We are so used to having access to the internet all the time, that we can hardly ever do without it. Fortunately, there is internet access everywhere and of course you want to share your internet connection, but at the same time protect your network. Thanks to the guest network, this is perfectly possible.
01 Protect your network
You can of course give guests the password of your own WiFi network, but this is not very secure. You probably have unsecured shared resources within your network, such as folders on PCs or a NAS. Handy, but such sources are also easily accessible for guests who surf on your WiFi network. Also read: This is how you go online safely on a public WiFi network.
Maybe your guests don't immediately have nefarious plans, probably your friends and acquaintances are not malicious hackers. But by giving out the password of your WiFi network, you lose control over this password. There is a greater chance that the password will fall into the hands of someone who has less good intentions. It is therefore not a good idea for the security of your network to share the password of your own wireless network with other people.
02 Guest Network
It is almost inhospitable these days not to give guests WiFi access. Fortunately, almost every modern router has the option of a guest network. For your guests, the guest network works the same as a regular WiFi network: they get access to the internet. Typically, the guest network is further separated from the rest of your network. Guests will then not have access to your PC, NAS or other network devices. This is often arranged automatically and is determined by the manufacturer of your router.
Some manufacturers do offer guest users the option to access the normal network, so you have to make sure that you choose the right settings. Also, secure your guest network with a strong password. After all, the guest network still uses your internet connection for which you are responsible. We have looked into how to enable the guest network for a number of router brands. It may work slightly differently on your router, even though you have one of the brands mentioned. Sometimes router manufacturers use different web interfaces. Is your router brand not listed or does the web interface have a different structure? Then search the web interface for Guest Network, guest network or a similar term. You will usually find the option separately in the interface or under the wireless settings.
03 Choose the 2.4GHz band
In a guest network, the optimal speed plays a minor role as far as we are concerned. The guest network is intended to give your guests access to the internet so that they can look up things or keep in touch via, for example, social media. Super-fast downloading doesn't seem like a priority to us. However, the range must be good so that you do not get complaints about no access at all. Based on these principles, we believe that the 2.4 GHz band is the ideal candidate for a guest network. This band offers a greater range than the 5GHz band and is also compatible with almost any device. On the other hand, the maximum achievable speed is lower than via the 5GHz band, but we do not think that is very important for guests. You can usually also choose to offer a guest network on both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands.
Beware: router behind router
You may be using your own router with guest functionality behind another router. Please note that the separation between the guest network and your normal network does not always function properly. Two scenarios are possible. Do you use your own router behind the router of your internet provider, but is the rest of your network equipment only connected to this own router? So do you use the DHCP server of your own router and is all wired equipment connected to it? Then the guest functionality works as desired and guest traffic is neatly separated.
However, if you use your own router to supplement your network as a wireless access point, the separation between the normal and guest network will not work. It does not matter whether you have configured the router used as an access point yourself by, for example, disabling the DHCP server or whether the router has a special access point mode. With some brands of routers, the guest functionality will not work at all if the router is behind another router. With other routers you can still set it, but the claimed separation does not work. The separation between your normal network and the guest network no longer works with routers that you can officially set up as access points. For example, with a Netgear router that you can officially set up as an access point, you can set up a guest network, but the option that guest users have access to the entire network is always checked. In short, be aware of these limitations and only enable guest functionality on the router that you use as the primary node in your network.
04 Enable guest network ASUS router
Log in to the web interface and click . in the left column Guest Network. If you haven't set up a guest network yet, you have no fewer than six networks that you can set up. You get three networks on the 2.4GHz band and three networks on the 5GHz band. Choose one of the options and click Enable. Change the Network Name (SSID) in a self-chosen name. Choose at Authentication Method in front of WPA2-Personal and fill in the field WPA Pre-Shared Key enter a secure password. Optionally, you can Access time set another time limit. Note that the option Access Intranet on Disable This way you prevent guests from accessing your home network. click on Apply to activate the guest network.
05 Enable Guest Network D-Link Router
Log in to your router's web interface and click Settings / Wireless. click on Guest Zone after which you can activate the guest network. You can activate a guest network on the 2.4GHz band and the 5GHz band. Select the desired band and set Status on Enabled. Change the Wi-Fi Name (SSID) in a name of your choice and fill in the field password the password. Then check if the option Internet Access Only on Enabled state, for example, a guest user can only access the Internet. click on Save to activate the guest network.
06 Activate Guest Network Fritzbox Router
Log in to the FRITZ!Box and click . in the menu WLAN. Then click Guest Access. Finch Guest access enabled and enter your own network name. The encryption is set to WPA + WPA2 by default, set it to WPA2 (CCMP) for added security. Enter a secure password in the field Network key. Users of the guest network cannot see each other on the FRITZ!Box either The device connected with the guest access can communicate with each other to ensure that this is the case.
By default, users can only surf and email, check Restrict Internet applications: Only surfing and mail allowed to allow other things as well. By default, a user is disconnected after thirty minutes, check Disconnect automatically after to avoid this or choose a longer duration. Conveniently, the FRITZ!Box generates a QR code in login information. click on Print Info Sheet to print this code. On the FRITZ!Box it is also possible to create filters for users on the network. Click in the menu on Internet / Filters. below Guest Network can you press the button edit set click time limits and website filters for all users on the guest network. This way you can also 'misuse' the guest network as a special network for, for example, your children.
07 Activate Guest Network TP-Link Router
Log in to the web interface and click . in the left column Guest Network. Make sure the option Allow guests to access my local network off. Fill in the field Wireless Network Name (SSID) enter your own network name if necessary and select WPA/WPA2 Personal next to the option Security. Select WPA2-PSK if version and enter a password in the password field. Tick the option Enable and then click Save.
08 Guest Network Netgear
Log in to the web interface and click . in the left menu Guest network. You can also click on the tile Guest network click. The settings are spread over the two frequency bands. Click on the desired frequency band Enable guest network. Make sure you have the setting Disabled allow guests to see each other and access my local network stays. Choose under Security options in front of WPA2-PSK [AES] and enter a password. Then click To apply to enable the guest network.
