Home Networking
Whether your home network is large or small, we've got the answers you need to build it, troubleshoot it and keep it safe from prying eyes.
Latest Tech News
![Ping commands in Command Prompt on a Windows monitor](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/PUNIvUX8NHWhHLc5y-b4RwUBE9E=/540x405/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Featured-Command-Prompt-Ping-Windows-Monitor-8649430-7f77428205e24da3adc659ba9dcb6a45.jpeg)
How to Ping a Website
![Cat5 vs Cat6 cables](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/sivIVD4qTKg4DuJx7qodPgHOf0s=/540x405/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Cat5-vs-Cat6-2f777fcbf2c64bf8bd24039074314422.jpg)
Cat5 vs. Cat6 Cable: What's the Difference?
![A Starlink dish outdoors ready to establish high speed internet connection.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/0bvk5QWRHc8mzVDz0Y8fPJJgu6g=/540x405/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1558254975-0a8ae81a4cd04f3eba064dd56ba8b030.jpg)
Is Starlink Worth It? 4 Reasons Why You Should Get Satellite Internet
![Connecting a Windows 11 laptop to a network.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/MAnAQw0iLC3lNfKAlAuc2qMoR6g=/540x405/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1292675599-17831620aacb4232ab8ea239c13b8cfa.jpg)
How to Connect to a Network in Windows 11
![An unlocked lock over a computer network discovery code.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/6LVV3rJc29YgbijrVkdJW8Emqfg=/540x405/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-turn-on-or-off-discovery-network-in-windows-10-74c70951f2ef41318b30937d76f80049.jpg)
How to Change Your Network From Public to Private
![Connecting a Windows 11 laptop to a network.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/tNDORfCofCJu8FspMspXnQgoMEY=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1292675599-17831620aacb4232ab8ea239c13b8cfa.jpg)
How to Connect to a Network in Windows 11
![An unlocked lock over a computer network discovery code.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/7Za3W9BnhwCRxE8tSdfNnhk1MrU=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-turn-on-or-off-discovery-network-in-windows-10-74c70951f2ef41318b30937d76f80049.jpg)
How to Change Your Network From Public to Private
![A woman sitting at a desk looking at a laptop with a desktop monitor nearby too](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/sKutLaVdmsP9Ofx7pypl0uBTOQ0=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-increase-internet-speed-5181475-b6fd84098c634a04a6934302184c5b1b.jpg)
How to Increase Internet Speed
![A man holding a smartphone in his hands with CGI rendering of network settings being reset hovering on top of it.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/6iUjyd1RfeVYuUyPzoBQW15VvoA=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/what-does-reset-network-settings-do-070cfe6b35264f3898b75c9be280af1c.jpg)
What Does ‘Reset Network Settings’ Do?
![Image of a laptop wi-fi dongle](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/DiQ8rNwLuAg036_NI1KfxeYif74=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-fix-it-when-a-5-ghz-network-isn-t-working-5218960-1-c22ff20470e24e6caf25f6c0ea8c7b75.jpg)
How to Fix It When a 5GHz Network Isn't Working
![Illustration of a website being blocked on a laptop](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/IDh89IEwjIJ0kEdFX9bJ_VDDzWE=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-973498580-ce7cd75d55af434d9953081d9216e51d.jpg)
How to Block any IP Address
![an internet speed test](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/3XkbnMQ9XwzPAQ8TLh3emHp6rao=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/speed-test-580e7a2b5f9b58564ce47143.png)
How to Test Your Internet Speed
![Forgetting a network on a WIndows 11 laptop.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/DLMzImd5_ltIUqKU1MNzkyBGTRY=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/forgetnetworkwindows11-f355e53070c34d6e87853cbe2584fe5d.jpg)
How to Forget a Network in Windows 11
![Checking DNS on a laptop.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/AB9CU7rukf9RD6qbnrT61M-o3nY=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/checkdns-9b70d1e050ca452abcf310d7a9bebe14.jpg)
How to Check DNS Settings
![Connecting a Printer to the Network](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/wK4MiFsyLMU-DIaZpn3Vjk72Io0=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/find-printer-ip-address_1-74ecd6f7331145748176416acf95275c.jpg)
How to Find Network Printer Name by IP Address
![server network illustration](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/iscQw0o1Ln2wtVyt57lrcqJxCYY=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/server-network-d25173ae3a814ce29d80c9d35df0a4f2.png)
How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 11
![Image of a shared folder](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/wN27X2C1dNL4DGDFXNuNXx0SxJY=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-fix-it-when-the-specified-network-name-is-no-longer-available-5207184-1-e56d1f6c2f864e1ea9b53db560536b50.jpg)
How to Fix It When the Specified Network Name Is No Longer Available
![A lock in a cloud, representing VPN style security on the internet](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/pEULRqGI6vrmo1RSefdSh3fInIo=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-814064960-59722ea8d088c00010fadb15-5bce0182c9e77c00832d81bb.jpg)
What Is a VPN?
![A businessman sitting at his desk and talking on his iPhone while looking at his Macbook.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/tPqwwi9b74sVfktetdXQ_WeI_Kg=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-reset-network-settings-on-mac-67f9ced141324211893514022b0229fb.jpg)
How to Reset Network Settings on Mac
![Digital rendering of a smartphone with cellular network data showing above it.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/xMfVTqLpkbXfKOPlJZdx4qsGZq0=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/what-are-network-settings-5aaded406ee44702ac11dd05f04d538e.jpg)
What Are Network Settings?
![Network device](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/EmTL9ODVeum1hggZ_EJbCXnMu1s=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/network-device-bedff3dbe01646d5aae00258443f8696.jpg)
How to Identify Devices on My Network
![Keyboard with fingerprint on it.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/yxS2hd4wvhLwkgXUTvPkiGl5-OU=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/data-1590455_1920-c1924a4ad3484aefb41e93685cf2e881.jpg)
How to Use the Chrome Password Manager
![Connecting to a wireless network with a smartphone.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/1en-kth4-twpcgAF3HZwcR2q0kE=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/001_what-is-a-good-download-speed-and-upload-speed-b3cb6ea16b424cd8975b3b379259f407.jpg)
What Is a Good Download Speed and Upload Speed?
![A group of teenagers sitting down side by side looking at their laptops](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/pkpZKLVv-0oLXIihdL4GJHHknek=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/what-is-a-network-5180410-fa6126a8bbfe487291333a4b9afdc855.jpg)
What Is a Network?
![Green and yellow LED lights on a modem router hybrid device.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/HEz8Kh08xID7hqy0ZGS-xg6Wf5k=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/what-do-the-lights-on-my-modem-mean-60c1c3bbac4840a39c2b7ab7b9ef07eb.jpg)
What Do the Lights on My Modem Mean?
![Image of modem cable connections](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/5XOUNaUgy9gcP9LFEdo07fIGHaA=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-know-if-you-need-a-new-modem-5176178-7-ce1d076be0724689a88470cb327944bc.jpg)
How to Know if You Need a New Modem
![Five different types of modems lined up to show how different they can look](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/w0n490nfYr-u6_0Zg_oUB68yqFE=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Modemexamples-735f453dd7bb44dca08a5bd7fd0c60c4.jpg)
How to Find a Modem's IP Address
![Close-Up Of Modem Against White Background](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/xl1KU1zNEn9gH7rw_mEpT6uRCws=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/close-up-of-modem-against-white-background-1191022542-67c7b601744f4d6084bf510d27773657.jpg)
Why Is My Modem Not Working?
![A modem sitting on a white surface next to a laptop computer.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/WWhgTiQ6D4BMmehpDT6wpKzQY5g=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/inlytics-linkedin-analytics-tool-17HaOLLOXYM-unsplash-a2259b15a6b84717a6609ca7064bcae0.jpg)
Why Does My Modem Keep Resetting?
![A computer connected via Ethernet](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/EXwkAz8m8DANuC9CqyHIqU_WU-0=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-disable-dhcp-5075607-1-9f3ccc37d33e482a8ddad996103f7556.jpg)
How to Disable DHCP
![A person enabling Airplan Mode on their smartphone on a plane.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/zyJBsiF711s0NZF3C5ORB5WtNf0=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1205659474-6b8ccc23dc3f4139aa3d8ab6893d1f44.jpg)
What Is Airplane Mode?
![A man placing a large package in a big slingshot.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/KAxJQvpMNv6jSVh6BoFYX0XC-iI=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-7-best-ways-to-send-large-files-over-the-internet-4d797f13b8374803857878d7f89538b4.jpg)
The 8 Best Ways to Send Large Files Over the Internet
![A padlock on a laptop screen](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/1SHFy8RYaKvPPfZj9EPSN4GCoM0=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-859482398-e6dd7c5e1f09497a84ecdcdfcfda3216.jpg)
How Do Password Managers Work?
![A conceptual image of a business man working on a network protected laptop.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/S7eMUWaJUYIAb_ZD0ilCeRdHmA8=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-700959026-42e954544a5a4e8c916ffb3733672652.jpg)
What Is an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)?
![Two ends of a broadband internet ethernet cable.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/XCdGw7KVBP_Fl5mFzBgoMSrVShU=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/what-is-broadband-3173273f4ff944e6a37ed848f1a18897.jpg)
What Is Broadband?
![Person using Corel on the web](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/ILUTVOgNkXuu7t96IAZe333Lds8=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/CoolWebsitesBored_3486362-6ad0f2fc3dd040dd8839fcd1d949e6ce.png)
19 Cool Websites to Look at When Bored
![Credit cards and a thumb drive sitting on a laptop with a password written on paper.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/LKH8GnDorPISUdGTmyWzm5Q618Q=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/internet-security-3_t20_YV2yVE-a97042ddc7f2428aaf4945ae4cc480df.jpg)
How to Create a Strong Password
![woman typing at computer](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/-EZrTVhIDySSxub9LHlk6ONz9lk=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-503847963-579be8ba3df78c32768aaec8.jpg)
8 Best Free Typing Tests to Test Your Speed and Accuracy
![A woman sitting at a desk smiling at her laptop.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/qSrQl69n8FP9dJsqirxcwcgMJPA=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-10-best-password-managers-of-2022-6543213-7650bf3ab2eb41a08dbee8713ce811e3.jpg)
The 10 Best Password Managers of 2024
![World map showing connections](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/lcGn0mEQWegagGpuJF2qLHpviUk=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-932741406-1690a09804414368ab3a65358731580d.jpg)
IPv4 vs. IPv6: What's the Difference?
![Spectrum/Charter internet speed test](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/5zUFjuKcDp9Ic7yYG7lnIiYKc8Q=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/spectrum-charter-speed-test-5b61b3bf46e0fb0082d03284.png)
Charter/Spectrum Speed Test
![Man using bluetooth enabled glasses](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/gGJR8NhjW3uTWvZ9HZdyPsVGQsM=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Bluetooth-57faff6d5f9b586c357f82bd.jpg)
What Is Bluetooth? The Ultimate Guide
![Wi-Fi 6 written on a blue background](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/knlNUEzSHk3JOHTK3xnsxM22cDM=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/wi-fi-6-4b99f318ff084779b4d961ba539acf00.png)
What Is Wi-Fi 6?
![A large stack of fluffy, wheat pancakes, topped with a pad of yellow butter and golden maple syrup](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/Or-j2Ny1vUXbXQzOOTwIaID9ypE=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-96872049-5a01dbc2ec2f640037bc71ae.jpg)
What Does the Term 'Scalable' Mean?
![Screenshot of a website URL](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/b2O6UkOVQBYTghZPQ6AzMD7BRJo=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/surf-internet-url-henrik5000-e-getty-images-56fa7f855f9b5829867282a9.jpg)
What Is a URL (Uniform Resource Locator)?
![Daily Life In Tehran - Using VPN to Access Social Media](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/H3yGKLodhAk75n35uTS8zvA3W_g=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-451913781-5743e1a93df78c6bb02c9b54.jpg)
How to Fix Client and Server-Side VPN Error 800
![illustrated lock on a circuitboard](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/y3jDTA2YknupvQ6FWNtBO-4LSFc=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/vpn-D3Damon-5782a3675f9b5831b5cdd2c3.jpg)
How to Fix a VPN That's Not Connecting
![Bonjour Network](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/QvfnOmnLKERC-1fUQwTWh7HSjqo=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Bonjourlogo-5c4b34fe46e0fb0001c0d898.jpg)
Bonjour Network Configuration Services
The Layers of the OSI Model Illustrated
![Illustration of a server cluster](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/BTvybT4t5_2dmNjBU8nGIWJZ5I8=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/servers-in-computer-networking-817380-5c09ff66a49f4774a965ccdadedcae27.png)
What Is a Server?
![An Orbi router's SSID](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/2TKaE9URjENo6d9oKt5pefMK2IE=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/001_816547-5b8d6c7846e0fb0050e2ecb5.jpg)
What Is a Service Set Identifier (SSID)?
![An image of a woman pressing a virtual lock button.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/OJnRBhrIZBn2MOBHKbTLwzBpsWA=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-927633078-0f271297981644b1a8ab3dff28209180.jpg)
How to Set Up a VPN on Mac
![Two hands shaking overlaid with a business network concept](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/GbXuOBPqXo_D1Sk_tPdzpsv_Le0=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1204589807-9e80eea9e2b44c44bb8f816e02c88dc1.jpg)
How to Reset Network Settings in Windows 11
![Image of binary code](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/3qTKLDrweORGHUM3qM5GJHJg37M=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/what-is-binary-and-how-does-it-work-4692749-1-1eaec2e636424e71bb35419ef8d5005b.png)
What Is Binary Code and How Does It Work?
![Cityscape superimposed with network nodes represented by bright lights and lines](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/UuLXCX8EjyQ22QmMjv8argp8sgY=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/001_816383-5b91a51546e0fb0025918561.jpg)
What Is a Wide Area Network (WAN)?
![ISDN - Telephone, keyboard, cable and bandwidth](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/NnfMha8OszHHSiis3_050zAFWK4=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-AB23362-57ea0b5e5f9b586c354b4587.jpg)
What Is Frame Relay Packet-Switching?
![Chicken of the VNC app on iMac screen](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/oHKV4PJf6wg9KP33STVJPpU6BQw=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/CloseupiMacinopenoffice1-f37595a135e14d0cbf549470f694c552.jpg)
What Is Virtual Network Computing (VNC)?
![An IT analyst looks at two computer screens.](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/o4g9jzRhnJ08vZYykZWRuo8qltU=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/what-does-snmp-mean-4688654-1-2b7fb80a15814a039cffbbbba0b39112.png)
What Does SNMP Mean?
![Ethernet network cables plugged into a modem](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/3P2pdw07hdxwKuLQkyOZf5vdcjo=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/network-cables-147518689-57f830613df78c690f71a842-9814b3340fad491f9db0cae9dc5f0c6a.jpg)
Kilobit - Megabit - Gigabit
![Technician installing fiber optic cable outside a busy office building](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/Ec91uBF4PHBXClaY-r50b-zXS6Y=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/FIberOpticCable_817874_Final_2-3de248f6d125406aafa1c7736823e1d0.png)
What Is Fiber Optic Cable?
![Network Cables in Server Room](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/mGoXfV1UUFBED9Qfl7Y-iA0aS4M=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-458751512-583fa9183df78c023029f958.jpg)
Introduction to Information Technology (IT)
![What are VLANs helpful with?](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/d_PRtVy9y83AoKZPmA1mtszbOcs=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-4929273151-5b538dc6c9e77c00370437ff.jpg)
What Is a Virtual LAN (VLAN)?
![Wi-fi area](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/EhK_6iDfNepAzInetthDOQer1DM=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-919006240-ee5ef631cb6f4e4997bce403b8bafa77.jpg)
The 4 Best Ways to Get Free Internet in 2024
![Logitech Wireless Mouse](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/t4WX3JPTip7P8jyTeMFCuwVaN2Y=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Logitech-mouse-4768666-882b1106dd7746108837c9bf6b8efec7.jpg)
How to Update Your Logitech Unifying Receiver
![Padlocks](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/rUT18ONLiMou_04pYeS-bMzj3xs=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-685002772-599ab1ebd088c000112ff79c.jpg)
How to Fix VPN Error 619