The router is undoubtedly one of the most important devices of the computer equipment that usually has in a home. If the desktop PC crashes it is a problem, but we can always connect to the Internet with any other device if the router - and of course also the modem - works correctly.
Configure a router It may seem a bit dangerous if we are not used to salting with this type of thing, but the truth is that it is enough to know where the cables go and touch a couple of settings.
How to configure a router in 5 steps
If you have bought a new router or need to reconfigure the one you already have at home, you can have Wi-Fi and Internet access in just over 5 minutes by following these simple instructions.
1. Connect the modem to the router
The first thing we have to do is go to the modem provided by our Internet provider and connect it to the router. If we have the modem connected to the PC, we will have to disconnect the ethernet cable from the modem and plug it into the WAN input of the router. If the modem is not connected to any device, we will need an ethernet cable (usually they usually include one in the router box) to establish the connection between the modem and the router.
The router's WAN port or input is usually labeled with the name “Internet”. This port is the same as the rest of the LAN inputs, but is usually separated from the rest. It is also usually of a different color, so that we can identify it without problems. In the image below, for example, the WAN port is colored blue.
Finally, connect the router to the power socket.
Note: Make sure the modem is still plugged into the internet wall socket while you perform all of these cable handling tasks.
2. Plug the router into the PC
In the next step we will proceed to connect the router to the PC. For this we will use another ethernet cable, connecting it at one end to one of the router's LAN ports, and in the other, to computer ethernet port.
3. Access the router's configuration page
Next, we will allow a couple of minutes for the router to start and the modem to recognize the new device that we have just connected to the network. Next, we open the browser and load the URL that will take us to the router's configuration panel.
The address should come in the instructions or on one of the stickers that the router itself carries. Usually it is //192.168.0.1 or //192.168.1.1.
Note: If you want to access the router from your mobile, take a look at the post «How to access a router from Android«.
4. Log in with your username and password
In order to access the configuration panel, the system will ask us to identify ourselves with the router's administrator username and password. Access data usually be indicated on a sticker attached to the router. They are usually "admin"Or"password”.
5. Set up your router for the first time
Once the session has been successfully started, the router will guide us through a configuration wizard to carry out all the basic settings. If the wizard is not activated automatically, we will surely find a menu where we can activate it called "Assistant"Or"Quick setup”.
From here everything is quite straightforward: we will have to name the router, choose the security protocol that we want to apply and so on. Once this process is complete, the router will be ready to go full blast.
Some details of interest
- If we don't have a PC to which to connect the router, we can access the configuration panel by connecting to the Wi-Fi network that the router generates by default. For this we can use a smartphone, tablet or any other mobile device.
- WPA2: When establishing the Wi-Fi connection it is important that we select the most secure encryption standard possible, that is, WPA2. WEP encryption is much more vulnerable, and therefore, we should avoid selecting it when configuring our router.
- Change Wi-Fi name and password: Never leave the wireless network name (SSID) and password that the router brings by default. It is much easier to 'hack'.
- Filtered by MAC: If we suspect that neighbors connect to our Wi-Fi, we can create a white list so that only our devices can connect. To do this we will only have to identify the MAC address of our home appliances, go to the security settings of the router and look for the section «Access control«. Here we can shield access to our wireless network by creating blacklists or whitelists of devices.
Related article: How can I block my neighbor's Wi-Fi
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