How to Recover the Password of a DSL Modem Configuration

Authorized users can easily retrieve DSL password information.

If you've forgotten your DSL router's WEP key or you've simply forgotten how to log into your router's configuration page, all is not lost. Retrieving a DSL modem/router's setup information, including the security key, is easy, and it doesn't even require that you use the modem's startup software. If you've forgotten the custom password to log into your router's setup page, the process is slightly more painful.

Instructions

Recovering the WEP Key

1. Click on "Start," then select "Run." In the dialog that appears, type "cmd."

2. Type "ipconfig" in the black box on the screen where the cursor is blinking.

3. Find the number listed by the words "Default Gateway." Write down this number and close the command prompt.

4. Open an Internet browser and type the default gateway number exactly in the address bar. You should be prompted for a username and password. If you have never changed the username and password, the default for most routers is "admin" for the username and "password" for the password. Some older routers use "1234" as the password.

5. In the router configuration page that appears, find a tab or link for "Wireless Security" or "Wireless Settings." The layout of the configuration page varies from router to router. You are looking for the WEP passkey. After you locate it, write this number down and close the browser.

6. Click on the network icon in the lower-right corner of the computer screen and select "Connect to a Network." The icon looks like two computers, one on top of the other.

7. Select your network from the list and click "Connect." Type the number that you retrieved from your router's configuration page in the box that asks for the security key.

Resetting the Administrator Password

1. Reset your modem's factory defaults to restore the username and password. The method for doing this varies by manufacturer. Check your modem's instructions. Netgear DGN series modem/routers, for example, require you to push the WAP and Wireless buttons on the side of the unit simultaneously. Most Linksys routers and modems have a reset button on the back that you press with the tip of a pencil or paperclip.

2. Wait for the indicator lights to turn green following the reset. You should see a green light for "DSL," "Wireless" and for any port numbers indicating a direct, wired connection to computers.

3. Open an Internet browser and type in the default gateway IP address. When you are prompted for a username and password, type "admin" and "password" or consult your manufacturer's instructions related to the default login. Since you have reset the router to the factory defaults, you will need to enter your DSL account information, set a WEP key and make any other changes to restore the settings you had before the reset.

References

• AskDaveTaylor: What Is a WEP Key?
• Netgear: Restore Network Device to Factory Default Settings
• Netgear: How to View or Change Your Wireless Network Password

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• CNET: Need My WEP Key...How Do I Find It?