Many fixes on this site start with signing in to the router. The address is a number, like four short numbers separated by dots. You do not need to remember it. You need to find it once and write it down. If the label on the router and the gateway your computer reports disagree, trust the gateway, because that is the address your devices are using right now.
Steps
- Look at the router's label
Many routers print the address, sometimes a name like routerlogin, and the starting login. Check there first.
- On Windows
Press the Windows key, type cmd, press Enter, type ipconfig and press Enter. Under your active adapter, find the line Default Gateway. That number is the router.
- On a Mac
Open System Settings, then Network, pick Wi-Fi or Ethernet, then Details. The router address is in the TCP/IP area. Older macOS uses System Preferences, Network, Advanced.
- On an iPhone
Settings, Wi-Fi, tap the info button by your network. The Router line shows the address.
- On an Android phone
Settings, Network, Wi-Fi, tap the settings icon by your network, and look in the details or advanced area for the gateway.
- Type it in a browser
Enter the number in the address bar, as you would a website, while you are on the home Wi-Fi.
- Sign in
Use the login on the label or the one you set. If you set it and lost it, a factory reset clears it; see factory reset a router, which also erases your Wi-Fi settings.
Is this the address High Desert uses?
No. This is the address of your own router inside the house. It is not a public address, and it cannot be reached from outside. The glossary entry IP address explains the difference.
What if the page does not open?
Check that you are on the home Wi-Fi or cabled to the router, not on a guest network or mobile data. Some routers use an app instead of a web page; see the brand articles such as TP-Link Archer or Netgear Nighthawk.
Is it safe to sign in?
Yes, from inside your home. CISA's home Wi-Fi guidance says to change the default administrator login, so do that. See updating your router's firmware.
Do I need to go outside or touch the antenna for this?
Everything here happens indoors. If you suspect the outdoor radio, do not climb or touch it or its cable. Call us instead.
Sources
- noip.com/support/knowledgebase/finding-your-default-gateway (No-IP, finding the default gateway, third-party, seen in a search summary 2026-10-15; no Microsoft or Apple page was read)
- cisa.gov/audiences/high-risk-communities/projectupskill/module5 (CISA, Project Upskill Module 5, seen in a search summary 2026-10-15)