I tried to be clever with my router password and locked myself out for a whole weekend

So last Friday, I decided my home Wi-Fi password was too simple. I got this idea to make a super secure one by using a long phrase from a book I was reading, mixed with symbols and numbers. I typed it into my router's settings, hit save, and the router restarted like normal. The problem? I didn't write the new password down anywhere. When I tried to connect my phone, it failed. I spent the next two days trying every variation I could think of, even calling my internet provider who said they couldn't help without a factory reset. I finally had to press the tiny reset button on the back, which wiped all my custom settings. The lesson I learned the hard way is that a password manager isn't just for websites, it's crucial for your own network gear too. Has anyone else had a router fight back after a password change?

2 comments

2 Comments

paigec1411d ago

Ever done that with a car's computer system?

derek_dixon7811d ago

Used to think car computers were just for fancy stuff like the radio. Then my truck's whole engine management went weird last year. Had to get the whole module flashed at the dealer. Cost a fortune. Changed my whole view on how deep that stuff goes, @paigec14. Now I see it's all tied together, brakes, fuel, everything. Makes you respect the tech even if it's a pain to fix.