How to set up your brand new router for best results

Peak performance is not enough to ensure a top router. There are features and tweaks you should use to optimize its performance and strengthen your Wi-Fi signal.

Location, location, location

Even the best routers will struggle to cover the whole house if they are placed incorrectly. Perhaps the most important adjustment you can make to optimize your router’s performance is to place your router in a central location. Placing it at any end of the house or in the attic or basement will certainly reduce its signal.

Instead, place it in the center of the house where it overlooks most rooms, make sure it’s off the ground, and place it away from material and other electronics that can block or interfere with its signal. As for antennas, make sure they point in different directions as this will help them reach different areas of the home; receivers parallel to the antenna work best. For this reason, make sure that at least one antenna is placed horizontally.

Change default settings

Just because your router has default settings and seems to be working fine doesn’t mean it should stay that way. You’ll want to change your default password and SSID (network name) immediately.

Unfortunately, the default router credentials are easy to find on the web. If someone wants to take over your router, they will first enter your router’s default credentials. Your default SSID gives hackers information about your network, so you should change it to something vague that isn’t related to your address, name, or router brand.

I also recommend disabling WPS, UPnP and Nat-PMP. These are all default settings that can be used to gain access to the router even without a password if compromised.

Choose a Wi-Fi band

Most new routers automatically switch between the 2.4, 5.0, and 6.0 GHz Wi-Fi bands. If you have a newer router, it should already be configured for this; if not, you’ll want to change it to switch between bands automatically.

Some routers can create one SSID with two or more bands. However, others need to create an SSID for each band. If this happens, your device may not automatically switch between bands.

Change the channel

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Each Wi-Fi band operates on its own channel: 2.4 GHz has 14 channels, 5.0 GHz has 34, and 6.0 GHz has 59 channels. If you live in a densely populated area, you may be sharing the same channel with other routers, which can cause signal interference that slows down your connection.

Newer routers should automatically use channels with fewer users to ensure faster speeds. However, if your router isn’t working, you can use a Wi-Fi analyzer to determine which Wi-Fi channel is best for you.

Quality of Service (QoS) configuration.

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Not all devices are created equal. So some devices should take precedence over others. Using the QoS configuration, you can prioritize the Internet speed for a specific device. If you’re using resource-hungry devices like a gaming PC or TV for streaming, you want to make sure those devices aren’t throttling.

Encryption levels

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Most routers use WPA2, WPA3, or a combination of the two by default. WEP and WPA encryption levels are also available; however, they are no longer considered safe. Just make sure that WPA2 or WPA3 is enabled and that you didn’t accidentally change the encryption level to WEP or WPA.

Firmware update

Router firmware updates are usually done to improve router security. Even if you bought a new router, it may not have the latest firmware. Some routers automatically check for firmware updates, but not all. Use the router’s web interface or app to check and update your router’s firmware.