What Is a NETGEAR Router's Default IP Address?

A default router IP address is required to access router settings

Most NETGEAR routers have a default IP address set as 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. You can connect to the router by using one of these addresses as the URL:

http://192.168.0.1/
http://192.168.1.1/

Some NETGEAR routers use a different IP address. Use a NETGEAR default password list to find the default IP address that your specific router model uses.

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Home Router IP Addresses Explained

Home broadband routers possess two IP addresses. One is for communicating locally, inside the home network, called a private IP address; the other is used when connecting to networks outside of the local one, usually the internet, and are called public IP addresses. Internet providers assign the public address, while the home network administrator controls the private address.

If you've never changed the local address of your router, especially if it was recently purchased new, this IP address is likely set to use the default IP address. Because a router must have a local IP address when a network is initially set up, the manufacturer programmed a default IP address into the router to simplify network setup.

The default IP address is usually printed in the router's documentation. When first setting up a router, the administrator must know the default IP address in order to connect to it and access the router's settings.

The router's IP address is sometimes called the default gateway address, acting as the portal through which client devices can access the internet. Computer operating systems sometimes use this term on their network configuration menus.

Changing a Router's Default IP Address

Each time a home router powers on, it will use the same default private network address unless the administrator wishes to change it. Changing the router's default IP address might be necessary to avoid conflict with the IP address of a modem or another router already installed on the network.

Administrators can change this default IP address either during installation or at any later time. Doing so does not alter other administrative settings such as the Domain Name System (DNS) address values, network mask (subnet mask), passwords, or Wi-Fi settings. Changing the default IP address also does not affect a network's connections to the internet, though there may be a brief interruption of internet access for devices on the local network while rebooting the router to use the newly assigned private network address.

Internet providers often track and authorize home networks based on the router or modem's MAC address, not their local IP addresses.

Resetting a Router

A router reset (not a router reboot) replaces all of its network settings with the manufacturer's defaults, including the local IP address. Even if the network administrator changed the default address for the router, a reset reverts this address to the original manufacturer-assigned default IP address.

Simply power cycling a router (i.e., turning it off and back on) does not affect its IP address configuration, nor does a power outage.

What Is Routerlogin.com?

Some NETGEAR routers support a feature that allows administrators to access the router through a domain name rather than an IP address. After an administrator enters www.routerlogin.com or www.routerlogin.net, the NETGEAR router recognizes the domain name and redirects the administrator to the router's IP address automatically.

NETGEAR maintains the domains routerlogin.com and routerlogin.net as a service that gives router owners an alternative to remembering the IP address of their device; routerlogin.com is easier to remember than an IP address.

The sites routerlogin.com and routerlogin.net do not function as ordinary websites. They are only accessible through NETGEAR routers.

FAQ
  • How do I prioritize my computer on my Netgear router?

    Go to your router settings to limit bandwidth for other devices on your network and designate your computer as the top priority. That way, your device will always have the fastest connection even when other devices are connected to the network.

  • What is the difference between static and dynamic IP addresses?

    A static IP address is manually configured and unchanging. A dynamic IP address is randomly assigned to a device each time it connects to a network. It's best to use a static IP address for devices that interact with other network devices like printers and additional routers.

  • How do I block websites on a Netgear router?

    To block websites on your Netgear router, open your router settings and go to Advanced > Security > Block Sites. From here, you can enter keywords or full domain names to block on your Network.

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