SSID = WiFi Name

SSID – service set identifier

Big mystery solved eh, eye roll.

It’s like, a snobby way of asking the WiFi network name… “oh Clarence, what’s your SSID dahling?” *tea cup pinky*

When securing your WiFi network use WPA2 (never WEP). Then hide the name, don’t broadcast it, “cloak your network”, practice security through obscurity.

How to do that, here: How to Change your Router Password

 

 

How to Change Your Router Password

It’s not that I don’t trust the guy setting it up, but, why rely on someone else for my own security?

Things you’ll need.

  • 1 – access to your router
  • 2 – a CAT 5 cable, connecting your router, into your computer
  • 3 – a flashlight
  • 4 – a pin to push the ‘reset’ button on the router
  • 5 – a password manager

Okay here we go!

Reset your router.  Push the tiny reset button on the back using your pin, hold for 30 seconds.  I also unplug/plug it back in, for good measure.  This will clear all your settings… your WiFi name and password, everything.  It’s like we have a brand new router now.

Use your cable to connect computer to router. Plug into ‘Port 1’ on your router.

Open a new browser window, we’re going to log into your router.  Use this chart for what IP address, to type into the address bar of your browser:

Don’t see yours above? Use this site to look it up.

Log into your router. Type the IP address into the address/URL bar of your browser, then log in using the username and password.

Here we are inside my router.

First change the name of your router, and the password.

Now we’re going to secure your WiFi.  Find your ‘wireless security’ tab, look for the SSID.

SSID = name of your WiFi

  • 1 – Name your WiFi network
  • 2 – don’t click that, we’re going to keep your WiFi network hidden (security through obscurity)
  • 3 – change the channel to anything other than the default.  Your internet will be faster. I’ll explain why in video sometime, for now just do it.

For example, here’s my settings:

  • Router Name – $r}W68@2%J
  • Router Password – 8fXM(e;?sbU67R#Za$hk
  • WiFi Username – $8LP^y:6[e4r
  • WiFi Password – iq7B:f<o3e4xa[%GuP,g

Make sure your password includes numbers, letters and symbols, and is at least 15 characters long.  15 is the magic number, again I’ll explain why in video.

Copy the changes into your password manager. Save all your changes.  Unhook the cables, you’re done, good work.

Do this regularly.  I change mine 1/month.