In the modern age, the first utility necessary in the home is undoubtably the internet.
A move creates the perfect opportunity to optimize your home network.
And doing so is particularly important if you work remotely and/or rely on fast, reliable Wi-Fi to stream movies, play games, and use smart home devices.
With a bit of knowledge, you can ensure your Wi-Fi is ready to go—before the moving trucks arrive and it’s time to unpack.
“When all spaces are easily accessible, planning router placements, laying out Ethernet cables, locating access points, and positioning power outlets becomes a lot simpler. Plus, barriers like concrete walls and metal studs, which may impede Wi-Fi signals, are far more obvious,” says Jacob Kalvo, networking expert and co-founder and CEO of Live Proxies in Studio City, CA.
9 steps to set up fast, reliable Wi-Fi in your new home
Follow these steps to create a strong Wi-Fi network that can accommodate your household demands.
1. Start with how you'll use each room
First, think about where people in your household will work, relax, and spend time, as well as where you'll place TVs, home offices, gaming systems, security cameras, and other high-bandwidth or important connected devices.
"Don't forget to consider outdoor areas where you'll want reliable connectivity, such as a patio, pool or garage," says Theresa Fletcher, senior vice president of Community Solutions at Summit Broadband / Summit Fiber in Naples, FL.
2. Confirm your Internet provider and available speeds
Don't wait until moving day. Find out which providers and technologies, particularly fiber, are available at your new address, what download and upload speeds are offered, and how quickly service can be installed.
When choosing a service, consider both download and upload speeds, particularly if your household works from home, using cloud services, video conferencing, or connected security devices.
"Select a speed tier based not just on today's usage but on the number of people and connected devices you expect to have over the next several years," Fletcher explains.
Brick walls can block signals. (Getty Images) 3. Choose the router location before the furniture arrives
Ideally, your router will live in a relatively central, elevated, and open location, such as a shelf in your home office, living room, or hallway.
"If possible, avoid placing it in a far corner of the home simply because that's where the Internet service enters the house. Also, don't hide it in a closet, cabinet or behind a television," says Fletcher.
Remember that thick walls, concrete, brick, metal, large appliances, and even the overall shape and number of floors in the home can affect Wi-Fi coverage.
4. Walk the home and identify potential Wi-Fi dead zones
Pay particular attention to rooms farthest from the router, second or third floors, garages, patios and rooms separated by dense building materials.
"In many homes, concrete block walls and other dense building materials can have a significant impact on wireless coverage. An empty home makes it much easier to evaluate where additional coverage may be needed," explains Fletcher.
An example of a wireless router with mesh network devices. (shine.graphics/Adobe Stock) 5. Consider a mesh Wi-Fi system if your home is larger or more complicated
A mesh system uses multiple access points to distribute Wi-Fi throughout the house, so it might make sense if your new home is larger, older, or unusually shaped.
One important tip: Don't automatically put a mesh point directly in the dead zone.
"A mesh point needs a strong connection back to the main router or another access point, so it generally works better when placed between the router and the area with weak coverage," Fletcher says.
6. Hardwire the devices that matter most
If walls are open or it's easy to run Ethernet before furniture arrives, consider wired Ethernet connections for home offices, smart TVs, gaming systems, and access points where speed, stability, and low latency are especially important.
Fletcher points out that Ethernet can also be used to connect mesh access points for an even stronger home network.
6. Think about your future needs
Doorbells, cameras, thermostats, speakers, appliances, and other connected devices can add up quickly. That's why building some extra networking capacity into the home now can help ensure your network is ready for the future.
"Our homes are becoming more connected every year so a good home network should provide reliable coverage today while having enough flexibility and capacity to support how your household will live, work and connect in the future.," Fletcher says.
7. Set up and secure the network as soon as service is installed
Change default passwords, use a strong Wi-Fi password, enable the latest security settings supported by your equipment, and install any available router firmware updates.
Fletcher also recommends you create a guest network, so visitors don't need access to your primary home network.
8. Test the wired Internet connection first and then the Wi-Fi where you'll use it
Before evaluating Wi-Fi, confirm that the Internet service itself is performing properly. If possible, connect a device directly to the router via Ethernet and run a speed test. This helps distinguish an ISP/service issue from an in-home Wi-Fi coverage issue.
Then, divert your attention to the Wi-Fi.
Don't just run a speed test standing next to the router. Test from the future home office, bedrooms, TV locations, kitchen, garage, and outdoor living areas. You're looking for consistency and reliability throughout the home; not simply the fastest possible result in one room.
"The goal here is to separate your internet problems from your Wi-Fi problems as there is no relationship between them," Kalvo says.
9. Make adjustments while your home is still empty
Move the router or mesh points, add an access point or run another Ethernet connection now. Those changes are much easier before the moving trucks arrive.