Should smart home devices be on a separate network?
Updated October 8, 2026.
Yes, for most homes. Smart gadgets are cheap, numerous and rarely updated, and on a typical network they sit right next to the laptops and phones that hold your email, photos and bank logins. A separate network means a compromised gadget has far less to reach.
- The FBI has advised isolating smart devices on their own networks since 2015.
- Smart TVs and plugs hold the most weak spots in home networks.
- A guest network is a good start; multiple segments are better.
- Group devices that talk to each other, so casting still works.
What do security agencies recommend?
- The FBI's 2015 public service announcement advised: "Isolate IoT devices on their own protected networks."1
- In 2019, the FBI's Portland office put it plainly: your fridge and your laptop shouldn't share a network.2
- CISA suggests putting smart devices on guest Wi-Fi if internet access is all they need.3
Why are smart devices the weak spot?
In 2025 the FBI warned that millions of home streaming boxes and similar gadgets had been infected and pulled into a criminal network called BADBOX 2.0.5 Owners usually had no idea.
The typical US household has around 21 connected devices,6 and many will never get another security update. Each one shares your network with the devices that matter most.
How do I put smart devices on a separate network?
| Method | How it works | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guest network | Smart devices join the router's guest Wi-Fi | Free on most routers; quick | Usually one extra network; shared with visitors |
| Multiple segments | One router creates several isolated networks | Group devices by type: cameras, appliances, entertainment, work | Needs a router that supports it |
| A second router | Smart devices get their own router | Strong separation | More hardware; double NAT can cause issues |
What breaks when you separate devices?
Gadgets you control through the maker's cloud app usually keep working from any network. Local features can stop working across networks, such as casting, AirPlay, screen mirroring and hub control.
- Group devices that talk to each other. Keep the TV, streaming stick and speakers together.
- Give computers and phones their own space. They hold the most valuable data, so make them hardest to reach.
A separate network won't patch an outdated gadget or protect its cloud account. Keep gadgets updated and use unique passwords with two-step login. Cameras need extra care: see can baby monitors be hacked?
A simple plan for most homes
- Cameras and doorbells on one network.
- Appliances, plugs, bulbs and thermostats on another.
- TVs, consoles and speakers together, so casting works.
- Computers and phones on their own.
- Guests on the guest network.
Running a big setup? Our guide to how many devices home Wi-Fi can handle covers keeping it fast.
Where Rio fits
Rio was built around that plan. It gives you up to 16 SecureRooms across 4 Wi-Fi networks, each walled off from the others by default. You open a path between two rooms only when you need one, and new devices wait for your approval. See Rio for smart homes.
On one shared network, a $20 smart plug can reach your laptop.
Rio walls every gadget group off in its own SecureRoom, away from the devices that matter.
See a smart home, room by roomFrequently asked questions
Is a guest network good enough for smart devices?
It's a solid first step and far better than one flat network. Its limit is that most routers give you only one guest network, so cameras, appliances and visitors all end up together. A router with several separate segments lets you split those groups apart.
Will my smart home devices still work on a separate network?
Devices you control through the maker's cloud app usually keep working. Casting, AirPlay, screen mirroring and local hub control may stop working across networks. Keep devices that talk to each other, like a TV and the speakers you cast to, on the same network.
Do I need a VLAN to separate devices?
Not necessarily. A VLAN is the technical way businesses split networks, but most homes don't need to set one up by hand. A guest network, or a router with built-in segments, does the same job without any manual configuration or networking knowledge.
Does a separate network protect a device that never gets updates?
It limits what that device can reach if it's compromised, which is the main benefit. It doesn't fix the device's own flaws or protect its cloud account. Replace gadgets the maker no longer supports, and keep the rest walled off from your computers and phones.
Sources
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, PSA I-091015-PSA, Internet of Things poses opportunities for cyber crime, September 10, 2015. ic3.gov (PDF)
- FBI Portland, Tech Tuesday: Internet of Things, December 2019. fbi.gov
- CISA, Project Upskill, Module 5. cisa.gov
- NETGEAR and Bitdefender, 2024 IoT Security Landscape Report, June 2024. netgear.com
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, PSA I-060525-PSA, BADBOX 2.0, June 5, 2025. ic3.gov
- Deloitte, 2023 Connectivity and Mobile Trends Survey, September 5, 2023. deloitte.com
