Wifi at your house

How to Set up a Home Wi-Fi Network

Former Lifewire writer Melanie Uy has 5+ years’ experience writing about consumer-oriented technology and is an expert telecommuter.

Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years’ experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses.

• Wi-Fi & Wireless
• The Wireless Connection
• Routers & Firewalls
• Network Hubs
• ISP
• Broadband
• Ethernet
• Installing & Upgrading

What to Know

• Using Ethernet cables, connect the router to the modem, then connect your computer to your router.
• Open a web browser and enter your router’s IP address to configure your Wi-Fi network’s security settings.
• Unplug your computer from the router, then wirelessly connect all of your devices to the new network.

This article explains how to set up a Wi-Fi network using any wireless router and modem.

How to Set Up Your Home Wi-Fi Network

If the wireless router and other devices are capable of Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), you can connect and configure these devices with the push of a button. However, having WPS set up on a router is a security risk, so we recommend disabling WPS.

Here’s how to set up a Wi-Fi router.

1. Find the best location for the wireless router. The optimal placement is in a central location, free from obstructions that could cause wireless interference.

Turn off the modem. Power off the cable, fiber, or DSL modem from your internet service provider before connecting your equipment.

Connect the router to the modem. Plug an Ethernet cable (typically provided with the router) into the router WAN port. Then, connect the other end of the Ethernet cable to the modem.

Connect a laptop or computer to the router. Plug one end of another Ethernet cable into the router LAN port (any port will work) and the other end of the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port of a laptop. This wiring is temporary; you will remove the cable after setting up the network.

Go to the management web page for the router. Open a browser and enter the IP address of the router administration page. This information is in the router documentation (it’s usually something like 192.168.1.1). The login information is also in the manual.

Add WPA2 security. This step is essential. Find this setting in the wireless security section of the router administration page. Select which type of encryption to use and enter a passphrase of at least eight characters. The more characters and the more complex the password, the better.

WPA2 is significantly more secure than WEP. Use WPA or mixed mode WPA/WPA2 with older wireless adapters. WPA3 is another option for more recent hardware, but its compatibility is limited.

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Setting up a wireless network in Windows

A wireless network at home lets you get online from more places in your house. This article describes the basic steps for setting up a wireless network and starting to use it.

Get the right equipment

Before you can set up your wireless network, here’s what you’ll need:

Broadband Internet connection and modem. A broadband Internet connection is a high-speed Internet connection. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and cable are two of the most common broadband connections. You can get a broadband connection by contacting an Internet service provider (ISP). Typically, ISPs that provide DSL are telephone companies and ISPs that provide cable are cable TV companies. ISPs frequently offer broadband modems. Some ISPs also offer combination modem/wireless routers. You can also find these at computer or electronics stores, and online.

Wireless router. A router sends info between your network and the Internet. With a wireless router, you can connect PCs to your network using radio signals instead of wires. There are several different kinds of wireless network technologies, which include 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax.

Wireless network adapter. A wireless network adapter is a device that connects your PC to a wireless network. To connect your portable or desktop PC to your wireless network, the PC must have a wireless network adapter. Most laptops and tablets—and some desktop PCs—come with a wireless network adapter already installed.

To check whether your PC has a wireless network adapter:

1. Select Start , type device manager in the search box, and then select Device Manager.
2. Expand Network adapters.
3. Look for a network adapter that might have wireless in the name.

Setting up the modem and Internet connection

After you have all the equipment, you’ll need to set up your modem and Internet connection. If your modem wasn’t set up for you by your Internet service provider (ISP), follow the instructions that came with your modem to connect it to your PC and the Internet. If you’re using Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), connect your modem to a phone jack. If you’re using cable, connect your modem to a cable jack.

Positioning the wireless router

Put your wireless router somewhere where it will receive the strongest signal with the least amount of interference. For better results, follow these tips:

Place your wireless router in a central location. Place the router as close to the center of your home as possible to increase the strength of the wireless signal throughout your home.

Position the wireless router off the floor and away from walls and metal objects, such as metal file cabinets. The fewer physical obstructions between your PC and the router’s signal, the more likely that you’ll be using the router’s full signal strength.

Reduce interference. Some networking equipment uses a 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) radio frequency. This is the same frequency as most microwaves and many cordless phones. If you turn on the microwave or get a call on a cordless phone, your wireless signal might be temporarily interrupted. You can avoid most of these issues by using a cordless phone with a higher frequency, such as 5.8 GHz.

Securing your wireless network

Security is always important; with a wireless network, it’s even more important because your network’s signal could be broadcast outside your home. If you don’t help secure your network, people with PCs nearby could access info stored on your network PCs and use your Internet connection.

To help make your network more secure:

Change the default user name and password. This helps protect your router. Most router manufacturers have a default user name and password on the router and a default network name (also known as the SSID). Someone could use this info to access your router without you knowing it. To help avoid that, change the default user name and password for your router. See the documentation for your device for instructions.

Set up a security key (password) for your network. Wireless networks have a network security key to help protect them from unauthorized access. We recommend using Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA3) security if your router and PC support it. See the documentation for your router for more detailed info, including what type of security is supported and how to set it up.

Some routers support Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS). If your router supports WPS and it’s connected to the network, follow these steps to set up a network security key:

1. Do one of the following, depending on which version of Windows is running on your PC:
   • In Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, select Start, start typing Network and Sharing Center, and then choose it in the list.
   • In Windows 10, select Start , then select Settings >Network & Internet >Status >Network and Sharing Center.
   • In Windows 11, select Start, type control panel, then select Control Panel >Network and Internet >Network and Sharing Center.
2. Select Set up a new connection or network.
3. Select Set up a new network, then choose Next.

The wizard will walk you through creating a network name and a security key. If your router supports it, the wizard will default to Wi‑Fi Protected Access (WPA2 or WPA3) security. We recommend that you use WPA3 if you can, because it offers better security than WPA2, WPA, or Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security. With WPA3, WPA2 or WPA you can also use a passphrase, so you don’t have to remember a cryptic sequence of letters and numbers.

Write down your security key and keep it in a safe place. You can also save your security key on a USB flash drive by following the instructions in the wizard. (Saving your security key to a USB flash drive is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7, but not in Windows 10 or Windows 11.)

Use a firewall. A firewall is hardware or software that can help protect your PC from unauthorized users or malicious software (malware). Running a firewall on each PC on your network can help control the spread of malicious software on your network, and help protect your PCs when you’re accessing the Internet. Windows Firewall is included with this version of Windows.

Connect a PC to your wireless network

1. Select the Network or Wifi icon in the notification area.
2. In the list of networks, choose the network that you want to connect to, and then select Connect.
3. Type the security key (often called the password).
4. Follow additional instructions if there are any.

If you have problems with your Wi-Fi network when using Windows 10, see Fix Wi-Fi problems in Windows for advanced troubleshooting info.

1. Select the Network icon in the notification area, then select the > icon next to the Wi-Fi quick setting to see a list of available networks.
2. Choose the network that you want to connect to, and then select Connect.
3. Type the security key (often called the password).
4. Follow additional instructions if there are any.

If you have problems with your Wi-Fi network when using Windows 11, see Fix Wi-Fi problems in Windows for advanced troubleshooting info.

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Wifi at your house

It is hard to think back to a time when internet was accessed through PCs wired into bulky modems and telephones. Today internet is accessed wirelessly everywhere from our homes to offices. If you shift house or need to reset your home WiFi network for any reason you will have to set up the network yourself. This post is a simple step by step guide to setup WiFi at home.

1. Get Subscription from ISP

The first step is to get internet package subscription from your local Internet Service Provider or ISP. This will vary from country to country and you will have to check the available ISP in your area. For example AT&T and Comcast are ISPs popular in USA.

2. Get a Router and note the SSID and Password

Next you will need a router that will convert internet data received into radio waves. A router is nothing but a device that converts digital signal into radio waves and broadcasts in your home. Dlink or TP-Link are some of the companies that sell routers. Each router will also have a SSID number and a password mentioned at on sticker on the back. Note this as you will need it in later stage. If the SSID is not given on the device it will be mentioned in the used manual that comes with router.

3. Connect to Modem

Today routers perform the function of modem too and work as a WiFi gateway. For your practical purpose you have to now connect your router to the dial-up connection/ DSL/ cable modem provided by your ISP. An Ethernet port cable provided by your ISP (or connected to Ethernet port in your apartment rooms) needs to be plugged into the router. Look for a Ethernet port behind your router with a WiFi icon mentioned next to it and plug in the cable. Connect your router to a power point and switch it on.

4. Set Up the Home Wifi Network

Next you need to set up your WiFi in your internet browser. Remember you have to connect to your WIFi which will show with the name of SSID mentioned behind the router. Open the browser and type in the IP address depending on your router. For example Belkin users must type in http://192.168.0.1. and Linksys users have to type in http://192.168.1.1. in their browser. You can find this IP address in the router manual or on Google too. This will open the settings for your WiFi network. Enter the SSID and password noted in step 2 and select manual setup. You can now rename your WiFi and reset the password. Select WPA or WPA2 as your security option. Your WiFi is now ready to connect

5. Connect and Enjoy!

To connect your devices, switch on WiFI in network and connections and connect to the WIFi you have just setup. It will show up with the SSID name you have given while setting up. Enter the WiFi password in the prompt and you are good to go! Since your router sends out signal in vicinity, it is possible for hackers to intercept your data or use your WiFi signals without permission. To avoid this make sure your password is unique and WiFi security is set to WPA or WPA2.

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