How do I set up a new router?

Router setup is mostly automated now, but two things are worth doing manually: changing the admin password, which is the most commonly exploited weakness in home networks, and choosing the WiFi name deliberately so your devices reconnect without intervention.

What you'll need

• Router
• Ethernet cable
• Broadband details from your provider
• Computer or phone (optional)

Step by step

1. Connect the router to the incoming line and power it on.Wait for the status lights to settle — often several minutes on first boot while it syncs.
2. Connect a computer by ethernet for setup if you can.More reliable than WiFi during setup, especially if you are about to change the WiFi settings.
3. Log into the admin page — usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1.The address and default credentials are printed on a label on the router.
4. Change the admin password immediately.This is the single most important step. Default admin credentials are published and universally known.
5. Set the WiFi name and passphrase to match your old router if you are replacing one.Every device then reconnects automatically. It saves reconfiguring printers, TVs, smart plugs and everything else.
6. Set encryption to WPA3 if available, or WPA2 otherwise.Never WEP or WPA — both are broken. Use a long passphrase rather than a complex short one.
7. Turn off WPS and remote administration.WPS has known weaknesses; remote administration exposes the admin interface to the internet and is rarely needed at home.
8. Enable automatic firmware updates if offered.Router vulnerabilities are actively exploited and many routers are never updated after installation.
9. Set up a guest network for visitors and smart-home devices.It isolates them from your computers and phones. Smart devices are often the least maintained things on a home network.

Tips

• Note the new admin password somewhere findable. A lost router admin password means a factory reset and reconfiguring everything.
• Position matters more than settings for coverage — central, high, and out in the open beats any configuration change.
• If your provider supplied the router, check whether they push firmware updates automatically. Many do, which is one less thing to manage.

Common mistakes

• Leaving the default admin password — Defaults are published online and it is the most commonly exploited weakness in home networks.
• Choosing a new WiFi name when replacing a router — Every device then needs reconnecting manually, including ones you had forgotten were on the network.
• Leaving remote administration enabled — It exposes the router's admin interface to the internet for no benefit in a home setting.

Questions people ask