are strong passwords. These are like the locks on a bank vault — in other words, they're much harder to break. A strong password includes the following characteristics:
 

• A minimum of eight characters
• Both uppercase and lowercase letters
• Numbers
• Special characters (like *, &, $, or #)
  

A strong password does not include the following characteristics:
 

• Two consecutive, identical characters
• Personal information
• Previously used password information

While a strong password may not be easy to remember, it can make it harder for others to hack into your network.