What does wi-fi look like. How to view wifi password. WAN port type and connection protocols

As soon as the computer connects to the Wi-Fi network, it will no longer ask for a password from it. And most users safely forget this password, especially if it was written on some scrap of paper. This is not a problem exactly as long as you do not need to connect another device to the same Wi-Fi - for example, a phone or tablet.

I will show you several proven ways to view the password that are suitable for any popular operating system (Windows 7, 8, 10).

The easiest way to find out the password from WiFi

1 . Click the left mouse button on this icon in the tray.

It is located in the lower right corner of the screen, between the alphabet and the clock. Sometimes this icon is hidden under a small arrow.

2. In the window that appears, right-click on the network, from which you need to find out the password, and select "Properties".

3. We put a tick in "Display entered characters" and the computer shows the password for wifi in the "Network security key" field.

Another easy way

This option is a little more complicated, but it shows all the wireless networks to which the computer has connected, not just active ones.

1 . Right-click on the tray icon and select "Network and Sharing Center".

2. A window will open, on the left side of which we select "Manage wireless networks".

3. We click on the desired network with the right mouse button and select "Properties".

4 . Go to the "Security" tab and put a checkbox next to "Display input characters".

If there is no "Manage wireless networks" item, then click on "Change adapter settings", right-click on the desired connection and select "Status". In the window, click on the "Wireless Network Properties" button, go to the "Security" tab and check the box next to "Display characters entered".

We take out the password through the program

There is such a wonderful freeware WirelessKeyView. Thanks to her, you can see the passwords from all points to which the computer was connected. There is no need to install it: just download from the official site, unpack and run the program file. If wifi points do not appear immediately, click on the icon

That's all :)

Of the minuses, it should be noted that some antiviruses swear at it, since the program climbs into the settings (my Kaspersky, for example, caused a panic). If this does not bother you, use it to your health.

We look at the password for our Wi-Fi in the router settings

This method is good in that only thanks to it you can find out the password, which the computer does not know at all. For example, Windows was reinstalled, but you do not remember the password for your Wi-Fi and now you cannot connect. So in this case, a router will help.

A router is the thing that "distributes" the Internet. It looks like this:

Among other things, the password is stored in its settings. To find it, you need to connect the router to your computer via a power cord (usually included).

If the computer remembers the password and connects to the network, then you don't have to.

1 . Open a browser (program for the Internet), type 192.168.1.1 in the address bar and press the Enter button on the keyboard.

Most often, after that, a login / password request appears. If it doesn't, try other addresses: 192.168.0.0, 192.168.0.1, or 192.168.1.0. But if they do not fit, then take the router, turn it over and find its IP address on the sticker.

For example, I did not have an address on the sticker. Then I copied the model of the router from it (in my case, Huawei HG8245A) and typed the query "huawei hg8245a ip address" into the search engine. It turned out that the default address is different, like, in fact, the login and password.

2. In the window that appears, enter the login admin and the password admin.

Usually, this data is suitable (if no one changed it on purpose). But there may be other options, such as root or user. They are usually written on the router itself - on a sticker on the other side.

3. Open the Wireless or WLAN tab and look for the password there. It is often found under Wireless Security.

Typically, the password is written in a column containing the word Key, Password or Password. Often you have to uncheck the box to see it.

By the way, it happens that it is written immediately when you open the router settings.

If it doesn't help

Then you can reset all the settings of the router to the factory settings. But in this case, you will have to configure it yourself: specify the Internet connection parameters, network name and password.

To reset the settings, the router has a small deeply hidden Reset button (usually located at the back).

We clamp it with some sharp object for ten seconds. After that, all settings will be reset, and the router will be as good as new - all that remains is to configure it.

A router is a very complex device with many technical characteristics. We will focus on those that play an important role for the buyer.

WAN port type and connection protocols

The WAN (or Internet) connector is used to connect an Internet cable to the router. This is the first detail to look out for when buying a device. It depends on it whether the router will work with the provider.

A typical router has a WAN port in one of two formats:

1. DSL(ADSL, VDSL and other subtypes) - to connect to the Internet via a telephone line.
2. Ethernet - to connect through a special provider channel.

There are also universal devices that support multiple formats, including DSL and Ethernet. But they are much less common.

In the now quite popular fiber-optic networks, access to the Internet is carried out through a GPON terminal, to which the router is connected. Some routers have an appropriate connector to connect the provider's fiber directly. This allows you to get rid of the terminal, which often suffer from power surges, and remove an extra link in the chain.

Provider compatibility

Internet service providers use various technologies to connect subscribers. Some of them are massive and are supported by default in all routers, others are less common and not available everywhere.

For example, many service providers use L2TP, which does not work on every router. Therefore, before buying, it is advisable to check with the provider's support service whether their networks support the router you are interested in.

If, instead of DSL and Ethernet, the provider uses specific connection technologies, which rarely happens, then it is better to trust specialists in the choice and equipment.

Number and type of LAN ports

Computers, consoles, televisions and other stationary equipment that need stable wired access to the Network are connected to the LAN ports of the router. This connection always guarantees the maximum speed, which is independent of distance and interference.

And the more such connectors there are in the router, the more devices you can connect to it via a wire. Typically, routers are equipped with four LAN ports. But if this is not enough for you, choose a model with additional connectors.

The maximum speed of data exchange between the router and other devices connected to it via a wire depends on the type of LAN ports.

There are two such types:

1. Fast Ethernet provides speeds up to 100 Mbps.
2. Gigabit Ethernet - up to 1 Gbps.

If your provider offers Internet access at speeds greater than 100 Mbps, choose a router model with Gigabit Ethernet ports. This will help you make the most of your channel.

Wi-Fi standards

The maximum possible speed of data exchange between the router and the fleet of devices connected to it wirelessly depends on the Wi-Fi standard. There are two standards in use now:

1. 802.11n - a widespread, but already outdated version, which is supported by the vast majority of gadgets. Possible speed - up to 600 Mbps.
2. 802.11ac - the current standard, provides the highest speed - up to 6.77 Gbit / s.

But don't be confused by the specs: these values \u200b\u200bare only theoretically possible within the technology. Real speed indicators are much lower.

The speed indicated by the manufacturer is also often unattainable in practice. This is only a possible value, excluding distance and interference.

Thanks to the backward compatibility, any gadgets can be connected to a router with the 802.11ac standard. Even though they only support 802.11n and older. But to unleash the full potential of 802.11ac, both the router and all other devices on your wireless network must support this standard.

Number of Wi-Fi bands

Some routers can operate simultaneously in different frequency bands. In this mode, the router is capable of supporting not one, but several independent Wi-Fi networks at once.

Many popular models are able to distribute data transfer between two bands. Thus, they create two networks at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, respectively.

1. Frequency 2.4 GHz ideal for connecting smartphones and office equipment.
2. Frequency 5 GHz provides a more stable and faster connection, and therefore is better suited for multimedia devices that work with video and other heavy content. So, if you don't want to connect a TV or set-top box via wires, you can use Wi-Fi at a frequency of 5 GHz.

These networks can operate in parallel without limiting each other. But again, their total speed will not exceed the limit set by the Internet provider.

In addition, not all gadgets support the 5 GHz network.

Number and type of antennas

In addition to the standard and frequency of Wi-Fi, the speed of the wireless network depends on the number of antennas in the router. The more there are, the faster the exchange of data between the connected devices and the router.

The 802.11n Wi-Fi speed limit for the single antenna model is 150 Mbps. With two - 300 Mbit / s, with three - 450 Mbit / s. That is, with each antenna, the maximum possible speed increases by 150 Mbps. And in the 802.11ac standard - at 433 Mbps.

Recall that we are talking about theoretically possible speeds under ideal conditions. In fact, these figures are much lower. In addition, do not forget that the final speed of Internet access via Wi-Fi cannot exceed the provider's limit.

Antennas can be built-in and external. As practice shows, in a typical city apartment, the type of antenna is not so important. Contrary to popular myth, the difference is subtle.

But for large rooms it is still worth choosing a router with external antennas, so as not to have it. In addition, if external antennas are removable, they can be replaced with more powerful ones if necessary.

USB port

By choosing a router with one or a pair of USB ports, you can connect additional devices to it. For example, a USB drive will provide remote access to shared file storage from any device on a Wi-Fi network. And a wireless USB modem will become your backup way to go online if the cable Internet stops working.

Brief instructions for choosing

Let's go through the key points of the article again. This checklist will help you choose a good router.

1. Find out the provider's requirements for the router: type of WAN connector and connection protocols. Only then choose a model.
2. If the Internet speed is above 100 Mbps, buy a device with LAN ports in the Gigabit Ethernet format (1 Gbps). If the speed is lower, Fast Ethernet connectors (100 Mbps) will suffice.
3. If you need access to the Web only for browsing websites and working with documents, you can limit yourself to a router with one antenna and support for the wireless 802.11n standard.
4. But if you watch streaming video, play online games, use a lot of wireless devices, often download large files and are not used to denying yourself, then choose a dual-band router with multiple antennas and support for 802.11ac.
5. If you wish, you can buy a model with a USB port to connect a storage device or a wireless modem to it.

After the appearance of computers and laptops in almost every home, the number of customers from providers has increased several dozen times, since in the modern world for many, life without the Internet is practically unthinkable.

To begin with, the usual protocol for transmitting information through telephone communication was used, then the increase in the volume of transmitted information required an improvement in the quality and increase in the transmission speed. There are new ways to go online.

However, as before, the usability of laptops was minimal due to the need to connect a cable from a modem. After that, a wireless method of transferring large amounts of data over a fairly long distance was invented, which was called Wi-Fi. In the modern world, in many large cities, you can find Wi-Fi access points, and everyone can do this if they have Internet access and a special router.

What is a Wi-Fi router for home

Smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops can be used to acquire large amounts of data. In the case of tablets and phones, the situation is complicated by the fact that it is impossible to connect to the Internet for software updates or other tasks via a WAN cable.

For the convenience of using the Internet at home, they began to use Wi-Fi routers. Such equipment differs from the old versions in that it has a WI-Fi module that connects all devices in the field of its signal. The first models were equipped with an antenna, while the modern ones look no different from the usual versions.

The principle of operation of this equipment is as follows:

1. The connection to the network is carried out via a telephone or a connection created for the Internet, as before.
2. The built-in module, which is configured through the computer when switching to the IP address of the system, connects to the created network, evenly distributes the maximum speed between the connected devices.

The router acts as a distributor of information.

What are the routers

The choice of a router should be approached thoroughly, since the features of the created wireless network will depend on it. Conventionally, all Wi-Fi routers can be divided into the following groups:

1. ADSL - a wireless router that connects via ADSL. It is used if there is a WAN port for a telephone connector. It is quite popular, since in many cities the connection to the Internet is via a telephone cable.
2. FTTB - the most popular version, which is connected via twisted pair.
3. CPON / CEPON / PON - a recently appeared version of the design, which allows you to maintain the maximum allowable speed of connection and information transfer. You can use such a router only if you have the necessary connection to the provider, which is called passive optical networks.
4. 3G - routers that are able to carry out distribution when connected to the Internet via a cellular connection. In this case, there are no ports, there is a place for installing a SIM card.
5. The most expensive and popular version is universal. It provides for the combination of several connection types.

When considering this issue, we note that in 99% of cases routers are issued by providers, since they need to be configured correctly according to their connection protocol.

Recently, more and more often they are installing Wi-Fi routers, since they eliminate the need for a long fuss with laying the cable to the desired place.

Given the rather large radius of operation and the fact that the signal passes through walls, the router can stand anywhere.

The only catch is that a computer or other device must have a receiver. All modern laptops have a built-in receiver for such a wireless network, but desktop computers do not have one as standard.

There are several options for solving the problem with the absence of a Wi-Fi receiver on a stationary computer:

1. Using an external device that can be connected via USB or WLAN port. It should be borne in mind here that the USB connection has a certain limitation on the speed of information transfer. Therefore, if the router has a high-speed connection (due to the peculiarities of the provider's services), this method of organizing a home network is not recommended. The WLAN port is less restrictive.
2. If the mother card provides the ability to install an internal network receiving unit, then you can upgrade the system unit. However, this can be much more expensive than setting up a wired home network.

As a rule, the wizard who comes to connect the Internet will recommend the most suitable connection option.

How to choose

Despite the fact that a representative from the provider will recommend the most suitable version of the router, in some cases you have to choose yourself. When choosing, you should pay attention to the following nuances:

1. Price - the spread of this indicator for equipment that is intended for use at home is very large. At the same time, the price corresponds to the filling: a weak signal level, low reliability, a small coverage range, and so on. However, there is no sense in taking a very expensive version for the home.
2. The presence of certain ports. In most cases, it is sufficient to have a set of FastEthernet ports. The ports that are intended for connecting a gigabyte connection are often not needed, since the speed provided by the provider is often much lower. The only case is the creation of an extensive home network, but this is extremely rare for domestic needs.
3. The features of a Wi-Fi antenna are very important. There are two types of antenna locations: internal and external. It is recommended to purchase with an external antenna, since it is possible to replace it with a more powerful version if necessary. It should also be borne in mind that in order to achieve a high transmission rate, the antenna must operate using the 802.11n protocol. To reduce the cost of construction, some manufacturers install other types of antennas that operate at very low speeds. The frequency of operation determines the coverage radius.
4. Hardware filling - an important indicator that few people pay attention to. The type of hardware filling affects the operation of the home network in the same way as the installed "hardware" on the system unit.
5. Additional options for such equipment are very limited. Often these are additional connectors, as well as built-in servers for certain programs.
6. Brand. As for the brand, there is practically nothing to say here - all manufacturers have terrible and good models. For example, TP-Link and Netgear have many models with good performance. Asus rarely crashes. But all manufacturers have models that often bring big problems. Often this is a line of budget options, since all manufacturers save on their manufacture as much as they can.

Also, when choosing, you can see the options that are installed with friends and ask them about problems with the Internet.

How to use correctly

You can install the router anywhere. At the same time, he should not stand in a damp room, the temperature should be room temperature, exposure to direct rays from the sun is excluded. Installing this equipment is quite simple: you just need to connect the cable from the wired network and that's it. But the setting is more complicated.

An access point is created via a computer, but the specifics of connecting to the Internet depend on the work of the provider. To configure, the administrator's login and password are required, and the provider does not provide this information to protect its servers.

Review of the best models

The following models can be distinguished:

1. TP-LINK TL-WR740N - an inexpensive version that has a powerful antenna. The transmission speed is 150 Mbps. For most users, this speed should be sufficient. The cost is about 2500 rubles.
2. TP-LINK TL-WR841N - a more efficient option, which has a speed of about 300 Mbps. Installed two powerful antennas. The cost is within 4000 rubles.

In conclusion, we note that making Wi-Fi at home without a special router is possible only if you have a device with a built-in module that is able to distribute, and not only receive, a signal. Modern models of many laptops can become an access point, and if the computer has Internet access, access will be visible for all devices. In some cases, a smartphone or tablet can become an access point.

Hypothetically, if we saw all the digital signals that surround us, what would they look like? If we could physically see the WiFi footprint, what would it be? This is precisely the question that photographer and artist Luis Hernan explores in his newest series, The Creative Exploration of Wireless Spectra.

Obsessed with the invisible infrastructure of waves that hold our wireless world together, Louis decided to capture the landscape of electromagnetic waves in a series of amazing color photographs. The photographs quickly gained popularity, which prompted the author to further research in this area.

Using a long exposure camera and RSSI sensors to visualize WiFi networks, he was able to create these vivid pictures. The result is a beautiful collection of surreal images, both active and static. People often misuse technology, but do not even think about its nature. But thanks to Luis Hernan, you can now imagine what Wi-Fi looks like in your home!


This project aims to demonstrate the nature of the space of electromagnetic waves and prove that high technology can be visualized. If the human eye does not see something, this does not mean that it does not exist. And the author of these pictures clearly demonstrated this by making wi-fi waves temporarily available for perception.


The Digital Ethereal Project is a progressive creative research project exploring the materiality of wireless protocols. As part of this work, these impressive photographs were taken.