How to change the SSID for a Verizon DSL router

When you first set up your Verizon DSL router, it uses a default service set identifier (SSID) or network name made up of letters and numbers.  It's a good practice to change this network name, along with the default username, password, and security key.  To change the SSID on a Verizon DSL router, follow the steps below.

1. Open the Verizon router interface

Open a web browser and navigate to your router's IP address.  If you haven't changed the default IP address, it will probably be 192.168.1.1.  If you have changed the IP address and you aren't sure what it is, you can find it by following the instructions in this post: How to find the IP address of a router.

Once you enter the router's IP address and press <ENTER>, the Verizon router page should load, with the Verizon logo at the top of the screen.

2. Go to Basic Security Settings

There are a row of buttons along the top of the screen.  Click on the Wireless Settings button.  If asked to log in, enter your router's username and password.  By default, these will be "admin" and "password," respectively.

When the Wireless Settings page loads, click on Basic Security Settings on the left side of the page.

3. Change your SSID

There are several settings listed on this page.  The second setting should be the SSID.  To enter a new SSID, delete the one that's there now and type in a new one.  After you've typed it in, scroll down the page and click on the Apply button.  (You may be disconnected from the network for a few moments while the change takes effect.)

After changing the SSID, you'll need to reconnect all of your wireless devices using the new network name.

(Originally published on Helium.com, 2013)