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Your smart home is a futuristic marvel. But when the camera bugs, our neighbors make noise spy on usare smart speakers manipulated with lasersis a robot vacuum cleaner hacked for shouting obscenitiesand entire security systems are compromised by one smart contactIt’s understandable if you have reservations about connecting your house to the Internet.

There is no reason to avoid the benefits of smart home devices however completely. The trick is to understand the risks and take advantage of available security features. Whether you have a full network of smart kitchen appliances or a single voice assistant, follow these steps to ensure no one messes with your stuff.

1. Think about what you actually need

Before you rush out to buy one smart speakerthermostat or video doorbellevaluate your comfort level in balancing convenience with security and privacy. A security camera can offer protection, but are you okay with footage being uploaded to remote company servers? A voice assistant like Alexa never sleeps and is always listening for your commands. Is it scary or a benefit? Find out what you need from a smart home and where privacy trumps convenience for you.

2. Secure your Wi-Fi network

Out of the box, most routers use a model-specific SSID and either a random password or something generic, like “admin,” making it easy for hackers to access your home Wi-Fi and snoop around your connected smart home devices. Keep in mind that these manufacturer credentials may be found online for everyone to use, so the first thing you should do is secure your Wi-Fi network with a strong password.

How you do this varies slightly by device, but the basics are the same; here’s how to get started. Those using a mesh system will be able to manage security options from a convenient mobile app. If your router allows it, also consider changing the SSID, which is just the name of your Wi-Fi network (eg PCMag_Home). When you’re there, make sure you use the highest security protocol. While older devices will top out at WPA2, newer routers have it superior WPA3 standard.

3. Update firmware

Firmware is the low-level software that runs your router and Internet of Things gadgets. You can access your router’s firmware or log in through the associated app to change the password (which should be different from the Wi-Fi password) and configure various settings.

Companies are also rolling out bug fixes and new features for their connected devices, and many are automatically updated over Wi-Fi. Registering your smart device with the manufacturer can help ensure your devices receive these updates. But there are still many others that require owners to manually update for the latest goodies and security fixes. Don’t ignore these; running older firmware versions can leave your device vulnerable to hackers looking to exploit unpatched flaws.

Configure your device to automatically upgrade – if you’re willing to accept the potential risk of automatic downloads from third-party servers. Otherwise, your best bet is to set a reminder to regularly check for improvements. Amazon, Arlo, Google, Call, Wyzeand others provide information on how to check and update your firmware.

4. Replace outdated routers

Chances are you probably bought a new phone or laptop in the last few years. But what about your router? Has it been gathering dust on a shelf for far too long? If your internet performance isn’t suffering yet, the security of your connected devices almost certainly is. An aging router means aging security protocols – and an easier access point for bad actors.

Do you need a new router is the latest internet standard for the home Wi-Fi 6. Prices for Wi-Fi 6 routers has decreased drastically in recent years, now that there are more options available. Wi-Fi 7, meanwhile, has only just begun out on the market. Take a look at our roundups of the best wireless routers, gaming routersand mesh network.

PCMag Recommended Wireless Routers

5. Manage your account passwords

With the Wi-Fi network secure, it’s time to protect the individual devices and services that connect to it. Many smart devices are controlled via a mobile app, and you need to create an account with each one. Using the same password for everything is convenient, but it’s a security nightmare. If one of those accounts is compromised and the password exposed, hackers could have the keys to all the other accounts where you used that password.

Create a unique password instead you can rememberbut others guess not. You might want to use one random password generator to produce codes that are difficult to guess and a the password manager to remember them all for you.

6. Enable multi-factor authentication

Strong passwords are one thing, but you can take it a step further by enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) on supported services. So even if a hacker gets hold of your password, they won’t be able to log into the account without another form of authentication.

Head over to the security settings for the accounts you want to protect and get started by connecting the service to one authentication app such as Google Authenticator or Authy (SMS-based authentication is also an option, although it is usually seen as less secure than an authenticator app). Now, when you sign in, those accounts will require your password, plus a second form of authentication — like the six-digit code generated by your authentication device.

Many smart home devices support MFA, including Amazon Echo, Arlo, Google Nest, and Ring. Read our guide to learn which platforms provide it and how to set it up.

7. Split the network

A 2019 FBI alert suggested that “your refrigerator and laptop should not be on the same network. Keep your most private, sensitive data on a separate system from your other IoT devices.” After all, hackers aren’t interested in whether you run out of Greek yogurt; the unsecured refrigerator is just an access point to break into your wireless network to steal data from your laptop or phone.

Prevent this by placing your smart home equipment on a separate network band. Most routers should have the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands to use (some even have a third 6GHz band). You can even set the router’s guest network. This frees up bandwidth for browsing and streaming, while separating IoT devices from personal data. If you get hacked, malware infecting your less secure smart home devices is unlikely to jump to the main network.

8. Monitor your network

If you are still concerned about network security, you can monitor manually who is on your Wi-Fi. The program Wireless network monitoringfor example, shows all the devices connected through your router, so you can check them against owned gadgets. For added protection against network vulnerabilities, we recommend investing in a comprehensive security suite as a buffer against what a bad actor might try to inject into your home network.

But there are also devices that monitor your network for vulnerabilities: Firewalla sells products that allow you to see and manage all network devices and their actions. (We gave Firewalla purple our Editors’ Choice honor.)