Reset Router No Longer Sure If I Am Secure

I must have at some point changed my router/ modem login info from the default admin/password combo to something else but I could not remember it and I could not log into my router by going to 192.168.0.1 so for the first time I pressed the reset button and set it to factory defaults. That was nerve wracking : ) Subsequently I was able to go to 192.168.0.1 and enter the default user name admin and the default password (password) to something else and logged out and logged back in again to make sure it worked and it did.

I should have looked at Network settings before doing all this since I am not entirely convinced that I am safe or that I am not open for business shall we say to someone looking to use my internet connection.

I guess I can post more pictures if these are not enough. I have intentionally turned wifi off. I guess what concerns me is that in one of the pics it shows Network status ethernet public network and for some reason that looks unfamiliar to me.Thanks.

Netgear AC1900 C6300BD

On mine the Status is Private Network, presumably because I have a Network printer and NAS box.
Basically Windows sets itself up like that I have never changed it as it seems sensible.
It's your internal network (Ethernet).
Look at the descriptions in the link below > change connection properties > Network profile.

I use a Netgear Modem/Router, and your Wireless settings are the same which is OK.
On mine you can save settings to a file by going to Advanced Tab > Admin > Backup settings.

For most security settings you go to Update & Security > Windows Security.

Try3 said:

An internet connection is Public by definition. The internet is a Public place to which you do not want to give any access rights back into your computer. So your current setting makes sense and is safe.

Only a network between your devices [normally through a router or switch] is normally Private. That allows other network computers to get access to your computer's shared devices & folders. You'll see it as Private even if you add an internet connection but it will still treat the internet part of it as Public [that is one of the router's jobs].

Denis

Thanks for replying.

>An internet connection is Public by definition

The nerve :)

>So your current setting makes sense and is safe.

Thanks. I neglected to mention that I used Steve Gibson's Shield's Up!! to also check and that came up OK but I wanted to check here as well.

https://www.grc.com/intro.htm

Helmut said:

On mine the Status is Private Network, presumably because I have a Network printer and NAS box.
Basically Windows sets itself up like that I have never changed it as it seems sensible.
It's your internal network (Ethernet).
Look at the descriptions in the link below > change connection properties > Network profile.

I use a Netgear Modem/Router, and your Wireless settings are the same which is OK.
On mine you can save settings to a file by going to Advanced Tab > Admin > Backup settings.

For most security settings you go to Update & Security > Windows Security.

Thanks for replying.

>I use a Netgear Modem/Router, and your Wireless settings are the same which is OK.
On mine you can save settings to a file by going to Advanced Tab > Admin > Backup settings.

Good to know. And I did have the foresight to backup the settings as well though I wonder if it also includes the new password that I set?

>For most security settings you go to Update & Security > Windows Security

You are talking about windows right and not a setting in the router or are you? If you are talking about windows then that is a whole 'nother sh*t show and I mean specifically windows update. I'm talking to you 1809.

Obviously if you save settings then exit Netgear setup pages, forget/change the password you could not then load the saved settings.
For a forgotten or incorrectly entered password there is another recovery feature for that. Enter a wrong password and a Router Password Recovery dialogue comes up. It involves the Serial Number of the box. I presume Netgear stuff has similar software in another country.

Yes, it was Windows settings for security.

You can use a load of security tests, keeps the mind at rest somewhat, however it is the user that is the main factor in security.

I have been on 1809 for two months now. No problem with Windows updates for 5 years. Minor problems with Windows 10 versions, but that's not new, goes back decades.

Helmut said:

Obviously if you save settings then exit Netgear setup pages, forget/change the password you could not then load the saved settings.
For a forgotten or incorrectly entered password there is another recovery feature for that. Enter a wrong password and a Router Password Recovery dialogue comes up. It involves the Serial Number of the box. I presume Netgear stuff has similar software in another country.

Yes, it was Windows settings for security.

You can use a load of security tests, keeps the mind at rest somewhat, however it is the user that is the main factor in security.

I have been on 1809 for two months now. No problem with Windows updates for 5 years. Minor problems with Windows 10 versions, but that's not new, goes back decades.

>

>...forget/change the password you could not then load the saved settings.

Copy that.

>For a forgotten or incorrectly entered password there is another recovery feature for that. Enter a wrong password and a Router Password Recovery dialogue comes up.

I never got that dialog box. I kept entering different combos that I thought I had used including the original admin/password combo but I kept getting kicked back to the original dialog box asking me to enter the username and password which is why I finally went ahead and reset to factory default. It was the only way that I was able to access the router page.

>Yes, it was Windows settings for security...I have been on 1809 for two months now. No problem with Windows updates for 5 years...

I mean this with all sincerity and not a hint of sarcasm and I know it is a small but very vocal minority who end up with windows updates problems particularly those who are first adaptors of released to public updates but nevertheless I would count my blessings that you have been mostly trouble free all these years.