Setting up a home network isn’t exactly rocket science, but there are some easy mistakes you can make that will hamper your experience. Whether you’re a tech-savvy user or someone setting up a network for the first time, you want to make sure you set up your network with the right hardware for your needs, and the right settings to make the most of it. If you’re upgrading your equipment or just want to make sure you’re set up properly, it’s a good idea to double-check your network configuration.

4 Going overboard with a mesh

Just one more node

Mesh Wi-Fi systems are a heavily advertised and expensive way to solve your coverage problem. Mesh Wi-Fi, while it can be very effective for covering a large area with consistent internet speed, can often be implemented as a brute-force solution with more nodes than you really need. With each additional node, the price of your network goes up and, pretty soon, you’re looking at prices similar to much higher-end networking equipment.

The challenge with a mesh system is that each node needs a strong connection to the primary router, meaning that you’re deliberately building in overlap in your network. That means that doubling the number of nodes you have doesn’t double your coverage area, and the cost of building a reliable mesh can be quite high.

Mesh systems can also have some other compromises that people may not expect, such as limited wired connectivity. While some mesh routers, like the TP-Link Deco BE85, have quite a few wired Ethernet ports, many cheaper mesh nodes have only a couple of wired ports or even none at all. This simple design is what some people prefer, but you may want a few more options to make the most of your network, starting with the software.

3 Getting restricted software

Want to change your settings? Too bad!

Router software has gotten very user-friendly over the past few years, with most companies offering an app for easy setup, or even a simple step-by-step guided setup in a web browser. While this is lovely for less tech-savvy users looking to get the internet up and running as soon as possible, it may not offer the customization some are looking for.

Making things worse, some routers have started to restrict access to more advanced settings, with mesh systems seeing the most features removed. There are exceptions, such as the ZenWiFi series from Asus, but popular brands like Nest Wifi, Eero, TP-Link Deco, and Netgear Orbi have crafted very simple user interfaces with only basic settings available to the consumer. For most people, the default settings are the ideal settings, but if you were hoping to customize your network, you will likely find these systems frustrating.

Luckily, when it comes to standalone routers, most have kept their more advanced setting accessible if you’re willing to connect via web browser instead of an app. Asus routers, TP-Link Archers, Netgear Nighthawks, and others still allow reasonably deep access to settings that should satisfy the remaining majority of users.

If that’s not enough for you, there are also quite a few models available with software like OpenWRT, such as routers made by Gl.iNet, that let you really dig into the settings. While you still won’t get as many settings as you would with a custom-built router, for most people, these options will be plenty.

2 Getting more power than you need

Most people don't need Wi-Fi 7 yet

I don’t blame anyone for wanting to buy a powerful router today that they won’t have to think about for a few years, but with Wi-Fi 7 routers still being fairly expensive, it’s possible you could spend way more than you need to on an over-the-top router with speeds that you won’t be able to make use of, even a couple of years from now. For example, the Eero Max 7 is an excellent mesh kit, but at over $1000 for a two-pack at MSRP, its 10Gbps Ethernet and BE20800 connection isn’t worth it for most people.

While internet speeds over 1Gbps are starting to reach homes, the fact of the matter is that most of us don’t need all that speed. If you want to make the most of your gigabit connection, however, a standalone router with AX3000 speeds, like the Asus RT-AX57 should be plenty for a couple of people, but if you’ve got a larger family, something with AX5400 or higher speeds could be better with multiple devices.

For the most part, a slower AX1800 router will be fast enough for just about anything you want to do online, including watching 4K streams, but will struggle to hit full gigabit speeds, especially if there’s any interference.

1 Putting the router in the wrong place

Reduce interference

Perhaps one of the easiest mistakes to make is simply putting your router in the wrong place. Most routers can look a little industrial and don’t exactly fit in with your living room decor, but you still need to avoid hiding them behind too much stuff. Every wall and piece of furniture between the router and the device connecting to it can degrade the signal, so to get the best signal and speed around your home, your router should be up and in the open as much as possible. Even the LCD panel in a TV can block your signal, so the fairly common act of placing the router behind or under the TV could hurt your speed.

Your router should also be placed in the center of your house. The Wi-Fi signal sends its signal out in a 360-degree pattern, so if you’ve got your router stuck up against an outside wall, you’re sending a lot of your signal away from your home. If you can, ask the internet installer to bring the wire closer to the center of your home, and if that’s not possible, consider getting a longer wire to run from the wall where your connection comes in, to a more central part of the house.

Don’t forget to check back in

Once you get your router set up the way you like it, you shouldn’t need to mess with it all that much, or at all. That being said, it’s a good idea to check in every once in a while to make sure it’s working as it should. First of all, if you haven’t enabled automatic updates or your router doesn’t support that feature, check for an update for your firmware. Firmware updates can not only improve performance and add features, but they can also fix security vulnerabilities discovered after release, so keep eyes on that to maintain your privacy.