Many modern routers give you the option to create more than one Wi-Fi network, such as a main network and a guest network. The most obvious reason to do so is for security, but that’s not the only reason why I run two Wi-Fi networks in my home.
Security is the initial reason I set up a second Wi-Fi network
A dedicated network for smart home devices
Credit:Â Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek | ViDI Studio / Shutterstock
A common reason for running two Wi-Fi networks is to set up a guest network that people can connect to when they visit your home. The primary reason for doing so is to keep your computers and other devices separate from the network that your guests are connected to. If guests connect to your main network, they may be able to see your connected devices or even inadvertently access shared folders, so using a guest network keeps a layer of separation.
Guests aren’t the primary reason that I run two networks, however. I set it up because I use a lot of smart home devices in my home, controlled by Home Assistant. Placing smart home devices on their own dedicated Wi-Fi network is a more secure option for similar reasons.
Internet of Things (IoT) devices can often have weak security or infrequent firmware updates. This puts these devices at risk of being compromised. If they’re on your main Wi-Fi network, other devices on the same network, such as computers or smartphones, could also be accessed.
Putting smart home devices on a secondary network limits what those devices can see or reach. Indeed, the official advice from the FBI is to “separate your computing devices from your IoT devices and spread them through several different networks. That way, if cybercriminals break into one network, the damage they do will only be limited to the devices on that one network.”
Quiz
8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge
Home networking & Wi-Fi
Think you know your routers from your repeaters — put your home networking know-how to the ultimate test.
Wi-FiRoutersSecurityHardwareProtocols
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What does the ‘5 GHz’ band in Wi-Fi offer compared to the ‘2.4 GHz’ band?
ALonger range but slower speedsBFaster speeds but shorter rangeCBetter wall penetration and faster speedsDLower interference but identical speeds
That’s right! The 5 GHz band delivers faster data rates but loses signal strength more quickly over distance and through walls. It’s ideal for devices close to the router that need maximum throughput, like streaming 4K video.
Not quite — the 5 GHz band actually offers faster speeds at the cost of range. The 2.4 GHz band travels farther and penetrates obstacles better, which is why smart home devices and older gadgets often prefer it.
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Which Wi-Fi standard, introduced in 2021, is also known as Wi-Fi 6E and extends into a new frequency band?
A802.11acB802.11axC802.11beD802.11n
Correct! 802.11ax is the technical name for Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E. The ‘E’ variant extends the standard into the 6 GHz band, offering a massive swath of new, less-congested spectrum for faster and more reliable connections.
The answer is 802.11ax — that’s Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi 6E adds support for the 6 GHz band, giving it far less congestion than the crowded 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. 802.11be is actually the upcoming Wi-Fi 7 standard.
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What is the default IP address most commonly used to access a home router’s admin interface?
A192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1B10.0.0.1 or 172.16.0.1C255.255.255.0 or 255.0.0.0D127.0.0.1 or localhost
Spot on! The vast majority of consumer routers use either 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 as the default gateway address. Typing either into your browser’s address bar will bring up the router’s login page — just make sure you’ve changed the default password!
The correct answer is 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. These are the most common default gateway addresses for home routers. The 255.x.x.x addresses are subnet masks, and 127.0.0.1 is your own machine’s loopback address, not a router.
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Which Wi-Fi security protocol is considered most secure for home networks as of 2024?
AWEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)BWPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access)CWPA2 with TKIPDWPA3 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 3)
Excellent! WPA3 is the latest and most robust Wi-Fi security protocol, introduced in 2018. It uses Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) to replace the older Pre-Shared Key handshake, making it far more resistant to brute-force attacks.
The answer is WPA3. WEP is completely broken and should never be used, WPA is outdated, and WPA2 with TKIP has known vulnerabilities. WPA3 offers the strongest protection, and if your router supports it, you should enable it right away.
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What is the primary difference between a mesh Wi-Fi system and a traditional Wi-Fi range extender?
AMesh systems only work with fiber internet connectionsBRange extenders create a seamless single network while mesh systems create separate SSIDsCMesh nodes communicate with each other to form one seamless network, while extenders create a separate networkDMesh systems are always wired, while extenders are always wireless
Exactly right! Mesh systems use multiple nodes that talk to each other intelligently, handing off your device seamlessly as you move around your home under one SSID. Traditional range extenders typically broadcast a separate network and can cut bandwidth in half as they relay the signal.
The correct answer is that mesh nodes form one intelligent, seamless network. Range extenders are actually the ones that often create separate SSIDs (like ‘MyNetwork_EXT’) and can significantly reduce speeds. Mesh systems are far superior for large homes with many devices.
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What does DHCP stand for, and what is its main function on a home network?
ADynamic Host Configuration Protocol — it automatically assigns IP addresses to devicesBDirect Hardware Control Protocol — it manages router firmware updatesCDistributed Hosting and Caching Protocol — it speeds up web browsingDDynamic Hypertext Communication Protocol — it secures data transmissions
Perfect! DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is the unsung hero of home networking. Every time a device joins your network, your router’s DHCP server automatically hands it a unique IP address, subnet mask, and gateway info so it can communicate without manual configuration.
DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, and its job is to automatically assign IP addresses to devices on your network. Without it, you’d have to manually configure a unique IP address on every single phone, laptop, and smart device — a tedious nightmare!
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What is ‘QoS’ (Quality of Service) used for in a home router?
AEncrypting all traffic leaving the routerBPrioritizing certain types of network traffic over othersCAutomatically switching between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bandsDBlocking malicious websites using a DNS filter
That’s correct! QoS lets you tell your router which traffic gets priority. For example, you can prioritize video calls or gaming over a family member’s file download, ensuring your Zoom meeting doesn’t freeze just because someone is downloading a large update.
QoS — Quality of Service — is actually about traffic prioritization. By tagging certain data types (like VoIP calls or gaming packets) as high priority, your router ensures latency-sensitive applications get bandwidth first, even when the network is congested.
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What does the ‘WAN’ port on a home router connect to?
AOther computers in your home network via EthernetBA wireless access point for extending Wi-Fi coverageCYour modem or ISP-provided gateway to the internetDA network-attached storage (NAS) device
Correct! WAN stands for Wide Area Network, and the WAN port is where your router connects to the outside world — typically to your cable modem, DSL modem, or ISP gateway. The LAN ports on the other side connect to devices inside your home network.
The WAN (Wide Area Network) port connects your router to your ISP’s modem or gateway — essentially your entry point to the internet. The LAN (Local Area Network) ports are for connecting devices inside your home. Mixing them up can cause your network to not function at all!
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You get more than just security
Two networks offer more benefits
Credit:Â Ismar Hrnjicevic / How-To Geek
Security isn’t the only reason that I keep my smart home devices on a separate network. While it’s an important factor, there are other benefits of doing so.
A major benefit is that it makes things easier to manage. All my usual devices, such as computers, smartphones, and game consoles, are found on my main network, with my smart home devices on the secondary network. It makes it much easier to spot unexpected devices on my IoT network or to see what’s dropped offline.
I can also split my IoT network into separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands to connect devices that only support 2.4 GHz, without affecting the main devices in my home. If my Wi-Fi starts acting up, I can also tell whether it’s my smart home devices that are to blame or the devices on my main network.
Running two networks can also make traffic management easier, depending on your router. Some models allow you to configure settings such as bandwidth limits or Quality of Service (QoS) per network. For example, you can set your IoT network to a lower priority, so if you’re in the middle of a video call and the doorbell rings, the 4K stream from your video doorbell doesn’t hog the bandwidth and cause your video call to lag or stutter.
9/10
Brand
Unifi
Range
1,750 square feet
The Unifi Dream Router 7 is a full-fledged network appliance offering NVR capabilities, fully managed switching,a built-in firewall, VLANs, and more. With four 2.5G Ethernet ports (one with PoE+) and a 10G SFP+ port, the Unifi Dream Router 7 also features dual WAN capabilities should you have two ISP connections. It includes a 64GB microSD card for IP camera storage, but can be upgraded for more storage if needed. With Wi-Fi 7, you’ll be able to reach up to a theoretical 5.7 Gbps network speed when using the 10G SFP+ port, or 2.5 Gbps when using Ethernet.Â
Running two networks has its downsides
There are some trade-offs
While running two Wi-Fi networks offers several benefits, it’s not a perfect solution. For starters, it makes everything more complex. You have two SSIDs, two passwords, and two sets of network settings to deal with, which makes it more likely that you’ll misconfigure something.
It can also cause problems with device discovery. Smart home devices and other devices in your home may use discovery protocols such as mDNS to find and connect to other devices. This often requires the devices to be on the same network.
If you’re running two Wi-Fi networks, you may find problems with discovery. If your printer is on your IoT network, for example, and you’re trying to print from your phone, the printer may not appear in the list of available devices. The same can be true when you’re trying to cast music or video from a device on one network to a device on another.
There are ways to work around these issues, but they’re not always simple. You may end up having to resort to putting some devices back onto the main network.
Setting up two Wi-Fi networks
You may need to dig through your router settings
Credit:Â Tim Brookes / How-To Geek
The method for setting up a second Wi-Fi network will differ from router to router, but most models should offer some type of guest network or IoT network feature. Refer to the documentation for your model to figure out how to set it up.
You should keep trusted devices on your main network. These could include phones, laptops, tablets, desktop computers, game consoles, NAS devices, and any other trusted devices that need access to your local network.
Your IoT network should be for most smart home devices, such as smart plugs, smart bulbs, robot vacuums, smart appliances, security cameras, video doorbells, and Wi-Fi sensors. You may need to leave some smart devices on your main network, such as printers, smart speakers, and streaming sticks, to avoid discovery issues.
Ideally, your smart home hub needs to be able to talk to both networks. I use firewall rules on my router to allow Home Assistant, which is on my main network, to talk to devices on my IoT network. Additional rules block the IoT devices from the rest of the main network.
Running two networks is worth the effort
It may sound complicated, but setting up two networks can be fairly simple to do once you’ve figured out how to find the feature on your router. The security benefit is real, but there are plenty of other reasons that make it worthwhile.
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