Realized my default router password was still the factory default for 3 years

Went to log into my router settings last night to set up a guest network for a house showing. Typed in admin/admin like I always do... and it worked. Got me thinking about how many people never change that first password. I showed houses in three different neighborhoods last month and two of the sellers used their wifi password as their router admin password too. Makes you wonder how many other homes are basically an open book.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_anthony1mo ago

Used to think I was safe just because I lived in a quiet area. Figured nobody would bother messing with my network. But then a buddy of mine got his smart home stuff hacked because of the same lazy password habit. That changed my mind real quick. Changed everything that same week.

cora8631mo ago

Oh boy, my own router password has been "password" for so long I think it might actually be legally married to me at this point. At least you caught it after three years; I'm scared to even check how long mine has been sitting there like an unlocked door in a bad neighborhood. Guess we're all just one nosy neighbor away from having our internet history become the neighborhood gossip.

william_torres1mo ago

Man, I feel you on that. It's way too easy to just let that stuff slide because changing it feels like a chore. But you're right, that unlocked door thing is exactly how I felt when my neighbor's kid accidentally connected to my wifi and I realized how careless I was being. I finally changed mine after years of putting it off, and honestly it took like five minutes. It's one of those simple fixes that makes you wonder why you waited so long.