New ISP and passwords

Messages
4,807
Name
Pete
Edit My Images
Yes
It's been a long time since I last changed ISP.
What is your take on changing the wi-fi password on the router, the one normally printed on the label and often has a QR code as well.
If I change it the QR code will no longer work and I will have to keep a copy of the new password somewhere, is the one they use good enough.
I know I can use WPS on some devices.

Also the admin password, I think I have to change that on first use, according to the manual it may be blank

What would you do?

Ps I will be saving about £15pm and getting 3 times the speed.
 
Assuming it looks like a robust password, I'd stick with what is printed on the router, but would change the admin password.
 
Passwords on routers are usually pretty secure as they use a mixture of upper and lower case as well as numbers. I have always left the ones I have had alone.

For getting into the bones of the software as admin, yes you will need to change that as it usually defaults to something easy. Sky used Admin and sky which is pretty basic.
 
We recently went to FTTP which meant a change of ISP. We just went with the passwords that came with the router, they seem like randomly generated and as secure as anything else.
 
I'm awaiting the new router, but that is what I thought as well. Thanks all

It looks like I will just have to just change IP addresses on some items. The new device uses 192.168.178.x not the more normal 192.168.1.x range.
On that I wonder if I could plug the new router into the old one and change all the IP addresses before the actual isp change over, then remove the old router out of the network.
 
I think the biggest problem I encountered with changing passwords was the bloody Ring doorbell & cameras. Keeping the network name the same didn't help.
 
I'm awaiting the new router, but that is what I thought as well. Thanks all

It looks like I will just have to just change IP addresses on some items. The new device uses 192.168.178.x not the more normal 192.168.1.x range.
On that I wonder if I could plug the new router into the old one and change all the IP addresses before the actual isp change over, then remove the old router out of the network.

I'd just log into the router the change the network to 192.168.1.0/24 (255.255.255.0)
 
I'm awaiting the new router, but that is what I thought as well. Thanks all

It looks like I will just have to just change IP addresses on some items. The new device uses 192.168.178.x not the more normal 192.168.1.x range.
On that I wonder if I could plug the new router into the old one and change all the IP addresses before the actual isp change over, then remove the old router out of the network.
I don't have Ring, My cameras connect to a small hub which uses an ethernet cable, I'm hoping it will still work.

Pete
 
I'd just log into the router the change the network to 192.168.1.0/24 (255.255.255.0)
Hopefully it will allow that. A quick browse of the manual shows it has an aweful lot of features and options, but being German made who knows.

Will have to wait and see when it turns up.
 
Hopefully it will allow that. A quick browse of the manual shows it has an aweful lot of features and options, but being German made who knows.

Will have to wait and see when it turns up.

I would be surprised if it didn't.
If it didn't, it would be the first thing that I'd toss out and replace, although I usually toss out the ISP's router anyway.
 
Mmmmmm........


Always, always, always change the default passwords on the router.


Write your new password down/print it out and save it somewhere safe..... If ever you loose the password, or forget it, then there will be a re-set button somewhere on your router which will re-set everything back to defaults, just remember to change the defaults again.
 
FWIW

The identity labeled on the router is it's SSID (unless I have misunderstood anything) and the default password.

I always change the SSID name and the admin password.

I never used the ISP supplied router because they ( in the past?) had very limited user control.

My current router is a BT Business Hub 5 because that came highly recommended by 'power users' on the Plusnet community forum at the time.
 
If you really want to change the SSID and password then you can generate and print your own QR Code here

 
CBA changing the wireless setup on the zillions of devices - change the wireless setup on the router in on place. Done
 
Change it to whatever your old SSID and password was. Then you won't have to change all your devices :)
 
I've had the same password and SSID that I change on every router so all my devices just reconnect.

Wouldn't use WPS either it's ridiculously insecure.
 
Change it to whatever your old SSID and password was. Then you won't have to change all your devices :)
Now that is a good.......one that I have typically done, though I think over the years I may have altered the password!

FWIW though I am aware it can be compromised, use Mac Filtering to add another layer of control(?) as to who might try to access my WiFi outside of our household devices.
 
Last edited:
Now that is a good.......one that I have typically done, though I think over the years I may have altered the password!

FWIW though I am aware it can be compromised, use Mac Filtering to add another layer of control(?) as to who might try to access my WiFi outside of our household devices.
Modern smart phones make MAC filtering a water of time.
A decent password is much better than MAC filtering. A lot of people use an easy to remember password better using a good one with a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols.
 
Modern smart phones make MAC filtering a water of time.
A decent password is much better than MAC filtering. A lot of people use an easy to remember password better using a good one with a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols.
100% re a good password with the mixture you describe.....likewise a non dictionary alpha numeric password for the admin on the router.

But in regard to Mac Filtering, as mentioned I see it as an extra layer to 'blank' the curious.

Though, what is the context of your saying that "modern smart phones make Mac Filtering a waste of time". Creating a Mac address approval list, even if someone discerned the WiFi password (unlikely) if their device Mac address was not on the approved list, would that not still stop them???
 
100% re a good password with the mixture you describe.....likewise a non dictionary alpha numeric password for the admin on the router.

But in regard to Mac Filtering, as mentioned I see it as an extra layer to 'blank' the curious.

Though, what is the context of your saying that "modern smart phones make Mac Filtering a waste of time". Creating a Mac address approval list, even if someone discerned the WiFi password (unlikely) if their device Mac address was not on the approved list, would that not still stop them???
Because modern phones use a randomised MAC so it's different each time they connect.

MAC spoofing is easier than breaking a password so isn't useful really.
 
Last edited:
Because modern phones use a randomised MAC so it's different each time they connect.

MAC spoofing is easier than breaking a password so isn't useful really.

I'm sure you can turn off MAC randomisation in Android?
 
Change over went very smoothly, used the ip adds out of the box, only had slight problem with the Nas box and weather station, but i took only a few minutes to sort them out.
Luck must have been on my side.

I have change the wifi password from 20digit numeric to 20digit alphanumeric & special chars which according to a password website will take centuries to crack.
The router generates new Qr Codes.
 
Back
Top