The One Router Setting Most Families Never Change — And Why It Matters
Picture your router — that box in the corner, usually blinking quietly. Maybe it’s under the TV, maybe it’s in a closet. You set it up once (or the internet provider set it up for you), and it’s been doing its job ever since. Most people never touch it again.
There’s one setting on that device that most Canadian families have never changed. And it’s the one setting that, if left as-is, makes it much easier for someone else to take control of your home internet.
That setting is the router’s admin password.
What a Router Actually Does
Your router is the device that manages all the internet traffic in your home. It’s the gatekeeper — every phone, laptop, tablet, smart TV, and doorbell camera connects through it. When you visit a website or send a message, that request flows through your router first.
Because the router controls everything on your home network, whoever can log in to its admin panel has a lot of power. They can change your WiFi password, see which devices are connected, redirect your web traffic, or block certain websites entirely.
That admin panel is protected by a password. The problem is, most routers come with a factory-set default password — usually something like admin, password, or 1234 — and most families never change it.
Why the Default Password Is a Problem
Router manufacturers publish their default credentials online. Lists of default usernames and passwords for every major router model are freely available. Anyone who knows what kind of router you have — and it’s often visible from the outside of the box — can look up the default login and try it.
This isn’t a theoretical concern. If someone is on your WiFi network (a guest, a neighbour with your password, or someone who managed to get on), they may be able to log into your router’s admin panel using those factory defaults. From there, they can make changes that affect your whole household.
Changing the admin password takes about five minutes and closes that door entirely.
How to Change It: Step by Step
You don’t need any special skills for this. Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Find your router’s IP address.
Look at the sticker on the back or bottom of your router. You’ll see a string of numbers that looks something like 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. That’s the address you’ll type into your browser.
Step 2: Open a browser and type that address into the address bar. Not into a search engine — directly into the address bar (where you’d normally type a website address). Press Enter.
Step 3: Log in with the default credentials.
A login screen should appear. The default username and password are usually printed on that same sticker on your router, or in the small manual that came with it. Common defaults include admin / admin or admin / password.
Step 4: Find the admin password setting. Once you’re logged in, look for a section called “Administration,” “System,” or “Settings.” There will be an option to change the admin password (sometimes called the “router login password” — this is separate from your WiFi password).
Step 5: Choose a new password.
Pick something that isn’t obvious. A short phrase works well — something like BlueSpruce2026! is easy to remember and hard to guess. Write it down somewhere safe at home.
Step 6: Save and log out. Save your changes, log out of the admin panel, and you’re done.
A Note on the WiFi Password
The admin password and your WiFi password are two different things. Your WiFi password is what guests type to connect to your internet. The admin password is what controls the router’s settings. Both matter — but if you’ve never changed either, start with the admin password.
One Thing to Do
Find the IP address printed on your router right now. Open a browser, type it into the address bar, and log in using the default credentials. Then change the admin password to something only your household knows. The whole process takes less than five minutes.
If you’ve been affected by online fraud, you can report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.