To connect to your WiFi network on a connected device, it is often necessary to enter a password. If this is not at your home, be aware that your network is open to all types of threats, and I recommend implementing security measures immediately!
You are supposed to remember this password by heart to avoid intrusions on the network, but what happens if you can no longer remember it? Is your network doomed forever, and will you never be able to connect to it again? No! Don’t worry because there are different solutions that will allow you to regain control of your network. If nothing works, we eventually end up resetting the router to recover its default password. To perform these actions, I advise using a computer rather than a laptop, and the operating system used is indicated.
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Check on the router
If you have never changed the password of your router/modem before, it should still match the default password chosen by the manufacturer. Here are my tips for connecting to the network:
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- Check the router casing: Many manufacturers print the login credentials for first use directly on the router’s box. If you haven’t changed them, you should be able to use them.
- Check the installation guide: If your router’s credentials are not on the box, they are very likely on the packaging or in the installation guide. Check there to find your password.
- Use the WPS button: To connect via WiFi to a recent router, it is not necessarily required to know the password. You can also use the “quick connect” feature called “WPS.” This allows you to connect to the network without entering the password by pressing a physical button on the router. Just go and press this button on the router and start the connection on your device.
Here, the button is clearly labeled “WPS,” but it may also look like an antenna emitting waves or two curled arrows.
You are still connected to the network (Windows)
If you are still connected to the network for which you are trying to find the password, here are the steps to follow on Windows:
- Right-click on the network icon at the bottom right of the screen, which looks like small stairs. This should bring up two network options: “Troubleshoot” and “Open Network and Internet Settings.”
- Click on “Open Network and Internet Settings” or “Network and Internet Settings” in English.
- Click on the “WiFi” tab on the left side of the window that opened.
- Select “Change adapter options” in the upper right corner of the page, in the “Related Settings” section. This will open a page of the control panel.
- Select your current WiFi network. You should see a computer icon with green network bars: this is the wireless network you are connected to.
- Right-click and select “Status.” Under Windows 10, you may also find this shortcut just below the address bar of the file browser.
- Then go to “Wireless Properties” in the middle of the window that opened.
- Click on the “Security” tab at the top of the window. This will open a page with a “Network security key” section in the middle of the page, where your WiFi password is stored. All you have to do is display the password to use it.
Find a network password (Mac)
On Mac, you do not need to be connected to the network to find your password; here is the procedure to follow:
- Open the Mac “Finder” (file explorer), which is the icon that looks like a blue/white face on your desktop.
- Click on “Go” at the top of the screen in the menu that just opened and select “Utilities” there.
- Next, go to “Keychain Access,” the menu item that looks like a keychain.
- Then simply search for the name of the network for which you are trying to find the password, select it, and check its password.
- As on Windows, you need to click “Show password” for it to actually appear. The system will ask you for the administrator password of the PC, and you will be able to see the network password.
Go through the router interface
The password to connect to WiFi is not the same as the password to connect to your router. If you are connected to the network (with an Ethernet cable), it is possible to find the WiFi password in the router settings. To do this, you will first need to log in to the router’s administration interface, and then here are the steps to follow:
- First, check if the password for your WiFi connection is displayed on the homepage of the interface. If so, you can simply display it by clicking on it.
- If it is not available, go to the “WiFi” or “Wireless” section. This is usually a tab at the top or left of the screen, but it can vary significantly and may also be a dropdown menu or a subsection of another menu.
- On the WiFi properties page, a lot of information will be displayed. The network SSID (network name), the type of encryption used (usually WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA/WPA2, or WPA3 more recently), and also the password that concerns us. It may be shown in plain text or hidden by stars; if that’s the case, you usually just need to click on it or “reveal password” to display it on the screen.
Reset
If you have not been able to recover your password using the methods presented above, you have only one solution left: reset the router to its factory settings. This action will not allow you to set the password of your choice, but it will replace it with the default password of the model. This is the password I mentioned at the top of the article, which you can find on the router or in the installation manual. Restoring the router to its factory settings will also disconnect all devices connected to it; this is a last resort measure.
- Find the “Reset” button on your router; it is usually located at the back of the device and requires the use of a pen/pin to be pressed.
- Perform a “30/30/30 reset”: press the reset button for 30 seconds without releasing it. After the first 30 seconds, unplug the router and hold the button down for another 30 seconds. While holding the button down, reconnect the router and continue pressing the reset button for 30 seconds.
- Look for your router’s default credentials. They are often marked on a label directly on the router or in the installation guide. If you can no longer find it, I recommend this site that gathers all the default passwords for different router models. If it is the password of a box you are looking for, you can contact your provider to ask for it.
If you used this method to find your WiFi password, your network is now very vulnerable, and it is imperative to have some security in place.
Connect to WiFi
Connect to your WiFi network using the found password. If you need help with this step, I offer a complete article on the different methods to connect.
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