--- title: "Why You Should Never Use the Default Router Password" date: 2024-09-15 author: "Pavan Lipare" featured_image: "https://datafeature.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/why-you-should-never-use-the-default-router-password.jpg" categories: - name: "Routers" url: "/category/routers.md" - name: "Featured" url: "/category/featured.md" --- # Why You Should Never Use the Default Router Password Even a couple of years back, Wi-Fi routers used to ship with **default Wi-Fi SSID and password** combinations. Fortunately, the majority of Wi-Fi router manufacturers have improved how they assign username-password combinations for their devices. However, these devices still come with identical or similar passwords for the router admin panel. Using these default username-password combinations can be a safety risk. Here is a quick overview of why you should never use the default user password. ## Reasons Not to Use Default Router Password Using the default router password for the admin panel can expose your network to threat actors. They can hijack your network or use the resources for illegal activities. However, you can change the password using the **admin panel**. ## What Is Default Router Password? The default router password is the built-in admin panel credentials that your **[Wi-Fi router](https://datafeature.com/category/routers/)** ships with. Because router manufacturers produce thousands of devices every day, many do not go to the extent of setting up a **unique username-password combination** for each device. This is a double-sided sword, though. For one, users can easily log into their admin panel through a simple search. One username-password combo should work for a variety of models or all devices from a maker. But it also means threat actors can access your router’s admin panel without much effort. As you might know, the admin panel of your Wi-Fi router is quite powerful and allows the user to set up an impressive variety of changes. For instance, one can use the admin panel to change the **Wi-Fi network details** or restrict devices from accessing the network in the first place. ## Popular Router’s Default Credentials Here are a few popular router default credentials you may come across while using Wi-Fi routers. - **Username**: admin; **Password**: admin - **Username**: admin; **Password**: password - **Username**: admin; **Password**: \[blank\] - **Username**: cisco; **Password**: cisco Some manufacturers may have a more specific username-password combination, but they are not unique at the device level. In addition, I have come across many routers that use easily guessable passwords, such as **12345678** or **abcdef**, making things easier for threat actors. As it happens, this seemingly harmless habit can have serious implications. ## Risks of Using Default Passwords ![Risks of Using Default Router Password](https://datafeature.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/risks-of-using-default-passwords.jpg) We shall take a quick look at the various risks of using default passwords on your Wi-Fi router. ### Unauthorized Access Unauthorized access by threat actors remains the most significant risk of using default passwords on your Wi-Fi router or modem. Once a hacker ensures access to your network, they can control any **aspect of your network**. As I said earlier, they can change the network details. ### Theft of Data The most dangerous aspect of **unauthorized access** to the Wi-Fi admin panel is that you never know about it. Unless the threat actor changes a significant aspect of the network, you would not know about the attack. Therefore, it creates fertile ground for stealthy data theft. ### Malware Attacks Access to the Wi-Fi router admin panel creates a perfect path for malware attacks throughout the network. So, even if there are no changes to the network, an attacker can infect the many devices on your network. ### Legal Issues You may also come across legal issues if you don’t pay attention to these issues. As said earlier, threat actors may use unauthorized access to carry out illegal activities. For instance, one can use your network resources for **[DDoS attacks](https://datafeature.com/cybersecurity-statistics/#ddos-threats)** or **bandwidth leeching**. I think these reasons are compelling enough to make anyone change their default router password. So, why don’t you? ## Change the Default Router Password As surprising as you may find it, you don’t need more than a minute to **[change the default router password](https://datafeature.com/change-wi-fi-password/)**. Sure, the steps may differ according to the manufacturer and the model, but the core idea is the same. Here are the steps you can follow: 1. First, you have to access the **router admin panel**, which you can open through the default IP address. The address can be anything, but it is mostly **[192.168.1.1](https://datafeature.com/ip/192-168-1-1/)**. Alternatively, you can **[find the IP address](https://datafeature.com/find-your-router-ip-address/)** on the router package or the label pasted on the router. 2. You should check for the default username and password on the same package. In most cases, it will be a terrible combination of ***admin*** and ***password*** or ***admin*** and ***admin***. Even if it’s a more unique one, you should better choose something on your own. 3. Once you have logged in, navigate to **System Settings**, where you can find an option to change the admin-password combination. In some cases, you may have to enter the existing passwords, and you can find it easily. 4. Once you have changed the password, the admin panel will log out automatically. You can sign back in using the new credentials you chose. That’s it. You are a little farther away from a **router-based attack**. By the way, keep in mind that these settings would go away if you **factory reset your Wi-Fi router**. It means you have to follow these steps again. ## Conclusion I’m sure this guide helped you understand the risks of using the default router passwords but also changing them in a jiffy. While the steps are simple, they can **make your network more secure** and resistant to attacks.