The internet has become an integral part of our lives today, and living without it isn’t easy. For this reason, more people are having home internet installed so that they stay connected at all times. The office also feels empty without the internet, as most operations require a network. The gadgets that we have in the market today are all internet-enabled such that you need an internet connection, and you are good to go.
To have internet in your home or office, you need a little
gadget called a router –
a piece of hardware that acts as the gateway to the internet. It connects your
local network, whether at home or office, to the internet. It also acts as a
firewall or security to protect your system from internet intruders.
The router is
the central point of a home network, and you can set it up using the following
steps:
Inspect the Internet Connection
When you want to set up a router in your home or office,
there is always a chance that you have an active internet connection. Make sure
to check for the internet signals on your modem or the gateway that your ISP
(Internet Service Provider) uses to supply you with the internet.
Checking for connectivity signal is important because it
will make the entire setup process frustrating when the signal is low. You may
mistakenly think you have a faulty router, which may not be accurate. Checking
your internet status is simple; plug in an ethernet cable
to your modem then directly to your desktop or PC, confirm there is
an internet connection, and then set up a router.
Connect the Router
Once you have confirmed that you have access to the internet
and the signal is strong enough, you will need to do a physical setup of
your router to
get things running. Routers have labeled ports that make it easy for you to set
it up without a technician’s help. Most routers come with a manufacturer’s
manual, documentation on how to set up the router. Even if you have knowledge
of router set up, you can still take note of the documentation for any vital
information you may not be having. Most routers come with a labeled port where
you have to connect to a micro-filter and your phone line.
However, modern routers come with an inbuilt
micro-filter, so you only have to connect your router to your modem via the WAN
port. Before joining any cables to the router or modem, make sure these two
devices are not connected to power. Switch off the power, connect the wires,
turn on the power, allow the modem and router to power up, and check for a
single indicating a strong connection in both the modem and router.
Change the Router Configurations
All routers come
configured by the manufacturer, but you can change these configurations from
the router’s interface. First, you need to access the interface on your laptop
through a browser. The reason for this is because routers come configured with
a default IP address and password, and once you set it up, you may want to
change that to keep your network secure. The network administrator changes the
IP address and sets up a new password from the router’s management interface.
Once on the interface, the admin will have to change the default IP address,
password, SSID, and assign a new security protocol. Most routers configure
security through WPS, a WI-Fi Protected Set-up but since you want total control
of your network, instead of WPS, click “manual” to easily change the security
settings. Once done, disconnect your laptop and reboot to gain a wireless
connection to the internet.
Allow Network Sharing
Configuring the router is not the end; you need to allow the people in your network to access the internet and be able to communicate with each other. Set up a user-friendly network sharing group, where computers on the network can share files and other gadgets like printers and scanners. Creating this space makes sharing data much more manageable. No one within the system can change the configurations unless they are permitted; other people cannot share data unless they have access.
Connect your Devices
One significant benefit of a router is that you don’t need
an ethernet
cable to access the internet. With a router, you can access the
internet via Wi-Fi or wireless connection. Once the router is set up, and all
configurations are done, it is now time to connect to the internet and browse
away. All the devices that are Wi-Fi enabled can access the password-protected
internet by entering the password. Other devices like printers, TV or phone can
be connected to the router using an ethernet cable.
Don’t Forget the User Accounts
User accounts are especially important in an office setup
where there are several computers on the same network. The network admin will
need to assign every user a unique username and password to access the devices
on the same network, like printers. Having a user account will also help the
network admin know who is accessing the system and what time. User accounts are
important because not everyone in the network should have access to all the
documents therein. Therefore, it becomes easy to share information with the
relevant parties, instead of bombarding everyone with data that they do not
need.
Guide to the Best Router
It is hard for a beginner to select the best router that
delivers reliable internet because most routers are described with acronyms
that a newbie may not understand. Here are tips for finding the best router
that meets your needs and budget.
Processor: Find a router that has a multi-core
processor and at least 128MB RAM. Considering the kind of activities people use
the internet for, like live streaming and downloads and gaming and data back-up,
you need a router with high processing power. The efficiency of your router
depends on its processor.
Frequency: the frequency in which your router
processes and transfers data is essential. Single-band routers are outdated so
find one that is double-band and above. The benefit of a dual-band is that it
is compatible with all networking and covers a wide area.
Features: Look out for a router that offers
security features like firewalls and antivirus, among others. You need a router
that guarantees your data is safe and secure from internet fraud and attacks.
Routers are
the center of communication between the internet and your devices, at home and
the office. It also provides a safety mechanism to keep you secure from hackers
and other internet fraudsters. For efficient performance, research on the best
routers that will meet your needs and the one within your budget. Routers offer
you the flexibility of accessing the internet without connecting your device to
an ethernet
cable.