RANDOM TIPS--ethernet cables & how to regain your wifi/router's password

Ya'll lovely angels know how I randomly post a little "tip" such as how to get rid of this or that. Well, I just give those amazing tips of mine away as they come to me. You see, I get stuck in some really wild problems and when it's one that's really tough to find an answer to, I often like to share it here just in case some other lonely, scared fella is out there desperate for quick help on whatever problem I have encountered and solved! So, if I give out tips here, you can go ahead and believe that I've been through it and it's what worked for me. 

So that will explain why I'm randomly telling you guys how to do a couple of things on a wireless router and such.

Tip number one

• Egg yolk is great for preventing and helping rid early fine lines and wrinkles.
• Always have a second ethernet cable on hand--if you use one often like say, on a router! You'll understand why I say this in a minute. But yes, a back up ethernet cable is absolutely a must! If you don't own any router or device that requires an ethernet cable, you can skip what I am saying. 

Tip number two is important. For some reason, I actually never knew that if you run on a wireless router and use laptops, you CANNOT log into your router via a computer and change settings unless your laptop is directly connected (via ethernet cable--hence the reason I tell you to have a back up ethernet at all times). I made the mistake of trying to change my Wi-Fi password literally at least 4 blasted times (and totally screwing it up, which then required entire evenings of being on the phone with Trendnet each time) without ever being told that you NEVER go and change your settings unless your laptop is connected to your router via ethernet. 

So, for at least 4 screw ups, I would kick myself wondering why every time I tried changing our password, it'd totally mess up our internet connection all together! Nowhere online have I ever seen, even in Tech forums, anyone say to plug your laptop into the router via ethernet cable before ever changing router settings! Is this supposed to be common knowledge and I'm just an idiot? Did ya'll know this rule? Well, apparently I did not. Not until like last month when I screwed it all up again. And then again tonight, but that wasn't the same mistake!

This is a very important tip. I spent so much time trying to set up a password so that a certain someone who totally devours my internet--I use HUGHES net--would no longer be able to. 

So guys, if you use a wireless router and laptop, definitely plug the laptop into the router before changing your settings! If you happen to come across my post in hopes of finding a tip on how to do something else that involves a Trendnet router, Hughes net modem and a laptop, I could more than likely shed some light. I joke all the time that I should go to work in computers since I've literally had to learn way more than I should about fixing computers and router stuff. I'm gettin' pretty good.

Now, you are all plugged in & ready--don't ask me which port you're supposed to plug the ethernet into because sadly, I forgot again! I think if you're wireless, it's always plugged into WAN and if you want to plug your laptop into it, you plug it into one of the numbered ports, which are I believe, called LAN ports. 

TIP NUMBER 3 -- Lost password to router and need help finding it. Simple solution below--the actual instructions are in bold letters like these incase you want to skip my story and get to work on your own problem.

If you're like me and you set up a password on your router--where others would have to type in a password to gain access to your internet--and you forget it, I'm your guy! 

I am known for my good memory. OK, my family and boyfriend know me for my good memory. So during my last attempt to put a password on my internet/router in hopes of stopping the internet devourer, it messed me up because well, my laptop wasn't plugged into the router. Again. 

So I spent the loveliest of evenings on the phone with a non-English speaking person from Trendnet for help. He quickly says he no be able to help me, please call service provider. I say "OK, I've screwed this thing up so many times I can almost remember exactly how to fix things, but there's something I am missing. I KNOW you and I can fix it over the phone, so don't you give me that bullshit so that you don't have to do your job." He quickly went through the steps with me. The same steps I'd gone through at least 3 times before, only I had forgotten one thing that I was not doing right and therefore, needed his help. 

Unfortunately, after that, only my laptop and my sister's would connect. I had given her my password immediately so she'd leave me alone. The entire reason I wanted to put a damn password on it in the first place! But it was part of my social security number, which was easy for her to remember because hers is only 1 number different. 

Strangely enough, when the Trednet guy and I put a new password on it over the phone, nothing would connect but my sister's and mine. I already said that. Sorry. So, my mom has been having a panic attack because hers won't connect. But I didn't take it so seriously right away because, well, this is a woman who flips out when someone shuts her computer down instead of just shutting the laptop. She then powers it on and sees "Tami's Locked." Then all she has to do is click that box that says "Tami's Locked and she's in. Well, she flips a switch and yells "somebody locked me off my own computer! I can't connect to the internet." And I look at it and say "No, someone shut your computer DOWN. They did NOT lock you off your own computer." She still doesn't quite understand though. You may be wondering how the hell she's had a laptop and never had to click that "Tami's Locked" to get in. Well, my friend, that's because my lovely mom, she has never actually turned her laptop off! She only shuts it. Ha Ha.

So, I made my point. Here's what you really want to know: How to regain your password when you've forgotten it and need other devices to get access to your internet... For a few paragraphs, I'm recalling my own story incase it will help someone. If you want to skip that and read the "fix" to regaining password, just scroll down til' you see bold letters. Bold letters look just like these ones here.

If you've not figured it out yet, I always need to share my story when giving instructions. Just bear with me.

My printer is wireless as well. Remember I said no other device would connect to my internet after setting up that password? That includes my much needed printer. I am a writer and am going to school for it. I absolutely can't be without printer. Went to use it. Nope. "Invalid password". Just like my mom's laptop even though I tried my social security number, knowing it was that. IT DID NOT work. I tried my SSN backwards, scrambled, upside down and inside out. Nothing. Tried my Lovie's laptop. "Invalid passphrase." 

So this is yet another evening WASTED due to my lack of knowledge. You say, well you could just plug your ethernet into your laptop and router and log into your router and change the password? I could indeed. Guess what though? There's actually another weird thing with my laptop that I desperately need to fix, but still haven't went through days like today to fix it. My laptop has never, ever connected online via ethernet port. Remember the tip and instructions I gave you--to always plug ethernet into laptop AND router before ever changing your router settings? 

My laptop for some freak reason will not work that way. I have always had to use my mom's to gain access. Bad news since my mom's has been screwy and she flipped a second switch tonight and snatched her computer up, said she'd find someone else to work on it and took it. That means I was almost screwed tonight when I needed to get into the router. Thankfully that sister of mine was here, laptop on lap.

Trendnet guy tells me try her laptop. So I plugged the ethernet into her laptop and into my router. Got online into my router where settings can be changed and all that stuff. 

Remember, this particular incident happened because I wanted to change the password so that my printer, my lovie's laptop and my mom's laptop would be able to connect instead of just mine and my sis' laptop. I unplugged the ethernets trying to figure out which port of my router to put the cable in. Internet was still working since my modem was plugged up. Until I unplugged it. I didn't change my router settings or password because I suddenly remembered that only my mom's laptop will work that way. 

But when I put the cables back where they belong to give me back the wireless internet I had had only 5 minutes prior to this, it was gone. That dreaded blasted yellow exclamation mark popped up and I had no connection. Neither did my sister. 

Called Trendnet back. A second non-English speaking man answered. "Is this your first time calling Trendnet?" 

ME: "Why hell no! Five minutes ago to be exact!" 

Then he decides to help me. Still don't know what exactly happened, but we fixed it by using my twin's laptop because, remember? My laptop does not work plugged into the ethernet and into the router so that I can access and change router settings via online. 

So tip: MAKE damn sure that your laptop is not freakish like mine. If it does what mine does and will not connect while plugged into router, find out why. Because at one point, your only option to logging into that router may be via ethernet cable, not wireless. If you always have a second laptop on hand, you're in luck my buddy. 

Now, this last story I told you is important because I am making a point. I began this awful journey and am finally finished at nearly 2AM. But I began this journey because the password, remember? Now, to hopefull save someone else this horror, I'm telling you what to do below.

To re-gain that lovely password, go to "Control Panel" then "Network and sharing center" NOTE: For other computers, you may need to hit "internet options and then network and sharing center." OK, now you should see the internet connection. Mine is under my name since that is what I named it. Either way, yours should be right smack dab on this here page--it'll be the network you usually connect to. Right click it. then it'll pull up a box and you should see a box with a tab at the top that says "security." Click it. You'll see something that says "Network Security Key." And you'll probably see little black dots, which is the password, but you aren't seeing the actual password. Underneath "network security key", you should see an option to tick a box that says "show characters." By all means, do click that. Now you should see your beloved password! Yippeeee!

I hope this is helpful to someone out there. I know it'd have saved me so much stress had I been able to find this info online somewhere. 

Unfortunately for me, I did not find this password on my computer until I had screwed my connection up and was in the middle of the phone convo with Trendnet! So I could've saved a ton of stress and time. :( I hope my post saves someone else from this.

Even more importantly, just remember your password. Write it down, use something you know you'll never forget, tattoo it on your lower back. Anything! 

Now I will try and connect my printer and pray to the good Lord that it works. I am desperately needing to print a few things including my assignments. But as soon as I was done and had things fixed, I wanted to come and share this info with ya'll while it was fresh in my mind. Knowledge is power, right?

I apologize for the lengthy stories I combine with my tips and instructions, but I am no good at giving good instructions, so I find it easier to explain my particular problem in hopes of it being easier to understand and useful. Just try to bear with me on this. If you have questions, it's possiblE I could help. I can't promise anything. I'm no expert. I'm only a girl who's had to work her booty off to fix things a gazillion times. I learn from my mistakes and pass on the knowledge--even if it takes making that mistake 4 times before learning! 

However, if someone happens to have a solution to that strange problem I mentioned about my own laptop not connecting via the ethernet cable, I'd absolutely be grateful for your advice! Truly, truly. I'll go into a bit of detail again about that problem just incase one of you can help.

-I use a laptop. Cannot connect online (such as logging into my router like I should be able to) via an ethernet cable running into my laptop and the Trendnet router. 

-The Trendnet support people ALWAYS tell me to right click on Local Area Connection and hit "details" then tell them what's in the box next to ipv4 something another. My box there is ALWAYS 100% empty! My mom's shows all the needed info, so did my sister's. Funny though, while using my twin's laptop to pull up this info while talking to Trendnet support, my empty box was still pulled up on my computer screen and the info WAS there! First time ever. 

If you guys have any idea why only my laptop won't connect like that or show up the info in that box, please do share.


So much love,
Kendra