Edit ArticleHow to Change the Name of aWireless NetworkWireless home network has become the primary way we connect to the Internet. When you set upyour wireless network, however, the default name (SSID) is often hard to remember and, not tomention, boring. You may also want to change your SSID to make your network harder to hackinto. Often, router manufacturers may name the SSID the name of the company that made it, suchas "Cisco" or "Belkin". Using this information, a hacker has a better chance of breaking into anetwork once they know the manufacturer of the router. To set your network apart, you’ll want tochange the name and make it uniquely yours. Follow this guide to change the SSID of any router.

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Check your connections. Make sure that the router is powered on, connected tothe Internet, and that your computer is connected to one of the Ethernet ports. You can

perform this over a wireless connection, but you will lose connection to the router when thename changes.

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2 Open a web browser window. Enter your router's IP address in the address bar.The IP address varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and will be listed in the

documentation. If you have misplaced your documentation, and you do not see your routerlisted here, search the web for your router model and "default IP address" to find the correctinformation. Here are some common ones:[1]

Qwest (AKA CenturyLink), DLink, Netgear, Trendnet, Senao: 192.168.0.1Linksys, 3Com, Asus, Dell, US Robotics: 192.168.1.1Belkin, Microsoft, and SMC: 192.168.2.1Apple: 10.0.1.1Your router’s IP address is often the same as the router’s default gateway. To findthis on a PC, open the command prompt and enter “ipconfig”. In the sectiondedicated to your wireless network, look for the Default Gateway line. Copy and trythat number.On a Macintosh, open the Network control panel. You can access this by clickingthe Apple menu and selecting System Preferences. Open Network and look for“Router:” This is your router's IP address.

Use your router's software. Some routers come with software that will allow you to make

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configuration changes without using the web interface. You will likely still need to enter auser name and password.

Log in. If prompted, enter your router's user name and password, and log into yourrouter. Not all routers will require this step. If your router defaults to requiring a

password, it will be listed with the documentation. If so, the default password is generally“admin,” and you may leave the User name field blank.

You can also search the web for default user names and passwords.

Navigate to the Wireless Settings page. When the router’s web-based setup pageopens, look for the button or tab named “Wireless,” “Wireless Settings,” “Wireless

Setup,” or anything similarly named. This page will contain a variety of different settings.[2]

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Look for the SSID field. It may be labeled "Network Name," "Wireless NetworkName," "Router Name," or some variant. It may be pre-filled with a default name such

as "dlink," "linksys," "myquest23456," or some other equally unexciting name.[3]

Enter a new name for your wireless network. Be creative, give your network aname that you will stand out for you—but don't make it too personal; anybody nearby

who's looking for a wireless network will see that name.

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Save your new name. Click on "Apply," "Save Settings," "Save," or whatever yourconfiguration screen uses to finalize the process and save your changes.

Verify your new network name by using a wireless device such as a laptop, tablet,or smartphone. Log in using the new information, and verify everything works.

Close your browser window. If you have devices with your old router informationsaved, you will need to rescan and connect to the new name. Make sure to reenter

your password.

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If you have entered the IP address of the router properly, and it is still not responding, try

resetting the router. The method to do that will be included in the documentation, or on

the manufacturer's website. This should reset the IP address to the default state.

Remember that whenever someone comes within range of your wireless network,

instead of seeing a default name for the router, they will see your personal router name.

When choosing a name more than one word, you must use underlines in between, so for

example, "House_1" or "Dont_Look_Here".

Never set personally-identifiable information or your password as your network name,

and always password-protect your network!

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1. ↑ http://www.techspot.com/guides/287-default-router-ip-addresses

2. ↑http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10024/products_qanda_item09186a0080a35700.shtml

3. ↑ http://www.belkin.com/us/support-article?rnId=1567

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Español: cambiar el nombre de una red inalámbrica, Deutsch: Den namen einesDrahtlosnetzwerkes ändern, Português: Mudar o Nome de uma Rede SemFio, Italiano: Cambiare il Nome a una Rete Wireless, Nederlands: De naam van eendraadloos netwerk veranderen, Français: changer le nom d’un réseau sans fil, ��: �������, Русский: изменить имя беспроводной сети, Bahasa Indonesia: MengubahNama Jaringan Wireless

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