How to change WiFi name: what the router makers say

On the router: the web page and the app

A Microsoft Q&A answer states the rule plainly: your router, not Windows, is where you assign a name to your Wi-Fi network, so you sign in to the router’s settings and look for the Wi-Fi name (SSID) screen. TP-Link’s support page, updated on 23 September 2026, shows one maker’s version. Connect your phone or computer to the router by Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable, open a browser and enter tplinkwifi.net, and sign in with the admin password. On other TP-Link routers go to Advanced, then Wireless, then Wireless Settings, make the change and click Save; for Wi-Fi 8 routers the path is Wi-Fi, then Main Network. In the Tether app, tap the router under Devices, sign in, tap More, then Wi-Fi Settings, pick the network, and tap Save.

For routers in general the blog of Shenzhen Bilian Electronic, published on 22 October 2025, says to have the router’s IP address and admin login ready; the address is often 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, and the login may be on a sticker on the router or in the manual. Trend Micro, in a help page updated on 17 September 2026, gives http://192.168.1.1 as typical, warns that each router brand may have different login methods, and says to click Save or Apply and that you might need to reboot the router for the changes to take effect.

When the carrier or the app owns the router

Xfinity says its steps are for rented Xfinity Gateways only. The quickest way is the Xfinity app: select the WiFi tab, then WiFi details, then Edit WiFi settings at the bottom, change the name or password, and click Save. Only Primary, Manager and Member Xfinity ID users can reach the WiFi tab. If you have WiFi Boost Pods or WiFi Intelligence is enabled, Xfinity says you must use the app, and that on an XB2 or XB3 device the Admin Tool is still available. On an X1 TV box the name is view only.

For Nest Wifi and Google Wifi the Google Home and Nest Help page says to open the Google Home app, tap Home, then Wifi, then Network settings, enter a new network name and tap Save. Google adds that network names must be between one and 31 characters and that there must not be an accidental space at the beginning or end. Breezeline’s business support page, for a network split into zones, says to open the Settings page, tap the pencil icon next to the name, change it and tap Apply.

One name or two: bands and hidden names

Xfinity gateways broadcast two or three signals, on 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz depending on the model, and Xfinity says that for the strongest and fastest connection it recommends the same network name and password for all bands. TP-Link’s Smart Connect works that way: when enabled, the router uses the same name for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and assigns your device to the best band. TP-Link’s question and answer says that if your phone sees only one name, Smart Connect is probably on; turn it off and change one of the names so the two bands show as separate networks. TP-Link also lists Hide SSID, which hides the name from Wi-Fi scans, so that to connect you must enter the name and password by hand.

After the change, and what to call it

Every source says the devices have to be reconnected. TP-Link says that if you are connected by Wi-Fi you will be disconnected after saving and should reconnect with the new details. Xfinity says to reconnect all your WiFi devices, which can take a few minutes. Breezeline says devices that connected automatically need the new name and password. The Shenzhen Bilian blog says to warn family or roommates that their devices will disconnect for a moment. Google’s page adds an exception: if you reuse the network name and password of an old router, you won’t have to reconnect devices that were previously on the network.

On the choice of name, Trend Micro says that using the default name can put the network at risk, because attackers may assume the owner has not taken precautions, that some default names give away the brand, that a name should not include personal information such as a name, address or date of birth, and that you should update the name and password regularly, aiming for every three months. TP-Link takes a narrower line: it recommends changing only the Wi-Fi name and password unless you have a specific reason to adjust other options. To keep the change from being lost, see also changing the password, which the same settings screen holds.

From a phone

The apps above change the router’s name from a phone. The network a phone makes itself is a different case. Apple’s support page on Personal Hotspot, published on 7 May 2026, says to change the name of the Personal Hotspot by changing the name of the device providing the hotspot: open Settings, tap General, tap About, then tap Name. Apple’s guide adds that the iPhone’s name is also used by iCloud, AirDrop, Bluetooth and your computer, so renaming it changes it in those places too. If the router needs a restart afterwards, see restarting a router.