I can’t find my WiFi login username and password – what should I do?

Of all the usernames and passwords you need to keep track of, your WiFi login credentials are unique. First of all, you don’t set your own username or password. Second, your username and password change with every new router you get. Lastly, you may not even know where to go to change your username or password.

This article will teach you how to find your WiFi username and password. We’ll also give you some helpful tips and tricks along the way so you can be the master of your WiFi network.

Things to know

Before we pe in, there are some distinctions we need to make to make this article make more sense. If you are not tech-savvy or familiar with your router, WiFi network, etc., read this section first. Otherwise, feel free to move on.

First, there is the SSID (username) and password you will use to connect a device to your WiFi network. Next, there is a username and password that you will need to make changes to your WiFi network. We’ll review both below.

There are many ways to find this information. If you are already connected to the WiFi network in question, you will be able to find the username and password on the connected device. If you are trying to connect, we will show you how to get the username and password in the next section.

What is my WiFi username?

As mentioned above, the “username” you need depends on the tasks you are trying to perform. The first, most common username is actually your SSID (the name of your router). The second is the username you will need to access your router settings.

How to find your SSID and password if you are offline

If you’re trying to connect a device to your WiFi network, you’ll need your SSID (the name of your WiFi network). This is pretty easy to find if you have your router handy. Each router has a sticker. Usually located on the back or bottom, here you can quickly find the name of your WiFi network.

This label will often show you two SSIDs; one for the 2.4Ghz band and another for the 5Ghz band. This is the name you will look for when you connect your device to the Internet.

If you can’t see the name on the sticker, the best thing to do is try to connect to the WiFi network with the strongest signal. This network is usually the one that appears at the top of the network list and has the most bars. If the connection is successful, you now have your SSID.

How to find your WiFi username

You may need to change your WiFi settings, change your password, or check the security of your network. To do any of these things you will need your WiFi username.

Most network usernames are simply “Administrator,” so try that first. Next, if you know what router you have (Netgear, Asus, etc.), you can do a quick Google search for ‘[Router manufacturer] username’ and it will surely open. Lastly, the username (along with the password) should be located on the router label (as shown above).

Note: To use this username you will need the router’s IP address. Type the IP address in the address bar of your favorite browser. Here you can enter your WiFi username. If you need more help with this, we have an article here.

How to find your WiFi password

Now that you know your SSID and username, it’s time to find your passwords. There are two different passwords involved with your router. One is used to connect your devices when paired with your SSID. The other is used to make changes to your network.

How to find your login password

If you are trying to log into your router settings and make changes, you will need the username and password. As mentioned above, the username is probably ‘Admin’; This is also the case for most default login passwords. Try ‘Administrator’ first and then ‘Password’. Otherwise, Google your device make and model to get the default login password.

How to find your default password for connecting devices

If you are not connected to your WiFi network, you can find the default password on the back (or bottom) of your router. Using the same tag to find your SSID, you will also see the WiFi password.

If this password doesn’t work, someone may have updated it. On most routers, you can perform a reset to connect with the default SSID and password. Otherwise, you will need to go to your router settings using the username and password to reveal the password.

How to find your WiFi SSID and password if you are connected in Windows

The quickest way to identify the WiFi SSID and password in Windows is to use a command prompt.

1. Right-click on an empty space on the Windows taskbar and select Task Manager.
2. Select File and Run new task.
3. Check the box next to “Create this task with administrator privileges” and type “CMD” in the window. Press OK.
4. Type ‘netsh wlan show profile’. This will display a list of all the WiFi networks you have joined. This will show you the SSID.
5. Type ‘netsh wlan show profile key “SSID” = delete’. Where you see SSID, type the name of the network identified in Step 4. This will give you the password for that network.

Remember, this only works if you have already been a member of that network. It won’t work if you’ve never used it.

How to find your WiFI SSID if you are connected on Mac

Assuming your Mac is already connected to your WiFi network, follow these steps to get the username and password:

1. Open Spotlight on your Mac (spacebar + command). Type Keychain Access.
   
2. Select ‘System’ on the left and ‘Passwords’ at the top. Double-click the network you want to reveal.
   
3. Check the “Show password” box and enter your Mac login password.
   
4. The password is now revealed at the bottom of the pop-up window.
   

Reset a router to the default username and password to connect

If you’ve never been a member of a particular WiFi network and need to join it, your options are limited. You really only have two options: look for the little card that comes with your modem or router with your login details, or reset the device. Sometimes the default login is located on a sticker under the device. It depends on the device and your ISP.

There are third-party tools that can scan and hack WiFi passwords, but they require specialized knowledge. Additionally, WPA2 passwords can be very difficult to crack.

If you need to reset a router or modem, here’s how to do it. This will reset any network changes or settings you made, but will allow you to access the device and return your network username and password to the default values. Those defaults are usually “admin” for the username and “password” for the password.

1. Locate the reset button on the back or side of the device. It often has the helpful “Reset” label, but not always.
2. Press and hold that button for a few seconds. Some routers will turn on their lights to let you know it worked, others won’t.
3. Allow the router to reboot and reload the default settings.
4. Log in using ‘admin’ and ‘password’
5. Reset the password as most usernames are encrypted.
6. Write that password somewhere safe!

It’s very easy to lose usernames and passwords without writing them down. At least now you know how to recover them if necessary.

Do you know any other ways to find a WiFi username and password without restarting the router? Tell us about them below if you do!