You might be wondering and asking, how do I change my CenturyLink WiFi password? Luckily for you, here is a guide that will discuss the step-by-step process of doing that.
We will discuss other things that you should know to take care of your Wi-Fi security as well as other things you might need to do aside from a password change.
Now, changing the password for your CenturyLink Wi-Fi can be easily done through the admin page of your router.
For this, what you would only need is (of course) your Wi-Fi router and a desktop or laptop computer connected to the Wi-Fi network.
If you don’t have a computer, a smartphone can still do the job, although the interface of a router admin page is usually easier to navigate on a computer.
What is the CenturyLink Default Wi-Fi Password?
When you say, “default password,” you mean the password that is set to your router and your network out-of-the-box.
It is required that you change this once you have your service connected for the first time.
If for some reason that you did not change either of these, you must understand that you leave access to your router settings as well as your internet itself unsecure and technically open to anyone.
To recall, the default password for your Wi-Fi network is written usually on your router box, the sticker on your router itself, or on the router manual–it can vary from one device to another.
On the other hand, your default credentials in logging in to your router’s admin page would be blank (nothing) on the username, and 1234 for the password.
You can try using this to log in case you don’t remember your password and you have no memory of changing it either.
What if I Forgot my CenturyLink Wi-Fi Password?
In the unfortunate scenario that you have forgotten your CenturyLink Wi-Fi password, you would not be able to connect to your network itself.
When this happens, you would not be able to change any settings, too, unless you have a computer connected to your router via wire and change the settings from there.
If what you have forgotten is your router admin page password, then you cannot change any settings on your router.
How do I Change my CenturyLink WiFi Password?
If you are using a computer connected to your router (which is more recommended), it is better to have it connected through a LAN cable.
This offers a more stable connection as opposed to being only on Wi-Fi.
Here are the steps on how you can change your router’s Wi-Fi password.
Step 1 – Log in to your CenturyLink Router
You can do this first step by logging in to the web portal of your CenturyLink Wi-Fi router.
This is usually in the format of an IP address that you can open locally once connected to the router.
Once you are there, simply input the Wi-Fi credentials to log in and access the admin page.
If you are not aware of this, try using the default password.
If you do not know both your current credentials as well as your default password, you can refer to the guide discussed below.
Considering that you have logged in successfully, it’s time to explore the options and do what you went on to do.
Step 2 – Access the Wireless Settings Menu
Once you are in, simply go to the option Wireless Setup. This will bring you to select available options for wireless connectivity.
You would then be prompted to choose what settings you would like to modify–either the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi or the 5Ghz connectivity.
To recall, the difference between the two bandwidth capabilities is that 2.4GHz is usually on a slower connection speed but has a longer and wider reach when it comes to range.
On the other hand, 5Ghz Wi-Fi is faster but has a shorter range.
For this guide, choose 2.4GHz. On the next options menu, click on Wireless Security.
Step 3 – Type in your New Settings for SSID and Wi-Fi Password
Once you are on the Wireless Security section, you now have the option to change not only the Wi-Fi password but the SSID (or the name of the Wi-Fi network), too.
For your security, choose a Wi-Fi password that is not easy to guess.
After all, you are putting a password so that no unwanted user would be able to connect to your internet and be able to freeload off from you.
Thus, choosing passwords like your name, the name of a family member or a pet, or a popular word, is not a very secure thing to do.
Rather, try to come up with a password that is a combination of lower and upper case letters, numbers, and symbols.
If you want to, you can also choose to hide or not broadcast your SSID. This means that your Wi-Fi network would not be searchable by any devices nearby.
To connect, you would have to manually add the correct SSID (network name) and password on every device.
Step 4 – Save all Changes you’ve Made
Once you have inputted your new Wi-Fi password and if you chose to change your SSID, too, make sure that you don’t forget to save your changes before navigating out of the menu or closing that tab or browser window.
Step 5 – Restart your Router
Although your changes, once saved, would take effect immediately, it is still recommended to hard restart your router.
You can do this by plugging it out from the outlet, waiting for three to five minutes, and then plugging it back again for power.
If you choose not to restart your router, be advised that all devices that are connected to it would be disconnected once the changes have been applied.
This is because since the credentials have been placed, your previously connected devices now do not have a matching password to your router.
Step 6 – Reconnect all Devices using the New Details
After the successful changing of your Wi-Fi password, your devices would not be able to connect to it for the meantime.
You might see on your phone or computer a prompt that says something along the lines of “Authentication failed.”
This is because the password that your device remembers for the router is no longer valid, and it cannot establish a connection using it.
To have your devices reconnected, simply “forget” your Wi-Fi. This will delete the saved password for it.
Then, connect it again by entering the new password that you just changed into.
If you have set your Wi-Fi SSID to be hidden, you would have to manually input both the SSID and the password on all your devices.
How do I Reset my CenturyLink Wi-Fi Password?
Resetting your Wi-Fi password is the way to go in the case that you forgot either your Wi-Fi password or your router admin page password or worse, both.
This would bring your router to a state like a phone when you do a factory reset.
When you do this, be reminded that it will wipe all your settings on your router–the network name, the password, any MAC filtering settings, and all others.
You would need to manually set everything again after the reset process.
To do this, follow these steps.
Step 1 – Find the Reset Button
Usually, this is a tiny, red button that you would need a pen or a small pin to push.
Step 2 – Press the Reset Button
Press and hold the reset button for about 15 seconds. You would know that the reset has initiated once you see all the lights in the modem flash.
During this process, you would be temporarily disconnected from your network.
Step 3 – Wait for it to Finish
Usually, the entire process takes about three to five minutes to finish. Once done, you can now apply all your new settings again.
Conclusion
Now, after reading this guide, you no longer need to ask the question, “how do I change my CenturyLink WiFi password?” It is a fairly easy process.
Although it can be confusing for those who are not too tech-savvy, a proper guide usually does the trick smoothly and effortlessly.
If you have more other concerns regarding your internet that are technical, consider contacting your service provider.
Read Next: Learn if you can make use of your own router for CenturyLink!
Kevin has over five years of experience working in various Tech startups and providing Technical solutions. He has contributed to many Tech publications and websites. Check out more about him here.