Setting up your home wifi network

Most broadband providers will send a technician to your home to turn on the connection once you purchase it. If not, you should be able to set up your Internet connection using the instructions provided by your ISP—or included with the modem. After you've finished configuring everything, you may open your web browser and start surfing the web.

Home Networking:

Create a home network, commonly known as a Wi-Fi network, if you have many computers at home and wish to utilise them all to access the Internet. All of your gadgets in a home network connect to your router, which is connected to the modem. This implies that your entire family can access the Internet at the same time.

Purchase a router:

A wireless router is required to set up your own Wi-Fi network. This is the gadget that will distribute your Internet modem's Wi-Fi signal across your home. For a nominal monthly cost, your Internet service provider (ISP) may offer you a wireless router. This may be the simplest option if you've never set up a Wi-Fi network previously.

Connecting the Cables:

• You'll need to connect your wireless router to your existing Internet modem once you've purchased one.
• Connect your modem to the wireless router with an Ethernet cable (there is usually a short Ethernet cable included with your wireless router for this purpose).
• Connect the wireless router's power cable.

Configuring your router:

The configuration process of a broadband Wi-Fi router doesn’t have to be an ordeal. Although ISPs try their best to make it easier to install their products, one can still burrow deeper into the router's configuration pages to establish security, access controls, and granular management.

At any rate, setting up a tightly managed, secure home network is possible by following these steps.

Connect your router:

The broadband Wi-Fi router is the bridge between the Internet and your home network. It is how all the devices on your network communicate with one another. The device that has to be connected to the Wi-Fi router, has to have an appropriate network adapter. The first step to configure is to physically connect your router to a modem provided by your ISP with an Ethernet cable, by following these steps:

• Firstly, unplug or turn off the cable or DSL modem.
• Plugin your wireless router and connect the network cable into the port on the router that is labelled "Internet" or "WAN."
• Connect the other end to the cable or DSL modem and start up the modem.
• Do not try to connect any devices such as laptops or tablets until you have a high strength signal indicating a WAN connection on both the router and modem.
• Access the router's interface and build it

Access your router Interface

The next step involves accessing the router's interface in the following steps:

• Connect an Ethernet cable to one of the LAN ports on the router and the other end to the Ethernet port of the laptop.
• Click to open "Network and Internet" and then "Network and Sharing Centre."
• From the left-hand window, click "Change adapter settings."
• Right-click on "Local Area Connection" and then click on "Properties." to select the IP version.
• Hold the cursor on “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP v4)” and once again, click "Properties."
• Push the click on "Use the following IP address:" and enter the information as shown in the image above.
• Once the changes are done, open up a browser and go to the web address using the account name "admin" and password "admin." This is now all set to configure security and other settings.

Most router manufacturers use the same default IP address, admin account, and passwords on all their routers. The router's documentation provided by the manufacturer will tell you the specific IP address and account login information.

Configure security and IP addressing

After accessing the router, the next order of business is getting the security, SSID, and IP addressing settings right. These settings are found under the "Basic" settings of the interface. They may also be under "Security" or "Wireless Settings". Further steps are:

• Change the default administrator password which is usually under the "System" tab or page of the interface. Just enter a new password in the new password field.
• Change the router's default SSID. The SSID is the broadcasted name of the unique wireless network you own. Use a unique name to avoid confusion.
• Assign security. Go into the router's wireless security page. Opt for WPA security, as it requires clients connecting to it to use a password, for connecting.
• Set up IP addressing. For most networks, the router comes at its default DHCP setting.
• Disconnect the laptop and reboot it. When the laptop comes back from reboot the user can see the SSID name of your wireless network and be able to connect to it with the password you created.

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Set up sharing and control

• Now that you have a network set up, you can now set up a way for all the devices to access data on the network. This can be done by setting up a "Home Network" by using your current location.

Set up user accounts

Further, try to set up user accounts with your Wi-Fi router plans

Select the User Accounts icon. The User accounts settings will allow you to configure your account.

• To add and configure other devices to access the network, from User Accounts, click on "Manage User Accounts," and then click on the "Advanced" tab.
• Under "Advanced User Management" click "Advanced" and select the user and add them to your network. The advanced setting also comes with the Wi-Fi router recharge plans.

Where should I place my router?

The first step to router happiness is to locate your router in the best location in your home. Make sure it's in a prominent spot away from other electronic devices. In case your internet speed test came out good but your Wi-Fi is still slow, it might just be placed poorly. Wi-Fi signals get constraints and have trouble penetrating solid and liquid materials. In a nutshell, the best place to put your Wi-Fi router is in a central location, so it can reach the extremities of your home. But if you mostly need it in one part of the house and you're having Wi-Fi trouble, consider moving it closer to where the internet is.

Securing your Router:

Our houses are now packed with a variety of gadgets and equipment that require an internet connection, thanks to our increasingly modern environment. Our increased reliance on the internet to link all of our devices, whether it's our computer, tablet, phone, fridge, TV, or baby monitor, has opened the door to various threats and security issues.

Hackers are opportunistic, waiting to exploit any security flaw to launch a targeted assault. Hackers can steal personal and financial information, infect your devices with viruses and malware, commit cybercrime from your device, or launch a Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attack if they obtain access to your home network.

Stronger Encryption

Make sure that your wireless access point is updated and does not use the old WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) security system. This has been proven to be insecure and can be easily hacked by most cybercriminals. Instead, opt for the newer WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) in the form of WPA2 or WPA3. Even with this system, it is prudent to use a strong password which is changed frequently, especially if the system is used in an office or commercial setting. Check to make sure that you have deactivated the WPS feature offered by your router. This is also easy to hack even if you are using a WPA system.

Separate network for guests

Offer a guest network so that they can connect to the internet without getting access to your family's internal network. It prevents inadvertent infections of your network with viruses or other malware. You can do this by using a separate internet connection with its own wireless access point. However, this is an unnecessary step since newer consumer wireless routers can run two Wi-Fi networks at once. Turn on the WPA protection for the guest network to have control over who uses it. This also protects your guests from others on the guest network.

Hide the Network Name

Networks’ usual default setting is to broadcast its name to make it easy to find and connect to. However, you can hide the name which then requires users to know the name of the network beforehand. Keep in mind that hiding the SSID isn’t a failsafe step in securing your network. SSID hiding is a feature that allows you to keep your network name hidden from the list of people in your immediate vicinity. Changing the default name makes it far more difficult for a hacker to figure out what router you have, lowering the risk of an attack.

Firewalls

Most W-Fi routers have a built-in network firewall that protects broadband connections and prevents intruder network attacks. They will also have the option of being deactivated, so make sure your home router's firewall is turned on to offer an extra layer of security to your home security.

Protect with a VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) is a network that allows you to connect privately across an unprotected, unencrypted network. A VPN encrypts your data, making it impossible for a hacker to figure out what you're doing online or where you are. A VPN will also change your IP address, making it look as if you are accessing your computer from somewhere other than your home.

Turn it off when not in use

Turning off your home network when you're not at home may seem simple, but it's one of the simplest ways to secure your network against assault. It's not necessary for your home Wi-Fi network to remain active 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When you turn off your Wi-Fi when you leave the house, you lessen the odds of opportunistic hackers breaking into your home network while you're gone.

Thus, setting up a home WiFi network is not as difficult as it first seems. All one needs to do to set up a home network is follow all the above-mentioned simple steps. In order to avail of the best WiFi plans for home, go through the various WiFi packages provided by ACT Fibernet. With fiber-optic broadband plans, ACT Fibernet ensures that your home WiFi network works the way it’s supposed to – with great signal and high-speed connectivity.

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