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Put smart devices on their own network
Why it matters: If a cheap smart plug or an old TV is compromised, a separate network keeps it away from your laptop and files.
On your path if you picked “Cameras or a video doorbell”, “Smart speakers or displays”, “Smart TV or streaming stick”, “Game consoles”, “Smart locks, plugs or thermostats” or “Not sure what's connected” for “What's connected?”.
Best after: Take control of your router
Do it
- Create a guest network or 'IoT' network on your router.
- Move smart devices to it one at a time, starting with the oldest and cheapest.
- Keep phones and computers on the main network.
- Remove devices you no longer use from your network and their apps.
Check it worked: Cameras, TVs, speakers and other smart devices are on a guest or separate network, away from the computers and phones you bank on.
Simply put
It's like giving houseguests their own entrance so they never walk through your study. If a cheap gadget or an old TV is compromised, a separate network keeps it away from the laptop where you bank.
In detail
Some devices need to be on the same network as your phone to set up or cast; set them up, then move them. Newer smart-home standards make this easier, but a separate network remains the simplest containment.
Points toward the Long View: a home where any one weak gadget stays contained.