Get into your router.
Lock down your home network.
Plain, step by step guides to log in to your router, fix weak WiFi security and protect every device in the house. Written for people who are not technical.
Router Login and Lockdown Tool
Pick your router brand or internet provider, get the exact login details, then follow a brand specific checklist that locks down your home network step by step. Access arrives by email.
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What you will learn here
Three things every household should be able to do, in the order you will actually need them.
Get into your router
Find the login address, get past the default password and change the settings that matter, whether your box is from Netgear, Xfinity, Spectrum, Verizon or AT&T.
Router login guidesFix weak WiFi security
Understand what the weak security warning means, pick WPA3 or WPA2, find your network security key and see who is really connected to your network.
WiFi security guidesProtect every device with a VPN
Learn how a VPN installed on the router covers smart TVs, consoles and every phone in the house at once, without installing an app on each one.
VPN and privacy guidesTwo tools that do the heavy lifting
Once you are inside your router, these are the two additions we cover most often in the guides.
NordVPN
A subscription VPN that encrypts your internet traffic and installs on compatible routers, so every connected device is covered through one setup.
Best for: households that want every device, including smart TVs and smart home gadgets that cannot run apps, protected through a single router setup.
- Router setup guides for Asus, DD-WRT, Tomato and other supported firmware
- Threat Protection feature that blocks malicious websites and trackers
- Apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux plus browser extensions
We may earn a commission if you use this service, at no extra cost to you.
Firewalla
A plug in hardware firewall that sits behind your home router to monitor connected devices and block network threats.
Best for: readers who want to see every device on their network and control it from a phone app, without a monthly subscription.
- Per device blocking and parental controls from the mobile app
- Ad blocking and intrusion detection for the local network
- Built in VPN server and VPN client options
We may earn a commission if you use this service, at no extra cost to you.
Start with these guides
Each one is a plain how to guide with numbered steps and a short summary, and each one links to the detailed guides underneath it.
How to Log In to Any Router
Find the admin address, the default username and password, and what to change first once you are in.
Read the guideBest VPN for Your Home Network
How a VPN on the router works, which routers support it, and what to look for before you subscribe.
Read the guideHow to Secure Your Home WiFi Network
The settings to check tonight: encryption type, guest network, WPS, remote management and firmware updates.
Read the guideHow to Set Up a Home Network
Modem, router, switches and access points explained in plain language, with a simple layout that works for most homes.
Read the guideAffiliate disclosure
My Router Local is reader supported. Some links on this site, including the NordVPN and Firewalla links above, are affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Commissions do not influence which tools we cover or what we say about them. We only recommend products that fit the guides on this site, and we are not paid to write about any specific product.