Router Management Basics

Wi-Fi is a huge benefit for everyone so knowing the basics of how your router works is a pretty good idea. For the business, the wireless connection can be a central resource for business productivity and data sharing. We thought it would be useful to give you a little more information about router settings to help you understand your wireless connection a little better. 

Some Basic Information

The best way to start understanding your wireless network a little better is to understand the underlying fields you will find when you access your router software. The first thing that you have to understand is that most routers can be accessed by using the default gateway for the router. Most routers have a default gateway of 192.168.1.1, but it may be something different, so consult your manual.

Once you are in, you will notice the password protection on your router. For most routers they come with a factory password that you should change immediately because most router manufacturers post the login credentials their routers ship with online. If you, for some reason can’t access the firmware, you will need to reset the router to factory settings in order to reset the password. 

The router interface can be pretty intimidating for the layman, but really the only things that you really need to understand is your SSID and its corresponding password. 

The SSID

Your SSID or Service Set Identifier is the name that you choose for your network. Have you ever tried to connect to a Wi-Fi network and an option comes up that is titled “Surveillance Van”? That’s the SSID. You can change your SSID to whatever you want and it will show up as your wireless network. When you change your SSID, you should also change your password. Use a password that is secure and complex and not used for any other purpose to avoid potential unauthorized access. 

Your router’s firmware has a lot of options such as controlling LAN (local area network) and WAN (wireless area network) settings, firewall, and others. As a good practice with any software, you should try to update your router’s firmware regularly to gain access to all the necessary tools you’ll need to keep your data and wireless network safe.

If your business needs help setting up a reliable and secure wireless connection, reach out to the IT experts at Microtechs today by calling (415) 246-0101.