Router IP
192.168.178.1 Login Guide for FRITZ!Box
Not working? Check the label on the back or bottom of your router.
192.168.178.1 is the factory address of the FRITZ!Box, the white-and-red router found in countless homes in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands. To log in, join the box's WiFi or plug in a network cable, type http://192.168.178.1 (or the shorter http://fritz.box) into your browser and enter the FRITZ!Box password printed on the type label underneath. You do not need a working internet connection for this: the page comes straight from the box on your desk.
Below you will find the exact login steps, what to do when the page refuses to load, how the emergency address works, and how to change your WiFi name and key without breaking anything.
Default usernames and passwords
| Brand / model | Username | Password |
|---|---|---|
| FRITZ!Box (factory settings) | Not needed by default; newer FRITZ!OS may pre-fill a name, keep it | "FRITZ!Box password" on the type label |
| Ziggo SmartWifi modem / Connectbox (NL) | See the label | Printed on the underside of the modem |
How to log in
- Connect your laptop or phone to the FRITZ!Box by WiFi or a LAN cable. Use the main network, not the guest WiFi.
- Open any browser and type http://fritz.box in the address bar. If that name is not found, type http://192.168.178.1 instead.
- Turn the box over and find the line labelled "FRITZ!Box password" on the type label. It is a different code from the WiFi network key.
- Enter that password and click Log In. If a username field appears with a name already filled in, leave it as it is.
- On a brand-new or reset box, a setup wizard starts. Pick your country and connection type, or skip it if your provider already configured the box.
- Inside the menu, open System and then FRITZ!Box Users to set a personal password, and store it somewhere safe.
Change the default admin password as soon as you're in.
What is 192.168.178.1?
It is a private IPv4 address, which means it only exists inside your home network and cannot be reached from the internet. The FRITZ!Box maker (AVM, which now trades simply as FRITZ!) picked the 192.168.178.x range on purpose: most other routers and modems sit on 192.168.0.x or 192.168.1.x, so a FRITZ!Box placed behind another device rarely ends up with a clashing address.
The name fritz.box is a shortcut. The box answers that name itself, so it only works while your device is connected to the FRITZ!Box. If you use a different DNS app, a VPN or a corporate laptop, the name may fail while the numeric address still works.
Who uses 192.168.178.1?
- Germany: FRITZ!Box models bought in shops and many supplied by providers such as 1&1 and Vodafone (cable). Telekom's own Speedport routers are different and normally use 192.168.2.1.
- Austria and Switzerland: retail FRITZ!Box units, plus boxes handed out by regional providers.
- Netherlands: Ziggo's SmartWifi modems and Connectbox also answer on 192.168.178.1, and KPN customers who choose a FRITZ!Box use it too.
Not sure what you have? The Router Finder lists the default address for each provider we cover.
Find your gateway address in 20 seconds
If someone changed the box's address, the number on the label will not work. Your device always knows the real one:
| Device | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Windows | Open Command Prompt, type ipconfig, read the Default Gateway line under your WiFi or Ethernet adapter. |
| Android | Settings > Network & internet (or Connections) > WiFi > tap your network. The Gateway or Router field is the address. |
| iPhone / iPad | Settings > Wi-Fi > tap the blue (i) next to your network > Router. |
| Mac | System Settings > Network > Wi-Fi > Details > TCP/IP > Router. |
When fritz.box or 192.168.178.1 will not open
Work through these in order and test after each one:
- Make sure you are on the box's own WiFi or cable, not the guest network and not a neighbour's hotspot.
- On Android, switch on flight mode, then turn only WiFi back on so mobile data cannot take over.
- Clear the browser cache, or try a private window.
- Pause any VPN, ad-blocking DNS app or security suite that tunnels traffic.
- Unplug the FRITZ!Box for five seconds. Your settings survive; it needs about two minutes to come back.
- Set your network adapter to obtain an IP address automatically (DHCP).
- With a LAN cable connected, try the emergency address
http://169.254.1.1. It opens the menu even when the normal address has been changed. - Test from another device. If nothing works anywhere, the FRITZ! support site offers a recovery program that reinstalls the firmware.
Forgot the FRITZ!Box password?
First check the label again: the factory password is also printed on the small FRITZ! Notes card that came in the box. If you had set the push service to email you, the login screen offers a reset link that is sent to that address. If neither helps, a factory reset brings back the label password, but it also wipes your internet settings, phone numbers and WiFi name, so keep your provider's access details ready before you do it.
Change the WiFi name and password
- Log in at 192.168.178.1.
- Open Wi-Fi (called WLAN on German menus) and then Wi-Fi Network to edit the network name (SSID) for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
- Go to Wi-Fi > Security to set a new network key. Choose WPA2 + WPA3 if all your devices support it.
- Click Apply. Every device disconnects and needs the new key.
Menu names shift slightly between FRITZ!OS versions, but the structure is the same. To share the new key with family, generate a scannable code with our WiFi QR Code Generator; it runs entirely in your browser.
Keep your FRITZ!Box safe
- Install updates under System > Update, or enable automatic updates.
- Leave internet access to the menu (MyFRITZ! or remote access) switched off unless you truly need it.
- Give visitors the guest WiFi instead of your main key.
- Never post a photo of the type label: it shows both the WiFi key and the admin password.
Typed it wrong?
The digits are easy to scramble. Entries such as 192.168.l78.1, 192.168.1781 or 192.168.718.1 will never load. Paste whatever you typed into the IP Typo Fixer and it will hand back the correct address.
192.168.l78.1 → 192.168.178.1 192.168.1781 → 192.168.178.1 192.168.718.1 → 192.168.178.1 192.168.178.l → 192.168.178.1 192.168.178.1.1 → 192.168.178.1
Used by
FRITZ!Box (1&1, Vodafone cable, retail) · DE
FRITZ!Box (retail and provider-supplied) · AT
FRITZ!Box (retail) · CH
Ziggo SmartWifi / Connectbox, KPN FRITZ!Box · NL
Frequently asked questions
Is fritz.box the same as 192.168.178.1?
Yes, as long as the address has not been changed. fritz.box is a name the box resolves for devices on its own network, and it always points to the box's current address.
Which password do I need for the FRITZ!Box menu?
The one marked "FRITZ!Box password" on the type label, not the WiFi network key. If you set your own password later, use that instead.
Why does a FRITZ!Box use 192.168.178.1 and not 192.168.1.1?
The unusual range avoids clashes with modems and routers that use 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, which makes it easier to run a FRITZ!Box behind another device.
Can I open 192.168.178.1 when I am away from home?
No. It is a private address that only works inside your network. Remote access is a separate MyFRITZ! feature that you have to set up deliberately.
What is 169.254.1.1 for?
It is the FRITZ!Box emergency address. Connect by LAN cable and open it when the normal address does not respond or was changed by mistake.
I have a Ziggo modem, not a FRITZ!Box. Does this guide apply?
The address is the same. Ziggo SmartWifi modems use http://192.168.178.1, and the password is on the sticker on the bottom of the modem. The menus look different from FRITZ!OS.