5 settings need to change right on your new router

Here are 5 basic settings to consider when configuring a Wi-Fi network router.

If you recently moved to a new house or apartment, one of the first items in your to-do list is: Call the provider where you live to set up the Internet.

Here are some suggestions for setting up a new Wi-Fi router to help you browse the web safely and quickly. The settings listed in this article will not change, regardless of which Internet service provider you are using, but some details may be slightly different.

Change the network name and password

To change your username and password, you need to log in to your provider's website or mobile app. Log in to your account and find the Network or Wi-Fi settings section. On the Xfinity website, the author clicks Edit WiFi to change his Wi-Fi network name and sets a new password. Choose a password - or better yet, a passphrase - which you will easily remember but not too easy to guess for others.

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Select security mode

If you set a strong password for your router, then you have taken the first step in protecting your network (instead of leaving it open for everyone to access freely). With the password set on the modern router, you're probably using WPA or WPA2 encryption.

WPA or Wi-Fi Protected Access, is a 256-bit encryption protocol, safer than older and weaker WEP standards, using 64 or 128-bit encryption. WPA2 improves WPA by using a stronger encryption algorithm. It uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm more secure than WPA combined with its own TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) algorithm.

Many routers provide a combination of both WPA and WPA2 so that older devices can also connect to your network, but WPA2 has existed for more than 10 years so most current devices are compatible with WPA2. . When choosing the security mode for the router, users will usually choose WPA2 - also known as WPA2-PSK (AES) - and only switch to mixed mode if you have an old device that cannot connect to the network. WPA2 protection.

Check network mode and frequency bands

If your router is a new device, it is likely an 802.11ac model, and can broadcast in two frequencies: 5GHz and 2.4GHz. These are the frequencies that your wireless network broadcasts to transmit information. Both bands must be turned on by default, but check the advanced settings on the supplier's website or application, check the status of both bands to make sure they are all active.

The 2.4GHz band is more crowded because it is a frequency for many popular household electronics, from wireless phones, small screens, to automatic garage door openers. microwave. You may experience interference with the 2.4GHz band, but it allows older devices to connect to the network. The 5GHz band is less congested and faster but has a shorter range than the 2.4GHz band.

With both modes working in parallel, your router automatically selects the best mode for each device in the network.

Enable parental control

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Find the Parental Controls section or Access Restrictions to set some boundaries for your child's device. With Xfinity, click the People tab to set the profile for your child. You can assign devices to each profile and then click Pause for any or all devices in a profile, to prevent users in that profile from accessing Instagram, Snapchat, messaging and everything else on. Internet.

You can also enable parental control for a profile to "reduce the risk of accessing unauthorized websites and applications and enable protection search settings for Google, Bing and YouTube". You will also find the option to set operating hours for your child's device. Xfinity calls it Bedtime mode , allowing you to set the time your child is allowed and not allowed to use the Internet. There are many different options for weekdays and weekends.

Set up the guest network

Create a guest Wi-Fi network to make sure strangers can't access shared computers and files on your network, as well as the trouble of letting them know complex Wi-Fi passwords or make you feel ashamed. In the settings on your account, look for Guest Network or Home Hotspot.

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With Xfinity, you won't be able to find this setting in the same place as other Wi-Fi settings and instead have to move to the general settings. From that main account page, you will see it listed in the Settings section . When it is activated, Xfinity has started broadcasting a separate network called "xfinitywifi" so that guests can use it without asking the host's password.

Here are some tips on installing a new router. Hope they are useful for you. Good luck!

See more:

1. Tips for setting up Wi-Fi networks useful
2. 6 problems with routers and solutions to overcome
3. Restart the router and modem properly?