Using complex passwords is a good practice, in order to maximize our security in an increasingly digital world, although it has the disadvantage that it will be quite likely that we will forget the password, if we have not needed to use it in a long time. In this article we explain the best tricks you can use to regain access to your router, if you have forgotten or lost your password.
Check the router manual and sticker
All routers come with a default username and password, although manufacturers recommend changing them to improve our security. If you are one of those users who decided to ignore the recommendations, and you did not change your router password, it will be easy for you to regain access.
The first option that we recommend you do if you have forgotten the default router password, is to consult the manual of the device. All the routers that we can find in the market include a small manual in which you can find a section where both the user and the default password of the device are noted .
In the event that you have lost the manual for your router, it is very likely that you can also find the default username and password, on a small sticker that comes at the bottom of the device. Sometimes this sticker is also on the router box.
Unfortunately, these types of stickers tend to degrade over the years, so if your router is old enough, the data may not be readable.
Try using standard username and password combinations
Another very useful trick is to try standard username and password combinations that often work on many routers. All these devices come from the factory with very simple user names and passwords, in addition to the fact that all units of the same model are used. This is the main reason that manufacturers recommend changing them.
" Admin " is the username that is usually used by default in most of the routers that we can buy. As for the password, it is possible that it is also "admin", or combinations as simple as " 12345 " or " 00000 ".
Look for the password in your web browser
Most modern web browsers include a handy password manager , which is ideal for the more clueless users. If you have not managed to regain access to your router using the steps above, you can try looking for the username and password in the password manager of your usual web browser.
In the case of Google Chrome, what you need to do is click on the menu button in the form of three dots, which you will find in the upper right part of the browser interface.
After that, go to " Settings " and then click on " Privacy and Security ".
Now scroll down to the " Autocomplete " section , where you will see a link to " Passwords ."
A small window will open that will show you all the passwords that you have saved in your Chrome browser. You just have to select the one that interests you with the mouse, and click on the button to remove the security asterisks and see the password.
If your usual web browser is Firefox, you can also consult the list of saved passwords in a very simple way. In this case you also need to use the menu button found in the upper right part of the interface, to access the " Options " menu .
Once you are in the Firefox options menu, you have to go to the "Privacy and security" section. Scroll down to " Users and passwords " and click on " Saved accounts " to see the entire list of passwords that you have stored in your web browser.
Now all you have to do is find the password in question, in this case that of the router, and click on the small button to remove the asterisks and show the key.
Look up the password on the Internet
Another resource that you have at your fingertips to regain access to the router, if you have forgotten your password, is to search for your security key on the Internet. Logically this trick will only work if you continue using the username and password, which came by default on the device.
The first place you should check how it is is on the official website of your router manufacturer . Search for your exact model, and you should see a support section, in which you can check the default username and password, or, failing that, download a digital copy of the device manual.
You can also use RouterPasswords, it is a website that is dedicated to collecting the username and password by default, of most of the router models that have been manufactured and sold.
Reset the router
Resetting the router is the last trick you can use to regain access to the device if it has been impossible to do so with the previous methods. You have to keep in mind that doing this will return the device to its original state , with which it came from the factory, so you will have to reconfigure it again.
All routers include a small button, which is used to reset the device to its factory state . It is usually located on the back of the device, and you will have to use a paper clip or a toothpick to be able to press it. Press and hold this button for a few seconds while the router is on, you will see how its lights begin to flash indicating that it has been reset.
Here ends our tutorial on how to regain access to your router if you have lost and forgotten the password. Next time be sure to write down both the username and password on a piece of paper and keep it in a safe place.
We hope this article has been very helpful, remember that you can share them with your friends on social networks, so that you can reach more users who need it.