As soon as the computer connects to the Wi-Fi network, it will no longer ask for its password. And most users easily forget this password, especially if it was written down on some piece of paper. This is not a problem until you need to connect another device to the same Wi-Fi - for example, a phone or tablet.
I will show you several proven ways to view a password that are suitable for any popular operating system(Windows 7, 8, 10).
The easiest way to find out the Wi-Fi password
1 . Left-click on this icon in the tray.
It is located in the lower right corner of the screen, between the alphabet and the clock. Sometimes this icon is hidden under a small arrow.
2. In the window that appears, click right click over the network from which you need to find out the password, and select “Properties”.
3. We check the “Display entered characters” checkbox and the computer shows the wifi password in the “Network security key” field.
Another easy way
This option is a little more complicated, but it shows all wireless networks to which the computer has connected, and not just active ones.
1 . Right-click on the tray icon and select “Network and Sharing Center.”
2. A window will open, on the left side of which select “Wireless Network Management”.
3. Right-click on the desired network and select “Properties”.
4 . Go to the “Security” tab and check the box next to “Display entered characters”.
If there is no “Manage wireless networks” item, then click on “Change adapter settings”, right-click on the desired connection and select “Status”. In the window, click on the “Properties” button wireless network", go to the "Security" tab and check the box next to "Display entered characters".
Retrieving the password through the program
There is such a wonderful free program WirelessKeyView. Thanks to it, you can view passwords from all points to which the computer was connected. There is no need to install it: just download from the official website, unpack and run the program file. If wifi points will not appear immediately, click on the icon
That's all :)
Of the minuses, it should be noted that some antiviruses swear at it, since the program interferes with the settings (my Kaspersky, for example, caused a panic). If this does not bother you, use it to your health.
We look at the password for our Wi-Fi in the router settings
This method is good because only thanks to it you can find out a password that the computer does not know at all. For example, Windows was reinstalled, but you don’t remember the password for your Wi-Fi and now you can’t connect. So in this case, a router will help.
A router is the thing that “distributes” the Internet. It looks something like this:
Among other things, its settings store a password. To find it, you need to connect the router to the computer via a power cord (usually included).
If the computer remembers the password and connects to the network, then you don’t have to do this.
1 . Open the browser (Internet program), type 192.168.1.1 in the address bar and press the Enter button on the keyboard.
Most often, after this, a login/password request appears. If this does not happen, try other addresses: 192.168.0.0, 192.168.0.1, or 192.168.1.0. But if they don’t fit either, then take the router, turn it over and find its IP address on the sticker.
For example, I didn’t even have an address on the sticker. Then I copied the router model from it (in my case Huawei HG8245A) and entered the request “huawei hg8245a ip address” into the search engine. It turned out that the default address is different, as is the login and password.
2. In the window that appears, enter the login admin and password admin.
Usually this data is suitable (if no one specifically changed it). But there may be other options, for example, root or user. They are usually written on the router itself - on a sticker on the other side.
3. Open the Wireless or WLAN tab and look for the password there. Often it is located in the Wireless Security item (Security Settings or Wireless Protection).
As a rule, the password is written in a column where there is the word Key, Password or Password. Often, to see it, you need to uncheck it.
By the way, it happens that it is written immediately when you open the router settings.
If it doesn't help
Then you can reset all the router settings to factory settings. But in this case, you will have to configure it yourself: specify the Internet connection parameters, network name and password.
To reset the settings on the router there is a small, deeply hidden Reset button (usually it is located on the back).
We clamp it with some sharp object for ten seconds. After this, all settings will be reset, and the router will be as good as new - all that remains is to configure it.
Today, perhaps, you will no longer meet a person who does not use a computer or does not have a PC at home. Besides, everything more services, programs necessary for work and leisure, work when connected to the internet.
Also, recently the situation has become increasingly popular when an apartment, house or office has not one device, but several (PCs, tablets, communicators, smartphones, etc.), each of which requires its own separate connection to the network.
The ability to connect several devices to the internet, while having one input signal point from the provider, is currently achieved using a router or router.
Photo – Networking with multiple paired devices
The router itself is network device, the purpose of which is to transmit packet data between devices paired with it and the access point - the service provider. In addition, more expensive routers are equipped with a number of additional functions, among which:
- the ability to set restrictions on access to sites that are potentially dangerous for software;
- ability to connect a firewall;
- the ability to encrypt network access and traffic distribution;
- ordered distribution of traffic across access points, etc.
A standard router, which can often be found both in a private home and in a company office, public places, is a small-sized equipment consisting of a hardware unit, an antenna for transmitting a Wi-Fi signal, a power supply for connecting to the mains, patch cords (patch cords).
Photo – Equipment and connection of the router
A standard router is capable of organizing a network by connecting 4 PCs via wired communication, as well as 5-10 devices for which channels will be allocated Wi-Fi signals. However, experts do not recommend completely loading the router, especially if it is not an expensive model of this device. Otherwise, the router may freeze and cannot withstand heavy loads.
Some router models may be equipped with USB ports to connect a flash drive to them or hard drive. This feature will allow you to use the equipment as file server, print server, etc. In addition, some models also boast support for 3G modems.
What you should pay attention to
When choosing a router, you should consider the following features and operating parameters of this equipment:
- for organization home connection or a network for a small office, a regular (non-professional) router from the mid-price range will be sufficient;
- device support for IEEE 802.11g and IEEE 802.11n standards is required will provide data transfer speeds via Wi-Fi up to 600 Mbit/s;
- installation must support PPTP or L2TP, which will provide access to Internet communications from almost any provider.
How a wireless Wi-Fi router works
The principle of operation of the equipment is based on receiving and converting the recipient's address, which is “written” in the header of the information packet for its transmission, then the path along which the information is addressed is determined using the routing table. If the routing table does not provide any address, the information is not accepted and discarded.
Photo - Example of a user network working with a router
In practice, there are some other systems for transmitting data to devices paired with the router. For example, the use of the sender address or upper-level header protocols. There are also cases when the router’s operation is based on the transmission of addresses of both the sender and the recipient, as well as filtering the transit stream of transmitted data.
How to install a Wi-Fi router: step-by-step instructions
In order to connect and configure the router yourself, you need to do the following:
- The first thing they do to install the equipment is to connect all communications from the router to the PC and to the Internet signal transmission unit from the provider. To do this, insert an Internet cable into the connector called WAN, and insert the cable that comes with the router into one of the remaining ports; its other end is intended for the Ethernet connector on the back panel of the PC. After this, turn on the power to the device.
- Next move on to configuration software router. The equipment setup is not standard and may differ depending on the router model and connection settings from the provider. Configuration can be done through any browser installed on your computer ( Google Chrome,Opera, Internet Explorer, etc.). To do this, you need to log into the administrative interface of the device by entering address bar Browser combination of numbers: 192.168.1.1. After pressing the Enter key, the equipment administration window should pop up. If this does not happen, then you should check the cable connection, make sure that the connection is running, and then try again.
- The next step is directly Wi-Fi setup connections. If the router is equipped with a function quick setup, then you need to start the “Quick Setup” service and follow the prompts of the installation wizard. Among the setup steps there will be a selection of the following parameters: - type of preferred connection;
— type of Internet connection;
- Next, you need to connect the Wi-Fi module itself directly. To do this, the installation wizard offers the following menu.
Photo - Module Wi-Fi connections signal
After these steps, the Internet connection should already be working. However, if the Internet speed is low or constant signal loss occurs, experts recommend choosing a specific channel (from 1 to 13), saving the settings. It is also worth taking care of the access password to the signal of the connected router. Otherwise, unauthorized connections are possible, which will also reduce traffic and make the router work slower.
After the router is connected and configured, all that remains is to connect the work network card on a PC or laptop and use the device with the internet. On a laptop, you need to make sure that a special key is pressed that turns on Wi-Fi mode. If this operation is completed, you must connect the device to the network.
Photo – Network indicator
To do this, right-click on the network icon on the desktop toolbar and select the name from the menu that opens. established network, click the “Connect” button.
Photo - Context menu with Internet networks installed on the device
The connection is made in a similar way for Windows 8; for other systems, the device is put into operation according to a similar scheme.
How much does a router for a computer cost?
Today, the electronics and computer equipment market offers its customers a wide selection of routers, which differ from each other both in the manufacturer and in some of the functional features of the device. These could be routers for home network with a few connected devices or industrial equipment to provide access to the Internet for public places and large offices. Accordingly, considering functionality device, the cost of devices will vary significantly. By visiting a store or online store of electrical goods, the client can choose the appropriate equipment that will meet the requirements for it. At the same time, he will need to deposit an amount of money ranging from 1 thousand rubles. for a standard model up to more than 25 thousand rubles. for professional multifunctional devices.
A router is a very complex device with many technical characteristics. We will focus on those that play an important role for the buyer.
WAN port type and connection protocols
The WAN (or Internet) connector is used to connect an Internet cable to the router. This is the first detail you should pay attention to when purchasing a device. It depends on it whether the router will work with the provider.
A typical router has a WAN port in one of two formats:
- DSL(ADSL, VDSL and other subtypes) - for connecting to the Internet via a telephone line.
- Ethernet- to connect through a special provider channel.
There are also universal devices, which support several formats, including DSL and Ethernet. But they are much less common.
In the now quite popular fiber optic networks, access to the Internet is provided through a GPON terminal, to which the router is connected. Some routers have a corresponding connector for connecting the provider's fiber optic cable directly. This allows you to get rid of the terminal, which often suffers from power surges and remove an extra link in the chain.
Provider Compatibility
Internet providers use various technologies to connect subscribers. Some of them are widespread and are supported by default in all routers, others are less common and are not available everywhere.
For example, many service providers use L2TP, which does not work in every router. Therefore, before purchasing, it is advisable to check with the provider’s support service whether their networks support the router you are interested in.
If, instead of DSL and Ethernet, the provider uses specific connection technologies, which rarely happens, then it is better to trust the choice of equipment to specialists.
Number and type of LAN ports
Computers, consoles, TVs and other stationary equipment that need stable wired access to the Web. This connection always guarantees maximum speed, which does not depend on distance or interference.
And the more such connectors in the router, the more devices can be connected to it via wire. Routers are usually equipped with four LAN ports. But if this is not enough for you, choose a model with additional connectors.
The maximum speed of data exchange between the router and other devices connected to it via a wire depends on the type of LAN ports.
There are two such types:
- Fast Ethernet provides speeds up to 100 Mbit/s.
- Gigabit Ethernet- up to 1 Gbit/s.
If your provider offers Internet access at speeds greater than 100 Mbps, choose a router model with Gigabit Ethernet ports. This way you will use your channel to its fullest.
Wi-Fi standards
From Wi-Fi standard The maximum possible speed of data exchange between the router and the fleet of devices connected to it wirelessly depends. There are currently two standards in use:
- 802.11n- a widespread, but already outdated version, which is supported by the vast majority of gadgets. Possible speed is up to 600 Mbit/s.
- 802.11ac- current standard, provides the highest speed - up to 6.77 Gbit/s.
But don’t let the characteristics confuse you: the values indicated are only theoretically possible within the technology. Real speed figures are much lower.
The speed indicated by the manufacturer is also most often unattainable in practice. This is only a possible value without taking into account distance and interference.
Thanks to backward compatibility You can connect any gadgets to a router with the 802.11ac standard via Wi-Fi. Even if they only support 802.11n and older versions. But to unlock the full potential of 802.11ac, both your router and all other devices on your wireless network must support this standard.
Number of Wi-Fi bands
Some routers can work simultaneously in different frequency ranges. In this mode, the router is able to support not one, but several independent Wi-Fi networks.
Many popular models are able to distribute data transmission between two ranges. Thus, they create two networks at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz respectively.
- Frequency 2.4 GHz ideal for connecting smartphones and office equipment.
- Frequency 5 GHz provides a more stable and faster connection, and is therefore better suited for multimedia devices that work with video and other heavy content. So, if you don’t want to connect a TV or set-top box via wires, you can use Wi-Fi at a frequency of 5 GHz.
These networks can operate in parallel without limiting each other. But again, their total speed will not exceed the limit set by the Internet provider.
In addition, not all gadgets support a 5 GHz network.
Number and type of antennas
In addition to standard and frequency Wi-Fi work, the speed of the wireless network depends on the number of antennas in the router. The more there are, the faster the data exchange between connected devices and the router.
Limit Wi-Fi speed in the 802.11n standard for a model with one antenna is 150 Mbit/s. With two - 300 Mbit/s, with three - 450 Mbit/s. That is, with each antenna the maximum possible speed increases by 150 Mbit/s. And in the 802.11ac standard - at 433 Mbit/s.
Let us remember that we are talking about theoretically possible speeds at ideal conditions. In reality, these figures are much lower. In addition, do not forget that the final speed of Internet access via Wi-Fi cannot exceed the provider’s limit.
Antennas can be built-in or external. As practice shows, in a typical city apartment, the type of antennas is not so important. Contrary to popular myth, the difference is barely noticeable.
But for large rooms it is still worth choosing a router with external antennas so as not to have. Moreover, if external antennas removable, if necessary they can be replaced with more powerful ones.
Availability of USB port
By choosing a router with one or two USB connectors, you can connect additional devices to it. For example, a USB drive will provide remote access to shared file storage via any device in Wi-Fi networks. A wireless USB modem will be yours in a backup way Internet access if cable Internet stops working.
Brief selection instructions
Let's go over the key points of the article again. This checklist will help you choose a good router.
- Find out the provider's requirements for the router: type of WAN connector and connection protocols. Only then choose a model.
- If the Internet speed is above 100 Mbit/s, buy a device with Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports (1 Gbit/s). If the speed is lower, Fast Ethernet connectors (100 Mbit/s) will suffice.
- If access to the Internet is needed only for browsing websites and working with documents, you can limit yourself to a router with one antenna and support wireless standard 802.11n.
- But if you look streaming video If you play online games, use a lot of wireless devices, often download large files and are not used to denying yourself, then choose a dual-band router with multiple antennas and support for 802.11ac.
- If you wish, you can buy a model with a USB port to connect a storage device or wireless modem to it.
After the appearance of computers and laptops in almost every home, the number of clients from providers increased several dozen times, since modern world For many, life without the Internet is almost unthinkable.
To begin with, we used the usual protocol for transmitting information via telephone communication, then an increase in the volume of transmitted information required improving the quality and increasing the transmission speed. New ways to access the Internet have emerged.
However, as before, the usability of laptops was minimal due to the need to connect a cable from a modem. After this it was invented wireless way transferring a large amount of data over a fairly long distance, which is called Wi-Fi. In the modern world, in many large cities you can find points Wi-Fi access and anyone can do this if they have Internet access and a special router.
What is a Wi-Fi router for home?
Smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers can be used to obtain large amounts of data. In the case of tablets and phones, the situation is complicated by the fact that it is impossible to connect to the Internet to update software or other tasks via a WAN cable.
For the convenience of using the Internet at home they began to use Wi-Fi router s. Such equipment differs from older versions in that it has a WI-Fi module that connects all devices in the field of its signal. The first models were equipped with an antenna; modern ones are no different in appearance from conventional versions.
The operating principle of this equipment is as follows:
- A connection to the network is made through a telephone or Internet connection, as before.
- The built-in module, which is configured via a computer when going to the system’s IP address, connects to the created network and evenly distributes the maximum speed between connected devices.
The router acts as an information distributor.
What types of routers are there?
The choice of router should be approached carefully, since the features of the created wireless network will depend on it. Conventionally, all Wi-Fi routers can be divided into the following groups:
- ADSL – wireless router, which is connected via ADSL. It is used if there is a WAN port for a telephone connector. It is quite popular, since in many cities the Internet connection is via a telephone cable.
- FTTB– the most popular version, which is connected via twisted pair.
- CPON/CEPON/PON– a recently introduced design option that allows you to maintain the maximum permissible connection and information transfer speed. You can use such a router only if you have necessary connection to the provider, which is called passive optical networks.
- 3G– routers that are capable of distributing data when connected to the Internet via cellular communication. IN in this case There are no ports, there is space for installing a SIM card.
- The most expensive and popular version is universal. It provides for the combination of several connection types.
When considering this issue, we note that in 99% of cases, routers are issued by providers, since they need to be correctly configured according to their connection protocol.
Recently, Wi-Fi routers are being installed more and more often, since they eliminate the need for a long fuss with laying a cable to the required location.
Considering the fairly large operating radius and the fact that the signal passes through walls, the router can be placed anywhere.
The only catch is that the computer or other device must have a receiver. All modern laptops have a built-in receiver for such a wireless network, but desktop computers do not have it as standard.
There are several options for solving the problem of the lack of a Wi-Fi receiver on a desktop computer:
- Usage external device, which can be connected via USB or WLAN port. It should be taken into account here that the USB connection has a certain limitation in the speed of information transfer. Therefore, if the router has a high-speed connection (due to the characteristics of the provider’s services), this method of organizing a home network is not recommended. The WLAN port does not have such a strict limitation.
- If the motherboard provides the ability to install an internal network receiving unit, then the system unit can be upgraded. However, this can be much more expensive than setting up a wired home network.
As a rule, the technician who comes to connect the Internet will recommend the most suitable connection option.
How to choose
Despite the fact that a representative from the provider will recommend the most suitable router option, in some cases you have to choose on your own. When choosing, you should pay attention to the following nuances:
- Price– the spread of this indicator for equipment intended for use at home is very large. At the same time, the price corresponds to the filling: weak signal level, low reliability, small coverage range, and so on. However, there is no point in choosing a very expensive version for the home.
- Availability of certain ports. In most cases, it is enough to have a set of FastEthernet ports. Ports that are designed to accommodate a gigabyte connection are often not needed, since the speed provided by the provider is often much lower. The only case is to create an extensive home network, but for domestic needs this is extremely rare.
- Peculiarities Wi-Fi antennas very important. There are two types of antenna locations: internal and external. It is recommended to purchase with an external antenna, as it is possible to replace it with a more powerful version if necessary. It is also worth considering that to achieve high transmission speeds, the antenna must operate using the 802.11n protocol. To reduce the cost of construction, some manufacturers install other types of antennas that operate at very low speeds. The operating frequency determines the coverage radius.
- Hardware filling– an important indicator that few people pay attention to. The type of hardware affects the operation of a home network in the same way as the installed hardware on the system unit.
- Additional options for such equipment are very limited. Often these are additional connectors, as well as built-in servers for certain programs.
- Brand. As for the brand, there is practically nothing to say here - all manufacturers have terrible and good models. For example, TP-Link and Netgear have many models with good performance. Asus rarely crashes. But all manufacturers have models that often cause big problems. Often this is a ruler budget options, since all manufacturers save as much as they can on their production.
Also, when choosing, you can look at the options that friends have installed and ask them about problems with the Internet.
How to use it correctly
You can install the router anywhere. At the same time, it should not be placed in a damp room, the temperature should be room temperature, and exposure to direct rays from the sun should be excluded. Installing this equipment is quite simple: you just need to connect the cable from the installed network and that’s it. But the setup is more complicated.
The creation of an access point is carried out through a computer, but the features of connecting to the Internet depend on the work of the provider. Setting up requires an administrator login and password, and the provider does not provide this information to protect its servers.
Review of the best models
The following models can be distinguished:
- TP-LINK TL-WR740N– an inexpensive version that has a powerful antenna. The transmission speed is 150 Mbit/s. For most users, this speed should be sufficient. Cost – about 2500 rubles.
- TP-LINK TL-WR841N– a more productive option, which has a speed of about 300 Mbit/s. Installed two powerful antennas. The cost is within 4000 rubles.
In conclusion, let's note what to do Wi-Fi at home without a special router is possible only if you have a device with a built-in module that is capable of distributing, and not just receiving, a signal. Modern models Many laptops can become an access point, and if the computer has Internet access, the access will become visible to all devices. In some cases, a smartphone or tablet can become an access point.