My gf's network was initially set up in an unsecured manner. How might I go about changing this to WEP or some type of encrypted system? I've tried going to the "router" website... the 198.xxx.x.x site, but it asks for a user name and password that no one knows. She has a wireless network that was set up (I think she rents the router from TWC... stupid, I know) by a TWC tech. Please help.

2/2/2008 11:34:16 AM

reset the router, the password is easily googled. it's probably blank/admin or admin/pass or admin/1234. then connect your computer, bring up a dos window and type ipconfig /all copy the address listed as the gateway. goto http://gatewayipaddress, login, goto wireless management and setup a WPA-PSK/WPA-PSK2/WPA-PSK1-2 system, change the login to the router.

2/2/2008 12:28:55 PM

Is there a difference between just holding down the little reset button and a "hard reset"? I have a feeling they may be one and the same. Smooth, you sound like you know your stuff... you wouldn't happen to know if restoring your system to a previous saved point will eliminate a trojan? I'm not sure what's going on, but last week my computer started randomly losing connectivity, even though the wireless network connection said it was "excellent"... then I couldn't change the desktop background. I read that it might be a trojan, thus the reset to a previously stored point (hopefully before the bad stuff started happening). Thanks.

2/2/2008 1:22:31 PM

try the user name and password both as admin. If that doesn't work, you can easily just press the reset button like you said. If admin is not the default user name and password, you should be able to find the default login info by googling the router. Once you log in, look for the security tab and you should be able to change the wep key there.

2/2/2008 5:10:59 PM

Quote :

". you wouldn't happen to know if restoring your system to a previous saved point will eliminate a trojan?"

most likely not
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ will get rid of it though.

also, hard reset = deletes all the settings and restores it to factory settings (which is what you want if she doesn't know the password). pressing the reset button on the back just reboots the router but retains your settings.

what's the model number of the router? we'll find out what you need to do.

2/2/2008 5:36:24 PM

Post brand and model - I'm sure one of us has one of them or has used one.

2/5/2008 5:22:33 PM

$20 says the password is admin

[Edited on February 5, 2008 at 6:31 PM. Reason : try the username as admin also and if that doesn't work try leaving it blank and justusing a pw]

2/5/2008 6:30:54 PM

dont broadcast ip and encrypt it

2/6/2008 2:31:53 AM

this thread makes me

2/6/2008 9:30:15 AM

Smooth -

you sure about the "hard reset" man... I have done that many times when trying to get my PS3 in NAT Type 2 and I have never lost my settings... pretty sure you got that backwards.

the reset button would naturally delete your settings... thats what the button is for.

2/6/2008 11:42:00 AM

Quote :

"also, hard reset = deletes all the settings and restores it to factory settings (which is what you want if she doesn't know the password). pressing the reset button on the back just reboots the router but retains your settings."

2/6/2008 12:33:28 PM

hard reset = use hardware a.k.a. the button in the back
soft reset = use software a.k.a. the router firmware

common sense people. the button in the back resets everything to defaults, it WILL remove all settings UNLESS you save your settings to a file on your computer and do a restore after hard reseting.

[Edited on February 6, 2008 at 12:51 PM. Reason : caps]

2/6/2008 12:51:12 PM

no it won't

the reset button in the back is just like rebooting your computer

it's there in case the router crashes and you can't get to the web interface to reboot it.

a hard reset usually involves unplugging the power and keeping the reset button held down for 20-30 seconds while you plug in the power... that resets all your settings and restores the router to a factory configuration. it's intentionally much harder to do so users don't inadvertently do it.

just pressing the reset button in the back reboots the router, just like if you were to unplug it and plug it back in.

if you don't know what you're talking about, don't offer advice.

2/6/2008 1:57:32 PM

Quote :

" if you don't know what you're talking about, don't offer advice."

2/6/2008 2:16:55 PM

sorry for not clarifying that you have to hold the button down

Quote :

"if you don't know what you're talking about, don't offer advice."

2/6/2008 3:33:54 PM