I have configured my Wi-Fi router to provide four wireless networks:

• HomeNet_Main
• HomeNet_Guest
• HomeNet_SmartDevices
• HomeNet_HVAC

HomeNet_Main
This is the primary wireless network for our home. It is the network used by all our personal devices (PC, laptops, tablets, mobile phones) to connect to and interact with the internet securely.

Settings

• Band steering: Enabled
  The same network name (HomeNet_Main [SSID]) is used for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi frequency bands. Some wireless devices can use either band. Band steering allows these devices to automatically choose the appropriate band for best performance.

• Hide SSID: Enabled
  This is a cybersecurity precaution so "HomeNet_Main" is not visible to wireless devices as an available network.

• Password access: Enabled

• Authentication method: WPA2/WPA3-Personal

• WPA encryption: AES

• MAC filtering: Disabled

HomeNet_Guest
This is a wireless network that can be used by guests to connect to the internet. It is totally separate from all the other networks (especially HomeNet_Main), so anything guests do cannot interfere with or harm any other network (especially our main wireless network).

Settings

• Band steering: Enabled
  The same network name (HomeNet_Guest [SSID]) is used for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi frequency bands.

• Hide SSID: Disabled
  This allows "HomeNet_Guest" to be visible to wireless devices.

• Password access: Enabled

• Authentication method: WPA2/WPA3-Personal

• WPA encryption: AES

• MAC filtering: Disabled

HomeNet_SmartDevices
This is a wireless network used by our Internet of Things (IoT) devices that allows them to connect to the internet, and also allows us to use mobile phone apps to interact with those devices. This network is totally separate from all the other networks (especially HomeNet_Main), so anything a smart device does cannot interfere with or harm any other network (especially our main wireless network). This is particularly important if a smart device is hacked, since any malware-induced bad behavior will be constrained to the HomeNet_SmartDevices network.

Settings

• Band steering: Disabled
  This network uses just the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band because some of our older smart devices (e.g., Roku) only support 2.4 GHz.

• Hide SSID: Enabled
  This is a cybersecurity precaution so "HomeNet_SmartDevices" is not visible to wireless devices as an available network.

• Password access: Enabled

• Authentication method: WPA2/WPA3-Personal

• WPA encryption: AES

• MAC filtering: Enabled
  This is an additional cybersecurity precaution. Enabling this feature allows me to create a list with the MAC addresses of the devices allowed to access HomeNet_SmartDevices. This prevents devices with other MAC addresses from joining the network even if they discover "HomeNet_SmartDevices."

HomeNet_HVAC
This is a wireless network used to connect to the internet two smart thermostats (the vendor calls them "system controls") installed for our two HVAC systems. Each system control is used to set temperatures, humidity levels, fan speeds, heat/cool schedules, etc., for each HVAC system. This network is totally separate from all the other networks (especially HomeNet_Main), so anything a system control does cannot interfere with or harm any other network (especially our main wireless network). This is particularly important if a system control is hacked, since any malware-induced bad behavior will be constrained to the HomeNet_HVAC network.

Note: The two smart thermostats do not need to be connected to the internet. Setting them can be done using their built-in screens. However, by connecting them to the internet, I can use the vendor's system control app on my mobile phone to set, monitor, and manage each control using just my phone, from anywhere, as long as my phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network (especially handy when we are on vacation away from home).

A more important benefit of internet-connected controls is that they automatically check for firmware upgrades. When an upgrade is available, the controls display a message on their screens. Tapping the message downloads the upgraded firmware and installs it on a control.

Settings

• Band steering: Disabled
  This network uses just the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band because the two HVAC system controls (smart thermostats) only support 2.4 GHz.

• Hide SSID: Enabled
  This is a cybersecurity precaution so "HomeNet_HVAC" is not visible to wireless devices as an available network.

• Password access: Enabled

• Authentication method: WPA2/WPA3-Personal

• WPA encryption: AES

• MAC filtering: Enabled
  This is an additional cybersecurity precaution. Enabling this feature allows me to create a list with the MAC addresses of the two system controls that are permitted to access HomeNet_HVAC. This prevents devices with other MAC addresses from joining the network even if they discover "HomeNet_HVAC."

Next: My Wi-Fi range extender