A Complete Guide to Creating a Secure Home Wireless Network

• Accessing your router’s admin panel lets you implement a variety of security features.
• Changing your router admin panel and Wi-Fi network passwords to secure login credentials is a top priority.
• Update your router regularly to access the latest security features for your device.

Online security goes far beyond deleting phishing emails or staying away from unsecure websites. If you don’t prioritize creating a secure home wireless network, neighbors, hackers, or other nefarious players could land you in a world of trouble. For example, a neighbor might borrow your network and commit a crime that the authorities trace back to you. Or, hackers could infiltrate your network and conduct identity theft, malware, and data breach campaigns. Fortunately, it’s easy to set up a secure network, and you don’t even have to be a tech whiz. Learn how anyone can create a secure home wireless network.

Table of Contents

• Buy Your Router Instead of Leasing It
• Learn How to Access the Router’s Admin Panel
• Use Two (or Three) Bands
• Set Up WPA2 or WPA3 Encryption
• Change the Name of Your Network
• Create a Strong, Unique Network Password
• Set Up a Guest Network
• Change Your Admin Credentials
• Use MAC Address Filtering
• Update Your Router Regularly
• Secure Your Computer and Other Router-Connected Devices
• Best Practice for a Secure Home Network
• Create a Secure Home Network
• Frequently Asked Questions About Secure Wireless Networks

Buy Your Router Instead of Leasing It

Just about all internet service providers give customers the option to lease routers and modems. While some ISPs provide equipment for free, most charge a monthly fee anywhere from $5 to $20. You can configure leased routers and make them secure enough, but the equipment from an ISP isn’t likely to be top-of-the-line.

If you’re someone who has no interest in shopping for or setting up routers, you’ll be fine with a rental. But buying a router puts you in control of finding a model that meets the speed, reliability, and quality you’re looking for. While the upfront cost can be pricey, it costs less in the long run than paying monthly.

Learn How to Access the Router’s Admin Panel

For many of the steps that follow, you must log in to your router as an administrator. The process involves typing http:// and your router’s IP address into your URL bar. In some cases, you can also access the router via a smartphone app.

How do you find the router address, though? In many situations, especially if you lease the router, the numbered address is on the back of the device (along with the router admin username and password, and the WiFi password).

If the address is not there, type “cmd” into your computer’s search bar (no quotation marks). Next, type “ipconfig” (again, no quotation marks). Look on the screen for the phrase “Default Gateway” under a Wi-Fi or Ethernet heading. Next to “Default Gateway” is the router address. It’s likely to start with a number such as 192.

On an Apple computer, you can hold down the Option key along with the Wi-Fi icon. That brings up some data, including your router address. Alternatively, go to System Preferences, Network, Router, Wi-Fi, Advanced, and then TCP/IP. The address is next to “Router.”

If the above approaches don’t work (or you’re looking for another method), try doing a Google search for your router’s IP based on your brand (Linsys, TP-Link, eero, etc). Once you find it, type the router address and press “Enter.”

A message may pop up saying that the connection is not private. There may be alarming language about someone trying to steal data or attempting to fool you. But since you’re on this journey to log in to your admin panel, you’re in the clear. Choose to accept the risk and proceed. You may have to click “Advanced” or a similar button to move on.

Now you need your username and password. For the most part, the default combination of “admin, admin” or “admin, password” should get you in. If they don’t work, check the back of your router, find the paperwork that came with the router, or search online.

As you may have noticed, these defaults are quite generic. They’re a big reason that many home networks are not secure enough. But now that you’re in, you’ll be able to get your router secured with new login credentials (but more on that later).

Use Two (or Three) Bands

Once you’re in the administrator panel, you may notice that the network has two bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. And in some cases, you may have access to a third: 6 GHz. Using different Wi-Fi bands doesn’t directly secure your network, but it indirectly boosts safety by isolating older devices, reducing congestion, and shrinking your wireless footprint so your most important devices stay on the fastest, most secure connection.

So, what’s the difference between them all? The 2.4 GHz band offers better range but can be slower, while the 5 GHz band offers better, speedier performance. The 6GHz band delivers faster speeds, lower latency, and far less congestion. Larger homes need more range and may benefit more from the 2.4 GHz band than apartments and smaller homes do. However, 2.4 GHz bands can become even slower if lots of devices such as baby monitors, garage door openers, and Bluetooth devices are on it. Avoid tossing every device on one band, as too many devices are likely to slow everything down.

Devices Better Suited to 2.4 GHz

• Smart thermostats
• Smart speakers
• Home security cameras
• Tablets (if they’re far from the router)

Devices Better Suited to 5 GHz

• Smart TVs
• Game consoles
• PCs
• Laptops
• Smartphones

Devices Better Suited to 6 GHz

• VR headsets
• PCs or laptops performing large file transfers
• Smartphones that support Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7
• TVs streaming 4K or 8K video

Set Up WPA2 or WPA3 Encryption

Log in to your router’s administrator console to see your encryption options and whether encryption is even turned on. Fortunately, many newer routers come with Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) encryption turned on.

Older routers may offer only Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption. Don’t go down this road—time for a new router! Upgrade so you can get Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2). WPA3 is available and will start becoming more common, so if you have it, use that. If not, WPA2 gives you the most protection against hackers compared with the partial protection offered by WEP and even WAP (without the 2).

If your router gives you more options after you choose WPA2, they’re usually AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) or TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol). Go with AES. TKIP is older and less secure.

You may have a choice between WPA2 personal and enterprise networks. Enterprise is business-oriented and gives each Wi-Fi user their own ID and password. It makes life easier for corporate network administrators in many ways, but it’s unnecessary for home networks. Stick with WPA2 or WPA3.

Change the Name of Your Network

Change the name of your network/SSID (Service Set Identifier) so that hackers cannot see the type of router you have. The more they know about your router, the better their chances of cracking its WPA2 encryption (network names factor into the encryption algorithm). Some routers might give away your router brand, which puts you at risk.

Don’t use a name such as “BetYouCan’tHackMe” or “DanielsMom.” The first name practically begs hackers to break into your network, while the second name gives away information that hackers could use for identity theft.

Create a Strong, Unique Network Password

Unfortunately, many default Wi-Fi passwords are easy to guess. Others might seem OK because they involve numbers and words that aren’t related to each other. They come from a random generator.

However, these passwords probably lack a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters and special characters (and since you didn’t generate them, it’s more challenging to memorize). They are far from ideal because hacker programs can crack them quickly. Come up with a stronger password that’s a minimum of eight characters (the longer, the better). Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.

One trick is to think of a sentence such as, “My favorite baseball player is Chipper Jones, #10 Braves infielder!” The password would look like this: MfbpiCJ#10Bi! Better yet, use a password generator to come up with a truly random password. It might be tougher to remember, but it’ll also be tougher to hack. It’s fine to use a password manager if you need to. These tools store your passwords securely so you don’t have to write them down anywhere or force yourself to remember them. Whatever you do, never give out the password. If you end up doing so, change the password as soon as possible.

Your children probably don’t need to know the password. You can enter it into their gadgets and devices instead of telling them. Kids can be a big security risk. Many don’t fully understand security dangers. They may tell their friends the password, and it gets out to more people than you could have imagined.

What should you do about guests? It may seem rude to refuse to let them use your Wi-Fi. MAC address filtering is one solution. Another is to type in the password on their device. A third approach is to use a guest network.

Set Up a Guest Network

Many routers, especially those targeted toward small businesses, allow guest networks. That way, guests can easily access your network without the main password (or a password at all). No worries about damaging a friendship! You can also control what guests have access to. For instance, you might let them use just the internet, and nothing else.

A guest network comes in particularly useful if you have visitors often, see clients/customers at your home, or run a business such as a bed and breakfast. In these cases, don’t count on a leased router for guest network capabilities. Shop around for a router or ask your ISP for specifics before you lease a router.

A guest network operates on a separate IP address from the main network. To set up a guest network, go to your main admin login. Enable the option for guest Wi-Fi. Create a network name/SSID similar to the main one, for example, the same name but with the suffix of “_guest.”

Choose a password so that no one can just waltz onto the network. If the router gives options, it’s best to block access to everything except the internet. It’s unlikely your guests will need file sharing. If possible, set a limit for the number of guests using the network at the same time.

Change Your Admin Credentials

Now it’s time to change your default router admin login credentials. As mentioned earlier, routers often come with terribly weak usernames and passwords such as “Admin, admin” or “Admin, password.”

Create a strong, unique password that is at least 16 characters long. Deploy a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. If you do forget your password, a master reset restores the router to factory settings. Don’t use the same credentials as your Wi-Fi network—it should be different from your router login password.

Use MAC Address Filtering

Each device that communicates with your network gets a unique Media Access Control (MAC) address. Some security experts recommend setting up your router so that only the devices you authorize have access. Others recommend disabling MAC address filtering. The Federal Communications Commission says to enable MAC filtering, but don’t rely on this alone, because some hackers can mimic MAC addresses.

Bottom line: MAC address filtering is far from a 100% safety measure. For instance, skilled hackers can fake or copy MAC addresses to access your network. However, this type of filtering can protect your network against the average hacker.

Setting up MAC address filtering involves a bit of work, but it isn’t too bad. Look for “MAC Filtering” in your admin console, or click each band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHZ) to view its MAC filtering option.

Update Your Router Regularly

Updating your router ensures more protection against bugs and loopholes. Fortunately, many routers update themselves in the background without any work on your part. To find out if this is the case with yours, check the router’s control panel, its support website, or the owner’s manual. For some routers, you must visit the manufacturer’s website to download firmware updates, then apply them in your router’s settings. This way is more hassle, but absolutely worth the effort.

Secure Your Computer and Other Router-Connected Devices

Your computer, smartphone, tablet, smart TV, and other devices must be secure, too. Hackers need just one weak link to exploit your network.

• Enable automatic updates for your devices and software programs.
• Add higher-quality anti-malware or anti-virus software to the devices that connect most often.
• Use strong passwords for devices and apps.

Do not store router login information, Wi-Fi passwords, and other types of sensitive information on your devices. If you must, password-protect the data or use a password manager.

Best Practices for a Secure Home Network

The steps above represent a tremendous chunk of what makes a secure home wireless network. A few additional things strengthen your network even more.

Disable Remote Management Options

Turn off your router’s remote administrative features. Otherwise, a hacker could break into the router from afar.

Log Out

Log out of your administrator session every time. If you do not, a hacker could piggyback onto the session.

Double-Check the Firewall

Most routers come with network firewalls enabled. These firewalls block potentially unsafe data from entering your network, so double-check that yours is enabled.

Disconnect the Router

Heading out to work? Going on vacation? About to sleep? Disconnect your router. Hackers cannot break into a network that does not exist. One way to disconnect is to unplug the router. Remember to plug it back in a few minutes before you need to use the network.

Some routers have timer functionality. Alternatively, if you have a smartphone app to control your router, you can use the app to turn the network on and off. If you don’t have an app, try using your phone’s internet browser to log into your admin console the same way you would from a computer.

Position Your Router in the Middle of Your Home

If logistics allow, place the router in the middle of your home. This placement distributes network access more evenly and could put the network out of hackers’ reach. For example, hackers might not be able to park curbside and connect to your network. Also, try to keep routers placed away from windows and exterior doors.

Conceal the Information on the Back of Your Router

The back of your router might list default information such as your network name and password, and your router IP address username and password. You should have changed some or all of this information. In most cases, it’s prudent to cover the back or conceal the information.

Turn off WPS

Two more things to think about: In your router settings, turn off WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) if it isn’t disabled by default. With WPS on, visitors such as neighbors or service personnel can connect their devices to your network. They simply push your router’s WPS button along with the WPS button on their device.

Consider Changing Your Router’s IP Address

Default router IP addresses are easy for hackers to find. Heck, they’re online for anyone to look at! For an extra measure of protection, change your router’s address.

Log in to your router admin console and search for something such as network settings or LAN/DHCP. Change your IP address and save. Note the new address.

It should suffice to substitute just a couple of numbers. In the future, you will use the new address to access your router settings. If something goes wrong, restore your router to its factory settings.

Create a Secure Home Wireless Network

Setting up a secure home wireless network is fairly easy. As long as you know your router’s default IP address and login credentials, most everything falls into place. The key is to replace weak default passwords and network names as soon as possible. From there, update your router regularly. Ensure that your computer and other devices connected to the network are as secure as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions About Secure Wireless Networks

How can I see who is accessing my router?

You can check who’s on your network by logging into your router’s admin page and looking for a section labeled Connected Devices, Device List, or something similar. This page shows every device currently using your Wi-Fi, often with names, MAC addresses, and connection types. Many routers also let you block unknown devices or set alerts if something unfamiliar connects.

What is the most secure Wi-Fi network?

The most secure Wi-Fi network uses WPA3 encryption, a strong, unique password, and a hidden or hard-to-guess network name that doesn’t reveal personal information. Pairing WPA3 with updated router firmware, disabling WPS, and using separate bands or guest networks for older devices provides the strongest overall protection for a home setup.

Can a VPN keep my network secure?

A VPN encrypts your internet traffic to protect your data from snooping and make it harder for outsiders to track your activity, but it doesn’t secure the router or Wi-Fi network itself. It’s an excellent privacy tool, but true home network security still relies on strong passwords, modern encryption, firmware updates, and safe device practices.

Should I leave the VPN on all the time?

You can leave your Virtual Private Network (VPN) on continuously for consistent privacy and encrypted browsing, especially if you frequently use public Wi-Fi or want to keep your ISP from seeing your activity, but it may slightly slow your connection or interfere with location-based services. For most people, leaving it on by default is fine, turning it off only when you need maximum speed or precise location access.

Does unplugging a router stop hackers?

Unplugging a router instantly disconnects it from the internet, which stops active attacks in the moment, but it’s only a temporary fix and doesn’t address the underlying vulnerability. Once you plug it back in, outdated firmware, weak passwords, or insecure settings can still expose your network, so long-term protection requires updating, securing, and monitoring the router, not just rebooting it.