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101 Guide to Wi-Fi Subnet Masking Networks

5 min read
When you hear the term "subnet" or "subnetting", it's usually in a business setting. But with the average number of digital devices in American households reaching a whopping 21 this year1—more and more people are now interested in learning about subnetting their home Wi-Fi networks. Here, we'll discuss what it is, why someone might want to do it, and some alternatives that may work just as well for you.
A person using a cell phone to learn about subnetting their home Wi-Fi network.

What is Subnetting?

In the past, subnetting was something reserved for an IT person or network administrator who works in a complex environment, like a large office or a data center. Subnetting allowed them to divide a large computer network into smaller, more manageable subnetworks or "subnets".

Subnetting has many advantages, from boosting network performance, to enhancing security, and beyond. Think of it like this: You have a big map of the world (computer network), and you want to divide it into different regions (subnets) for better organization and communication. This is similar to what subnetting does for computer networks.

Why Do It at Home?

There are many reasons why someone would want to do it at home. Here are just a few:

  • Boost Security. You can enhance security by isolating different types of devices or services. Say you have a lot of personal IoT devices like home cameras, for example, and you want to separate them from your work computer or other important devices in case of a security breach. Or maybe you have a lot of visitors in your home, and you want to create separate subnet for guest devices. This can help protect your main network while still letting your guests access the internet.
  • Control Bandwidth. Subnetting can let you control and manage bandwidth usage for certain subnets or devices. This can help ensure that those devices or activities don't eat up too much bandwidth and impact your overall Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • Isolate Traffic. Maybe you're a serious gamer who has a dedicated gaming server at home. Subnetting can separate the server traffic from other devices on the network, so you get the resources and bandwidth you need without interference from other activities.

What is Subnet Masking?

Before we answer that, let's take a quick look at IP Addresses and how they play a role in all this. When it comes to your home Wi-Fi network, your wireless router (or gateway) and every device that uses it (think printer, computer, phone, gaming console, home assistants, etc.) share the same identifier. This comes in the form of an IP (Internet Protocol) address. That IP address lets each device communicate with others and exchange data on the internet. An IP address is a string of unique numbers separated by periods (dots). It looks something like this: 123.456.78.90

Similarly, each subnet is identified by its own network address, called a subnet mask. A subnet mask is a 32-bit number that breaks up an IP address into two parts:

  • Network bits (which identify the network)
  • Host bits (which identify the device on the network)

It's usually written in dotted-decimal format and looks something like this: 255.255.255.0

Creating Multiple "Networks" in One

As we mentioned, most of us don't think about subnetting our home Wi-Fi networks because our devices are usually set up to automatically get an IP address, and the network is designed to be simple and easy to use. But as people continue to rack up large amounts of devices, and work from home, keeping devices on separate networks is becoming increasingly popular.

Keep in mind: unless you have a special kind of router, it may not even be possible to create multiple subnets. Even if you can, this is not always as simple as it looks, as things can get dicey if you don't do it correctly. In most cases, creating subnet masks may be best left to the pros or to the very tech savvy.

Alternatives to Subnetting

Here are a few other options that are much simpler and may work just as well for your needs:

  • Guest Networks. You could easily setup a secure guest network that's not for guests at all! Many people create one to use as a designated network for all the devices they want to keep separate from, say, their home office equipment. There's a great how-to article about setting up a guest Wi-Fi network.
  • VLANs. Short for "Virtual Local Area Network", this technology lets you split a home network into segments using budget-friendly switches. A lot of people use them to isolate IoT devices, like smart appliances, cameras, security systems and more. The good news is these switches are compatible with many wireless home gateways and routers.
  • Repeaters, Extenders and Mesh. If connectivity is the driving force behind your interest in subnetting, there are a lot of solutions that can help boost your speed and get rid of connectivity dead zones in your home. You can read more about it here.

Sources:

  1. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/deloitte-the-connected-consumer-paradox---desire-for-fewer-devices-vs-more-virtual-experiences-and-technology-innovation-301919928.html#:~:text=Households%20have%20an%20average%20of,and%20subscriptions%20is%20%22overwhelming.%22

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