Whitebox Setup

With the Whitebox, you can see exactly how good your internet performance is – and whether or not it meets your expectations. In this guide, we’ll show you how to install your Whitebox.

What's Included with Your Whitebox

The Whitebox.
Ethernet cable (1m).
Power supply (plug requires some assembly).
Instruction leaflet.
General Public License Notice.

If any of these items are missing, please contact community@samknows.com.

Placement Within the Home Network

Whiteboxes are typically installed in-line (i.e., between your personal devices and your router) in your home network. This is required to identify the presence of cross traffic (i.e., other internet activity - see Test Interruption (Cross Traffic) for more information).

Setting Up Your Whitebox

Setting up your Whitebox should take only a few minutes.

Connect one end of the included ethernet cable to the port marked WAN on the back of the Whitebox.
Plug the other end of the ethernet cable into a spare LAN port (e.g. ‘LAN1’, ‘LAN2’, and so on) on your router.
Note for those with a separate modem and router: keep the modem connected to your router. Your Whitebox will also be connected to your router.
Note about wired devices: if you have other wired devices occupying the LAN1 to LAN4 ports on your router (e.g., your digital TV box), connect them to any of the same LAN ports on your Whitebox.
Caution: on your router, do not remove the existing ethernet cable plugged into your router’s WAN port – this is the source of your internet connection. If your modem is separate from your router, do not remove the existing ethernet cable from it, either.
Power up by connecting the included power supply to your Whitebox. If you have a mains switch, turn the mains socket on. Then press the button on the back marked ON/OFF.
A green light will begin flashing below the revolving arrows icon, as your Whitebox starts to go online. The light will continue flashing throughout this process, and it may turn on and off also. When it is ready, the green light will remain steady. This should take no longer than 30-60 seconds.
Your Whitebox is now set up and ready to start generating data about your internet performance.
Within 48 hours of installing your Whitebox we will send you an automated email once we have detected that your Whitebox is operational and working correctly. After you receive this email, you should be able to see data being displayed in your account.

Troubleshooting Your Setup

If you’re having problems installing your Whitebox, or with its online activation, see Troubleshooting Your Whitebox.

If you can’t login to your dashboard, see Logging In.

Last updated 3 days ago

Setting Up Your Whitebox

Setting up your Whitebox should take only a few minutes.

Connect one end of the included ethernet cable to the port marked WAN on the back of the Whitebox.

Plug the other end of the ethernet cable into a spare LAN port (e.g. ‘LAN1’, ‘LAN2’, and so on) on your router.

Note for those with a separate modem and router: keep the modem connected to your router. Your Whitebox will also be connected to your router.

Note about wired devices: if you have other wired devices occupying the LAN1 to LAN4 ports on your router (e.g., your digital TV box), connect them to any of the same LAN ports on your Whitebox.

Caution: on your router, do not remove the existing ethernet cable plugged into your router’s WAN port – this is the source of your internet connection. If your modem is separate from your router, do not remove the existing ethernet cable from it, either.

Power up by connecting the included power supply to your Whitebox. If you have a mains switch, turn the mains socket on. Then press the button on the back marked ON/OFF.

A green light will begin flashing below the revolving arrows icon, as your Whitebox starts to go online. The light will continue flashing throughout this process, and it may turn on and off also. When it is ready, the green light will remain steady. This should take no longer than 30-60 seconds.

Your Whitebox is now set up and ready to start generating data about your internet performance.

Within 48 hours of installing your Whitebox we will send you an automated email once we have detected that your Whitebox is operational and working correctly. After you receive this email, you should be able to see data being displayed in your account.