The modern world is so hooked up to online services that when guests come around, \u201cHow ya doing?\u201d will probably be followed by \u201cWhat\u2019s your Wi-Fi password?\u201d But the hospitable host probably doesn\u2019t realize that revealing this information could pose a network security risk.<\/p>\n
For example, guests might accidentally download a malicious program or connect an already infected phone or laptop to the network. Many pieces of malware are able to spread themselves over a local network, and if an infected device is connected to your Wi-Fi, it will try to contaminate everything in its range.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s possible to be both hospitable and safe \u2014 by setting up guest Wi-Fi. A guest Wi-Fi network is essentially a separate access point on your router. All of your home devices are connected to one point and joined as a network, and the guest network is a different point that provides access to the Internet, but not to your home network. As the name suggests, it\u2019s for guests to connect to.<\/p>\n
A guest network is a win-win: Friends and acquaintances don\u2019t lose touch with the outside world and your data isn\u2019t compromised. Malware that somehow ended up on a guest\u2019s smartphone will not be able to get into your family photo archive or other important files.<\/p>\n
Configuring a separate guest network is easier than it sounds. For a start, there\u2019s no need to lay an extra cable or pay your ISP twice. It\u2019s more than likely that your Wi-Fi router will let you set up an additional network for guests \u2014 you just need to go into the settings and activate it. To do this, enter your router\u2019s IP address in the URL bar of your browser (usually it\u2019s 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, but not always). The address should be in the router\u2019s user manual.<\/p>\n
In the dialog box that opens, enter the administrator user name and password. If you never got around to changing them, they might be there in your ISP contract or again in the manual. To improve security, we recommend changing them<\/a>, and so as not to forget them, use a password manager<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n In the router settings, find Allow guest access<\/em> or Guest network<\/em>. It\u2019s usually hidden away in the Wi-Fi section. If you have trouble finding it, check out the guide again or Google, using the model name of your router. If you have an old or low-end router model, the option to set up a guest network might not exist. But most reasonably modern routers have it.<\/p>\n Having selected the relevant check box, add the name of the guest network (called SSID in the control panel of some routers) \u2014 this is the name that your friends will see in the list of available connections.<\/p>\n In some routers, guest Wi-Fi access will immediately kick in; others might need extra tweaking. But in any event, even if the guest network is already active, we recommend that you make sure it\u2019s correctly configured:<\/p>\n All set! You have now configured a guest Wi-Fi network that both provides secure Internet access and protects your local devices.<\/p>\n Incidentally, a guest Wi-Fi network is a good idea not only if you have lots of friends, but also if you have lots of home smart devices. Smart TVs, smart teapots, video game consoles, and the like also need an Internet connection. But they tend to be far more vulnerable<\/a> than computers with the latest updates installed. That means that if they are connected to the main network and hacked, intruders can get into your other devices.<\/p>\n\n
Why it\u2019s better to connect IoT devices to a guest network<\/h3>\n