What Wi-Fi Waves Look Like. Wi-Fi router for dummies: purpose, principle of operation, device connection

As soon as the computer connects to a 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 down on some piece of paper. This is not a problem exactly until you need to connect another device to the same Wi-Fi - for example, a phone or tablet.

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

The easiest way to find out your wifi password

one . Click the left mouse button on this tray icon.

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, click 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 wifi password in the "Network security key" field.

Another easy way

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

one . 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 "Wireless Network Management".

3 . Click on desired network right-click and select "Properties".

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

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

We pull out the password through the program

There is such a wonderful free program WirelessKeyView. Thanks to it, you can see the passwords from all the points to which the computer was connected. You do not need to install it: just download from the official site, unpack and run the program file. If wifi hotspots will not appear immediately, click on the icon

That's all :)

Of the minuses, it should be noted that some antiviruses swear at it, as the program climbs into the settings (my Kaspersky, for example, made a panic). If that doesn't bother you, use it.

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

This method is good because 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 don’t remember the password for your Wi-Fi and now you can’t connect. So in this case, the router will help.

Router - this is the thing that "distributes" the Internet. It looks something like this:

In its settings, among other things, the password is stored. To find it, you need to connect the router to the computer via power cord(usually it comes with a kit).

If the computer remembers the password and connects to the network, then you can not do this.

one . Open a browser (internet program) address bar we type 192.168.1.1 and press the Enter button on the keyboard.

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

For example, I didn’t even have an address on the sticker. Then I copied the router model from it (in my case, Huawei HG8245A) and entered the query “huawei hg8245a ip address” into the search engine. It turned out that the default address is different, as, in fact, the login with the password.

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

Usually these data are suitable (if no one specifically changed them). 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 tab Wireless (Wireless mode) or WLAN and look for the password there. Often it is located in the item Wireless Security (Security Settings or Wireless Protection).

As a rule, the password is written in the column where there is the word Key, Password or Password. Often, to see it, you need to uncheck it.

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

If it didn't help

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

To reset the settings on the router, there is a small, deeply hidden Reset button (usually located on 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 specifications. 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 that you should pay attention to 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) - for connecting to the Internet via a telephone line.
2. ethernet- to connect through a special provider channel.

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

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

ISP Compatibility

ISPs 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 the L2TP protocol, which does not work in 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 the choice of equipment to specialists.

Number and type of LAN ports

Computers, consoles, TVs and other stationary equipment that needs stable wired access to the Web are connected to the LAN ports of the router. This connection always guarantees top speed, which is independent of distance and interference.

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

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

There are two such types:

1. fast ethernet provides speeds up to 100 Mbps.
2. gigabit ethernet- up to 1 Gbps.

If your ISP offers Internet access at speeds greater than 100 Mbps, choose a router model with Gigabit Ethernet ports. So you will use your channel to the fullest.

WiFi standards

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

1. 802.11n- a common, 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 Gbps.

But don't let the specs fool you: the values ​​shown are only theoretically possible within the technology. Actual speeds are much lower.

The speed indicated by the manufacturer is also most often unattainable in practice. This is only a possible value without taking into account distance and interference.

Thanks to backward compatibility any gadgets can be connected to a router with the 802.11ac standard via WI-Fi. Even if they only support 802.11n and older versions. But to unlock the full potential of 802.11ac, both your router and every other device 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 able to support not one, but several independent Wi-Fi networks at once.

Many popular models are able to distribute data transmission between two ranges. Thus, they create two networks at frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, respectively.

1. Frequency 2.4 GHz ideal for connecting smartphones and office equipment.
2. Frequency 5 GHz provides more stable and fast connection and therefore better suited for multimedia devices working with video and other heavy content. So, if you do not want to connect a TV or set-top box through 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 a 5 GHz network.

Number and type of antennas

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

Limiting wifi speed in the 802.11n standard for the single antenna model is 150 Mbps. With two - 300 Mbps, with three - 450 Mbps. 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 the theoretical possible speeds under ideal conditions. In reality, these figures are much lower. In addition, do not forget that the total speed of Internet access via Wi-Fi cannot exceed the provider's limit.

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

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

Availability of a USB port

By choosing a router with one or a pair of USB connectors, you can connect additional devices to it. For example, a USB drive will provide remote access to a shared file storage through any device in WiFi networks. A wireless USB modem will be yours in a backup way Internet access if cable Internet stops working.

Brief selection guide

Let's go through it again key points articles. This checklist will help you choose a good router.

1. Find out the provider's requirements for the router: WAN connector type and connection protocols. Only then choose a model.
2. For Internet speeds above 100 Mbps, buy a device with Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) LAN ports. If the speed is lower, Fast Ethernet connectors (100 Mbps) will suffice.
3. If you need access to the Web only for browsing sites and working with documents, you can limit yourself to a router with one antenna and support wireless standard 802.11n.
4. But if you watch streaming video, play online games, use a lot of wireless devices, often upload 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 drive or a wireless modem to it.

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

Obsessed with the invisible wave infrastructure that holds our wireless world together, Luis set out to capture the landscape of electromagnetic waves in a series of amazing color photographs. The pictures 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 vibrant paintings. The result is a beautiful collection of surreal images that are both active and static at the same time. People often misuse technology without even thinking 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 electromagnetic wave space and prove that high technology can be visualized. If the human eye does not see something, it 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 that explores the materiality of wireless protocols. As part of this work, these impressive photographs were taken.