Your Router Is Probably Still on Default Settings. Here's What to Change
If you work from home, your router is doing more work than it gets credit for. It’s the door that every client file, invoice, and video call passes through before it reaches the internet. Most people set it up once, years ago, and never touch it again. That’s normal. It’s also worth spending 15 minutes to check a few things.
This isn’t about becoming a network administrator. It’s four settings, checked once, that make a real difference.
1. Change the admin password (not the Wi-Fi password)
Every router has two passwords that people mix up. One lets you connect to the Wi-Fi. The other lets you log into the router’s settings page, the control panel where someone could change what the router does entirely.
That second one often ships with a default like “admin/admin” and never gets changed, because most people don’t know it’s there. To find it, look for a sticker on the router itself, or search the model number online for the default login address (usually something like 192.168.1.1 typed into a browser).
Once you’re in, change that admin password to something unique. This is different from your Wi-Fi password and should not be the same one.
2. Update the router’s firmware
Firmware is the software that runs the router itself, separate from any app. Manufacturers release updates to fix bugs, including security ones, but routers don’t always update themselves the way your phone does.
Check the settings page for a firmware or “software update” option. Some newer routers, especially ones provided by your internet provider or mesh systems like the ones sold in stores, update automatically. Older or third-party routers often need a manual check every few months. If you genuinely have no idea how old your router’s firmware is, that’s a sign it’s worth checking.
3. Turn on WPA3 (or WPA2, at minimum)
Somewhere in your Wi-Fi settings there’s an encryption option, usually labeled WPA2, WPA3, or WEP. WEP is old and should not still be selected if it’s an option. WPA3 is the newer standard and better where it’s supported by your devices. WPA2 is still considered acceptable if WPA3 isn’t available on your hardware. This is a one-time toggle, not something you need to think about again!
4. Set up a guest network for everything that isn’t your work device
Most routers, even inexpensive ones, let you create a second Wi-Fi network, usually called a “guest network,” in the settings. This puts a separate password on it and keeps it isolated from your main network.
This matters more than it sounds like. Smart TVs, game consoles, a kid’s tablet, a smart speaker, all of these connect to your Wi-Fi and aren’t necessarily built with the same security attention as your laptop. Keeping them on a separate guest network means that if one of those devices has a problem, it’s not sitting on the same network as the computer you use for client work.
Setting this up takes about five minutes: find “guest network” in your router’s app or settings page, turn it on, set a password, and move your smart home devices, kids’ devices, and visitors’ phones onto it. Your work laptop stays on the main network by itself, or with only the devices you trust for work.
What you don’t need to do
You don’t need a business-grade router. You don’t need to disable your Wi-Fi’s visibility (hiding the network name) since this mostly just adds inconvenience without much real benefit. You don’t need to change these settings weekly. This is a set-it-and-check-back-occasionally task, not a maintenance job!
If your current router is provided by your internet company and is several years old, it might be worth asking them about a replacement, since newer models tend to handle updates and guest networks more smoothly out of the box. If you’re shopping for a new one, look for a model that explicitly supports WPA3 and automatic firmware updates, both of which are usually listed on the box.
None of this requires technical knowledge beyond typing an address into a browser and clicking through a settings menu. It’s 15 minutes now, and you’re set for a good while.