How to Set Up a Local Area Network (LAN)

In this guide, Mytour will show you how to create a Local Area Network (LAN), enabling connected devices like computers to communicate with each other and access the internet.

Count the number of computers to connect. When setting up a LAN, you need to know how many computers will be connected via Ethernet. This helps determine the number of ports required.

• If the number of computers is 4 or fewer, a router will suffice. For more than 4, you’ll need a switch to expand the available ports on the router.

Decide whether to create a wireless network. If you want devices to connect wirelessly, you’ll need a router that supports wireless networking. Most routers on the market today have this feature.

• Switches do not support wireless connections, and are only used in wired LAN networks or to expand the available ports on the router.

Decide whether devices in the network should have internet access. If you want all connected devices to access the internet, you’ll need a router to handle the connections. If internet access is unnecessary, a switch is sufficient.

Calculate the distance between wired devices. This is generally not a concern for home setups, but Ethernet cables cannot exceed 100 meters. If you need a longer connection, you’ll require a switch to act as an intermediary.

Consider future needs. If you’ve already used up all your available ports, you might want to think about adding more ports to accommodate future devices.

Prepare the hardware devices. To set up a LAN, you will need a router or a switch to serve as the network’s central hub. These devices will route information to the appropriate computers.

• Router will automatically assign an IP address to each device on the network. This is essential if you wish to share an internet connection with connected devices. Even if you don’t plan to share the internet, it’s recommended to set up the network with a router.
• Switch is a simpler version of a router. It allows devices to communicate with each other but doesn’t automatically assign IP addresses or share an internet connection. A switch is best used to expand the number of available LAN ports by connecting it to a router.

Set up the router. A basic LAN setup doesn’t require much configuration. Simply plug it in and place it near the modem if you want to share the internet connection.

Connect the modem to the router (if needed). If you plan to share the internet connection through the modem, connect the modem to the WAN/INTERNET port on the router. This port is usually a different color from the others.

Connect the switch to the router (if needed). If using a switch to expand the router’s ports, plug an Ethernet cable into any LAN port on both the router and the switch. This will extend the network across all LAN ports on the switch.

Connect the computers to the LAN ports. Use Ethernet cables to connect each computer to a LAN port on the router or switch. The order in which the ports are connected doesn’t matter.

• Ethernet cables can’t transmit data accurately if their length exceeds 100 meters.

Set up a computer as the DHCP server if using a switch. If you’re using a switch as the network hub, you’ll need to configure one computer as a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server so all computers in the network can easily receive IP addresses.

• You can quickly create a DHCP server on a computer by installing a middleware utility.
• The other computers in the network will automatically obtain an IP address as long as the server is running and set up accordingly.

Test the network on each computer. After a computer receives its IP address, the devices can start communicating with each other through the network. If a router is used to share the internet, each computer can also access the internet.

Set up file and printer sharing. After the network is set up, you won’t be able to see data on other computers unless those devices have file sharing enabled. You can configure file, folder, drive, and printer sharing with devices on the network so that anyone or only specific users can access the data.

Set up the router. When setting up a wireless router, consider the following:

• To make troubleshooting easier, place the router close to the modem.
• Position the router centrally to maximize coverage.
• You’ll need to connect a computer to the router using an Ethernet cable during the setup process.

Connect a computer to one of the LAN ports on the router. You will use the computer's web browser to configure the router’s wireless network settings.

Open a web browser on the computer. You can use any browser of your choice.

Enter the router's IP address. You can find the router's IP address printed on the bottom of the device or in the included documentation. If you can't locate it, try the following methods:

• Windows - Right-click the Network icon in the system tray → click Open Network and Sharing Center → click on the Ethernet link → click Details → look for Default Gateway to find the router's IP address.
• Mac - Click the Apple menu and select System Preferences → click Network → click Ethernet connection → look for Router to find the IP address.

Log in to the administrator account. You will be prompted to log in to the router. The default login information depends on your router model, but commonly, the username is "admin" and the password is either "admin", "password", or left blank.

• You can look up your modem’s model at https://portforward.com/router-password/ for default login details.

Open the Wireless section in the router settings. The location and terminology of this section may vary depending on the router model.

Change the network name in the SSID or 'Network name'. This is the name displayed in the list of available networks.

Select the security standard WPA2-Personal. This is the best security standard for most routers. Avoid using WPA and WEP unless you need to connect older, incompatible devices.

Create a strong password. This is the password used to connect to the network. This field may be referred to as the 'Pre-Shared Key'.

Don’t forget to enable the wireless network. Depending on the router you’re using, you may need to check a box or click a button in the Wireless menu to activate the wireless network.

Click the Save or Apply button. This action saves the changes on your router.

Wait for the router to reboot. It may take a few minutes for the router to restart and establish the network connection.

Connect wireless devices to the network. Once the network is active, you will see the network name appear in the list of available networks on any wireless device within the coverage range. When connecting to the network, users will be prompted to enter the password you just set.

• Computers connected to the router via Ethernet will not need to enter the password.