A smart home network needs five basic pieces: a modem from your internet provider, a router, a network switch for wired devices, WiFi coverage for the whole house (mesh nodes or access points), and Ethernet cable. Set the router up in a central spot, wire every device that doesn’t move, put your smart devices on their own network, and add mesh nodes or access points until every room has a strong signal. For most homes that covers it. The details below explain each step.
The basic tools for a home network
- Modem or fiber terminal. Your internet provider usually supplies this. It brings the internet into the house.
- Router. It hands out addresses, runs the firewall and connects your home to the internet. Many routers include WiFi.
- Network switch. It adds wired ports. A Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch can also power cameras and access points through the cable.
- Mesh nodes or wireless access points. These spread WiFi across the house.
- Ethernet cable. Patch cables for short runs, and in-wall cable for runs to other rooms.
- Battery backup (UPS). It keeps the modem, router and switch running through short outages and protects them from surges.
Buy pieces that support current standards, which today means WiFi 6 or newer and gigabit or faster wired ports.
Ethernet cable types and uses
- Cat5e supports 1 Gbps at up to 100 meters (328 feet). It is fine for patch cables and many existing homes.
- Cat6 supports 1 Gbps at 100 meters and 10 Gbps on shorter runs, up to about 55 meters. It is the common choice for new wiring.
- Cat6a supports 10 Gbps over the full 100 meters. It is a good choice for access points and for runs you want to last through future upgrades.
- Cat7 and Cat8 are sold widely online but aren’t needed in a home. Cat7 isn’t part of the TIA cabling standards that U.S. installers follow, and Cat8 is meant for short runs inside data centers.
For in-wall runs, use solid-copper cable with the correct fire rating for where it runs, not copper-clad aluminum. Measure the run, leave some slack and label both ends.
What does a signal booster do?
A WiFi signal booster, also called an extender or repeater, picks up your router’s signal and rebroadcasts it to reach a dead zone. It is the cheapest fix for one weak room. The trade-off is speed. A basic extender has to receive and resend every bit of data on the same radio, which can cut the speed in that area roughly in half, and some devices stay stuck on the weaker signal as you walk around.
Mesh systems work better. The nodes work together as one network with one name, and better models have a dedicated radio for talking between nodes. The best option is to connect the nodes, or ceiling-mounted access points, with Ethernet cable. Then each one delivers full speed and the WiFi doesn’t have to carry traffic between them.
Setting up your smart home network step by step
1. Place the router
Put it in a central, open spot, off the floor and out of cabinets. If the internet comes in at a corner of the basement, run a cable to a better location or plan on access points.
2. Update and secure it
Update the firmware, change the admin password, and set WiFi security to WPA3 (or WPA2/WPA3 if older devices need it). Our guide to securing your home WiFi covers each setting.
3. Wire what doesn’t move
Connect TVs, streaming boxes, game consoles, desktop computers, audio streamers and smart home hubs with Ethernet. Every device you take off WiFi leaves more airtime for phones and laptops.
4. Create a network for smart devices
Set up a separate network for smart plugs, cameras, speakers and similar gear, and a guest network for visitors. Many smart devices only work on 2.4 GHz, so make sure that band is turned on for the smart device network.
5. Fill in the coverage
Walk the house with a phone and a speed test app. Add mesh nodes or access points where the signal drops, and run speed tests again in each room.
6. Keep it healthy
Turn on automatic firmware updates, check the list of connected devices now and then, and remove anything you don’t recognize.
Networking for large homes
Big houses have long distances, several floors and building materials that block WiFi. Older New England homes often have plaster on metal lath, which blocks signals much like a metal screen. Brick, stone, tile, radiant floors, mirrors and large aquariums all get in the way too. A garage, pool house or guest cottage across the yard usually needs its own connection.
- Plan for one access point or mesh node per area of the house that gets heavy use, on every floor, instead of trying to cover everything from one spot.
- Wire the access points back to a central switch whenever possible. Ceiling-mounted access points cover rooms more evenly than units sitting on a shelf.
- Choose a system that can grow. Business-grade gear from brands such as Araknis, Access Networks, Ubiquiti or Ruckus lets you add access points and manage everything from one dashboard.
- Reach outbuildings with buried cable or outdoor-rated fiber, or a point-to-point wireless bridge where trenching isn’t practical.
- Use the network’s management app to watch for weak spots, see which devices use the most data, and set schedules for children’s devices.
If your network seems slower every time you add smart devices, our post on how smart devices affect WiFi speed explains what is going on, and our guide to smart home servers and switches covers the wired side.
When a professionally designed network makes sense
Plenty of homeowners set up a good network on their own, and a quality mesh kit covers many houses well. It is worth bringing in a professional when the house is large or has plaster, stone or several floors, when you need to run cable through finished walls, when you have cameras, a home theater or whole-house audio that depend on the network, or when you want someone to watch the network and fix problems remotely. The DIY versus professional installation guide goes through that decision in more detail.
Planning a home network project?
We design, wire and support whole-home WiFi and networks for houses across Greater Boston, the South Shore and Rhode Island. Book a free consultation or read more about our smart home WiFi and networking.
