Changing the Wi-Fi password is the fix for a network that has been shared too widely, and it is a five-minute job on every modem sold in New Zealand. The steps differ slightly by brand, and there is one consequence worth planning for: every device in the house has to be reconnected afterwards.
Before you start
Two passwords live on your modem and they do different jobs. The Wi-Fi password (sometimes called the network key) lets devices join. The admin password lets you into the settings. To change the first, you need the second — and on many modems the admin login is still the default printed on the sticker underneath.
Make a list of what will need reconnecting before you begin: phones, laptops, television, streaming stick, console, printer, robot vacuum, smart plugs, cameras, doorbell. Smart-home devices are the ones people forget, and some need re-pairing rather than just a new password.
How to change it
Spark modems (Smart Modem 3, Futura, 5G gateways)
Connect to the network, open a browser and go to 192.168.1.1. Sign in with the admin details on the sticker, then look for Wi-Fi or Wireless settings. Change the password (network key) for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks if they are listed separately, and save. Spark’s app can also show or change the details on some models.
One NZ modems (TP-Link Deco range)
One NZ supplies TP-Link Deco units, which are managed through the Deco app rather than a browser page. Open the app, go to the Wi-Fi settings for your main network, change the password and apply. The change pushes to every Deco unit in the house automatically.
2degrees, Slingshot and Orcon modems
Most use 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 in a browser, with the admin details on the sticker. Find Wireless or Wi-Fi settings, update the password and save.
Any other router
The pattern is the same: browser, router address, admin login, wireless settings, new password, save. The sticker on the unit lists the address and the default admin login.
Choosing the new password
Use a passphrase of 20 characters or more. You will read it aloud to visitors and type it on televisions and consoles with awkward on-screen keyboards, so random words separated by hyphens beat a string of symbols. Our password generator will produce one, and there is no need to memorise it — store it in a password manager and read it from there.
While you are in the settings, set encryption to WPA3 if the modem offers it, or WPA2 if not, and turn off WPS. Our guide to securing a home network covers the rest of that checklist, including why smart devices belong on the guest network.
After the change
- Reconnect your own devices first, then the shared ones.
- Re-pair smart-home devices that will not simply accept a new password — cameras and plugs often need their app’s setup flow again.
- If a device refuses to connect, forget the network on that device and add it fresh.
- Check the modem’s admin page for connected devices afterwards; anything you do not recognise has gone.
If the connection is also slow or unstable after the change, the password is not the cause — see why connections keep dropping out and run our speed test to see what you are getting.
Disclaimer
General information only. Menu names vary by model and firmware; if your modem came from your provider, their support pages document the exact steps for that device.
Reference sources
Frequently asked questions
How do I change my Wi-Fi password in New Zealand?
Open a browser, go to your modem’s address — usually 192.168.1.1 — sign in with the admin details from the sticker, open the wireless settings and change the network key. One NZ’s Deco modems are changed in the Deco app instead.
What is the difference between the Wi-Fi password and the admin password?
The Wi-Fi password lets devices join the network. The admin password opens the settings page. They should be different, and the admin one should not be left as the factory default.
Will everything disconnect when I change it?
Yes. Every device needs the new password, and some smart-home devices need re-pairing through their own app.
What should my Wi-Fi password be?
A passphrase of 20 characters or more — random words with hyphens are easiest to type on a television remote. Save it in a password manager so nobody has to remember it.
I have forgotten my modem’s admin password. What now?
Try the default on the sticker. If it has been changed and forgotten, a factory reset with the pinhole button restores defaults, but it wipes any custom settings and your provider may need to reconfigure the connection.
Can I change the Wi-Fi network name at the same time?
Yes, and it is worth doing if the current name identifies the modem model or your family. Renaming also disconnects everything, so do both changes in one go.
