If you didn't set it up to be security enabled, the laptop should be able to connect automatically. If it can't find the password, you can probably reset the router to factory defaults and reconfigure it.

What brand and model is the router?

I usually tell people to tape it to the bottom of the router have you looked there? or do you happen to have a notebook you keep all your login and password info in?

hopefully you did actually set one but if not most of them use admin as the username and either admin or password as the password you could try that. but you really do not ever want to leave them as that.

I wondered the same thing. We changed our router 2 months ago (and had a computer guy here to do the work - bc. there were some things we needed done that I could not do myself). He did not ask me to select a password - so does that mean that this router/network does not have a password? It is not a secure network - and I know I have to secure it. Does that just mean setting a password? And if I try to access the network (once it is secured), with my laptop, will the computer automatically prompt me to type in the password - or do I have to set something up in my laptop to get connected to the secure network?

Thanks.
Lynn.

The router is a D-Link WBR-2310 Rangebooster G.

The router was originally setup with a password. We started with the admin; admin, but then it was changed so it would be truly secure.

And no, I didn't tape it to the bottom of the router.

But I did retain the pages and pages of notes I created while originally setting up the router. (Had lots of problems; long story.) But so far I haven't found any notation of the password. (groan)

bpgreen suggested
"...you can probably reset the router to factory defaults and reconfigure it."

My question: Wouldn't I need the password to do that?

If not, do I go to the D-Link site and start from scratch? Or do I use the original setup disk? (I did find that.)

http://support.dlink.com/faq/view.asp?prod_id=976

mona,

Thanks. I should have recalled that tidbit.

I think I'm a little confused about what you're trying to do.

The admin/admin would be the password used to get into the setup. But you don't need to get into the setup to connect to it. At least you don't need to get into setup to connect unless you're using MAC filtering or something along those lines.

I thought you were talking about the security settings (like WEP or WPA) that would allow you to connect.

If you've forgotten both the admin password and the security settings, after you reset the router and set up the new security settings, you'll need to apply those settings to any other computer you want to connect.

bpgreen,

You said: "I thought you were talking about the security settings (like WEP or WPA) that would allow you to connect. "

Yes, that's it. I don't have the password (WEP key) to allow the laptop to connect .

Ok. That's a little different from losing the admin password. If you can't find the WEP key, you'll need to reset the router and set up a new one. Then you'll also need to set the key in any other devices that connect to the router, since they all currently have the old key.

If your router and network cards support WPA, you should probably switch to WPA, since it is more secure than WEP. Sometimes you're limited to WEP (For example, I think Tivo only supports WEP), but if you are able to use WPA, you should probably do that.

bpgreen,

Thanks for that. Sounds good. I was reluctant to begin anything until I was certain about the entire process.

Will likely take care of it next week when I can devote some time to getting all three computers on the same page on the same day.

Eureka! I found it. (And it's now taped to the underside of router.) Problem solved. (Phew!)

Thanks for your help.