Airbnb Wi-Fi security: use a guest network to protect your smart home
Updated October 18, 2026.
The setting to use is a separate guest network. Give guests a Wi-Fi network of their own, keep your smart lock, thermostat and cameras on a different one, and change the guest password between stays. Guests still get fast Wi-Fi, and they never share a network with the devices that run your property.
- In many rentals, guests join the same Wi-Fi as the smart lock.
- The FTC and NSA both recommend a separate guest network.
- Smart devices belong on their own network, away from guests.
- Airbnb has banned indoor security cameras since April 30, 2024.
Is Airbnb Wi-Fi a security risk for hosts?
It can be. Airbnb says guests search for Wi-Fi more often than nearly any other amenity.1 Yet in many rentals, the network guests join also runs the smart lock, the thermostat and the doorbell camera.
Anyone on that network can see those devices, and some can try to log in to them. Every past guest who saved the password keeps that access until you change it.
The FTC recommends a guest network with its own name and password.3 The NSA goes further: separate networks for your own devices, guests and smart devices.4
A host's Wi-Fi checklist
- Create a guest network with its own name and password. Never hand out your main Wi-Fi.3
- Move smart devices to their own network. Locks, thermostats and cameras shouldn't share Wi-Fi with guests.4
- Change the guest password between stays. Devices on a different network won't notice.
- Change the router's admin password and keep it off the welcome card.3
- Keep the router updated and switch off WPS and UPnP if you don't use them.3
- Know the camera rules. Airbnb bans indoor security cameras, and outdoor cameras must be disclosed before booking.5
- Test the speed and post it. Airbnb suggests running its Wi-Fi speed test and adding the result to your listing.1
Cameras deserve extra care. Our guide to how home cameras get hacked covers the account steps a network can't handle.
What a rental network can look like
| Network | Devices | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Door and climate | Smart lock, thermostat | Only you |
| Cameras | Doorbell, outdoor camera | Only you |
| Guests | Guest phones, laptops, tablets | Guests |
| Owner | Your phone and laptop | You, when you're on site |
One trade-off: if guests cast to a smart TV, the TV usually needs to sit on the guest network. For more on grouping devices, see should smart home devices be on a separate network?
Where Rio fits
Rio gives guests their own Wi-Fi and puts your devices in SecureRooms, walled off from each other by default. Guest devices drop off when they disconnect, so past guests can't drift back on. The trade-off: every new Wi-Fi device waits for your approval in the app, so Rio suits hosts who live on site or nearby. See Rio for rental hosts.
Your last guest may still have the password to your smart lock's network.
Rio puts guests on their own Wi-Fi and walls off your lock, thermostat and cameras.
See a rental Wi-Fi setupFrequently asked questions
Should Airbnb guests be on a separate Wi-Fi network?
Yes. A guest network keeps visitors apart from your own devices and from the smart lock, thermostat and cameras that run the property. The FTC recommends a guest network with its own name and password, and changing that password between stays keeps past guests off it.
Can guests hack my smart lock through the Wi-Fi?
Sharing a network gives guests a path to your devices, and some smart devices run weak or outdated software. Putting the lock, thermostat and cameras on a separate network removes that path. Keep each device's app protected with a unique password and two-step login too.
How often should I change the guest Wi-Fi password?
Between stays is ideal, and at least every few weeks if that's not practical. If your smart devices sit on a different network, changing the guest password won't disconnect them, so the job takes a minute and nothing else in the property needs resetting.
Can I have security cameras in my rental?
It depends on your platform and local law. Airbnb has banned indoor security cameras since April 30, 2024, and requires outdoor cameras to be disclosed before guests book. Other platforms and cities set their own rules, so check the current policy before installing anything.
Airbnb and Vrbo are trademarks of their owners. Rio isn't affiliated with or endorsed by either platform.
Sources
- Airbnb Resource Center, Attract guests with fast, reliable wifi. airbnb.com
- NETGEAR and Bitdefender, 2024 IoT Security Landscape Report, June 2024. netgear.com
- Federal Trade Commission, How To Secure Your Home Wi-Fi Network, updated December 2022. ftc.gov
- National Security Agency, Best Practices for Securing Your Home Network, February 2023. defense.gov (PDF)
- NPR via VPM, Airbnb bans all indoor security cameras, March 11, 2024. vpm.org
