How to set up a guest Wi-Fi network
How to turn on guest Wi-Fi in your router or ISP app, keep guests away from your own devices, and decide which smart devices belong on it.
Open your router or ISP app, find the guest Wi-Fi setting, give the network its own name and password, and leave local network access turned off. Visitors and cloud-controlled smart devices go on the guest network; your computers, printers and anything you cast to stay on the main one. If your gateway has no guest option, use your own router or mesh system in bridge mode.
How to set up a guest network
Most routers and mesh systems have a guest setting built in. It takes a few minutes to turn on.
- Open your router or ISP app. Many ISP apps, such as the Xfinity app, Smart Home Manager for AT&T and My Fios, and mesh apps such as eero, Google Home, Deco and Orbi, have a guest Wi-Fi setting. On other routers, type the address on the label, often 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, into a browser.
- Find the guest network setting. Look under Wi-Fi, Wireless or Network settings.
- Name it and set a password. Use a different name and a password you don't mind sharing. Use WPA2 or WPA3, not an open network.
- Keep guests isolated. Leave "allow guests to see each other" or "access local network" turned off.
- Set limits if you want them. Some routers let you cap guest speed or turn the network off on a schedule.
- Share it. Print or show the QR code from the app, or share the password from your phone.
Some ISP gateways don't offer one. Put the gateway in bridge mode and use your own router or mesh system, which almost always does.
What to put on the guest network
A guest network isn't only for visitors. It also keeps less trusted devices away from your own.
| Put it on guest | Keep it on your main network |
|---|---|
| Visitors' phones and laptops | Your computers, phones and tablets |
| Cloud cameras and doorbells | Printers and network drives |
| Smart plugs and bulbs controlled through the cloud | Chromecast, AirPlay and Sonos speakers you cast to |
| Short-term rental guests | Matter and HomeKit devices controlled locally |
| A work laptop you want kept apart | Game consoles that need open NAT |
A guest network is one step in our checklist to secure your home Wi-Fi. Adding dozens of devices? See how many devices your Wi-Fi can handle. Renting out a place? Our vacation rental internet guide covers guest Wi-Fi for hosts.
Where to find it in popular router apps
The setting lives in a slightly different place in each app.
| App | Where to look |
|---|---|
| eero | Settings, then Guest network |
| Google Home (Nest Wifi) | Wi-Fi, then Guest network |
| Netgear Orbi and Nighthawk | Wi-Fi settings, then Guest Wi-Fi |
| ASUS | Guest Network in the app or web settings |
| TP-Link Deco | The guest network option in the app's settings |
Menu names change with app updates; search the app's settings for "guest" if you don't see it.
If your guest network isn't working
Most guest network problems have a quick fix.
- Guests can't connect: check the password and that the guest network is turned on; some routers turn it off after a set time.
- Your phone can't find a smart device: devices you control locally, like Chromecasts and printers, need to be on the same network as your phone. Move them back to the main network.
- The guest network disappeared: putting an ISP gateway in bridge mode turns off its Wi-Fi, including guest Wi-Fi. Set it up on your own router instead.
- Guests are slow: remove any guest bandwidth cap, or check whether the main network is busy too.
Guest Wi-Fi for hosts and small businesses
Short-term rental hosts and small offices should treat guest Wi-Fi as a separate network that is always on. Change the password between guests or every few months, keep isolation turned on, and put your own cameras, payment terminals and computers on the main network. Many business routers and mesh systems add a sign-in page or time limits for guests. Our vacation rental internet guide covers what guests expect.
Questions
Can people on my guest network see what I do online?
No. Isolation keeps their devices away from yours. Like on any network, the network owner and the internet provider can see which sites devices connect to, but not the contents of encrypted pages.
Should I hide the guest network name?
No. Hiding a network name doesn't make it safer, and it makes it harder for guests to join. A password and isolation are what protect you.
What is a guest network?
A second Wi-Fi network from the same router, with its own name and password. Devices on it can use the internet but can't see your computers, phones or printers.
Is a guest network safer?
Yes, for your main devices. Visitors and smart gadgets on the guest network can't reach them, so a hacked camera or an infected laptop stays separate.
Should smart home devices go on the guest network?
Cloud-controlled devices such as many plugs, cameras and doorbells work fine there. Devices you control locally, such as Chromecasts, AirPlay speakers, printers and some Matter devices, need to be on the same network as your phone.
Does a guest network slow down my internet?
Only by the traffic its devices use. Many routers let you cap guest bandwidth or set a schedule.
Can I share the guest Wi-Fi with a QR code?
Yes. Many router apps show a QR code, and iPhones and Android phones can share a Wi-Fi password with a nearby phone.
- CISA and FTC home network security guidance
- ISP and router maker help pages: Xfinity, AT&T, Verizon, eero, Google, TP-Link, Netgear
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Jean founded ShopHighSpeed after trying to find one straight answer about business internet in his own town. He has been a Comcast and Verizon Fios customer, and ranks providers on what they actually deliver, not on what they advertise.