Home Network Setup Checklist

For a new home network setup, connect the modem or fiber ONT to a single routing gateway, then connect its LAN side to your devices, optional switch and Wi-Fi access points. Keep a supported router that already fits; if replacing it, our reference pick is the ASUS RT-BE92U, with a 10 Gbps WAN/LAN port and four 2.5 Gbps ports. Use the checklist to buy only the missing connections, coverage and storage.

Quick picks: buy for a missing job

Compare specifications and all conditions

Routing and Wi-Fi

Clear choice

ASUS RT-BE92U

What it connects

10 Gbps WAN/LAN; four 2.5 Gbps ports

Keep or skip instead

Keep a supported gateway with enough ports and suitable coverage

Small wired expansion

Clear choice

TP-Link TL-SG105S-M2

What it connects

Five 2.5 Gbps ports; four remain after a router uplink

Keep or skip instead

Skip if the router's accessible LAN ports suffice

More wired expansion

Clear choice

TP-Link TL-SG108S-M2 V2

What it connects

Eight 2.5 Gbps ports; seven remain after a router uplink

Keep or skip instead

Choose the smaller switch if its usable ports suffice

Missing patch leads

Clear choice

Cable Matters Cat6 160001

What it connects

Indoor, unshielded, bare-copper RJ45 leads

Keep or skip instead

Measure first and count supplied cables

Shared files and backups

Clear choice

Synology DS225+

What it connects

Two drive bays; one 2.5GbE and one 1GbE port

Keep or skip instead

Skip until you have a shared-storage job

Full comparison table ↔

Swipe to compare. Row labels stay visible.

Part	Clear choice	What it connects	Keep or skip instead
Routing and Wi-Fi	ASUS RT-BE92U	10 Gbps WAN/LAN; four 2.5 Gbps ports	Keep a supported gateway with enough ports and suitable coverage
Small wired expansion	TP-Link TL-SG105S-M2	Five 2.5 Gbps ports; four remain after a router uplink	Skip if the router's accessible LAN ports suffice
More wired expansion	TP-Link TL-SG108S-M2 V2	Eight 2.5 Gbps ports; seven remain after a router uplink	Choose the smaller switch if its usable ports suffice
Missing patch leads	Cable Matters Cat6 160001	Indoor, unshielded, bare-copper RJ45 leads	Measure first and count supplied cables
Shared files and backups	Synology DS225+	Two drive bays; one 2.5GbE and one 1GbE port	Skip until you have a shared-storage job

Part	Clear choice	What it connects	Keep or skip instead
Routing and Wi-Fi	ASUS RT-BE92U	10 Gbps WAN/LAN; four 2.5 Gbps ports	Keep a supported gateway with enough ports and suitable coverage
Small wired expansion	TP-Link TL-SG105S-M2	Five 2.5 Gbps ports; four remain after a router uplink	Skip if the router's accessible LAN ports suffice
More wired expansion	TP-Link TL-SG108S-M2 V2	Eight 2.5 Gbps ports; seven remain after a router uplink	Choose the smaller switch if its usable ports suffice
Missing patch leads	Cable Matters Cat6 160001	Indoor, unshielded, bare-copper RJ45 leads	Measure first and count supplied cables
Shared files and backups	Synology DS225+	Two drive bays; one 2.5GbE and one 1GbE port	Skip until you have a shared-storage job

Inventory the service, rooms and devices

Write a short worksheet before ordering:

• Service: provider, plan, supplied box's exact model, Ethernet handoff speed and connection settings. Identify a modem, ONT or modem/router gateway; modem vs router explains the roles.
• Rooms: mark the service entry, cable termination point, desk, TV and places needing Wi-Fi. Record existing Ethernet runs and available power at each planned Wi-Fi location.
• Devices: list each wired connection separately, including a NAS, printer and each wired AP or mesh node.
• Reuse: note working cables, available ports and supported equipment. ASUS says devices on its EOL list no longer receive firmware and documentation updates; check the exact model and region before reusing one.

For cable service, check the provider's approved-device list before replacing the modem. Cable modem choices are a separate decision from buying a router.

Draw the connections and assign ownership

Use this wired reference plan; omit the switch when the router has enough accessible LAN ports:

1. 1

   Modem or ONT → router WAN

   The gateway owns routing; use the provider's documented handoff and connection settings.

2. 2

   Router LAN → optional switch

   The switch expands wired connections downstream of the gateway.

3. 3

   LAN → devices, wired APs and optional NAS

   Connect directly to the router or through the switch; plan power for each AP separately.

Choose the routing owner before configuring Wi-Fi. For this basic home LAN, keep DHCP address assignment and NAT on the routing gateway. Apple's configuration guidance recommends a single DHCP server and generally enabling NAT only on the router.

If keeping a provider gateway as the router, put added Wi-Fi hardware into its documented AP mode. If your own router will take over, use the provider's documented bridge or bypass arrangement where supported. Turning off a gateway's Wi-Fi alone does not disable its routing; confirm the operating mode.

Count sockets where the cables actually meet

The RT-BE92U leaves four 2.5 Gbps LAN connections when its 10 Gbps port is WAN; a switch uplink uses one, leaving three. A five-port switch leaves four endpoint ports after its uplink; an eight-port switch leaves seven.

Worked example: assume all leads for a NAS, office PC, TV, printer and two wired APs terminate at the switch, with only its uplink returning to the router. The arithmetic is:

The smaller switch cannot hold that entire branch. If some endpoints can reach the router's spare ports directly, redraw the plan before buying the larger switch. Count AP uplinks and NAS connections just like other endpoints; start the DS225+ on its 2.5GbE port alone.

Check both ends of every speed-critical link. A 2.5 Gbps switch does not upgrade a gigabit computer interface. If the PC needs wireless instead, use our PC Wi-Fi adapter choices. For local NAS work, budget the computer-to-switch-to-NAS path separately from the internet plan.

Router pick: ASUS RT-BE92U

Choose this replacement when its ports solve your plan. The ASUS specifications list a 10 Gbps WAN/LAN port, a 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN port and three dedicated 2.5 Gbps LAN ports. Select the WAN role deliberately rather than counting every socket as LAN.

It supports tri-band Wi-Fi 7, router mode, AP mode and AiMesh node mode. Check the package separately: ASUS lists the router, power adapter and an RJ45 cable.

For alternatives matched to your WAN and LAN connections, use best Wi-Fi 7 routers. Check ASUS's model firmware page when commissioning it.

Switch picks: TL-SG105S-M2 or TL-SG108S-M2

Pick the TL-SG105S-M2 for a branch needing up to four device connections after the uplink; choose the TL-SG108S-M2 for up to seven. TP-Link documents both as fanless, plug-and-play switches with auto-negotiating 100 Mbps/1 Gbps/2.5 Gbps ports. They expand your LAN; keep address assignment on the gateway.

Match the full model and hardware revision. The eight-port specifications used here are for V2; the five-port download selector offers multiple revisions. Don't assume a feature listed for another revision applies.

For Deco backhaul, check compatibility before buying: TP-Link's backhaul instructions warn that loop detection can block a backhaul port, while the eight-port V2 page advertises automatic loop prevention. Confirm the exact combination with the maker. See multi-gig switches for wider port choices.

Cable pick: Cable Matters Cat6 160001

The maker's page identifies this as an indoor, unshielded cable with bare-copper conductors and RJ45 plugs. The linked existing variant is black, 7 ft, single pack; choose the required length and quantity rather than assuming every cable in the family is that version.

Subtract supplied leads before ordering: ASUS lists an RJ45 cable, and Synology lists two LAN cables. For wall runs, count the patch connections at both ends separately. Don't extend the maker's Cat6 speed headline into an unconditional long-run guarantee: Fluke recommends Cat6A for a new installation designed for 10GBASE-T up to 100 m. Our Cat6 vs Cat6A vs Cat8 guide handles installation choices.

Check price on Amazon

Optional NAS pick: Synology DS225+

Add shared storage after the network works. Synology's specifications list two SATA drive bays, one 2.5GbE port and one 1GbE port. Use the 2.5GbE port for this plan; don't count the separate ports as a faster combined connection.

Treat the enclosure, drives and backup destination as separate order checks. Synology asks buyers to consult its drive compatibility list; a bundled disk's exact model matters. Its DSM 7.3 announcement permits third-party drives for installation and storage pools on its 2025 DiskStation Plus models running that release. Check the installed DSM version rather than applying an older blanket restriction.

Skip the NAS unless you need its job. Home NAS choices help choose an enclosure; NAS drive choices address the storage purchase.

How we choose

Recommendations use official specifications, setup instructions and compatibility guidance, with saved source evidence. We prioritize reusable equipment, usable ports at the termination point and documented operating modes. Port arithmetic is a planning calculation, not a performance result. These recommendations do not come from physical product testing. Read our selection method.

Buying guide: choose Wi-Fi, then configure in order

Single router: start here if the planned location serves your rooms; check coverage where you will actually use devices before ordering expansion.

Mesh: use mesh system choices when you need additional Wi-Fi locations. Check mode restrictions: Deco supports AP mode behind an existing router, but Google limits primary-unit bridge mode to a single Wifi device.

Separate wired APs: use access point choices when you can provide Ethernet and the specified power. Budget power separately from port speed: NETGEAR's WBE710, for example, specifies 802.3at PoE+. Check the AP's requirement against both the injector or switch port and the switch's total power budget; PoE switch choices cover that purchase.

Connect and configure in this order:

1. Confirm service. Follow the provider's activation and handoff instructions; obtain required WAN settings. ASUS's setup wizard documentation distinguishes automatic IP, PPPoE credentials and static settings supplied by the ISP.
2. Commission the gateway. Connect service to WAN and a setup computer to LAN. Set an administration password and Wi-Fi credentials, install firmware updates and enable automatic updates where available. Apple recommends WPA3 Personal or WPA2/WPA3 Transitional for older-device compatibility.
3. Add the wired branch. Connect router LAN to the switch, then endpoints. Leave clients on DHCP initially. For predictable NAS or printer addresses, use the gateway's reservation feature; ASUS documents manual assignment by MAC address. Save the gateway, subnet, reservation and device names.
4. Add Wi-Fi locations. Follow the exact system's order. Deco requires wireless onboarding before Ethernet backhaul; in Router mode its satellites belong downstream of the main Deco. For a reused ASUS AP, select Administration → Operation mode → Access Point, keep upstream DHCP enabled and follow its AP connection instructions.
5. Add storage and record recovery. Put the computer and NAS on the same LAN, then use Synology's DSM installation instructions. Configure a separate backup destination and record recovery credentials. Save the router configuration too.

Verify local access, internet and recovery separately

Use this acceptance checklist before calling installation complete:

• Yes: Local network: confirm the gateway's client list, then open the NAS share or printer from the main LAN and each intended Wi-Fi location
• Yes: Internet: open an external website from the wired computer and each intended Wi-Fi location, with cellular fallback disabled
• Yes: Recovery: back up a disposable sample file, restore a separate copy and open it; save configuration and recovery information

A guest network can deliberately block local resources: ASUS describes its guest network as allowing internet while restricting LAN access. Run the local-access check from the intended main network. Reaching the internet alone does not prove that local devices can communicate.

Hyper Backup supports external devices, other servers and cloud destinations, plus file-level recovery. Choose an independent destination for NAS backups and perform the sample restore. Retain the plan and results for later fault-finding.

Verdict

Keep the working gateway when it fits. If replacing it, use the RT-BE92U as the reference router, choose the five- or eight-port switch from the usable-port ledger, and buy cables to measured lengths. Add Wi-Fi locations and a NAS only for named jobs, then sign off local access, internet access and a sample restore separately.