Learn the Purpose of the 192.168.1.254 Router IP Address

The IP address 192.168.1.254 is the default private IP address for some home broadband routers and broadband modems. Common routers or modems that use this IP address include 2Wire, Aztech, Billion, Motorola, Netopia, SparkLAN, Thomson, and Westell modems for CenturyLink.

About Private IP Addresses

192.168.1.254 is a private IP address and is one of a block of addresses reserved for private networks. This means that a device in this private network cannot be accessed directly from the internet using this private IP. However, any device on the private network can connect to the other devices on that network.

While the router has the private IP address of 192.168.1.254, the router assigns devices in its network a different, private IP address. All IP addresses on a network should be unique within that network to avoid IP address conflicts. Other common private IP addresses used by modems and routers are 192.168.1.1, 192.168.1.100 and 192.168.1.101.

Accessing the Router Admin Panel

The manufacturer sets the router's IP address at the factory, but you can change it at any time using its administrative interface. To access the router console, open a web browser, go to the address bar, and enter http://192.168.1.254 (not www.192.168.1.254). Use the router console to change the router's IP address and configure other options.

If you don't know the router's IP address, locate it using a command prompt. (The directions below apply to Windows 10 and 8.)

1. Press Windows+X to open the Power Users menu, then select Command Prompt.

2. Or, go to the Windows Search bar, enter cmd, then choose Command Prompt.

3. Enter ipconfig to display a list of the computer's connections.

4. In the Local Area Connection section, find Default Gateway.

   Your active network connection may not be called Local Area Connection. If you don't see that in your ipconfig results, scroll through the results and look for a connection with a Default Gateway.

5. The IP address is the router's IP address.

Default Usernames and Passwords

All routers are shipped with default usernames and passwords. These username and password combinations are standard for each manufacturer. These are usually identified by a sticker on the hardware. The most common are:

• 2Wire: Username: blank, Password: blank
• Aztech: Username: "admin", "user", or blank, Password: "admin", "user", "password", or blank
• Billion: Username: "admin" or "admin", Password: "admin" or "password"
• Motorola: Username: "admin" or blank, Password: "password", "motorola", "admin", "router", or blank
• Netopia: Username: "admin", Password: "1234", "admin", "password" or blank
• SparkLAN: Username: blank, Password: blank
• Thomson: Username: blank, Password: "admin" or "password"
• Westell: Username: "admin" or blank, Password: "password", "admin", or blank

After you have access to the router administrative console, you can configure the router in several ways. Set a secure username and password combination. Without that, anyone can access the router's panel and change its settings without your knowledge. Routers may allow users to change other settings, including the IP addresses they assign to devices on the network.