How to Set Up a Guest WiFi Network on Your Router (2026)

You want to let visitors, contractors, or a houseful of smart-home gadgets get online without handing over your main Wi-Fi password or exposing the laptops, phones, and files already on your network. A guest network solves exactly that. It creates a separate, isolated Wi-Fi segment with its own name and password, so anything connected to it cannot reach the devices on your primary network.

Nearly every modern retail router (NETGEAR, TP-Link, ASUS, eero, Orbi, Deco, Google Nest Wi-Fi) supports this in a few taps. Mesh systems are configured almost entirely through their app, while traditional routers offer both an app and a browser-based admin page.

Below are the verified steps for the most common systems, app-first since that is how most people set this up today. Find your brand, follow the breadcrumb path, and you will be done in a couple of minutes.

Before You Start: Pick a Name, Password, and Security Type

A few decisions apply no matter which router you own. Get these ready first.

• Choose a guest network name (SSID) that is different from your main network name. Vendors including Google Nest, eero, and Google Fiber require the two to differ.
• Choose a strong, unique password of at least 12 characters, and select WPA2 or WPA3 with AES encryption (not TKIP).
• Leave guest-to-LAN access turned OFF so visitors stay isolated from your personal devices. This is the default on most systems and the whole point of a guest network.
• For the browser method, know your router's admin address. Vendor URLs are routerlogin.net (NETGEAR), orbilogin.com (Orbi), tplinkwifi.net (TP-Link), and asusrouter.com (ASUS); generic IPs are often 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1.

Set Up Guest Wi-Fi on eero (eero App)

eero is app-only, and its guest network is fully isolated by default.

1. 1.Open the eero app and go to its guest network settings.
2. 2.Turn the guest network on. eero automatically appends "Guest" to your network name and generates a password.
3. 3.Edit the guest name and password to your liking (use values different from your main network).
4. 4.Share with visitors by giving them the name and password directly, by sending the credentials through the app's share option (such as SMS, email, or messaging), or by having guests scan the app's QR code.

Set Up Guest Wi-Fi on Google Nest Wi-Fi (Google Home App)

Google Nest Wi-Fi and Google Wi-Fi are unique in letting you expose specific main-network devices to guests, which keeps casting and printing working.

1. 1.Open the Google Home app.
2. 2.Tap "Wi-Fi," then "Network settings" > "Guest network."
3. 3.Turn on "Guest network."
4. 4.Enter a guest network name and password (both required; use values different from your main Wi-Fi).
5. 5.Under "Shared devices," select any device you want guests to use, such as a streaming device, smart TV, speaker, or printer.
6. 6.Tap "Save."

To share later, tap "Wi-Fi" > "Share password," swipe to the Guest Network, then tap Copy, Message, or Email. On a Nest display, swipe down and tap "Connectivity" > "Guest Wi-Fi." For privacy, you can uncheck "Show your Guest network password on your voice assistant-enabled displays" in Network settings.

Set Up Guest Wi-Fi on TP-Link Deco (Deco App)

1. 1.Open the Deco app.
2. 2.Go to "More" > "Guest Network."
3. 3.Tap "Turn On Guest Network."
4. 4.Enter a password for guest access. Leaving the password blank creates an OPEN network, so always set one unless you want it open.
5. 5.Set the Network name (SSID), password, and Security type using the Security button.
6. 6.Tap "Advanced" for optional settings: working band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz), bandwidth limits, and "Allow Local Access" (only needed in AP mode).
7. 7.Set how long it stays active: 1 hour, 4 hours, 24 hours, Always, or Auto.
8. 8.Tap "Save," then use "Share Wi-Fi" to send credentials.

In Router mode, the guest and main networks are isolated automatically. On the "Auto" setting, the guest network turns off after about 10 minutes with no connected devices, so choose "Always" if you want it persistent.

Set Up Guest Wi-Fi on a NETGEAR Nighthawk Router (Nighthawk App)

1. 1.Launch the Nighthawk app while signed in and connected to your router.
2. 2.Tap the "Guest WiFi" tile.
3. 3.Select a band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).
4. 4.Tap the slider for "Guest WiFi Enabled" to turn it on.
5. 5.Create a network name (SSID) and a guest password.
6. 6.Optionally tap "Share WiFi with QR Code," or use the "Time Period" option to auto-disable the guest network after a set window.

The slider and field entries apply the settings, and guest and primary networks are separated automatically.

Set Up Guest Wi-Fi on a NETGEAR Nighthawk Router (Web Browser)

1. 1.From a device on your network, open a browser to http://www.routerlogin.net.
2. 2.Log in with username "admin" and the password you created at setup (credentials are case-sensitive).
3. 3.Select "Guest Network" on the home page. On Nighthawk Pro Gaming models, the path is Settings > Guest Network.
4. 4.Scroll to the band you want (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz); you can enable each band separately.
5. 5.Make sure "Enable SSID Broadcast" is selected so the network is visible.
6. 6.Enter a guest name in the SSID field (up to 32 characters). Defaults are NETGEAR-Guest and NETGEAR-5G-Guest.
7. 7.Choose a security option (WPA2 is the default) and enter a guest password.
8. 8.Click "Apply." The router keeps the guest network separated from your primary network.

Set Up a Guest Network on NETGEAR Orbi (Web Browser)

1. 1.From a device on your Orbi network, open a browser to http://orbilogin.com.
2. 2.Log in with username "admin" and your admin password.
3. 3.On the BASIC Home page, select "Guest Network."
4. 4.Select the "Enable Guest Network" checkbox.
5. 5.Leave "Enable SSID Broadcast" selected.
6. 6.Type a name in the "Guest Wireless Network Name (SSID)" field.
7. 7.Leave "Allow guests to see each other and access my local network" UNCHECKED for privacy (it is off by default).
8. 8.Choose a security option (WPA2-PSK [AES] recommended) and enter a password.
9. 9.Click "Apply."

Set Up Guest Wi-Fi on a TP-Link Archer Router (Web Browser)

1. 1.Open a browser to http://tplinkwifi.net and sign in with your password or TP-Link ID.
2. 2.Go to "Advanced" > "Guest Network."
3. 3.Select "Enable Guest Network 2.4GHz" and/or "Enable Guest Network 5GHz."
4. 4.Enter a Network Name (SSID).
5. 5.Set Wireless Security to "WPA/WPA2-Personal" (recommended) and enter a Wireless Password.
6. 6.Leave "Allow Guest to see each other" and "Allow Guest to access my Local Network" OFF for isolation. Enable local access only if the router runs as an access point.
7. 7.Click "Save," then verify under "Advanced" > "Status."

One gotcha: enabling the guest network disables WDS bridging, which stays unavailable while the guest network is on. The standard TP-Link router (new logo) follows the same Advanced > Guest Network path.

Set Up Guest Wi-Fi on an ASUS Router (Web Browser or App)

For the classic Guest Network, open a browser to http://www.asusrouter.com, log in, and click "Guest Network." Select a band; the name and password are auto-generated and editable. Useful options include Hide SSID, Authentication Method (WPA2-Personal recommended), Access time, Bandwidth Limiter, and "Access Intranet" (leave off to isolate guests). Click "Apply."

In the ASUS Router app, go to "Settings" > "WiFi" > "Wireless Settings" > "Guest Network," tap "+" to choose a band, edit the auto-generated name and password, then tap "OK." Note that ASUS classic Guest Network supports up to three networks per band, but only the first syncs to AiMesh nodes.

Newer WiFi 7 ROG and select WiFi 6 models (firmware 3.0.0.6.102_34312 or above) use "Guest Network Pro," renamed simply "Network" on firmware 3.0.0.6.102_35404 and later. It creates multiple independent networks with per-network access permissions, bandwidth management, content filtering, optional VPN assignment, and a dedicated IoT network.

If You Have a Comcast/Xfinity Gateway

Per official Xfinity support answers, Comcast/Xfinity residential gateways do NOT offer a private, password-protected guest network. The "xfinitywifi" SSID they broadcast is a public hotspot that requires guests to sign in with their own Xfinity account, which is impractical for visitors. The Xfinity app can share your MAIN network credentials, but that is not a separate guest network. To get a real one, put the gateway into bridge mode and add your own retail router, or add a third-party router as a wireless access point with AP/client isolation enabled, then create the guest network there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I cast to my TV or control my smart bulbs from the guest network?
Guest networks isolate devices from your main network, so a phone on one cannot reach a Chromecast or IoT device on the other. Google Nest Wi-Fi works around this with the "Shared devices" selector; most other vendors do not, so keep devices you need to control on the same network as your phone.

Should I hide the guest network name?
No. Disabling SSID broadcast forces guests to type the exact name manually and makes the network harder to find. NETGEAR, TP-Link, and Orbi all recommend leaving SSID broadcast ON for a guest network.

My older smart-home gadget won't connect to the guest network. Why?
Many older IoT devices need WPA2 and the 2.4 GHz band. If your guest network is set to WPA3 or 5 GHz only, those devices can fail to connect. Match the guest band and security type to the devices you plan to put on it.

My router runs as an access point and guests get no internet. What's wrong?
When a router is used as an access point rather than the main router, you must enable "Allow Guest to access my Local Network" (TP-Link) or "Allow Local Access" (Deco). This is the opposite of the usual privacy default, and without it guests will not get online.

Can two of a guest's own devices talk to each other on the guest network?
Often no. eero fully isolates guest devices from each other, and Orbi, Deco, and TP-Link do so by default. So a visitor trying to connect their phone to a portable speaker on the guest network may find it does not work.

What security settings should I use for the strongest guest network?
Use WPA2 or WPA3 with AES (never TKIP), a unique password of at least 12 characters, keep guest-to-LAN access turned off, and consider disabling UPnP. This isolates guests and any vulnerable IoT devices from your personal files and banking data.