High Tech Household

Now that we’ve got a little history, terminology and use of Wi-Fi down (see our previous article), we can jump into the more practical matters of actually finding and setting up a wireless router.

Your Router

A router is the device that connects all your devices to the external Internet. Whether you get your Internet access via cable modem, DSL or some other means, the router sits between your devices and the Internet, doling out all the networking goodness.

When purchasing a wireless router, you’ll usually find that it’s not entirely wireless. These days, the most common configuration sold seems to be a router with four Ethernet ports. There isn’t usually any practical limit to the number of devices you can connect wirelessly to the router, but you’re generally limited to those four wired devices. There are a few things to know about wired networking, but mostly, go with the fastest that fits your budget. 100 Mb/s (“Fast Ethernet”) is standard, but more devices now support 1000 Mb/s (“Gigabit Ethernet”). There’s no worry there, though, because you can mix and match those speeds, and the network will figure on its own out the fastest speed it can go. Generally, we suggest you future-proof your network by getting a faster router, and your devices can catch up later.

Wireless Security

You can set your router to one of two basic modes: open or secured. If you leave your wireless network open, anyone within close physical range can connect to the Internet, and your home network, through your wireless router. That’s generally not recommended, though some people make a point to host an open access point. We recommend, though, that you secure your home’s wireless network.

The industry’s first attempt at wireless security was WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), which was intended to offer the same level of security as physically controlled network plugs when the “plug” is simply the air. For various technical reason, this didn’t end up working well, and this security model is highly discouraged because it is very easy for a motivated person to gain access to a WEP-secured network.

The best wireless security method widely used today is called WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), the most secure variant being WPA2/AES, which is a revision of the original WPA using an encryption method called AES. This combination is known to hold up very well to even very motivated attackers, and it is widely supported on any new wireless router. The instructions for setting up this level of security vary slightly with different routers, but it is still a very straight-forward process. See your router’s manual for set up instructions.

Wrapping it Up

Setting up a wireless network in your home can be intimidating. Just keep a few of these terms in mind, along with your budget. Setting up a wireless router and your devices to access it has only become easier with the introduction of new technology. With a little time invested, you’ll have a low-maintenance, secure, easy-to-use home network.