Are You Making these Home Networking Mistakes?

Most homes in the Dallas, Texas area have a network of some sort. With so many internet-connected devices available now, there’s no denying that a network is an essential part of everyday life. So why are networking issues so common? If you want to avoid making the mistakes that so often result in an unreliable, unsecure, and glitchy home network, then read on.

Mistake One: Thinking “Off the Shelf” is Good Enough

With networking equipment, you absolutely get what you pay for. The standard routers you find in your local electronics store might be adequate for a home without any smart home automation devices, but if you’re the type of person who embraces the Internet of Things, you’ll have much better luck with a professional system. Professional-grade networking is about more than high-quality equipment (although that plays a big role). It’s about finding the right equipment for your needs – both today and for the future.

Mistake Two: Not Changing the Default Settings

Although networking companies are getting better about giving unique default usernames and passwords, the most common combination is still admin, admin. In fact, it’s easy to find complete lists of the default login IP addresses, usernames, and passwords for all the popular networking brands.

So what does this mean for you? It means that if someone wants to gain access to your network, they can do it in less than a minute. After hacking into your network, they’ll be able to see all the data transferred to and from your computer as well as track some web pages you’re viewing. It could be a very big problem, but fortunately, it’s easy to avoid: just update the default settings with a secure username and password that’s not easily guessable.

SEE ALSO: 5 Questions to Ask When Upgrading Your Home Network

Mistake Three: Placing Equipment in the Wrong Spots

Where is your router? Often, routers are placed in home offices so that the desktop computers can plug in correctly for more reliable internet signal. And yet the golden rule with router placement is to put it in a central location. Given that an office is not usually the center room of the home, you’re likely to have dead spots where you’re lucky to get subpar signal, if any.

Wireless access points can help a lot. These devices help to boost the signal throughout your home, creating a sort of net that covers every area. How many access points you’ll need and where you should place them will be different for every person, which is why the best way to avoid making this mistake is to get a professional installation.

Having strong, reliable internet and a secure network is something small that can make life so much better. To make sure your home network is error-free, contact DB Media Solutions by calling (817) 980-0347 or filling out this quick form.