Accessing Wireless Router's Setting

[hlewton]

I have a Linksys wireless router WRT54GL and I have tried to change the password that allows me to access the settings for it. I have searched the Internet and must be doing something wrong in trying to do a search because everything I read leads me to the Administration tab once I access my router by putting its IP in the URL line. I’m confused as to if this is the right place or if this is where the code to access my wireless router to use the Internet is put.

untitled.JPG

If you look at the photo you see the number of dots in both lines (router password and re-enter to confirm) do not even come close to what it shows on the next photo after typing the IP address of 192.168.1.1. So I am very confused about what my setup really is.

When I type that IP the first thing that comes up is this:

Initial.JPG

Which looks like the default user name and password to me. I don’t care if the user name stays the same but how do I change the password to continue from there? As I said everything I have read takes me to the first photo I posted. Is this where I actually change that default password of “admin” to get into the router’s settings? If so where would I be able to change the User Name because I do not see that anywhere either?

Also I know the information that allows someone to access my router but I am not sure where that is, as I mentioned above, once I am in the settings for the router. I’m now thinking it is on the Wireless tab but I am fearful of pressing the “Reset Security” button to see if that is where it is. So how do I check that and not mess anything up?

Thanks.

[StuartR]

According to the user guide that is the correct screen for entering a new passord.

[HansV]

In addition to Stuart's reply: the number of dots displayed in a password box (before you type something yourself) does not not have to be equal to the number of characters in your password - some programs display a fixed number of dots, in order not to give any clue about the password.

[hlewton]

First let me say thanks to both of you for the replies. I save everything including the boxes for devises such as this and this is the first I have seen a manual like that and I appreciate the link to download it. However, after reading it in its entirety I must say there is still so much I have no idea what they are talking about but I’ll limit my questions to what I really want to know now.

I believe the page I referred to to change the default password is the proper place after reading the manual however I still do not see any way to change the default user name on the access page to the WEB based utility. As my screen capture shows it is Admin and I would like to change that. So how is that done? My SSID has long ago been changed but if I am understanding correctly that is only the name of my wireless network and not the user name to access the WEB based utility. So is there any way to change that user name?

Next on the same page where the default password can be changed, according to my understanding of the manual, it appears if I disable “Wireless Access WEB” no one on any wireless devise could access this WEB based utility. The utility then could only be accessed by my wired computers. Am I understanding that correctly? It would not affect any other wireless activity, would it?

Last I still do not see where I can access the code that is required the first time any new wireless devise tries to access my wireless network. The closest I can come to identifying it is something maybe called a “Shared Key.” But I am not sure because I still did not see where to enter it or where to check to see what it is now set at. Can anyone tell me where this is in this WEB based utility and how to check it without screwing anything up? It may be in that manual but I sure don't see it anywhere.

These may sound like silly questions since I have had this wireless network for quite some time now but I paid a fellow to come in and set everything up for me and I just don’t understand everything in that manual and do not want to mess up anything but I want to make my network more secure from outside attacks.

[StuartR]

From my reading of the user guide:

• I think that the router only uses the password to authenticate your login, it ignores the username. You could even leave the username field blank in the dialog box
• Yes. If you disable "Wireless Access Web" then you will need to access the web-based utility from a PC with a wired Ethernet connection. This won't affect any other use of the wireless network
• Page 11 of the user guide talks about Wireless Security settings. I assume that you have set the security mode to WPA TKIP, in which case the WPA Shared Key is where you enter the code that your computers will need to use

[hlewton]

Thank you very much. I will reread page 11.

[hlewton]

[*]Page 11 of the user guide talks about Wireless Security settings. I assume that you have set the security mode to WPA TKIP, in which case the WPA Shared Key is where you enter the code that your computers will need to use[/list]

I did find it and again, thanks for the help.