Getting new router - keep Old network name?

[xyz123]

Hi, am getting a new WiFi router from BT tomorrow. To save setting up network on gazillions of devices I was thinking I can just change network name and password for new router to match old router. Any downsides to this? Thanks

[xeny]

Only issue I've encountered is recent BT routers are a little picky about password complexity (as opposed to length), so you may end up having to pick a new password.

[mph999]

Yes it may not work.

Some time back I went from a netgear to a netgear, same ssid and passwd, all good.

Recently went from netgear to asus, again same ssid and passwd, nothing connected. Had to reconnect each device.

I never bothered looking into it, but I guess there is some unique identifier under the covers that you don’t see, specific to each brand.

[xeny]

mph999 said:

I never bothered looking into it, but I guess there is some unique identifier under the covers that you don’t see, specific to each brand.

Changing encryption standard e.g. WPA to WPA2 or WEP to WPA can cause problems, and some esoteric equipment cares about base station MAC (hardware) address.

If it didn't generally work, sits with mutliple APs sharing an SSID wouldn't work, and they mostly do.

[telford_mike]

I have done this on countless routers and wifi hotspots. Worked every time.

[Jinx]

Had to renew the wifi connection on a few devices when I have done this (turn off wifi and turn it on again) but never any major issues.

[SS2.]

xyz123 said:

Hi, am getting a new WiFi router from BT tomorrow. To save setting up network on gazillions of devices I was thinking I can just change network name and password for new router to match old router. Any downsides to this? Thanks

Exactly what I did when I moved from Sky to BT.

No issues at all, with every WiFi device connecting to the BT hub without a hitch - phones, smart devices, TVs, etc.

The same could not be said of a router supplied by Vodafone which was a lot fussier about the format of the password. In that case, I had to go with the new SSID & password - bit of a pain.

[AJB88]

I used to do this quite often, I haven't changed routers for a while though. Worked most of the time, a few devices I had to forget the connection and start it again.

[Griffith4ever]

Use the same name, case sensitive.
Same Encryption WPA2 normally
Same password.

Works with almost all devices.

The ones that can be odd are cheap Chinese things like webcams that literally have to be connected manually to work again.

I have, with the same credentials:

House router
House Orbi.
Garage router
Field wifi repeater
Field remote end wifi receiver and repeater

My Amazon Echo with battery pack will work in all locations with no issues. The only device that gave me issues was a £20 IPCam.

No router should give you any stipulations on Wifi passwords other than 8 chars long. I've not come across it, even with BT routers, and my wifi password has not changed in decades.

[xeny]

Griffith4ever said:

No router should give you any stipulations on Wifi passwords other than 8 chars long. I've not come across it, even with BT routers, and my wifi password has not changed in decades.

A current gen BT homehub wouldn't let the people I was supporting over the phone have a long alphabetical password. I can see why BT might choose to do that but not accepting "correct horse battery staple" was frustrating, as it meant reconfiguring several devices.