To change your Netgear wifi password, you have two straightforward options: use a web browser on any connected device or open the Nighthawk app if you own a compatible Netgear router. This article walks you through both methods so you can update your Wi-Fi passphrase and then reconnect every device to your network with the new credentials. Note that this covers the Wi-Fi network password that your devices use to join the internet, not the separate admin login you use to access the router’s settings.
Connect to your Netgear router first
Before you can change anything, your computer, phone, or tablet must already be connected to the router’s network. You can connect wirelessly using the current Wi-Fi password, or plug an Ethernet cable directly from your device into one of the router’s LAN ports. A wired connection is the most reliable option because it won’t drop if you change the wireless password mid-process, but a Wi-Fi connection works fine as long as you stay connected while making the change.
Access your router's settings via web browser
Once your device is connected, open any web browser and type one of these addresses into the address bar: www.routerlogin.net, www.routerlogin.com, or the router’s default IP address, which is commonly 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. Press Enter, and you’ll see the login page. Enter the router’s administrator username and password. The default username is typically admin, and the default password is password, both are case-sensitive. If those don’t work, check the label on the bottom or back of your router for the specific login details, or use any customized credentials you may have set previously.
Navigate to the wireless password section
After logging in, look for a section labeled Wireless or Wireless Settings in the main menu. Click it to open the wireless configuration page. Here, you’ll find a field labeled Passphrase or Password (Network Key). If your router supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, you’ll see separate fields for each network, make sure you update the password for both bands if you want consistent access across all your devices.
Enter and save your new wifi password
Type your new password into the appropriate field. For a strong password, use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters, and avoid easily guessable information like names or birthdates. If there’s a confirmation field, re-enter the password to ensure accuracy. When you’re satisfied, click the Apply or Save button to implement the change. Do not turn off or unplug the router while it processes the update, interrupting this step can leave your settings incomplete or cause connectivity issues.
Use the Nighthawk app as an alternative
If you own a Netgear Nighthawk router, you can skip the browser entirely. First, make sure your mobile device is connected to the router’s Wi-Fi network. Open the Nighthawk app on your smartphone or tablet, sign in with your Netgear account, and navigate to Wi-Fi Settings. From there, you can enter a new password for your wireless network and save it. The app provides a user-friendly dashboard that makes managing your router’s Wi-Fi settings convenient from anywhere in your home.
Reconnect your devices with the new password
After the password change takes effect, every device that was previously connected to your Wi-Fi network will be disconnected. To reconnect, go to the Wi-Fi settings on each phone, laptop, smart TV, or other device, find your network’s name (SSID), and select it. Enter the new password when prompted, and the device will join the network. Some devices may ask you to forget the old network first, if that happens, choose the forget option and then reconnect with the new password. Repeat this for every device on your network to restore internet access across the board.
What to do if you forgot your router login
If you can’t remember the admin username or password for your router’s settings page, and the default credentials don’t work, you’ll need to perform a factory reset on the router. This reverts all settings, including the admin login and your Wi-Fi password, back to the factory defaults, which are printed on the router’s label. A factory reset is the only way to regain access when the admin credentials are lost, and you can follow the full instructions in our article on how to reset wireless router to do it safely.
