How to setup wifi router to router

Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! This article has 18 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status.

This article has been viewed 1,, times. This wikiHow will walk you through the process step-by-step—connecting the hardware, configuring your router, and getting your devices connected and ready to go—so you can enjoy your new wireless internet without any headaches.

To set up a router in your home, connect the router to your wireless modem with an Ethernet cable, plug the router's power cable into a power source, and turn on the router if it doesn't start up already. You can then connect your computer or smartphone to the router by selecting the router's name in the Wi-Fi menu and entering the password found on the back or bottom of the router. Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers.

Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article.

We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Purchase a wireless router. Routers come in all shapes and sizes. Compare features to find the router that is right for you.

If more than one wireless device will be connecting at the same time at different speeds, a MiMo type router is recommended, otherwise the speed for all devices will drop the highest supported by all at that time. All modern routers should support This is the most stable, offers the fastest speeds and is backwards compatible with older standards such as Connect your router to your modem. Routers and wireless routers enable you to share your broadband internet connection with multiple devices.

To do so, you will need to connect your broadband modem to the router. For best results, place your router near your modem. Connect the router and the modem with an Ethernet cable. Most routers come packaged with a short Ethernet cable that you can use for this. It is usually offset, and may be a different color from the LAN Ports. The router will assign a local or "private" IP address to any device connected to its LAN Ports or WiFi signal from a pool of private addresses listed further below.

Connect any devices you want to hard wire with CAT 5 or better Ethernet cables. If you have computers that are close, or a video game console or TV, you can connect them to the router via Ethernet.

Connect at least one computer via Ethernet. You will need at least one computer connecting via Ethernet cable in order to adjust your router settings. You can disconnect this computer afterwards if you want to connect wirelessly. You can also connect your laptop wirelessly for the first time, the wifi network name and the default password will be printed on the router's label. Part 2. When you power on the router, it will only create its wi-fi network, and the device will be connected to the router's wi-fi connection, not the internet.

To connect the router to the internet, with some internet providers i. MAC of the router can be found printed on router or in the documents etc. Go to the internet service provider's website.

Log in with the username and password provided by the internet service provider and go to MAC address update option. Add the router's MAC address there and save it.

This process means that the router is authorized to use the internet provide by the broadband company. Part 3. Find the IP address of the router. If this is a new installation or new router, determine the default IP address that may be printed on a label affixed to the router or in the documentation. IP addresses are formatted as four groups of up to three digits, separated by periods. Commonly found "default" Local IP addresses for routers are Note that all the addresses in the follow ranges: Open a web browser on the computer that is connected to the router.

Enter in the IP address of the router into the address bar and press Enter. If your router came with an installation disc, you can run the configuration program from that instead. It will accomplish many of the same functions. Enter your username and password. In order to access the configuration page, you will need to be on the router's IP address and enter a valid username and password at the prompt.

Most routers have a basic account set up that you will need to use to log on. This varies from model to model, but should be printed on the router or in the documentation.

Many routers will only require a username and a blank password, and some allow you to leave all fields blank. Open the Wireless Settings. There will be several options to choose from. The Internet section can usually be left at default settings, unless you received specific instructions from your internet service provider. The Wireless section will allow you to set up your wireless network. Enter a name for your wireless network. Enter a unique name for your wireless network.

This is what other devices will see when scanning for networks. Check the box to enable SSID broadcast. Choose a security method. Choose from the list of available security options. This is the most difficult security to crack, and will give you the most protection from hackers and intruders.

Create a passphrase. This should be a difficult password, with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Save your settings. Once you are finished naming and securing your wireless network, click the Apply or Save button. The changes will be applied to your router, which may take a few moments. Once the router has finished resetting, your wireless network will be enabled.

Once you have your network configured, you should change the username and password that you use to access your router. This will help protect your router from unauthorized changes. You can change these from the Administration section of the router configuration menu.

Block sites. If you want to prevent devices that are connected to your network from accessing certain websites, you can use built-in blocking tools to restrict access. You can usually block by specific domain names, or by keywords. Part 4. Connect a computer, tablet, or smartphone to the wireless network. However, there are a few situations where a second router might be necessary. Also, a commercial space might need more than one router, depending on its size.

Do you need a second router and not sure how to connect it? First, make sure that your primary router is correctly set up. The other end of the cable goes to the WAN port of the second router. While this method requires using an Ethernet cable, which might be inconvenient, it is also a superior option. The internet speed received via a wired router is always better and more stable. You might have to spend a little bit of time figuring out the best place for the secondary router.

Overall, this is a good strategy when you want to boost the Wi-Fi signal in specific areas of your home. Also, to get the most out of the routing functionality of the second router, it needs to be set up in client mode. To be sure that your router does have this functionality, you must consult all the documentation it came with. When you rely on a wireless connection between the two routers in your home, you might have a problem with signal interference.

This can lead to often frustrating dropped connections and the internet slowing down too often. Every Wi-Fi router has specific Wi-Fi frequency ranges, which are also called channels.

When both routers utilize overlapping channels in the same space, these signal interferences occur.