How to Set Up a Computer for Working From Home | Home Office Setup

Setting up a computer for working from home comes down to three things: a stable wired connection, a screen at the right height, and a chair that supports your back. Get those right and you’ll avoid the neck strain, eye fatigue, and dropped video calls that send people back to the office. Here’s the practical order to do it in.

Start With the Physical Setup: Desk, Chair, and Screen

Your body is the first piece of hardware. The chair should be adjustable with lower-back support, and your elbows should rest level with the work surface while your shoulders and forearms stay relaxed. If your feet don’t reach the floor, use a footrest.

The top of your screen should sit at eye level or just below, about one arm’s length away. On a laptop, raise the display to eye level with a stand or books, then use a separate keyboard and mouse. Keep the keyboard and mouse on the same level, directly in front of you, and set them 10 to 15 cm from the front edge of the desk so your forearms get support.

Wrists should sit flat, elbows should rest against your body at roughly 90 degrees, and the screen should face sideways to windows to avoid glare. A solid surface with enough room beats a lap tray every time—skip working from bed, the couch, or the floor entirely.

Getting the Hardware Connected the Right Way

Wired beats wireless for stable performance. Plug the modem/router into your computer with an Ethernet cable whenever one is available, and aim for a minimum of 10 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload for video calls. A wired connection eliminates the lag that makes calls drop and files stall.

For a desktop PC, the order matters. Gather your tower, monitors, keyboard, mouse, all power cords, and two Ethernet cables. Connect the modem/router with Ethernet if needed, run the second Ethernet cable from the tower to the router, plug in the monitor cables, connect power cords, then attach the keyboard and mouse. Turn the computer off and back on once everything is connected.

After first power-on, run the initial Windows setup on the PC—connect to your network, sign in, and finish the security and account settings before daily use. If you’re weighing a new machine, our roundup of home office computers that handled the year covers tested options that suit a dedicated desk setup.

Common Mistakes That Sabotage a Home Office

Most setup problems aren’t technical—they’re ergonomic. Here are the mistakes that cause the most pain:

• Working on a laptop without raising the screen to eye level or adding an external keyboard and mouse.
• Placing the monitor too close, too low, or facing a window where glare hits the screen.
• Using a chair without back support, or skipping the footrest when your feet can’t reach the floor.
• Overreaching for the mouse or spreading the keyboard and mouse far apart.
• Using Wi-Fi when a wired Ethernet connection is available.
• Working from bed, a sofa, or the floor instead of a dedicated workstation.

Fix the screen height and the chair first—those two changes eliminate the majority of neck and back complaints from remote work.

Before You Move or Upgrade: Save Your Files

Save your work to a USB flash drive, email, or cloud storage before moving a workstation home. It takes two minutes and protects you from a computer that doesn’t survive the trip or a network that won’t reconnect.

These guidelines apply to Windows PCs and desktop setups at home. The ergonomic principles are broadly applicable regardless of operating system—the core rule is that your screen, keyboard, and chair line up so you’re not hunched or squinting. Safe Work Australia’s workstation setup guide covers the measurement details, and Intel’s guide to setting up a new computer walks through first-power-on steps.

Set up the desk, connect the wires, finish the initial software setup, and you’re done—a home office that works as well as the one you left behind.