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Both the employer and the person working from home have a role in securing the connection—but that does not automatically make either one responsible for buying or managing the household router. The employer should set remote-work security requirements, control access to company systems, and provide approved tools and support. The employee should follow those rules, keep the home network at the agreed baseline, and report suspicious activity. Who owns router updates, replacement, or costs depends on the employer’s policy, equipment arrangements, and the data being handled; federal guidance does not establish one universal allocation.
Why a home router matters to work security
A router connects work devices to the internet and may also connect phones, smart TVs, cameras, and other household devices. Its security can affect the integrity and availability of the network used for remote work. NIST describes consumer routers as part of the home environment used by teleworkers and IoT devices in its 2024 consumer-router cybersecurity profile.
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That makes the router part of the remote-work security picture, not automatically part of the employer’s managed corporate network. A company may protect the work device and its connection to company systems while having no administrative control over a worker-owned router. A VPN can protect the remote connection, but it does not replace secure router settings, endpoint protections, or the employer’s access controls.
What the employer should define and provide
Employers should make telework requirements specific enough that workers know what to configure and whom to contact. The FTC’s small-business cybersecurity guidance places policies, access control, staff training, and incident planning within an organization’s security practices. It also advises businesses to check that devices meet requirements before granting network access.
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- State whether personal home routers are allowed and define minimum Wi-Fi and device security requirements.
- Specify how access to corporate systems is granted and limited, and provide approved remote-access tools such as the company VPN when needed.
- Explain whether work devices may connect to a guest or separate home network, and what devices are permitted to access company resources.
- Provide a help-desk route for setup questions and suspected compromise, along with a clear reporting process.
- If the employer supplies or manages a router, name who controls administrator access, applies firmware updates, and arranges replacement.
NIST’s telework security guidance likewise tells workers to learn and follow their organization’s policies and use its VPN when provided.
What the employee should do at home
Workers should follow their employer’s rules and maintain the router and work devices to the agreed baseline. The FTC’s home Wi-Fi guidance recommends changing default router administrator credentials, using a strong Wi-Fi password, choosing WPA3 Personal when available or WPA2 Personal, and keeping router software current.
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- Change the router’s default administrator username and password. Use a separate, strong password for Wi-Fi.
- Use WPA3 Personal if supported, or WPA2 Personal. WPA and WEP are outdated and not secure.
- Install router firmware updates and keep work devices updated. Check whether the manufacturer or ISP provides updates and whether the router model remains supported.
- Disable remote management if it is not needed. Consider turning off WPS and UPnP, which the FTC identifies as features that can reduce security.
- Keep unauthorized users off work equipment, and use a guest or separate network for personal devices when the router and employer policy support it.
- Use the employer’s VPN when instructed. It helps protect the remote connection, but does not make an insecure router or work device secure.
If a work device, phone, or home network shows unusual activity, contact IT promptly. NIST’s Jeff Greene, then director of its National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, advised teleworkers: “If you’re seeing unusual or suspicious activity on any device you’re using to telework (computer, mobile device, or home network) ask for help—better safe than sorry.”
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That responsibility should be explicit in the employer’s policy or equipment agreement rather than assumed. If the company owns or centrally manages the router, it should identify who administers it and handles updates and replacement. If the worker owns it, the employer should state the required settings and offer a support path. An ISP may also provide updates; the FTC notes that ISP-provided routers may receive automatic updates, and CISA advises teleworkers to check periodically with their ISP about current router firmware.
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These are practical ways to divide the work, not a universal legal rule about who must pay for or administer a household router. The official guidance cited here does not settle legal liability, reimbursement, or mandatory employer-provided equipment. Those questions can depend on policy, equipment ownership, contracts, and the data involved.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When should you replace a home router?
First check for a software update and confirm that the router is still supported by its manufacturer or ISP. If updating still does not make WPA2 or WPA3 available, the FTC recommends considering a replacement. Choose a supported router and confirm how updates are delivered; the available guidance supports that category-level decision, not a recommendation for any specific model.
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How employers can choose a home-network approach
An employer deciding among employee-owned routers, company-provided equipment, or a managed service should compare the operating model—not just the hardware. The FTC and NIST guidance supports setting security requirements, but does not provide product comparisons or pricing, nor does it establish a universal privacy rule for employer management of a network inside a private home.
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- Updates: Who checks for and applies firmware updates, and how is continued support verified?
- Network separation: Does the setup support a separate network for work, guests, or personal devices?
- Help and incident response: How will employees get setup support and report a suspected compromise?
- Cost and privacy: What will the arrangement cost, and what visibility or management will it give the employer over a private home network?
NIST’s broader enterprise telework, remote-access, and BYOD guide provides organizational context. It dates to 2016; the router profile cited above is dated September 2024, so neither should be treated as establishing a newer standards-compliance requirement.
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