Which router do I have? How to find the model name

Find the box that actually runs your internet

Most homes have more than one box near the front door or the desk. Only one of them matters for this.

• The router. The device your phones and laptops connect to over Wi-Fi. Usually has a few network ports on the back and often small antennas.
• The ISP box. Whatever the cable from the wall plugs into. Sometimes this is the same physical box as the router, sometimes it's separate.
• Mesh points. Small satellite units placed around the house. They extend coverage but rarely run the network on their own.

If you're not sure which is which, look for the one with the most cables coming out of it. That's usually the one to check.

It's fine if you have more than one box worth noting. Write down each one, and mark which one the cable from the wall actually reaches first — that ordering matters more than which box looks the newest.

Read the label, not the network name

Turn the box over. Manufacturers print this information in roughly the same place every time.

• Brand and model. Something like "Archer AX53" or "RT-AX58U", printed clearly on the sticker.
• Hardware version. Often shown as "V2" or "Rev. B". The same model name can cover several different hardware versions over the years.
• Serial number. Useful for support calls, but it doesn't identify the model on its own.
• A regulatory or certification mark. Usually smaller print near the bottom — not useful for identifying the model, but a sign you're reading the right sticker.

Both TP-Link and ASUS document this exact process for their own hardware — the label is the fastest, most reliable source, faster than searching by network name. One caution worth repeating: never photograph or share that label if the same shot also shows a password written nearby.

If the router belongs to your ISP

Plenty of homes run whatever box their internet provider supplied rather than one bought separately.

• The label rule still applies. An ISP-branded router carries the same kind of sticker, even if the branding on the front is the provider's rather than the manufacturer's.
• It's often more locked down. Some settings that a bought router exposes freely may be limited or hidden on a provider-managed box.
• Your provider is a second source. If the label is missing or worn away, your ISP's account portal or paperwork will usually list the model they gave you.

Your Wi-Fi name is not the model

It's a common assumption, and it's usually wrong.

• The name can be changed by anyone. A network called "HomeNet" tells you nothing about what's actually running it.
• Factory default names can look alike. Two completely different models can ship with near-identical out-of-the-box network names.
• An ISP-supplied box is often more locked down than one you bought yourself, which is one more reason the label — not the network name — is the reliable source.

What your router means for Owlyfi

Owlyfi is parental control that runs on the router — not on your kid's phone. Owlyfi can help a household repeat an agreed internet-access schedule automatically, rather than someone having to enforce it every evening: create a schedule for bedtime, homework, or dinner, choose days and times, and change them any time. What's actually possible depends on the router model, which is exactly why a precise model name is useful before you start.

What we deliberately don't do matters just as much: Owlyfi does not monitor the child using the network. No messages, no location, no browsing history.

It sets a boundary around the network — everything else stays between you and your family. See how that plays out in our guide to parental controls without an app on your child's phone.

Three things worth writing down now

• The full model name from the label, including the hardware version.
• Whether you have one router or several mesh points.
• The part of the day you'd most like a bit more calm around — see our guide to an evening Wi-Fi schedule for one common starting point.

If you replace the router later, repeat these three notes rather than assuming an old setting still applies. Keep them somewhere you can find again — just never in the same note as a password.

Sources

1. TP-Link: how to find your model number — model, serial number and hardware version are three distinct fields on the label.
2. ASUS: how to find the model name — the manufacturer's own route to the product label.
3. The Danish Health Authority (Sundhedsstyrelsen): screen use in leisure time — agreeing fixed screen-free periods as a family, rather than chasing an exact number.

All sources accessed 24 September 2026.