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Central to your connection to the Internet is your router. Whether it's a BT Smart Hub, Virgin Media Super Hub or a Netgear or D-Link device you've bought yourself, or if you are in the market for a new one, routers are generally small, nondescript-looking boxes which handle a multitude of jobs.
Routers aren't just flashy boxes which make the Internet happen; they’re useful tools which let us exert greater control over our home network, add layers of security to protect our personal information, and enhance the speed, stability and security of our connection to the Internet.
If you've ever felt anxious when meddling with settings, or wanted to get involved and make your home connection more your own, read on.
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What is a router?
A router does what its name implies. It routes data from one place to another, joining two or more computer networks together, both over WiFi and via Ethernet cables.
If you dig a little deeper, you'll find they play host to an operating system which can run programs and have a CPU, much like a home computer, except they’re geared up to perform a limited number of tasks well.
How to gain access to your router
Before you can make any changes to your router settings, you need to know how to gain access. There are two ways to do this.
The first and perhaps easiest way is to consult the literature that came with your router.
The paperwork should include printed information, telling you the IP address of the router and the default login name and password – something which you should change at your earliest convenience (we'll come to that in a second).
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How to Check Your IP Address
If you don't have that information to hand, you can check the IP address of your router using your machine.
In Windows, this can be achieved by opening a command prompt. You can do this by hitting Start or Search (depending on which version of Windows you’re running) and hitting Command Prompt if it's already there.
If it’s not type "Run" in the search bar and enter "cmd.exe", then typing in "ipconfig".
Your router's address will be shown under the Default Gateway heading.
In Mac OS X you can click on the Apple menu, which sits on the bar at the top of the screen, and then choose System Preferences and then Network. Once you’re in there, choose your network connection (Wired, Wireless etc.) and then choose Advanced. Once in there, click on the TCP/IP tab and your router’s address will listed under Router.
In Linux, you can open up a Terminal and type in route –n, and your router’s address will be shown in the Gateway section, with the Flags showing UG (which tells us the router is Up and that it is Gateway).
Use Your IP Address To Gain Access To Your Router
To gain access to our router, we just need to put that number into the address bar of our browser (Firefox, Safari, Chrome etc.) and then enter your username and password.
If you've not already set this up, it'll typically be "admin" and "password".
If it's not, then this should be included in the manual and/or printed on the side of your router.
Router Settings
Now you’re in, it’s time to think about the changes that you should make to ensure that your home network runs at its full potential, and some information that you can glean to ensure that your network is fully secure.
Change Your Router's Login Information ASAP
As soon as you login to your router's administration page for the first time, change the admin password.
It's very easy for a third-party to scan for networks remotely and gain access to them if they’re still using the manufacturer’s default login.
There are sites that aggregate and list default login information, so it won't take a master hacker to get inside your router – and once they’re inside, they can cause you no end of trouble. The best thing to do is get the locks changed as soon as you can.
Changing the admin password is an easy task. You’ll see a tab for "Admin Password" or similar, and all you’ll have to do is key in your old and then input your new and secure one. We recommend an alpha-numeric password (i.e. a combination of letters and numbers) and one which doesn’t show up in any dictionaries.
Sentences make great passwords and you can add random capital letters or even numbers in place of some letters to make things even more secure.
You can use this password generator for inspiration and unless you’re familiar with xkcd’s famous Correct Horse Battery Staple comic, now would be a good time to read it.
Change your SSID
Your SSID (Service Set Identifier) is the name for your WiFi network. 'BT Openzone' is an SSID. 'TheCloud' is an SSID, and so on.
Routers come with a default SSID and it's a good idea to change it to a personal one as soon as you’re able to do so.
If you're planning to use a password to secure your network (which you absolutely should) then there aren't a massive amount of security benefits to changing your SSID, but it will make connecting to and managing your network more convenient – which is definitely a good thing.
If you're using a ISP-supplied router and your neighbours are with the same carrier, then you'll all have default SSID's which are very similar (they'll be named things like 'VirginMedia2G987367') and that can lead to confusion.
SSID's can be up to 32 characters long and are also case-sensitive, so you're able to personalise your own very specifically. Choosing a name that's unique to your household is a good place to start. You'll find the option to change your SSID under the "Wireless" heading on your router's administration page.
Some people choose to prevent their router from broadcasting its SSID, which means that a casual scan with Wi-Fi enabled devices won't show it as a potential access point, but the information wasn't designed to be kept secret, and anyone with a laptop or smartphone and the motivation can still find a hidden SSID, so for the convenience factor alone we don't recommend you do this.
Secure your Wi-Fi network
Next up, you should ensure that your WiFi network is secured with a password. The option for this should be under your Wireless settings, and may be tucked away in an Advanced menu, depending on where your router comes from.
We recommend WPA 2 and, as with your router administration password, you should make it an unconventional password. Consider using a password manager if remembering your unique password will be an issue.
Multiple SSIDs and Guest WiFi
Many routers will allow you to set more than one SSID for the same access point, so you could set up a second SSID for visitors, employees – or public access if you're sharing your business’s connection with customers.
A second SSID can be set up with its own policies, passwords and intentions. You might opt to leave it open – so users don’t have to input a password to access the Web. Some routers come with a 'Guest WiFi' mode which lets you set this up easily.
If you set it up manually, you might want to choose to add a password to stop bandwidth moochers from freeloading. A second SSID can be an entirely separate entity and it can help keep your own connection secure, as you won't have to keep changing your password after you share it with all-comers.
Wireless Channels
Another setting available in your router's settings is the wireless channel. This lets you decide which wireless channel your device is operating on. If a channel has a lot of users, then wireless performance can be detrimentally affected.
With so many routers using automatic settings, there’s every chance that you could be on the same channel as every other family in your building or location and your WiFi speed could be suffering as a result.
To ensure you’re on the best channel, download an app for your smartphone which gives you information on your local wireless channels. We recommend WiFi Analyzer for Android or Network Analyzer for iOS.
Don't just pick any old channel though; the 2.4GHz band uses 14 channels all of which overlap; a good rule of thumb is to pick from either channel 1, 6 or 11, as this will give some breathing space - you'll want about four channels worth of space between any one that you're using, otherwise you'll simply add to the congestion.
Check to see what your neighbours are doing. If there are a lot of devices using channel 11, maybe move down to channel 6 or better yet channel 1.
The 5GHz band gives you even more room to play with; 23 channels which don’t overlap. Drawbacks of the 5GHz radio frequency includes its inability to penetrate walls in the same way that 2.4GHz signals can, so maybe save tweaking this on devices that are in the same room as your router.
Check your frequencies
Your router's settings will likely give you the option to choose what frequency it is operating on. Many routers now use dual-band by default, giving you the best of both worlds, but knowing the difference between 2.4GHz and 5GHz will allow you to set up your network so that it works best for you.
2.4GHz offers better distance with your WiFi connection, but this distance comes at the cost of speed. A 2.4GHz connection will reach further but be slower.
A 5GHz connection will serve up faster data rates but over a shorter distance.
So if your living room devices aren’t working as fast as you’d like, you might choose to utilise 5GHz, whereas bedrooms and other more distant devices might function better on 2.4GHz.
Look for the channel which has the least amount of use and set that on your router.
Parental Settings
Those of you who are parents might want to explore your router's parental control settings. These typically let you block certain types of traffic, access to certain sites and may also let you set time parameters for your kids, so they aren't surfing the Web when they should be doing their homework.
Depending on your router, you may have the option of changing settings for each attached device, making it easier to manage a household with multiple kids or failing that you might consider setting up a second SSID just for your sprogs, with its own password and controls in place. There is also a multitude of parental control software options that are worth exploring.
See who is connected
A quick and easy thing to do is check to see who is connected to your network at a given time. This can come in handy if your speeds are slow and you’re concerned that someone may have gained access to your connection.
To see who's connected, you need to look for an "Attached Devices" tab, or something similar. It will tell you the name and MAC address of every device attached to your connection and should also allow you to kick them off if they’re not supposed to be.
Factory reset your router
This option is great if you’ve made changes that you want to undo, or if you're planning to sell your router or send it back to your ISP. It will reset your router ip to its factory fresh state, including any and all passwords and personal settings.
Turn off Remote Management
Some routers offer up remote management functionality which can be used by a helpdesk to fix issues with your router setup and connection. It is designed to let the IT tech gain access to your router’s settings remotely and make changes.
This setting is usually turned off by default, but we recommend strongly that you check in your router’s settings and turn it off if it isn't already. It's highly unlikely that you'll need it, and in the event that you do, you can toggle it back on again with a few clicks.
Forward Ports
Ports are blocked by default on routers, to maintain the security of the network. This is largely a good thing, but on occasion you may experience connection problems with online games or applications (especially if hosting games), due to security settings.
Port forwarding (or port mapping) gives you the option to create a specific rule which tells your router what computer on your network to direct certain connections to.
Your router will have a setting (usually in the "Security" tab) to allow you to manually forward ports, you just need to the port or range of ports which need to be forwarded. Once you're in and you know the port(s) to forward, simply create a new rule, give it a name of your choosing and input your information.
If you're forwarding a single port, enter the port number for start and end, with a range enter the start and end to cover your chosen range, choose both UDP and TCP, and then add the address of the machine you wish to forward to.