This document is meant to provide home network users a general resource on how to access their router setup or console and adjust the settings and information. Because of how many different types of routers are available today, not all of the below steps may apply to you.
Determine router address
Before being able to access the router you must determine what its IP address is. This can easily be done by following the steps listed below.
Microsoft Windows users
Get into the command prompt by clicking Start, Run and typing cmd and pressing enter.
At the command prompt type: ipconfig and press enter. After doing this you should get information similar to the below example.
If you have multiple network adapters make sure you're looking at the Ethernet adapter. The Default Gateway address is the IP address of your router connected to your computer. In the above example the IP address we want to remember is 192.168.1.1.
* If you have multiple routers in your home or business, such as a cable and wireless router skip to the below multiple router users section.
Linux users
Linux users can follow the same steps listed above for Windows users. However, instead of using the ipconfig command in the console you'd want to be using the ifconfig command.
Multiple routers
If you're using multiple routers in your network setup, make sure you've got the IP address for the router you're wanting. If you're not wanting to view the setup or console of the router you're directly connected to try performing a traceroute.
To do a traceroute if you're running Microsoft Windows type: tracert computerhope.com and if you're using Linux type: traceroute computerhope.com either of these commands should give you an output similar to the below example.
As can be seen in the above example, the first two hops are the internal routers. If we're wanting to look at the router connected to the Internet the address we'd want to remember is 192.168.2.1.
Accessing the router
Once you have determined the IP address of the router you wish to access, open an Internet browser window and in the address bar type the IP address.
If accessible, you should be prompted for a username and password. Enter this information. If you do not know this information it's likely the default username and password is being used (this should be changed), the default information for your router can be found in the router documentation. Often it's either "admin" or "administrator" as both username and password or one or the other as the username and no password.
After entering the proper username and password you should have full access to the router and be able to manage the router and its settings.
Unable to access
If you're unable to access the router using the above steps, try pinging the router IP address by typing: ping 192.168.1.1 (enter your router IP address if different) at the command prompt or in the console. If you do not get a response back, check your network connections.
If you get a ping response back but cannot access the router through the above steps, it's possible that your router settings are accessed differently. Alternatively you can try telneting to the router.
Determine router address
Before being able to access the router you must determine what its IP address is. This can easily be done by following the steps listed below.
Microsoft Windows users
Get into the command prompt by clicking Start, Run and typing cmd and pressing enter.
At the command prompt type: ipconfig and press enter. After doing this you should get information similar to the below example.
Code:
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : computerhope.com.
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.103
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1If you have multiple network adapters make sure you're looking at the Ethernet adapter. The Default Gateway address is the IP address of your router connected to your computer. In the above example the IP address we want to remember is 192.168.1.1.
* If you have multiple routers in your home or business, such as a cable and wireless router skip to the below multiple router users section.
Linux users
Linux users can follow the same steps listed above for Windows users. However, instead of using the ipconfig command in the console you'd want to be using the ifconfig command.
Multiple routers
If you're using multiple routers in your network setup, make sure you've got the IP address for the router you're wanting. If you're not wanting to view the setup or console of the router you're directly connected to try performing a traceroute.
To do a traceroute if you're running Microsoft Windows type: tracert computerhope.com and if you're using Linux type: traceroute computerhope.com either of these commands should give you an output similar to the below example.
Code:
1 1 ms <1 192.168.1.1="" br="" ms="">2 <1 192.168.2.1="" br="" ms="">3 * * * Request timed out.
...
14 31 ms 31 ms 30 ms unknown. Level3.net [64.158.69.18]
15 31 ms 29 ms 31 ms gi-3-14.dcr1.slc.xmission.net [166.70.5.66]
16 91 ms 203 ms 215 ms 404.gi-1-2.asr1.slc.xmission.net [166.70.5.73]
17 44 ms 29 ms 31 ms www.computerhope.com [204.228.150.3]As can be seen in the above example, the first two hops are the internal routers. If we're wanting to look at the router connected to the Internet the address we'd want to remember is 192.168.2.1.
Accessing the router
Once you have determined the IP address of the router you wish to access, open an Internet browser window and in the address bar type the IP address.
If accessible, you should be prompted for a username and password. Enter this information. If you do not know this information it's likely the default username and password is being used (this should be changed), the default information for your router can be found in the router documentation. Often it's either "admin" or "administrator" as both username and password or one or the other as the username and no password.
After entering the proper username and password you should have full access to the router and be able to manage the router and its settings.
Unable to access
If you're unable to access the router using the above steps, try pinging the router IP address by typing: ping 192.168.1.1 (enter your router IP address if different) at the command prompt or in the console. If you do not get a response back, check your network connections.
If you get a ping response back but cannot access the router through the above steps, it's possible that your router settings are accessed differently. Alternatively you can try telneting to the router.
