Set Up a Guest Wi-Fi Network for Visitors and Smart Devices

When a friend asks for your Wi-Fi password, they are getting access to the same network as your personal computer, NAS, printer, and every other connected device. Most home routers make no distinction between guests and trusted devices. Once someone is on your network, they can potentially see and access things they should not.

Most modern routers have a built-in guest network feature — a separate Wi-Fi with its own password that is isolated from your main network. Put all your visitors on it, and put your smart home devices (cameras, speakers, thermostats) there too. These IoT devices are notoriously insecure and should never share a network with your personal devices.