Chances are, your home internet was set up by a technician who handled everything for you. Even if not, you probably picked up the equipment and followed the instructions to set it up. If you ever need to troubleshoot, though, you'll probably be asked to provide your internet service provider username and password, which you may not easily know how to find.
Locate Your ISP Security Information
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Internet connection issues are no joke. No matter how much you use your home internet, a failure becomes a huge inconvenience. When your connection isn't working, your first move should be to unplug the router and plug it back in again, but if that doesn't do it, you'll probably progress to more advanced troubleshooting steps.
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Your router is the small piece of equipment that has blinking lights on it. It was probably placed in a central location of your house, and if it was provided by your internet service provider, the name of the provider should be on it somewhere. Having this information can come in handy if you aren't sure who your ISP actually is.
Find Your Internet Service Provider
Whether your ISP provided your router or you bought it on your own, there should be a sticker on it somewhere that has your username and password. This is the path of least resistance, so look there first. Your next step should be to find the manual that came with your router, which may have the username and password.
The default username and password for many routers is "admin" and "admin." Try that first and see if that works. If it doesn't, you can find the typical default username and password for the most common routers online. Netgear uses "admin" and "password," for instance, while Digicom uses "admin" and "Michelangelo."
If, by ISP username and password, you're looking for the password you use to link up to your home's Wi-Fi, check the documentation you were given when your internet was installed. Often technicians will jot the information down so you won't forget it. If all else fails, you can typically call your ISP and ask for your credentials.
When You've Found Your Password
You may have tracked down your internet service provider username and password, only to find the password itself isn't working. In that case, you might have to contact your ISP and let them know the issue. They should be able to give you the information you need, although you may need to verify your identity first.
Once you're in, you should change your password as soon as possible. As convenient as it can be right now to have your Wi-Fi set up with the default internet service provider username and password, that can be a security risk. After all, you can track down the default username and password online, so your neighbors and hackers could, too.
Fixing Connection Issues
If you're having internet connectivity issues, you'll need to take steps to pinpoint the problem. First, determine if it's an issue with every device in your house. This will help you decide whether the network itself is the problem or if it's a connection to that network.
For network-wide issues, often unplugging the router, waiting several seconds and plugging it back in can fix the problem. You'll also need to make sure there's not a known outage affecting your area of town. Many ISPs will provide this information on their website or as an automated message when you call in.
If it's one device, you can try toggling your Wi-Fi off, then back on again. Still can't connect? Delete that particular network from your list of networks and reconnect. You may need your internet username and password for that, which is different from the username and password you use to get your internet working.