Sometimes it seems like everything you do on a computer requires a password and it's easy to get them all confused. On this page I'll describe what some of these passwords are for and why you need to keep track of them.
User password
This is the password that you create when you start up your Mac for the first time. The system asks
for it when any big change is made to the system - software upgrades, program installations, etc. -
so it's important that you know it. If you've forgotten the password it is possible to reset it if
you have a MacOS X installation disk, ideally the one that came with the machine.
ISP (broadband) username and password
When you connect to the internet your provider (ISP) will need a username and password to allow you
to log in. These are usually provided by your ISP and are held in the router (many ISPs now set
the router up before they send it to you). You should have a copy of the username and password in
the information your ISP sent to you when you got your broadband service.
Wireless password
This is used to connect to your wireless network (if you have one). It is possible to run a wireless
network without a password but it's not a good idea. Wireless routers may have a default password
set up by the ISP but many come without one! If you forget your wireless password you can reset it
by connecting to your router with an ethernet cable and logging in to it with a browser.
Router password
To make any changes to your broadband router (turning the wireless on or off, changing the wireless
network name or password, etc.) you need to log into it, which will require a username and password.
These are usually preset (the username is almost always admin) and will
either be in your ISP documentation or written on the back of the router itself.