question about Linksys router passwords

[memory]

I have a Linksys WTR54GS Wireless G router. Now to get to the router setup page, I have to type 192.168.1.1 into the address bar and then enter the default password which is admin.

This is where my question comes in. Under the administration tab, there is a place to enter a password and it is already filled in with 16 characters. I have no idea what the password is. If the password to enter the router setup page is admin, why is the one under the administration tab so different? How do I find out what it is?

 

[office politics]

its probably holding the password hash which is an encrypted version of the password. If you overwrite this value and click save, most likely, the router will encrypt the value by making a new hash value and save it to the device.

this is common security practice because its better to hold an encrypted value as opposed to the clear text value. If anyone breaks into the device and see the encrypted text, its meaningless.