“How Do I Get Internet Access on Router?” you might be wondering.
So, in today’s guide, we’ll find out…
What if you could change the settings on your router while you’re away from family? That would be a huge help, especially if your parents or kids suddenly complain about the Wi-Fi being down while you’re out.
It’s fortunate for you that you can access your router remotely. Here’s how to go about it.
Why Do You Need Remote Access To Your Router?
There are numerous reasons why having access to your router can be beneficial. Here are four reasons why it will help you and those around you.
1. It’s Practical
If you’re the only tech-savvy person in the house, chances are the rest of the family relies on you to complete all computer-related tasks. You’re probably the one who connects the wires and devices, and even ensures that the internet is operational.
But what if you aren’t at home? Your parents or children will never stop nagging you to fix it. By being able to access your router remotely, you can determine if there is a problem. You will be able to repair it and operate connection speeds on it.
2. You want to know if somebody seems to be using the Wi-Fi
Did you know you can see who has connected to your Wi-Fi? If you haven’t already, this technique will come in handy. If you can access your router while you’re outside, you’ll be able to “spy” on your children while they’re researching or playing computer games.
Remote access also gives you the ability to change the parental controls if your router supports it. You no longer have to wonder if someone is accessing restricted websites.
3. You want to Deny Access to Guests and Neighbors who are using your Wi-Fi
You can check to see if your children are playing online games, just as you can check to see if your visitors or neighborhood are using your internet service without your approval. You can also use this access to block or remove users who have been abusing your router.
You can also start changing your Wi-Fi configurations and remove the Guest network, allowing only your family to use the Wi-Fi. Sure, it sounds a little self-serving, but would you want someone to use the internet that you charge for, or even worse, hack into your personal information?
4. It is possible to access files on a hard drive.
You can access your external hard drive from anywhere if it is connected to your router. Few people realize you can do this; it’s a handy trick for easily accessing your files without having to log in on your actual laptop.
READ MORE: How To Troubleshoot Xfinity Router Blinking Orange? (7 Easy Methods To Try)
Basics of Router Remote Management
The first step should be to set up a dynamic DNS. A dynamic DNS server ensures that your wireless access connections work in tandem with your personal router. The dynamic DNS guarantees that your remote connection is always available, no matter where you are.
There are numerous dynamic DNS providers available today, some of which provide these services for free. VoIP is an excellent example of a free dynamic DNS service. After you’ve configured your dynamic DNS, you’ll need to create a new hostname.
Restore to the browser’s control panel and enter your DNS and domain name in the DNS server settings. When you’re done, you should be able to link to your router remotely by entering your new web domain followed by the remote IP address.
This is completely up to you and has no bearing on how your remote management system operates in general. Given the wide range of potential threats that exist online today, it may be in your best interests to develop an effective security protocol going forward.
Why not use remote desktop applications such as TeamViewer?
While you can access your router using apps such as TeamViewer, you must keep your home computer turned on at all times. This is impractical if you are going to be gone for more than a couple of days.
However, routers are always turned on, whether you are at home or not. Furthermore, there is no need to install any additional software. All you need is a web browser to connect to your router from anywhere in the world. Let us see how it goes.
When you want to access your router from within the network, simply enter the router’s IP address into a web browser.
Similarly, to access your router from the outside, enter your public IP address followed by the remote control port number, i.e. 8080. So, if your public IP address is 74.12.168.14, you must enter 74.12.168.14:8080 into your web browser.
However, there are two issues here.
- As a security measure, every router has this remote management feature turned off by default. As a result, you must manually enable it on the router.
- Most home users are assigned a dynamic IP address, which means that your public IP address changes every time you restart your router.
As a result, we must devise a method to avoid the dynamic IP address issue. And for that, we’ll make use of Dynamic DNS services such as Dyn DNS or NoIp.
Because each router is unique, the steps for enabling remote management and configuring dynamic DNS will differ slightly. Check out the details below for more detailed steps.
Procedure 1: Change the admin password on your router
A Wireless-N Access Point is a device that allows you to connect to the wireless internet. Most routers have two passwords: your WiFi password (which almost everyone knows because they need to know it all the time) and your admin password
The admin password grants you access to the router’s management web interface, where you can change/set IP addresses, change/set your WiFi network name (SSID), change/set your WiFi password, and do a variety of other things.
The default password on most routers is something like ‘admin’ or ‘password,’ which is extremely insecure. Some routers even come with a default admin password of “blank”!
This isn’t a big deal because the management interface is generally only accessible from computers within your network by default. However, because we are about to enable Internet access, you can bet it is critical that the password be changed to something secure.
- Enter your router’s private IP address into a web browser.
Typically, this is 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, 10.0.1.1, or something similar (depending on the brand of your router). See this page for assistance in determining your router’s private IP address.
- Enter your administrator’s username and password.
If you did not change these when you first installed the router, they are most likely still set to the factory defaults. By default, the username is ‘admin’ or ‘administrator,’ and the password is ‘admin’ or ‘password.’
Again, this varies greatly depending on the router’s manufacturer and model. If you can’t find it, try searching for “[router model] default password” on Google.
- Once logged in, you must locate the password setting.
Usually, there will be a “General,” “Admin,” or “Administrator” section of the settings, so look there first. You may be able to change the username as well as the password. This is recommended because it greatly improves security.
Just make a note of it somewhere – if you forget it, you’ll have to reset the router to factory settings to get back in.
Procedure 2: To connect to your router remotely from a Windows computer, follow these steps:
- Join a different Wi-Fi network with your computer or Wi-Fi device.
- On your desktop or in the Windows taskbar, click the genie icon Image.
- The Home screen is shown.
- Choose Router Settings.
- The Router Login dialog box appears.
- Select Remote Access from the Login menu.
- Enter your remote genie email address and password, then click the OK button.
- The Wireless Settings dialog box appears. The cloud icon Image appears on the window, indicating that you can manage the router remotely.
- Make sure the router you want to remotely manage is selected in the Router Model menu at the bottom of the Wireless Settings window.
- You can now connect to your router from any location using your computer.
Note: To update the remote genie management status, click the Refresh button in the Router Settings windows.
Procedure 3: DNS Enabling
Is simply turning on remote sharing sufficient? No, because you need to set up a dynamic DNS. You can easily integrate a dynamic DNS service with your private modem.
This is especially important if you intend to access it remotely.
- To begin, you must establish a connection with a DNS provider.
- There are a plethora of DNS providers available online, some of which are free.
- Setting it up may differ depending on the DNS you’ve chosen.
- The most popular step in this process is to create a new hostname and subdomain.
- After you’ve done that, return to your router’s settings in your browser.
- Copy the hostname and subdomain from the DNS settings panel.
- You have now set up your router for remote access.
- Your new domain must now end with “:8080.”
Procedure 4: Enable remote sharing
It is simple to enable remote sharing on the router. All you have to do is enter the router’s IP address or default gateway address into your web browser. Enter your username and password next.
When you’re in the router’s web interface, look for the Remote Management option. Remote Access is a term used by some routers, and it is usually found under Advanced Settings. This option is available on the Netgear router under Settings > Remote Management.
Look for Tools > Administration > Enable Remote Management on your Dlink router. Navigate to Administration > Remote Management on your Linksys router. This option is available on the TP=Link router under Security > Remote Management.
Because you are remotely sharing your router’s web portal, it is a good security practice to change your default port number from 8080 to something else. Also, avoid using the default login credentials.
Change it to something more complex, or anyone can use a brute force attack to gain access to your network.
Pro Tip: Change the Login Information on Your Router.
Most routers use the default login information to allow access to their web-based configuration. When only people on the local network can access the router, this isn’t usually a big deal (though you should still change your login details for extra security).
However, if anyone with an internet connection can access your router, it’s a good idea to have a new password. You can do this through the web-based setup page of your router.
Simply log in to your router, select ‘Administration,’ navigate to the ‘Router Password’ section, and enter a new and secure password. Consider only enabling Remote Management when necessary, as we previously advised.
CONCLUSION: So, How Do I Get Internet Access On Router?
The advantage of remotely accessing your router is that you don’t have to constantly prepare the DNS and remote sharing access. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to access it from anywhere.
However, keep in mind that if you change the password on your router, some of these preparations may be lost. This largely depends on the router, but it’s not a big deal.
FAQs On Getting Internet Access On Router
Can I access my router remotely?
To connect to your private router remotely, open the web browser on your phone. Enter the IP address of your router. It’s the same IP address you used when configuring remote access. A log-in page will appear.
Can I use my WiFi when I’m not at home?
Remote-sharing is the process of accessing your router from outside your home or personal network space. While this step will eventually allow you remote access, you must be close to your router to set it up. To enable this option, launch a browser on any of your devices that are connected to a stable WiFi network.
What’s the distinction between VPN and remote access?
A VPN creates a secure internet connection between a user and a network by utilizing advanced encryption and tunneling techniques. Business networks can communicate with one another, and remote workers can access sensitive data on a business network without exposing themselves to unauthorized users.