Wifi Dongles Password Change Question ??

I hope this is the correct location to post this, if not please move to the appropriate forum.

I have 2 WiFi dongles, one on each of my Raspberry Pi's, I want to change my router password, I assume to change the password on the WiFi Dongles, I don't change that from the PI, but rather take the dongle and hook them each up to my main PC and change to the new WiFi password from there, and then put them back on my PI ?? I don't use PI SW, so I assume hooking it up to the main PC to change the password is the easiest way. Just want to make sure. TIA

 

I think there is some confusion here.

First, I hate to assume but I am going to assume you have what marketing weenies have incorrectly called a "wireless router". Technically, there is no such thing. All routers are wired. Period. But what these device makers have done is to "integrate" a WAP (wireless access point) into the same box as a router, typically along with a 4-port Ethernet switch, and for marketing purposes have labeled that device a "wireless router". These are technically 3, totally separate network devices that just happen to share the same main circuit board, case and power supply.

A router connects (or isolates) two networks. In this case, the Internet and your LAN (local area network) - everything on your side of the "gateway" device. The "gateway" device is what connects you to your ISP's network/Internet. That is typically served by a cable or DSL "modem".

A WAP (sometimes just AP for access point) provides support for your wireless devices to connect to your network - to your LAN side of the router inside the "wireless router".

A 4-port Ethernet switch lets you connect your wired devices to your router via Ethernet cables.

It is critical to understand that the "router password" is NOT the same thing as your "wireless passphrase" (or wifi passphrase). The router password lets you access the router's internal admin menu system. Changing it does not affect the connection of any connected devices. If you change the admin password, all your wired and wireless devices will still be able to access your network and the Internet.

The passphrase is used by the internal WAP to authenticate access privileges for the wireless devices (and only the wireless devices) you (as the network administrator) you want to have access to your network.

So changing the router password has nothing to do with granting access via wifi for your Pi's. It only changes the password to access the router's admin menu.

Changing the wifi passphrase will require you to change the passphrase in each of the Pi's and every other wifi device you have in order for them to gain access to the wireless side of your network. This is the primary way you control which wireless devices are allowed access to your wireless network.

If you change the wifi passphrase, it will NOT affect access of any of your Ethernet (wired) connected devices.

Clear as mud, huh?

So how do you change your network's passphrase? First, you will need to enter the wireless router's admin menu using the router password. Then you will need to go to the wireless configuration section of the admin menu and change the passphrase. Then you will have to go into the network settings on each of your wireless devices (the Pi's, wireless computers, cell phones, etc.) and edit the passphrase on each device to the new passphrase.

One more thing that may or may not apply to you. Many ISPs are now providing (or you can buy your own) "residential gateway" devices. In the past, it was common to have a "wireless router" that then connected via a Ethernet cable to a separate modem. Then the modem connected to the ISP's Internet cable coming into the home. A residential gateway is just another "integrated device" like the wireless router, but it also has the modem integrated in with it. So 4 separate network devices, sharing one box. There are even some 5 in 1 "gateway" devices that also include VoIP (voice over IP) to provide Internet phone access. But it is still important to remember these are still discrete or separate devices all jammed into one box.

 

No, you have to change the password settings on each Raspberry Pi. The setting are not stored in the dongle.

 

OK, thanks, I'll check that out.