sercraig

Your new wireless router may work out of the box, but there are a few steps you need to take to secure it.

Note: the following is based on what I see for my router model R6220. For more information on your router visit Netgear Support and research your device in the knowledge base and/or community pages.

Change the login password

After plugging your router in to your modem, open a Web browser and enter www.routerlogin.net. A window will appear requesting login credentials. The default username is 'admin' and the default password is 'password'.

Before anything else you should change this password. This URL, username, and password are the default for every Netgear router; they are therefore common knowledge, so anyone can access your network if they're in close proximity to your router and you haven't change the password. A friend told me once he caught someone sitting in their car outside his house tinkering with his network. This led him to discovering he never changed his login password.

Select Advanced > Administration > Set Password to change this password. You'll be asked to enter the old password ('password') and then your new one twice. Select Apply to save your changes. You'll likely then have to log in with the new credentials.

Change your Wi-Fi network's name and password

Each router comes with a default name and password for the wireless network it broadcasts. You can customize the network name under the Wireless menu; have fun with it, make it your own. For example, ours is HowWeGetToSesameStreet, since we're cord cutters and have little ones.

Also under this menu is a Passphrase field; this is the password needed to access the network. Change this is to unique option, ideally a random mix of letters, numbers, and special characters. Select the Apply button to save your changes.

Enable firmware updates

Firmware is the software inside your router. It is important to keep this up to date. Per Netgear Support: New firmware often fixes bugs, contains new features, and protects you from security vulnerabilities.

The best strategy is to enable automatic updates. Select Advanced > Administration > Firmware Update. Tick the Enable radio button under Router Auto Firmware Update. Select Apply to save your changes.

Note: Your Wi-Fi network will not be available for a few minutes when the firmware updates are being installed. Once done, your network should be discoverable.

Monitor what's using your network

The Attached Devices menu will show you how many and which devices have access to your Wi-Fi network. It breaks them down by wired devices, wireless devices, and VPN client devices. Each section will show you the device status, name, IP adddress, MAC address, and connection type. For example, you may see your smartphone, Chromecast, or laptop listed here. If you see anything you think shouldn't belong, go to Access Control for options to allow or block specific devices.

Factory reset

If somehow your network is compromised (for example, password changed without your knowledge or approval, more devices using your network than expected), go to your router and press and hold the tiny button on its back for a few seconds. This will reset it to its factory default. You'll then have to re-establish the login password, network name, and network password.