Why matching the old network avoids reconnecting everything
Phones, laptops, TVs and smart plugs rejoin a Wi-Fi network they have saved. Apple's router guidance shows that devices auto-join by name. It advises against common default names because devices are then more likely to find other networks with the same name and try to connect to them. If the new router uses the same name, password and a compatible security mode, most devices treat it as the network they already know. [1]
Wi-Fi is only half the job. Reservations, port forwards and custom DNS live in the old router's configuration and do not travel with the Wi-Fi name. Record them before you unplug anything.
Pre-cutover worksheet
Fill in the middle column from the old router's admin page, taking screenshots where it helps. The right-hand column shows where each item lives on GL.iNet firmware, so you can enter it before cutover.
| Record from the old router | Why it matters | Where it goes on GL.iNet |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi name (SSID) for each band | Devices rejoin by name; Apple recommends one name for all bands [1] | WIRELESS, gear icon per band [2] |
| Wi-Fi password | Must match exactly for silent rejoin | WIRELESS, per band [2] |
| Security mode (WPA2, WPA2/WPA3, WPA3) | Older devices may not support WPA3 alone [1] | WIRELESS, security mode [2] |
| Router LAN address and subnet | Reservations and forwards point into this subnet | NETWORK > LAN; default 192.168.8.1 [3] |
| DHCP reservations (MAC and IP) | Printers, NAS, cameras keep fixed addresses | NETWORK > LAN > Address Reservation [3] |
| Port forwards | Remote access, game consoles, cameras | NETWORK or SECURITY > Port Forwarding [4] |
| Custom DNS servers | Filtering or a home DNS server | NETWORK > DNS [5] |
| Internet connection type and credentials | PPPoE, VLAN or static details | INTERNET > Ethernet [6] |
| Guest network name and password | Visitors and smart devices | WIRELESS, Guest Network [2] |
Matching Wi-Fi name, password and security mode
Use one name for every band. Apple says all routers on a network should use the same name for every band they support. Giving bands different names can stop devices connecting reliably to every band. Apple devices that support Wi-Fi 6E flag a 6E network as having limited compatibility if its bands do not share a name. If your old router had separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz names, you have a choice. Merge them on the new router and accept that some devices will need to rejoin once, or keep the old names to avoid reconnecting anything. [1]
The security mode is where cutovers most often go wrong. Apple recommends WPA3 Personal, or WPA2/WPA3 Transitional for compatibility with older devices. Transitional uses WPA3 with devices that support it and lets older devices use WPA2 Personal (AES). WPA3 Personal works with all Wi-Fi 6 devices and some older ones. An old smart plug or printer may support only WPA2, and switching straight to WPA3-only would knock it off. Apple lists WPA/WPA2 mixed modes, WPA Personal, WEP and TKIP as settings to avoid. If your old router used one of those, expect some devices to need attention whichever mode you pick. [1]
On GL.iNet firmware, the SSID, security mode, password, TX power, bandwidth and channel for each band are under WIRELESS, behind the gear icon for that band. [2]
Subnet, reservations, forwards and DNS
Check the old router's own address. Xfinity gateways use 10.0.0.1 for their Admin Tool, and Verizon's support page for its older routers gives 192.168.1.1. GL.iNet's default is 192.168.8.1. GL.iNet lets you change the router address under NETWORK, then LAN, within the private ranges 192.168.0.0/16, 172.16.0.0/12 and 10.0.0.0/8. Matching the old subnet means reservations and forwards can keep their old IP addresses. Keeping the GL.iNet default means retyping them with new addresses. [7][8][3]
Recreate reservations under NETWORK, LAN, Address Reservation by choosing each device's MAC address. GL.iNet notes that reserved clients have to reconnect before the reservation takes effect. Port forwarding rules take a protocol, an external port or range, the internal IP and an internal port. If DMZ is given higher priority, it overrides all port forwarding rules. Custom DNS goes under NETWORK, then DNS, which offers Automatic, Encrypted, Manual and DNS Proxy modes. [3][4][5]
Cutover order and rollback plan
Do the configuration with the new router off the internet, then make the physical swap in one short window. Pick a time when nobody is on a call.
- Power the new router with nothing on its WAN port. Log in at 192.168.8.1, set an admin password and enter the worksheet settings: Wi-Fi, LAN, reservations, forwards, DNS and internet type. [9][3]
- Take one last screenshot of the old router's settings pages, then unplug it from power.
- Move the WAN cable from the modem or ONT to the new router's WAN port. If your ISP uses PPPoE or a VLAN, those details must already be saved. [6]
- Restart the modem or ONT if the ISP's network caches the old device. Then check that the new router shows an internet connection.
- Rejoin and test in this order: one phone, the work laptop, wired devices with reservations, smart-home devices, then anything reached through a port forward.
- Rollback: if core devices have not reconnected within 30 minutes, power the new router off, plug the old router back in and restart the modem. Keep the old router's power adapter taped to it until the new router has run for a week.
After cutover: a short verification list
Check the new router's client list against your inventory. Anything missing has not rejoined. Confirm each reserved device has the address you expect, because GL.iNet reservations need the client to reconnect. Test each port forward from outside the home, for example from a phone on mobile data. Apple also suggests a DHCP lease time of 8 hours for home or office networks, which shortens the time a stale lease can linger. [3][1]
Finally, change the admin password from anything you wrote on the worksheet, and file the worksheet somewhere safe. It is your rollback record and your setup guide for the next router.
Questions before you decide
If I copy the Wi-Fi name and password, will every device reconnect?
Most devices that remember the network should rejoin, provided the name, password and a compatible security mode match. Apple's guidance shows that devices auto-join by name, warning that common default names make devices more likely to try other networks with the same name. Smart-home devices that only support older security are the usual exceptions, so test them first.
Should I switch to WPA3 when I replace the router?
Apple recommends WPA3 Personal for better security, or WPA2/WPA3 Transitional for compatibility with older devices. It says WPA3 Personal works with all Wi-Fi 6 devices and some older ones. If anything on your network is older than that, choose Transitional for the cutover and tighten it later.
Why do my DHCP reservations and port forwards stop working after the swap?
They usually live only on the old router, and they point at addresses in its subnet. GL.iNet routers use 192.168.8.1 by default. If your old network was 192.168.1.x or 10.0.0.x, either change the new router's LAN address to match or recreate each reservation and forward with new addresses.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Apple Support: Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Wireless Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: LAN Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Port Forwarding Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: DNS Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Ethernet (internet) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Xfinity Support: Use Bridge Mode on your wireless gateway Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Verizon Support: Other routers and equipment Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: First time setup Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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