Cisco Connect Express: Manage Router Settings Remotely [Android, iOS]
The world-famous network solution providers Cisco have just recently released Cisco Connect Express – an app for Android and iOS-powered smartphones that empowers users to remotely access, monitor and manage the settings of their Cisco-based routers. Using the Guest Access feature of the app, users can send invites to as many as 10 different devices to connect to your home Wi-Fi network and hence, the internet. Invites that carry a user-defined router password can be sent to visiting guests via emails or to your nearby friends via Bluetooth. In addition, users can use the app to upgrade the firmware and check out detailed information pertaining to their router. Need to remotely reset the IP address or change the password of your router? No problem. Using Cisco Connect Express, you can personalize router settings as per you liking and view all the devices connected to it.
Note: As of now, Cisco Connect Express is compatible with most of the Linksys E-Series, X-Series or Valet home routers. Also, modifying several settings of the router might require resetting/restarting it, which would, in turn, disconnect other devices from the network.
Provided you’re connected to a Cisco Wi-Fi router and fire up the app on your Android device for the first time, it automatically detects the model/make of your router and its IP address. Upon connecting with a compatible router, the app prompts you to feed in its admin password (one-time process only). After that, it’s smooth sailing and you have complete control of your router.
By tapping Guest Access from the app’s homescreen, you can manage permission settings and specify total number of guests/devices that can connect to the network. Once said feature is enabled, you can easily Send Guest Password to various users via email or Bluetooth.
Using the Wi-Fi Settings option from the app’s homescreen, users can easily change their router’s name as well as password.
To view all connected devices by their names and MAC Address, manually add a device or to connect to other (supported) devices using the Wi-Fi Protection Setup, just tap Devices from the app’s homescreen. Connected devices can also be renamed from within same screen.
Finally, the Router Management option on the homescreen lets you remotely change various router settings that include renewing its IP address, rebooting the router, checking for firmware updates and viewing detailed information such as the Model name/number, serial number, current firmware version, connection type, IP address of LAN/WAN as well as that of your device.
In a nut shell, Cisco Connect Express is intended to help users easily and remotely manage their Cisco routers direct from their devices instead of their PCs and can serve as an excellent network management tool for offices in particular.
Download Cisco Connect Express for Android
Download Cisco Connect Express for iPhone, iPad & iPod touch
This Cisco product is only available to the USA on iTunes. Other countries outside the USA who have a supported Cisco wireless router are out of luck.