How to Ready Up Internet at Your New Home

At a glance

A big stride toward feeling settled in your new place is using all your one-time devices on Wi-Fi again. Merely start you demand to ready your cyberspace connection. Fortunately, it's never been easier to get a home Wi-Fi network up and running. At that place are four chief steps to getting your new home online:

  1. Find an internet service provider (Internet access provider)
  2. Install your equipment
  3. Set your wireless network
  4. Connect your devices

These steps are pretty straightforward, merely each 1 has its potential pitfalls. Let's have a closer look to brand sure yous bank check all the boxes.

Find internet prices for your new home

4 steps to set upwardly your new net connectedness

1. Find an internet service provider

The about of import factors in choosing your internet provider are the following:

  • Availability
  • Speed
  • Reliability
  • Price
  • Customer service

Availability tin narrow down your choices pretty fast. Our guide to finding internet for your new home can help you quickly get the all-time options available near y'all. While some cities have a wide selection of ISPs to choose from, smaller towns and rural areas may have only 1 or two providers.

In that location are always other options similar satellite net, which tin be used anywhere in the US. Using a prison cell phone as a mobile hotspot is likewise an alternative option, although we wouldn't recommend it for nearly people. Phone plans take much lower data caps and slower speeds than nigh traditional internet plans. For instance, if you like bingeing Netflix after piece of work, a hotspot plan is non the plan for y'all.

Speed is the gene that nearly people call up of when choosing an net program, though it'due south a adept idea to consider how much speed you lot really need rather than going for the fastest, virtually expensive plan.

Reliability is often just every bit important every bit speed. Certain types of connections, similar fiber, are inherently more than reliable than others. Cable and DSL often deliver slower speeds than advertised in certain situations, while satellite net can exist disrupted by the weather condition.

Cost seems pretty straightforward, but there are a lot of things that tin be disregarded. Make certain to consider upfront costs like installation and equipment fees, which can be a big bargain during an expensive move. Also, be wary of plans with hidden fees and price hikes. We like cyberspace plans with simple, transparent pricing.

Finally, consider customer service. When at that place's a problem, you want it resolved fast. This is especially important with less reliable types of connections. If you're considering DSL, for example, make sure that the Internet access provider offering the plan is known for fixing bug quickly and not letting their network fall into disrepair.ane

The best cyberspace service providers

If you lot're looking for a new isp—perhaps because you're moving—then bank check out our favorite ISPs.

2. Install your equipment

Once you've signed up for an cyberspace plan, you need to install the equipment necessary to go your business firm continued to your provider's network. There are ii means to exercise this. Y'all can either pay for a professional person technician to install your equipment, or you can install it yourself. At that place are good arguments for both choices, so allow'due south take a wait at them.

Before nosotros go started, it'due south important to notation that if connecting your home to the internet requires burial new cable or connecting to utility poles, you're going to demand a professional installation. Additionally some ISPs crave professional installation for some of their meridian-tier plans to make sure the equipment is installed properly. Be sure to check if self-installation is an option before you lot get started.

Professional installation

Professional installation is definitely the easier of the two solutions. This tin can be especially helpful if you're eager to go unpacked or dealing with other of import problems with your new home.

The downside is that professional installation can be expensive, especially if your business firm isn't already wired for net, equally is the case in many older homes. This does, however, give you lot the advantage of deciding where the connection enters your home. This ways that you tin can take your modem and router in your office, every bit opposed to a bedroom or basement.

Professional installation normally takes a few hours, specially if the technicians are wiring your house for the first fourth dimension. The process is generally pretty polish, but there are a few things you lot can do to speed it upwards:

  • Make sure that your computers, laptops, and smart TVs are unpacked and gear up to be connected to your network.
  • Don't place boxes or furniture in front of outlets.
  • If you have devices on large desks or entertainment centers, brand sure they're pulled out 3–five feet abroad from the wall.
  • Keep your pets secured in areas abroad from where the technicians are working. This tin can include backyards if the technicians are installing new cables.
  • Make sure that you or another developed tin can be present in the home throughout the installation.

It's likewise a good idea to programme extra time around the installation in example the technicians encounter any problems or bear witness up belatedly. Internet installation is not something you lot desire to squeeze into a particularly busy day.

Self-installation

Self-installation can seem daunting, especially for those without a technical background, just it'south usually pretty straightforward. It can likewise save you a lot of money, which can be a large relief subsequently dealing with moving costs.

There are a few steps to self-installation:

  1. Order your self-installation kit.
  2. Gear up your modem and plug it in to your internet connection.
  3. Connect your ability cablevision.

Your self-installation kit typically includes your modem and router (often ane device, also known as a "wireless gateway"), a power cablevision, an Ethernet cable, and a cable to connect to the outlet (the blazon of cable depends on the blazon of connection you take). Make sure that your kit has all the necessary parts before starting installation.

Nigh ISPs give yous a single device to serve every bit both modem and router, but if yous have a separate router, connect it to your modem with an Ethernet cable.

After you plug it in, the online connexion lights should turn on 1 past ane. This commonly takes less than a minute with almost devices, though in some cases it can take up to twenty minutes.

Once the lights end flashing, congratulations! Your abode at present has an net connection. Now you only have to arrive usable.

3. Set upwards your wireless network

Almost devices in your home, from your laptop to your smart TV to your thermostat, connect to your home network wirelessly. Many of these devices don't fifty-fifty accept the connection to plug in a physical cable, so setting up a wireless network has become an essential step in getting your devices running.

Setting upward your network can be divided into two parts: connecting to your router and setting up your network security.

Connecting to your router

Many modern routers have apps that allow you to control them from your telephone. If your router doesn't accept an app, you tin nonetheless fix it up the old-fashioned way. All you need is a normal spider web browser and your router'southward IP address. Frequently, it'due south provided in your user manual or printed on a sticker stuck to the router itself. If not, you lot can always discover information technology yourself.

Connecting your router on a Windows machine:

  1. Open up up the Command Prompt and type in IPCONFIG.
  2. The accost you're looking for will exist listed every bit the "default gateway" and will consist of four numbers separated by periods.

Connecting your router on a Mac:

  1. Open up your network settings.
  2. Select the "TCP/IP" tab
  3. The IP address will exist listed under "router."

Once y'all take the IP accost of your router, plug a device directly into your router using an Ethernet cablevision, and so type that number into your browser to go to your router's security settings.

Prepare up your network security

Earlier you log in to your router, you volition demand your username and password. If you brought your router with you from your sometime home, this will be the aforementioned username and password you gear up upwards previously. If this is a new router, the default username and password volition either be printed on the router (frequently on a sticker on the bottom of the box) or in the user manual.

One time you lot have the necessary data, setting up your network security is easy:

  1. Log in using your username and password.
  2. Change your network name (SSID).
  3. Set your security protocol to WPA2.
  4. Set your new countersign.

Although you can simply use the defaults, we highly recommend irresolute both, equally it makes your abode network much more than secure.

Your network name, frequently called its SSID, is what you and other people volition run across when searching for Wi-Fi networks in your area. Set it to something that you volition instantly recognize when it pops up in the listing.

WPA2 is the strongest type of security used on Wi-Fi networks, and it's sometimes labeled WPA2-PSK or AES. When setting your password, brand sure that it's strong and memorable. It's too a skilful idea to make it a countersign that you don't mind giving out to guests that might want to use your Wi-Fi, so don't make information technology a password you've used elsewhere.

4. Connect your devices

If you've made it this far, you're in the dwelling stretch! Your wireless network is upwardly and running, and it's time to start connecting your devices.

Earlier you become started, grab a phone or laptop to test your connection. Your wireless network should appear with the name y'all set and you should exist able to log on with your new countersign. If everything's working, it's time to connect your other devices.

Recollect that all the devices that were continued to your Wi-Fi in your one-time abode volition demand their network information updated to connect. This includes not but computers and laptops but also whatsoever smart devices you might ain.

Peter Christiansen

Written by

Peter Christiansen

Peter Christiansen has been working in tech for over 15 years, working as a figurer programmer, game developer, filmmaker, and writer. His writing has been praised by outlets like Wired, Digital Humanities Now, and the New Statesman. He is currently finishing his PhD at the University of Utah.