It sounds like your mate doesn't want anyone tampering with the router. He locked the router in a box. When he's on holiday he takes the key(s) to said box with him. It would also appear that he has no mobile phone for emergencies or you could call and ask what router it is. Either that, or he is in an area so remote that there is no coverage for mobile phones. If he was staying in a hotel, he could leave it's name and a room number where a message could be left. If staying with friends or relatives, he could provide their phone numbers.

This guy *really* doesn't want anyone touching that router!

lol ScottW & raphoenix!!

@GAGuy, could you please tell us exactly why you need to know the make/model of the router? Has your internet connection not been working since your (friend) has been gone?

RICK,your too cool for school.(LOL)(LOL).
mike.

RICK,i hear ya.enjoy the season my friend.
mike

This is easy to do for most home routers.
Here are three methods listed from hardest to easiest as the hardest should always work:
Long way that should always work:
1. Open a Commmand Prompt.
2. Run the command ipconfig /all
3. Read the gateway ip address and write it down.
4. Open your web browser and go to http://gatewayip/
For most new home routers that will be http://192.168.1.1/
5. There should be a model number listed in a password prompt. Write it down.
6. Cancel the password prompt if it's a popup.
7. Read the model number and search Google for the model number.
8. You should be able to find information about the manufactour and the features that router model has.

Shorter ways:
A. For a newer D-Link home router with the default configuration you can skip to step 4 above and use http://192.168.1.1 and skip step 6 above.
B. For any router with UPnP enabled, you can just go to Network Places in Windows and the router will appear and you can skip to step 7 above.

Fastest Ways:
A/B. Covered by ScottW and raphoenix above.