How to Secure Netgear WiFi Router – Beginner’s Guide

Now, you might be all set to access a high-speed WiFi connection, won’t you? Well, that’s the most obvious thing you must be doing followed by the router setup process. But, you should also take a few steps to secure the home network. The reason being, there are a lot of WiFi hackers roaming around there. If they gain access to the WiFi network of your router, then you already know the consequences. Therefore, securing the home network should be your priority. Given in this 101 guide are a few tips that will help you learn how to secure Netgear WiFi router. So, read on.

Before starting, we would like to inform you that taking steps to secure the WiFi network of the router requires you to access the router login portal. Thus, make yourself familiar with the following details:

• Netgear router default web address: routerlogin.net
• The default username: admin
• The default password: password.

Know that the default IP address i.e. 192.168.1.1 can be used as a substitute for the default web URL. Apart from this, the default password and username won’t help you out if you customized them while installing the router.

How to Secure Netgear WiFi Router?

Tip 1: Change the WiFi Password

The WiFi password is the key and the SSID of the router is the gateway through which one gains access to the home network. For your knowledge, these details are configured by default and are mentioned in the user manual as well on the label of the product. Therefore, if an unwanted guest comes to your home, you won’t be able to stop him from connecting to your home WiFi with the help of the information given on the label. To end this possibility, you should take the necessary action of changing the WiFi network name in addition to the security key (WiFi password) of your home network.

It can be done by accessing the WiFi router panel. Therefore, cable your laptop or computer to the router with the help of the router’s LAN1 port and the chosen device’s Ethernet port. Once done, here’s what you are supposed to do:

• Open routerlogin.net on an upgraded internet browser and let the login window show up.
• Once done, you are suggested to input the router’s valid password and username.
• The BASIC Home page of the router will appear after you hit Log In.
• There, locate Wireless Settings and navigate to the settings of the frequency band for which you want to customize the SSID and password.
• Input the new SSID and WiFi password into the required areas.
• Save the info and log out of the router.

Tip 2: Update the Firmware

Changing the WiFi password every 3 months will help you secure your home network. But, that’s only one step towards ensuring the network’s safety. What if we tell you that performing a Netgear router firmware update with the introduction of a new version also helps you improve the security? Well, this is absolutely true. Firmware updates are not always about efficiency, they also improve the security of the WiFi network. With that being said, update the router’s firmware right away.

Therefore, once again gain access to a laptop or computer and make connections as recommended. Access the Netgear router dashboard as per the instructions provided above. Once done, follow these steps:

• Find the option labeled Firmware Update.
• A new window will open where you will be prompted to upload a file.
• Open a new tab, visit Netgear Download Center, and download the file for your router.
• Thereafter, return to the Firmware Update window of the router.
• Upload the file by clicking the respective option.
• Your router will reboot at last signifying that the process has been completed.

Verdict

Millions of users search for tactics to secure Netgear WiFi router. Since you’ve landed on this post, you can consider yourself lucky as you got to know about two major techniques to do the job. Before wrapping up, we suggest you assign a new admin username and password to the router every 3 months. This way, it will be difficult for WiFi bandits to guess the login details of the router and hence they won’t be able to manipulate the home network.