Moving into a new home? 5 things to do before connecting to your new Wi-Fi

Somewhere between unpacking boxes and figuring out where everything goes, you'll probably want to get the Wi-Fi working. It's tempting to connect everything straight away: phones, laptops, TVs, tablets, game consoles and whatever smart devices made the move with you.

But before your new network becomes home to every device you own, spend a few minutes setting it up properly. A few simple changes now can help make your home Wi-Fi more secure, and save you from having to fix everything later.

Key takeaways:

Change the router's default admin password before you start connecting your devices.
Give your Wi-Fi a strong, unique password and use WPA2 or WPA3 encryption if available.
Check that your router's firmware is up to date and enable automatic updates when possible.
Consider a separate guest network for visitors and smart home devices.
A VPN adds another layer of privacy by encrypting the traffic between your device and the VPN server.

5 things to do when setting up Wi-Fi in a new home

Take a few minutes to check the network itself before you start adding all your devices.

1. Change your router's admin password

Your Wi-Fi password and your router's admin password aren't necessarily the same thing. The Wi-Fi password controls who can connect to your network. The router's admin password protects access to the settings that control that network.

If the router or internet connection was already in the home when you moved in, don't assume the existing settings are secure or known only to you.

Depending on how your internet was set up, your router may also have come with default login details. If those credentials haven't been changed, replace the admin password with a strong, unique one that you don't use anywhere else.

While you're in the router settings, check whether remote administration is enabled. If you don't need to manage your router remotely, consider turning it off.

2. Change your Wi-Fi name and password

Next, look at the network your devices will actually connect to. If your router came with a default Wi-Fi name and password, this is a good time to change them. Choose a strong, unique Wi-Fi password rather than reusing one from another account.

You can change the network name, or SSID, too. There's no need to put personal information in it, such as your surname, apartment number or anything else that makes the network obviously yours.

Check the Wi-Fi security setting as well. Use WPA3 if your router and devices support it, or WPA2 if they don't. Avoid older security standards such as WEP.

And when you start reconnecting devices, don't forget the less obvious ones. Your TV, printer, smart speaker, security camera and other connected devices may all need the new credentials.

3. Update your router

Your router is easy to forget once it's working. But like your phone or computer, it runs software that may need security updates.

Log in to the router settings and check whether a firmware update is available. If the router supports automatic updates, enabling them can make this one less thing to remember later.

If you've brought an old router with you, it's also worth checking whether the manufacturer still supports it with security updates. A router that hasn't received updates in years may be a good candidate for replacement, even if it still appears to work perfectly well.

4. Set up a guest network

A guest network isn't just useful when friends come over and ask for the Wi-Fi password. It can also help you separate some connected devices from the laptops and phones you use for banking, work, shopping and other sensitive activities.

If your router supports it, you could use the main network for your computers and phones and a guest or separate network for visitors and some smart home devices.

That way, you don't have to give every visitor access to the same network as your personal devices, and a poorly secured smart device doesn't necessarily need to sit alongside everything else.

Exactly what you can separate depends on your router and how your connected devices communicate with one another, so check the router's options before moving devices.

5. Set up your VPN

Once your home network is properly secured, consider what happens to your internet traffic after it leaves that network.

A VPN creates an encrypted connection between your device and the VPN server. Your internet provider can generally see that you're connected to a VPN, but the VPN prevents it from directly seeing the websites and online services your device communicates with through the VPN connection. Websites you visit normally see the VPN server's IP address instead of your public IP address.

That can give you more privacy when you're browsing at home, and it means your VPN is already set up when you take the same laptop or phone outside and connect to hotel, airport or coffee-shop Wi-Fi.

If you use Bitdefender Premium VPN, you can also turn on features such as auto-connect so the VPN connects automatically in situations you've chosen rather than relying on you to remember to switch it on.

Do you need a VPN on your home Wi-Fi?

A secure home Wi-Fi network and a VPN do different jobs.

Your router's security settings help control access to your home network. A VPN protects your internet connection by encrypting traffic between your device and the VPN server and masking your public IP address from the websites and online services you use.

Using a VPN at home doesn't mean your Wi-Fi is insecure without one. If your router is properly configured and you're using modern Wi-Fi encryption, your home network already has important protections in place.

A VPN adds a different layer of privacy. It can reduce what your internet provider can see about your browsing and make it harder for websites to use your IP address to identify your approximate location or link activity to that address.

Get Bitdefender Premium VPN and enjoy safer, more private browsing at home and wherever you go.

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FAQs

Should I change my Wi-Fi password when I move into a new home?

Yes. If your router came with a default Wi-Fi password or the network was already set up, changing it gives you control over who can connect. Choose a strong, unique password and use WPA2 or WPA3 security.

What should I do first when setting up Wi-Fi in a new home?

Start by securing your router. Change the router's admin password and Wi-Fi password, check which Wi-Fi security standard you're using, install available firmware updates and review settings such as remote administration.

Do I need a VPN on my home Wi-Fi?

You don't need a VPN to make a properly secured home Wi-Fi network safe to use. A VPN provides a different layer of protection by encrypting traffic between your device and the VPN server and masking your public IP address from websites and online services.

Should I use a VPN every time I connect to Wi-Fi?

You can keep a VPN connected whenever you want additional privacy. Features such as auto-connect can also automatically activate your VPN in situations you choose, which is particularly useful when connecting to public or unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks.

Should smart home devices be on a separate Wi-Fi network?

If your router allows it, separating smart home devices from computers and phones can be useful. A guest or separate network can limit their access to other devices on your main network, although some smart devices may need to be on the same network as your phone to work properly.