What to Know

• Plug the router into the wallora surge protector,then attach it to the modem with an Ethernet cable.
• What happens next depends on the router. Newer ones are set up with an app; others require IP address access.
• Once you're logged in to the router's admin dashboard, you can set up the Wi-Fi network and change other settings.

This article explains how to set up a router for the first time. It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes to get online.

How to Set Up a Wired or Wireless Router

Below are broad steps to help you get started with your new router. However, it's a good idea to have your router's manual nearby because some details differ based on the specific device you own - for example, mesh network routers are quite different from your traditional router. Manuals are often available online if you're missing the physical copy.

This guide assumes you've already purchased an internet plan from a service provider. While a router is a necessary home network component, you can't reach the internet unless you've subscribed to an internet plan via your ISP.

1. Connect the router to power and wait a few minutes for it to turn on. Most power up automatically, in which case its status lights will indicate it's on. If that doesn't happen, look for a power button and flip it on.

2. With an Ethernet cable, connect the router to the modem installed by your ISP. If your modem is installed on the outside of your home, there should be a cable or port inside the house that you can connect your router to.

   What Is a Modem Router?

   Ahmad Hairi Mohamed / EyeEm / Getty Images

   If you're setting up a wired router, congratulations! You're finished. The router will now work with devices you connect to it over Ethernet.

3. Install the router's companion app, if one is available, to continue setup there. This is only relevant for modern routers, and it works differently for every router brand, but there should be details in the box for what to do at this step.

   A router from Google, for example, is set up and managed via the Google Home app.
   

4. Your wireless router is now set up! Connect to the preconfigured Wi-Fi network using the default connection information. You can do this from a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

   Check the bottom or back of the router for a label that details this information. This might also be on a card that came with the router or somewhere in the mobile app.

Where Should a Router Be Placed?

Unless your home is small or you have a long-range router, where you place it is important for coverage purposes. A router emits a Wi-Fi signal in all directions, but the signal can be interrupted by objects and other devices. It also has a limited range.

A wireless router is best placed in the center of your home and away from obstacles like concrete or brick walls, home appliances, and other electronic devices.

Most routers don't look like a work of art, but the more of your router you can see, the more likely it is to work well. If you want to tuck away your wireless router, hide it with light, low-density objects, like a stuffed toy or a plastic paperweight.

Managing the Router

Setting up the router is just the beginning. You also need to know how to manage the network.

There's a lot you might be interested in doing with your new network. Changing the Wi-Fi password, updating the device's firmware, and editing the default login password are just a few important steps. How you do these things and more, like setting up port forwarding or parental controls, depends on your router.

Most new routers are administered via a mobile app. A Linksys router, for example, is accessed with Linksys' app, and AT&T Smart Home Manager is what you need to control your AT&T setup. Other routers use their own app for the same purpose.

If this is an older router, log in with its IP address. Once you're in, look for aWireless, Wi-Fi, or Adminsection to turn on the Wi-Fi network and make other changes.