My Nighthawk router was hacked and the hacker changed the admin password to the router. I realized since I have the physical router I can perform a factory reset and go through the setup again, but I want to pull the data off of the router first. I can see 51 devices in Nighthawk app before it promps me for login. The number before the hack was 5. There are number of Apple devices, Nest devices, etc that are not mine on the list.
Is there a way I can pull all of the information off before reseting the router?
I should have explained better. I saw a massive spike in internet usage on my bill which prompted me to look at network. I know the addresses of all of the devices that I had given access to my network since getting the router (there were only five), but I am seeing 46 devices that do not belong. I also know that I do not have a smart TV or a Nest thermosat. As for the admin account I am assuming they changed it when my creditals stopped working. I am using a password manager so there is little opportunity for human error.
IF you can recover the PW using recovery feature of the router, get logged in again and I would change the SSID name AND password for the WiFi AND change the admin pw to something new as well and don't give it out to anyone. Be limiting on who you give the wifi pw too as well.
@blue47 wrote: I should have explained better. I saw a massive spike in internet usage on my bill which prompted me to look at network. I know the addresses of all of the devices that I had given access to my network since getting the router (there were only five), but I am seeing 46 devices that do not belong. I also know that I do not have a smart TV or a Nest thermosat. As for the admin account I am assuming they changed it when my creditals stopped working. I am using a password manager so there is little opportunity for human error.
@blue47 wrote: I should have explained better. I saw a massive spike in internet usage on my bill which prompted me to look at network.
So, they didn't hack the router so much – which would have given them control of it – as break into your wifi password? If they had really hacked you, and changed the wifi password, you wouldn't be able to get into the wifi.
The simple answer is to change the wifi password. Pick something hard to guess and don't write it on the wall!
Changing the SSID, or even hiding, isn't likely to make a difference. That is easily found.
You can set the router to block wifi access to new devices.
I know the addresses of all of the devices that I had given access to my network since getting the router (there were only five), but I am seeing 46 devices that do not belong.
If these are Mac addresses, rather than IP addresses, don't assume that all of those devices have nothing to do with you. Some of our devices have more than one Mac address, for different wifi bands, for example.
There may be more than five, but 46 is highly unlikely.
Of course, you should also change the password for the browser graphical user interface (GUI) to block a real hijack.
