how to set up a home network
Your home devices may easily connect to the internet with a stable home network. Although the tools needed to set up wired and wireless home networks are different, the principles involved are the same. Learn about the best ways to secure your network, what equipment you need, and how to set up your own home network.
Home network setup: What you need to know
A collection of devices linked to one network and to another is called a home network system. Any Internet of Things (IoT) gadget you can find at home, including computers, printers, mobile devices, and game systems, may be included in this category. Your home network devices can be wiredly connected via a cable connection, or they can be wirelessly connected using Wi-Fi. With a home network, you can control all of your networked devices’ security settings from one location and speak with them all at once.
Two kinds of IP addresses are used by every home network: private and public. Devices on your home network are able to connect with one another thanks to the router’s private IP address. In the meantime, your router can connect to the public internet by using the public IP address that your internet service provider assigns you. For internet connections, a public IP address is necessary, as it symbolizes your entire network.
How a home network setup works
The way to set up a home network depends largely on which type of network you’re aiming to have—wired or wireless. Both types of networks typically require a modem, a router, an Ethernet hub or cables, and access points. Below, find a breakdown of what each of these elements contributes to the home network:
- The modem provides you with access to the internet. Modems are usually provided by your internet service provider (ISP).
- A wired or wireless router creates a local area network (LAN) that connects your devices. Routers can connect the devices through wires or by broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal that wireless devices can connect to. Besides connecting devices, routers allow you to protect your connection with passwords and enable firewalls to block specific types of network traffic.
- Ethernet cables, hubs, and switches help to connect devices within a LAN and extend its network. Ethernet cables connect devices with physical wire lines, while hubs and switches can broadcast data from one device to all other connected devices.
- Access points (APs) expand the network’s coverage by broadening the Wi-Fi signal range within the LAN. APs can also turn wired connections into wireless ones by adding multiple points for wireless devices to connect to the LAN.
How to set up a home network
You can set up your home network for both wired and wireless networks by following these instructions:
- Install your router in a central location in your house. Generally, the closer your device is to the router, the stronger your Wi-Fi signal. For wired networks, plug a switch or Ethernet hub into an electrical socket with a high-quality Ethernet cable.
- Configure essential security settings once you install your router. You can do that by visiting your router’s online setup page. Instructions for changing security settings usually come with your router or are printed on it. Make sure to change the default service set identifier (SSID) and network security key, enable WEP security, and turn on firewall features. You can also learn more about home network security tips on our blog.
- Install access points if you need to extend your Wi-Fi signal to other devices within your network. You can connect the wireless AP to the wired router or switch via an Ethernet cable. For wireless networks, connect the AP to one of the ports on your wireless router and configure the AP’s wireless settings.
- You’re now free to connect your wired and wireless devices. You can connect more devices by introducing more switches and wireless access points.
You can also check out our video on how to set up your home network for more detailed instructions.
The Ultimate Guide on How to Delete Amazon Account in 2024
Wired vs. wireless home network setup
Wireless networks let you connect as many devices as you want to your home network without requiring new gear, but wired networks can offer greater security and faster bandwidth. Continue reading to compare your options for wired and wireless home networks and make the best decision.
Wired network connection
A wired network is typically faster than a wireless one because its connection is hardwired and doesn’t encounter much interference. Wired networks connect the router to your device with Ethernet over a UTP cable. The popular Cat5e cables can support speeds of 1000 Mbps to 1 Gbps (mega/gigabits per second) at 100 meters, and the Cat6e cables can do even better. Meanwhile, most wireless connections struggle to reach a few hundred Mbps per second.
Since a hacker would need to physically access the wires in order to tamper with the data on your network, connecting over a wired network is regarded as secure. Higher speeds are also possible with a wired connection since every device is connected directly to the router using a separate cable and runs at the same speed. Because they rarely experience latency problems, wired networks are great for larger file transfers and gaming.
However, the mobility of devices linked to the network is limited by physical wires. Additionally, wire networks are unable to support gadgets like Kindles and iPads that lack Ethernet ports into which cables can be plugged.
Wireless network connection
Devices that are limited to wireless form were designed to be connected via wireless networks. Although wireless networks are typically slower than wired networks, you can connect as many devices as you want without buying extra hardware.
Because a wireless network allows you to join from anywhere in your house without worrying about cables or additional hardware, setting one up is simpler, more effective, and less expensive than a wired one. Selecting a web-based wireless router, on the other hand, gives you the ability to view and manage the devices and people linked to your network.
However, because a wireless network isn’t enclosed and protected by cables, hackers can more easily intercept your connection when utilizing one as opposed to a wired network. Wi-Fi signals can be absorbed by other Wi-Fi hotspots, cordless phones, and various metal objects within the building, which can disrupt and impede your wireless connection. Furthermore, your connection may be slower the more devices you have connected.
Extend home network range
Both wired and wireless networks have their limitations when it comes to network range. For instance, some areas within the building may have poorer connections than others. The physical barriers, such as walls or furniture, may also interfere with the Wi-Fi signal or get in the way when using cables.
If you’d like to integrate additional access points into your home network, find some useful solutions below:
- Use Ethernet cables. The range of cables supporting Ethernet networks is broad, with some able to extend close to a hundred meters. If you’re adding a switch to your Ethernet cable, it can connect to multiple devices in different home network locations simultaneously. You can also take advantage of power adapters, which allow you to use existing electrical wiring and cables in your home, such as Multimedia over Coax Alliance cables or cable TV cables, to extend your network through them.
- Wireless repeaters. These allow you to extend the range of your home network coverage area by amplifying the existing Wi-Fi signal and transmitting the boosted signal to devices located further away from the router. However, using wireless repeaters may sometimes result in a drop in bandwidth and speed.
- Use a mesh system. A mesh system consists of multiple router-like devices called nodes, which help to create a seamless, unified Wi-Fi network. These nodes communicate with each other to choose the best way for data to travel within the network. Mesh systems are also easy to set up and scale.
Home network security tips
Your home network needs to be properly secured to defend against malware and hackers who may try to breach your network, access your devices, and steal sensitive data. Some of the best ways to do that is to take advantage of virtual local networks (VLANs) and virtual private networks (VPNs) for routers.
Creating VLANs
VLANs divide your network into more manageable, separate sections so that gadgets remain private and the overall network is less congested. To lessen traffic and increase speed, you can adjust the internet settings for every VLAN section. Additionally, by using a router with a web interface, you can assign many VLANs to a single access point.
Moreover, you can use VLANs to set up a distinct guest WiFi network with a unique password, SSID, and network name. It can lock out specific devices, such as network printers, NAS disks, and devices holding private data, so that type of data cannot be accessed from the guest access point. You may protect your data in this way from nefarious attempts to steal it.
Use a VPN for routers
Encrypting traffic on every device connected to your router requires that you run a VPN on it. To have more anonymity online, you can even use it to set up a static IP address and fake your IP address. But not every router can handle a VPN, so before selecting this security feature, make sure your router is suitable.