Router WiFi and Network Configuration
Clicking on the menu button in the upper right-hand corner of your router dashboard you’ll find a link titled “Wi-Fi and Ports.” Clicking on it will bring you to the following page:
WiFi Settings:
Depending on your model of router you may have one or more 5GHz radios. For example, the entry level Linksys EA3650 router we provide will only have one. The higher performance Linksys WRT32x will have two. All routers will have a 2.4GHz radio.
Default WiFi Name And Password:
5GHz Network Name (SSID): Althea-5
2.4GHz Network Name (SSID): Althea-2.4
Password: ChangeMe
What is the difference between 5GHz and 2.4GHz WiFi?
5GHz WiFi is capable of faster speeds, and operates on more channels to better avoid interference from other surrounding routers. However, because 5GHz WiFi operates at a higher frequency it doesn’t have the same range as 2.4GHz WiFi. Also, some older devices, smart home devices, and some smart TV’s might not be capable of connecting to 5GHz wifi.
2.4GHz WiFi is an older and slower standard. However it is compatible with a wider array of devices, particularly older or simpler “smart home” devices. 2.4GHz WiFi can also be capable of longer distance connectivity, but due to the fact that it operates on fewer channels, and other appliances like bluetooth, cordless phones, and microwave ovens there is often more interference that can minimize the distance and performance of your 2.4GHz connection.
Configuring Your WiFi
By default your Althea router will use the network name of “Althea Home.” As there may be other customers close by to you it is highly recommended you personalize your WiFi network names to something you will recognize, and will not get confused with other networks in the area.
Network Name Requirements: your WiFi network name can use any alpha-numeric characters (a-z,A-Z,0-9) as well as dashes (-).
Network Password Requirements: you WiFi password must include at least 8-64 alpha-numeric (a-z,A-Z,0-9) or special ASCII characters. It is recommended to use a strong password that includes at least one upper and lower case letter, number, and special character, and avoid dictionary words. To learn more about creating a strong password you can read this article here.
Once you have configured your network name and passwords click the “save” button. Your router will reboot at this time. Wait for at least 30-60 seconds for it to become available again.
Wired Network Settings:
For each wired port you will find up to 4 options:
- LAN
- Mesh
- Phone
- WAN
The ports that your receiving or relay antennas are plugged in to these must be set to “Mesh.”
For wired ports that you plug any personal device into (such as a desktop, laptop, gaming console, etc.) the port must be set to “LAN.”
Note: do NOT set any port to WAN.