How to Log In to a Router Without the Sticker

The sticker with the admin login has worn off, or the router came from a previous tenant or an installer who set it up. Work through the options below from least to most disruptive.

Find the router's address

On Windows, open Command Prompt and run

ipconfig

then read Default Gateway. Mac: System Settings, Wi-Fi, Details next to the network, TCP/IP, read Router. iPhone: Settings, Wi-Fi, tap the i, read Router. Android: tap the network's gear icon, then Advanced or View more, read Gateway. It is usually 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, or 10.0.0.1. Type it into a browser with http:// in front.

Try the common defaults

Most home routers ship with one of these:

• Username admin, password admin
• Username admin, password password
• Username admin, password left blank
• Username admin, password the same as the Wi-Fi password (common on ISP-supplied gateways)

Some brands use a blank username with a password of admin. Stop after a handful of tries, because a few routers lock the login for several minutes after repeated failures.

Look up the model's default login

The model number is printed on the underside or back of the router even when the login sticker is gone. Search the maker's support site for that model plus "default password". The quick start guide, usually a PDF on the same page, lists them too.

Check the ISP's app

If the router came from your internet provider, its app usually manages the gateway without a browser login. Xfinity, Bell, Rogers, Spectrum, and most others let you change the Wi-Fi name and password, see connected devices, and sometimes reset the admin password from the app after signing in with your account.

Factory reset the router

If the previous owner or installer changed the password, a reset is the only way in. With the router powered on, press the recessed Reset button on the back with a paperclip and hold it for about 10 seconds until the lights blink or go out. Wait two minutes, join the default Wi-Fi network printed on the router (or use an Ethernet cable), and log in with the maker's defaults from the step above. Then set up the Wi-Fi name and password again.

Change the admin password

Once inside, open the administration or system section and set a new admin password. Write it down and tape it to the router.

If you can get in another way first. A reset wipes the Wi-Fi name and password, port forwards, and any custom settings, so if the ISP app or a saved browser login still works, screenshot each settings page before pressing the button.