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Setup WiFi on the Dlink DCS-3420

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Setup Router Staff
(Last Updated: ) | Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Dlink DCS-3420 router is considered a wireless router because it offers WiFi connectivity. WiFi, or simply wireless, allows you to connect various devices to your router, such as wireless printers, smart televisions, and WiFi enabled smartphones.

Use a VPN Instead

Have you considered using a VPN instead of forwarding a port? For most users, a VPN is a much simpler and more secure choice than forwarding a port.

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When shopping for a VPN, make sure that they meet the following criteria:

  • Your VPN provider should have a no-logs policy. This means that they do not keep any logs of any kind.
  • Make sure that your VPN provider has lots of exit nodes all around the world.
  • Check that your VPN will not affect your speed.
  • Verify that your VPN provider uses WireGuard as the underlying protocol.
  • Many people prefer a VPN provider that is not based in the United States.

This is the list of requirements that we used when we were shopping around for a VPN provider. There are lots of free, shady VPN providers out there that we looked at and dismissed.

Based in Panama, using diskless servers, and with over 6,100 servers in 61 countries, we can safely say that NordVPN satisfies all of these requirements.

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Once you've set up your NordVPN account on multiple computers and enabled Meshnet, you can seamlessly access all of your devices as if they were on the same network. You don't even have to log in to your router. It's very simple.

Every time you click on one of our affiliate links, such as NordVPN, we get a little kickback for introducing you to the service. Think of us as your VPN wingman.

Other Dlink DCS-3420 Guides

This is the wifi guide for the Dlink DCS-3420. We also have the following guides for the same router:

WiFi Terms

Before we get started there is a little bit of background info that you should be familiar with.

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Wireless Name

Your wireless network needs to have a name to uniquely identify it from other wireless networks. If you are not sure what this means we have a guide explaining what a wireless name is that you can read for more information.

Wireless Password

An important part of securing your wireless network is choosing a strong password.

Wireless Channel

Picking a WiFi channel is not always a simple task. Be sure to read about WiFi channels before making the choice.

Encryption

You should almost definitely pick WPA2 for your networks encryption. If you are unsure, be sure to read our WEP vs WPA guide first.

Login To The Dlink DCS-3420

To get started configuring the Dlink DCS-3420 WiFi settings you need to login to your router. If you are already logged in you can skip this step.

To login to the Dlink DCS-3420, follow our Dlink DCS-3420 Login Guide.

Find the WiFi Settings on the Dlink DCS-3420

If you followed our login guide above then you should see this screen.

router status mac address internet IP
This is the status page from your Dlink DCS-3420 router.

Starting on the Home page of the Dlink DCS-3420 internet camera, click the tab at the top of the page, in blue, labeled Advanced. Then, looking to the left, click the choice titled Network.

Change the WiFi Settings on the Dlink DCS-3420

wifi wireless
This is the wifi setup page from your Dlink DCS-3420 router.

You should now be on the Wireless settings page. The first box is titled SSID. This is the name you give your network so that you can identify it later on. We recommend for safety reasons avoiding personal information. To learn more about your SSID, read the Wireless Names Guide.

Now drop down to the Channel list. Be sure you are on either channel 1,6, or 11. To learn why these three channels are important, read our WiFi Channels Guide.

Next, find the drop down menu titled Security. The best option is WPA-PSK. An even better option would be WPA2-PSK. You should be able to get this security option by updating your firmware. To learn the differences in these security options, read our WEP vs. WPA Guide.

You need to enter a Pre-shared Key. This is the password you use to gain access to the internet. Make sure this password is a strong one, at least 20 characters. To learn about creating a strong password that is easy to remember, read our Choosing a Strong Password Guide.

When you are finished, click the green Apply button in the lower right corner of the screen.

Possible Problems when Changing your WiFi Settings

After making these changes to your router you will almost definitely have to reconnect any previously connected devices. This is usually done at the device itself and not at your computer.

Other Dlink DCS-3420 Info

Don't forget about our other Dlink DCS-3420 info that you might be interested in.

This is the wifi guide for the Dlink DCS-3420. We also have the following guides for the same router: