All devices connected online, either to a network or the public internet, will have an IP address. There are different types of IP addresses, categorized by their functions, device type, and server location. In addition, an IP can be said to be either public or private.
A public IP address is also sometimes called an external IP. This is the address that is assigned to a home computer, or network, in order to connect to the public internet. In other words, it’s the address that the global internet will use to identify a specific computer.
A private IP address is set up so that only a closed network can see and identify a specific device, like a wireless router. A private IP address is sometimes called an internal IP address. 192.168.0.1 is a private IP address. More specifically, it is a private IP address that is usually assigned to Netgear and D-Link brand routers Although, it may also be used by different companies and brands, Netgear and D-link are the most common routers using this IP.
As stated above, 192.168.0.1 is a private (internal) IP address. That means it can be used to identify and connect to the specific Netgear or D-Link router you are using for your internet connection. It is very useful for troubleshooting issues you are having with your internet access. You can plug in 192.168.0.1 into any web browser’s address bar and it will connect your D-Link or Netgear router’s administration portal. From here, you will be presented with a log-in screen asking you to input a user name or password. If you have not changed your username and password, the default username is “admin” for both Netgear and D-Link. For the default password, in the case of Netgear it will be either be the word “password” in all lower case letters, or have a different default password. If “password” doesn’t work, the default password can be found in your Netgear owner manual. In the case of D-Link, if the password has not been changed you can usually just leave it blank to access the admin console.
Once logged in, you have a range of useful settings and options. You can rename your network and enhance your security settings. Many of these administration portals will have helpful Wizard software that will guide you through configuration settings and troubleshooting. Knowing your router’s IP is very useful in situations where manual resets are not fixing connectivity problems.