router Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Can I retrieve my forgotten Wi-Fi password from my router?

Posted on December 11, 2025

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Question from Sean: My wife and I both connect our computers to the Internet via Wi-Fi. We rented out a spare bedroom to a college student a while back, and while we were on vacation our router died.

Not wanting to have to do without Wi-Fi until we got back, our renter purchased this router and installed it.

When we got back from our trip she gave us the password she had put on the new router’s wireless network and we used it to log on to the network with our Windows PCs.

When our renter left she told us we could keep the router, and we were very grateful. The problem is we lost the paper with the Wi-Fi password on it.

Now, our problem: My wife had to have the hard drive in her laptop replaced and when they reinstalled Windows it wiped out her password. Do you know of any way to retrieve the Wi-Fi password from the router so she can sign back on to the network? [Read more…]

Q&A: Is it safe to sell a used router?

Posted on September 13, 2025

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Question from Ben: I know I need to replace my router with a new WiFI Mesh system.

I checked on Ebay and routers like the one I’ll be replacing are selling for around $60.

I’d like to sell the old router after I get the mesh system but I’m afraid a hacker might be able to steal my info from it.

What’s your opinion on selling used routers? Is it safe? If it is, are there any precautions I need to take before I put it up for sale? [Read more…]

Q&A: Lightning destroyed my cable modem. Should I replace my router too?

Posted on August 7, 2025

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Question from Kendra: Hi, Rick. We had a pretty bad thunderstorm last night that caused a lot of damage in my area.

Once I noticed the lightning I turned everything off like I always do when it’s storming and then went on to bed.

This morning when I turned everything back on I couldn’t get the cable box or the modem to light up at all. They’re completely dead.

I called the cable company and they’re sending a technician out to replace the cable box and modem.

What I need to know is do you think I need to buy a new router too? It lights up like it always did and it appears to be working. [Read more…]

Tips for fixing a slow Internet connection

Posted on May 11, 2024

As you probably know, the dependency on the Internet has increased by leaps and bounds over the years.

Covid 19 and the consequent remote work culture has made this dependency even more severe, exacerbating the usual frustration we feel when our Internet connection slows to a crawl.

In many cases it can be difficult to pinpoint the reason(s) behind a sluggish Internet connection. If you’re struggling with this issue, this post just might be a help to you. [Read more…]

5 tips for getting the most from your Internet connection

Posted on April 12, 2024

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Back in the early days of home computing, most users had to connect their computers to the Internet using a dial-up analog modem.

Those dial-up connections were typically about as slow as a sedated slug, and establishing and keeping a stable connection was tricky at best.

Even worse, that slow and unreliable connection was typically dedicated to a single computer, so connecting multiple computers to the Internet required a separate modem and a separate telephone land-line for each computer. [Read more…]