The router is your home's front door to the internet. Everything goes through it: computers, phones, TVs, consoles, voice assistants. Yet it's also the device almost nobody configures: it's installed by a technician or taken out of the box, plugged in and forgotten for years. Twenty minutes in the admin panel are enough to improve things a great deal.
How to get into the router panel
You usually get in by typing a local address into your browser, shown on the router's label or in the manual, or through the manufacturer's or provider's app. The label also shows the initial credentials. If the router was supplied by your internet provider, some settings may be locked: in that case you can ask for support or consider your own router connected behind the provider's one.
1. Change the admin password
The password for the panel isn't the Wi-Fi password: it's the one that lets you change every setting. If it's still the factory default, anyone connected to the network, guests included, could try it. Replace it with a long, unique password stored in your password manager.
2. Choose the right encryption
In the wireless settings you'll find the security type:
- WPA3: the newest standard, preferable if all your devices support it;
- WPA2/WPA3 mixed: a good transitional choice when some older devices only support WPA2;
- WPA2 (AES): still acceptable when paired with a strong password;
- WEP or open networks: avoid entirely.
If you see a TKIP option, choose AES instead: TKIP is an outdated mode.
3. Use a long Wi-Fi password
The network password needs to withstand guessing attempts. A phrase of several words, at least twenty or so characters long, is strong and easy to read out to guests. Avoid your family name, address or date of birth. If the password printed on the label is long and random that's fine, but remember that anyone who sees the router can read it.
4. Turn off WPS
WPS is the feature that lets you connect a device by pressing a button or entering an eight-digit PIN. The PIN mode in particular has known weaknesses. If you don't use it, and almost nobody does, turn it off.
5. Create a guest network
Many routers let you create a second, separate network with a different name and password. Guests get internet access but can't see your computers, NAS or printer. It's also the ideal place for devices you trust less.
6. Turn off remote administration
Some routers allow access to the panel from the internet as well. If you don't need it, disable the option: a panel reachable from outside is a target. If your provider uses it for support, find out how it is protected.
7. Think about UPnP
UPnP lets devices on the network automatically open ports to the outside, for example for consoles or video calls. It's convenient, but a compromised device could use it to expose itself to the internet without you knowing. If you have no particular need, turning it off is a prudent choice; if something stops working, you can turn it back on deliberately.
8. Update the firmware
Firmware is the router's internal software. Security fixes arrive there too. Turn on automatic updates if available, or check manually every few months. If the manufacturer no longer releases updates for your model, it's time to replace it.
9. Check who's connected
The panel shows the list of connected devices. Look at it now and then: if you find something you don't recognise, change the Wi-Fi password and reconnect only your own devices. Many routers let you give each device a name, which makes this check much easier.
Myths worth dispelling
- "Hiding the network name makes it invisible." Not really: hidden networks can still be detected with common tools and can cause connection problems. It's not a real security measure.
- "MAC address filtering keeps intruders out." MAC addresses are easy to imitate, and modern phones use randomised addresses. It's more of a nuisance for you than for an intruder.
- "Nobody cares about my home Wi-Fi." An open or weak network can be used by others for illegal activity that appears to come from your connection.
A quick check
| Setting | Recommended value |
|---|---|
| Admin password | Long and unique, not the factory default |
| Encryption | WPA3 or WPA2/WPA3, with AES |
| WPS | Off |
| Guest network | On for guests and less trusted devices |
| Remote administration | Off unless needed |
| Firmware | Up to date, ideally automatic |
In short
- Change the router's admin password straight away.
- Use WPA3 or WPA2 with AES and a long Wi-Fi password.
- Turn off WPS and, unless you need it, remote administration.
- Put guests and less trusted devices on a dedicated network.
- Keep the firmware updated and replace the router once it stops receiving fixes.