Every day, people browse the internet. But behind every click and search term, the router you’re connected to keeps track of everything you do on the internet – from your browser history to your IP address.
Suppose you’re trying to be private while you browse the internet. In that case, it’s essential to clear your router history. You can do this relatively quickly by logging into your router and using the web user interface to clear the system logs.
A router stores all the internet history of any device that is connected to it. While it may not seem all that important to keep the history on your router clean, it is imperative to do so if you want to protect your privacy.
Keeping this in mind, we’ll review what you need to know about deleting your router’s history and show you how to do it.
Step #1: Open Your Router’s Web Interface
Getting rid of your router history begins with opening your router’s web interface. You can do this using any web browser, such as Chrome, Firefox, etc.
Open your web browser and enter your router’s IP address into the address bar. As a default IP address, most routers use 192.168.0.1. If that fails to work, try 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1. It is typically written on the bottom of the router.
Step #2: Log In to the Web Interface
When you open the web interface, you’ll be asked to enter your username and password so you can access all of your router’s backend settings. On the back of your router, you will find the username and password, which in most cases, is as follows.
Username: admin
Password: admin
When the log-in prompt appears, enter these details and press Enter. This will take you to the web interface’s main dashboard.
Step #3: Head to System Tools
When you’re inside the interface, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of information and settings, but all you need to do is look for the System Tools.
You’ll find a navigation panel at the top or to the left of the screen, where you can find the option that says “System Tools“.
Step #4: Go to System Logs
There are many options related to the router’s settings in the system tools, but one that we’re interested in is “System Logs“.
Look for anything that says “Router Log“, “History“, etc., since some router models and manufacturers name this differently.
Step #5: Delete the Router History
In “System Logs“, you can view the browsing history of your router, as well as the IP addresses of websites and services you visited. To delete the router history, click “Clean Logs“.
It all depends on the router model and manufacturer, but the procedure might vary slightly depending on the router you’re using.
Why Is It Important To Clean Your Router History?
If you think that your router history is something that doesn’t need to be cleared regularly, think again! These little tidbits of information can add up over time and give unwanted people access to your personal information.
Keeping your router’s history clean is vital for multiple reasons. Your router history records all the websites you have visited while connected to the internet. And while this may seem harmless, it could have some pretty nasty security implications.
You can also improve your internet speed by clearing your router history. Your connection may be slowed down if your router is full of old data. Also, clearing your router’s history can help improve your data security.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using incognito mode won’t hide your history. In incognito mode, your device and browser won’t keep track of the sites you visit, but the router will still track your online activity.
While most routers only store information helpful in diagnosing network problems, others can store more detailed information, such as browsing history.
Resetting your router will restore the router’s settings to factory default and delete the router’s history and other system logs.
You can use a VPN or secure your DNS settings to prevent your activity from appearing in your router history.
Anyone with access to your router settings, Internet Service Provider (ISP), and websites you visit can access your online activity.
When you use a VPN, your traffic passes through an encrypted channel before it passes through your router, so the Wi-Fi admin won’t be able to view your browsing history.
