Changing broadband supplier - change network name so old devices connect automatically?

newbieFTB

I'm currently with Sky broadband and am switching to Now TV broadband.


I have lots of devices that auto connect to the WiFi - printers, phones, computers, Chromecast etc I also have two external CCTV cameras that connect to the WiFI and the only way to reset them to a new wifi connection or change the wifi password is to get up on a ladder, remove the canera from it's casing and do a hard reset (they were internal cameras that I've adapted for outdoor use with a 3rd party outdoor case)...


I was wondering if I copuld do the following to avoid the need for resetting the cameras...


My current wifi has the broadcast name Sky12345 and the password abcdefg, my new broadband will have the name NowTV12345 and the password gfedcba - is there any reason I can't juist change the broadcast name of the 'new' broadband to Sky12345 and the password to abcdefg so that all my devices automatically connect and the cameras think they are using the same wifi as before? Is it really that simple or am I missing something?


For info, the Sky router and NowTV router look identical so it seems the NowTV router (NowTV hub two) is just a rebadged Sky router, not surprsing as NowTV is owned by Sky.

debitcardmayhem

Should be good

PRAISETHESUN

This will work. All you need to do is log into your router settings and change the "SSID" (network name) and connection password to match your old router details. All your devices won't see a difference and should automatically re-connect. Every router is different, so check your manual. Also - don't forget to change the login settings to the router itself from the default "admin/admin" username and password combination

newbieFTB

PRAISETHESUN wrote: »

This will work. All you need to do is log into your router settings and change the "SSID" (network name) and connection password to match your old router details. All your devices won't see a difference and should automatically re-connect. Every router is different, so check your manual. Also - don't forget to change the login settings to the router itself from the default "admin/admin" username and password combination

Great - thank you - for once the simple approach will work! It's a fairly user friendly interface for the Sky router and as the NowTV one looks identical I'm hoping it'll be as user friendly. My supply doesn't switch for a few days yet but good to know I should be up and running in a few minutes... instead of up a ladder in the rain!

Anthorn

PRAISETHESUN wrote: »

This will work. All you need to do is log into your router settings and change the "SSID" (network name) and connection password to match your old router details. All your devices won't see a difference and should automatically re-connect. Every router is different, so check your manual. Also - don't forget to change the login settings to the router itself from the default "admin/admin" username and password combination

That's news to me. on mine the default username and password on the NowTV router is nowtv and nowtv.

Anyway, go to 192,168,0,1 in a web browser enter the username and password, go to Wireless Access Point and change the SSID to the new network name.

fenlander_uk

Bear in mind that your devices will be allocated new local IP addresses by the new router and these are unlikely to be the same as those used by the old router. If you access any device by its IP address, the connection will no longer work. For example, TV recorders, smart TVs and NAS devices are often addressed by their IP addresses and may need to be individually reset.

newbieFTB

fenlander_uk wrote: »

Bear in mind that your devices will be allocated new local IP addresses by the new router and these are unlikely to be the same as those used by the old router. If you access any device by its IP address, the connection will no longer work. For example, TV recorders, smart TVs and NAS devices are often addressed by their IP addresses and may need to be individually reset.

Not sure if any of my devices are accessed by their IP address, wouldn't even know where to begin finding out! I don't have a smart TV but have Chromecasts in each TV, resetting those will be easy if it's needed - it was the wifi CCTV cameras I'm trying to avoid having to set up again/reset.

arciere

Since you're there, try to keep the same subnet as well, i.e. if you were using 192.168.1.0/24 change the current one to that.
CCTV, NAS and similar are likely to be using static IP addresses, having the same subnet will save you time re-configuring them. Also, for those devices with static IP, the router must have the same address (some use .1, others .254, for example 192.168.1.254).
In regards to the WiFi, apart from changing the SSID, you also need to make sure security and encryption are the same (i.e. WPA2 - AES). A different encryption will be treated like a different network, even if the name is the same.

newbieFTB

arciere wrote: »

Since you're there, try to keep the same subnet as well, i.e. if you were using 192.168.1.0/24 change the current one to that.
CCTV, NAS and similar are likely to be using static IP addresses, having the same subnet will save you time re-configuring them. Also, for those devices with static IP, the router must have the same address (some use .1, others .254, for example 192.168.1.254).
In regards to the WiFi, apart from changing the SSID, you also need to make sure security and encryption are the same (i.e. WPA2 - AES). A different encryption will be treated like a different network, even if the name is the same.

Most of that has gone straight over my head! I don't think the CCTV uses a static IP address though, I know a little bit about that as spent DAYS trying to set up some more old fashioned IP cameras that needed a static IP and port forwarding etc - that was out of my league really, hence why I spent days trying to figure it out!


My new cameras were literally plug'n'play and took 60 seconds to set up... download an app, scan the QR code on the app with the camera and it set itself up once you put in the wifi password. You can view when at home ie on the same wifi network, and also on a different network ie 4G or someone else's wifi - have no idea how it all works though!


Good point about the same security type though, it's currently WPA2-PSK (AES) so I'll make sure it's the same when I set up the new router.

arciere

newbieFTB wrote: »

My new cameras were literally plug'n'play and took 60 seconds to set up... download an app, scan the QR code on the app with the camera and it set itself up once you put in the wifi password. You can view when at home ie on the same wifi network, and also on a different network ie 4G or someone else's wifi - have no idea how it all works though!

Ok, they must be cloud-based then, in that case no need to worry about IP addresses as long as they connect to the wireless.

Tom99

newbieFTB wrote: »

For info, the Sky router and NowTV router look identical so it seems the NowTV router (NowTV hub two) is just a rebadged Sky router, not surprsing as NowTV is owned by Sky.

Why then can't you just keep the Sky router and change the connection details?