The Essentials: How to Set Up a Home Network
Step 1: Setting Up the Router
Position your router as centrally, freely and high as possible to achieve optimum Wi-Fi coverage. Use a compatible device to set up the router through its virtual user interface. You'll find the necessary access data – network name (SSID) and network key – on the underside of the router or in the documents provided by your internet provider.
Step 2: Setting Up Wi-Fi and Increasing Network Security
In the router settings, create a new network name (SSID) and a secure password. This step enhances overall network security and makes using your home network more convenient. Setting up a guest Wi-Fi, for instance, can be useful if you frequently have visitors and want to provide them with internet access.
Step 3: Connecting Devices via Wi-Fi
Connect your devices in the house to the newly set up Wi-Fi. This can be done either using the specified network name and its corresponding password or, alternatively, via WPS or a QR code if both the router and devices support this feature.
Step 4: Setting Up File and Printer Sharing
Assign distinct network names to your devices so they can be clearly identified in the network environment. Activating file sharing allows you to exchange files within the home network – for example, securing photos, videos, and other documents on a network storage device or sending files to your printer with a few clicks.
Step 5: Conducting a Network Test
Test the internet speed via Wi-Fi in each room. An online speed test is suitable for this purpose. If the measured data rate in a room far from the router is too low, it can lead to annoying connection issues in all everyday applications. In such cases, a network extension with devolo is recommended.
Considerations Before Getting Started
Before you get started and set up a home network, you should make a few preliminary considerations. After all, your specific everyday needs can have a decisive influence on the choice of Internet access and ultimately also on setting up a home network.
How Much Bandwidth Do You Need?
Are you planning to use the internet just for casual browsing, emails, social media, and occasional YouTube videos? In that case, a bandwidth of 25 Mbps might suffice. However, if you need a super-fast internet connection for productive home office work, competitive online gaming, and 4K streaming, planning for more bandwidth is essential.
This becomes especially important in a multi-person household where these activities might occur simultaneously. 100 Mbps provide a good buffer and are a solid benchmark, particularly for families. For more detailed information, user profiles, and guidelines, check out our guide on internet bandwidth.
Do You Need to Lay Ethernet Cables?
A wireless Wi-Fi connection is quick and convenient. While a connection through LAN cables (Ethernet) is faster and more stable, it's also considerably more complex to set up. It requires laying cables in the living space, preferably in a discreet manner. Our recommendation: Don't make your network architecture overly complicated!
Start with a simple home network without intricate wiring, which you can later expand if needed using Powerline adapters or repeaters. This approach saves a lot of effort and, depending on your home's structural conditions, might even save costs. Follow this step-by-step guide for an easy path to a connected home.
Step 1: Setting Up the Router
The router serves as the core of your home network, connecting all your devices to the internet. The exact process for setting up your router can vary depending on the manufacturer and model but generally follows a similar pattern. Refer to the enclosed manual for guidance!
Place your router as centrally, free-standing, and as high as possible to achieve optimal Wi-Fi coverage. Connect the device using the provided cables and access its virtual user interface through a compatible device.
You can do this using a PC or laptop connected via an Ethernet cable to a free LAN port on the router. Alternatively, you should also be able to establish a Wi-Fi connection using your smartphone or tablet.
To do this, open the list of available Wi-Fi connections and identify your new router. Since you haven't assigned a custom name yet, you'll need to search for the corresponding model designation. This default name (SSID) is also on the back of the device or on the provided card with your access details, along with the 16-digit default password, also known as the Wi-Fi key.
Now, open the router's virtual user interface in your web browser window. This can often be done by typing the default IP address, 192.168.0.1, into the address bar. The precise instructions for your model and the necessary login details can be found in your provider's documentation. Follow the prompts in your browser to set up the router and install any firmware updates.
Step 2: Setting Up Wi-Fi and Increasing Network Security
Once your router is up to date and ready for use, the first thing to do is set up your Wi-Fi and establish a new network name (SSID). This makes it easier to connect all devices in your house to the Wi-Fi and enhances the security of your home network.
The reason: Your SSID is publicly visible and often contains information like the router manufacturer's name. If you don't change this default naming, it could potentially give criminals hints about possible vulnerabilities in your home network. While the likelihood of being hacked solely because of your network name is low, taking extra steps to secure it isn't too demanding. Plus, you can come up with an amusing Wi-Fi name.
If you frequently host guests and want to invite them into your home network, setting up a second SSID – a separate guest Wi-Fi – is worthwhile. This way, you can secure your home network and provide internet access to your visitors without granting them immediate access to all your devices and file folders within your home network. For more information, refer to our guide on setting up a guest Wi-Fi.
Of course, a secure Wi-Fi password is crucial when setting up your home network. It's advisable to have a password with a minimum of 12 characters, including uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as special characters. Don't worry, you and your guests won't need to laboriously type such a complicated password every time: Typically, modern routers offer alternative, more convenient ways of connecting to Wi-Fi, which we'll cover in the next step.
Step 3: Connecting Devices via Wi-Fi
Once you've adjusted the Wi-Fi settings on your router, it's time to connect all your devices to your home network. This can be done conventionally by selecting your network's SSID from the list of available Wi-Fi connections and entering the password set in the previous step. However, typing this password every time can be cumbersome, especially if you have many smart home devices in use.
A quicker method involves using QR codes, which many routers can generate. By scanning such a code with your smartphone, it can join your home network directly without the need for password entry. This is especially convenient for guests: Print the QR code and place it in the guest room to simplify their internet access – making their stay in your home even more pleasant.
If your router doesn't support this feature, you can generate a QR code through specific websites, apps, or directly on your smartphone. Alternatively, modern smartphones usually have a feature allowing easy sharing of Wi-Fi access with other smart devices in the vicinity at the press of a button.
Step 4: Setting Up File and Printer Sharing
If you want to exchange files among different devices within your home network, secure them on network storage, or print documents, you'll need to connect the respective devices to the home network and set up the necessary sharing permissions.
Firstly, assign a unique network name to each device within your home network – for example, using your name or a family member's name combined with the type of device, such as “PC”, “Laptop”, “Smartphone”, and so on. This can typically be done through the device's system settings.
Within these settings, you can also configure devices to be discoverable on the network. Additionally, you can designate specific folders or entire drives for file sharing. This allows network participants to send files among themselves, or even to printers and home servers (NAS) within the network. Whether you need to print documents from your home office or secure entire family photo albums, the home network makes it quick and easy.
Step 5: Conducting a Network Test
Have you set everything up as needed? Whether your home network is functioning flawlessly and you're enjoying sufficiently fast internet in every room is something you'll notice automatically. It becomes evident when your home office video call starts buffering, your online game lags, or your series streaming is in poor quality or not working at all. To prevent these annoyances, conducting a network test is recommended.
Open up an online speed test on a mobile device and measure the internet speed in each room. Use the speed near the router as a reference point. If the measured internet bandwidth here is approximately in line with your subscribed plan, but significantly drops in a room further away, there’s potential for improvement.
While setting up your home network, experimenting with router positions and additional cables might help. However, let's be honest: there's usually not much space or time for rearranging furniture and laying cables. It's simpler withsmart solutions from devolo that expand the home network across the entire living space without bothersome remodeling or compromises.
Expanding Your Network: Setting Up Powerline or Wi-Fi Repeaters
You've set up your home network but now realize that the Wi-Fi is weak in remote rooms? Or perhaps you'd like a LAN connection for demanding web applications without running a cable through your entire living space?
Living situations, user and device configurations, and usage scenarios differ from household to household. That's why devolo has developed the perfect solution for every network situation, allowing for easy distribution of LAN and Wi-Fi access points throughout the house.
Magic Powerline
Strong Wi-Fi and Ethernet in every room
Why bother laying long LAN cables when there's an easier way? Devolo's Magic Powerline adapters transmit the internet signal from the router through the electrical wiring of the house or apartment. This way, you can enjoy strong Wi-Fi reception in every room and additional LAN ports for wired internet via Ethernet.
Here's how simple it is:
- Place the Magic Powerline adapter next to the router and connect it via LAN cable
- Place additional Powerline adapters in rooms where internet access is lacking
- Set up Wi-Fi connection using your smartphone
Wi-Fi Repeater
Simple extension of the Wi-Fi signal
When the Wi-Fi is weak, a repeater can help amplify the signal into adjacent rooms. This is especially useful in apartments where the router signal might not reach distant rooms due to distance or other interference factors.
Here's how easy it is:
- Install the repeater near the router
- Launch the Home Network App and proceed with the setup
- Place the repeater halfway between the router and the area where the Wi-Fi has been weak.
Our Tip: If you already have a network cabling at home, you can alternatively connect devolo Repeater 3000 and 5400 via LAN cable to the router. In Access Point mode, you can extend Wi-Fi to very distant rooms without setting up a second router as an access point.
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