In the modern world, the internet is offering so many essential services for families. These include educational, financial, and entertainment service. A typical evening in a modern family features kids streaming movies or playing videos games, the wife uploading photos on Instagram and the husband reading e-books or updating his financial information. All these services require an internet connection and hence the need for a router. There will be no need for a WiFi router if you are using one internet device. However, the fact that a family has many internet devices, there is the need to have a router to connect them all. A WiFi router enables device (such as smartphones, computer desktops, laptops, smart TV sets, tablets and Apple TV among others) to share data file and connect to the internet from the same hotspot.
Choosing a WiFi Router?
Sometimes it is necessary to consider a wired Ethernet connection. This is because it is faster and more secure. However, the fact that many internet serving devices such as smartphone do not have Ethernet ports, there is the need to have a WiFi router. It allows you to move around with your devices while still connected to the internet and also eliminating the cables hanging loosely in your house. Another advantage of a WiFi router is that it has an inbuilt switch which you can use to have a wired Ethernet if the need arises. Now, since this device is almost everywhere, let’s look at the factors to consider before choosing a WiFi router.
1. Speed
The speed is calculated in megabits per second (Mbps). This means that a router wit 500mbps is faster than the one with 300mbps. Although considering the advertised speed on the box is necessary, the advertised speed is not achievable in practical scenarios. The walls and other barriers may reduce this speed considerably. It is important to note that the speed advertised is your home connection speed and not the internet connection speed. It is usually determined by your internet service provider.
The first WiFi router offered 11mbps, which later evolved to 802.11g router model offering 54mps and later 802.11n router model which offered between 150mbps and 600mbps. The current standard model, which is the best wireless routers of 2017, is 802.11ac which offers more than 1gbps (gigabit per second) equivalent to 1000mbps.
2. Models
There are three current standard wireless router models. These include; 802.11g, 802.11n, and 802.11ac. All these models have different specifications, and their compatibility with a certain device is determined by the device model. For example, the new model is 802.11ac, and if you want to enjoy the services offered by this model, your device must be compatible with it. If your device supports 802.11g model, you may not be able to enjoy the full benefits of the new model. Therefore, consider the model that is supported by your devices.
3. The number of devices in your home
Most manufacturers sell a dual-band wireless router which provides both 2.4GHz frequency band and frequency band 5.0GHz. Dual-band means that a router has two radios which operate at a 2.4GHz band or 5.0GHz frequency band. This enables you to increase the speed in a crowded wireless network by assigning some device to the alternate frequency. In modern days manufacturers have a tri-band WiFi router model which has an extra radio frequency of 5.0GHz. The tri-band can support so many devices since it has three frequencies. It is unlikely to have so many devices at home; hence, it is mostly used in offices. On another note, it is important to read the specifications carefully. This is because some dual-band can work on either 2.4GHz frequency or 5.0GHz frequency but not the two frequencies simultaneously.
4. Quality of service (QoS)
It is important to note that this is not related to internet speed. It means that you can optimize how the router works depending on your activity on the internet. For example, if you are making an internet call, it will not degrade just because someone is streaming a movie. This is called media prioritizing, and it is an important factor to consider when choosing a WiFi router.
5. The number of ports
These include USB and LAN ports. Although you can add LAN ports by buying an Ethernet switch, it is wise to get a router with a considerable number of ports. LAN ports are used to connect some devices (which don’t have Wi-Fi) using an Ethernet cable. The USB port, on the other hand, connects some devices, e.g., printers. Therefore, the number of the device you have determines the number of ports you need.
6. Cost and warranties
For any shopping, the budget is a vital consideration. This is not an exception when buying a wireless router. It is important to compare the various prices offered by manufacturers. Mostly, the price is determined by the service you get from your router. Also, it is good to consider if your router has a warrant in case of immature breakdown.
From a distance, all WiFi routers look alike. It is therefore advisable to have a closer look and do some research before buying one.
This is unique articles. This article very helpful for who was seafaring home wifi router not working properly.
thanks for adding your point of view.
i like all the contains and points of this article
This seems to be a very helpful post as choosing the correct router for the home will help in getting a better internet connection. An improper router will lead to the disruption of the internet connection.
For that my suggestion is that you first go to the Internet and which brand you know just search it and get the features from there and then you choose it. Or just browse the site. It will help more. Just browse it.
Without the internet, your those devices are just toys. A router is the ultimate distribution powerhouse for giving life to those toys. Thanks for this important post.
We can choose the various kinds of good wifi routers for the home purpose. The Dlink, Netgear etc routers are the best for the home purpose use. The speed of the home purpose router should be 300Mbps to 500Mbps.
I am happy to be here and this wonderful article. I have found here lots of interesting information for my knowledge I need.
Yes, I choose the best router in my home which is really important for us. And it is very important to me. if I have an issue with the home router then contact the support team to solve the problem. it provides the best information which is really good for us. your article is great.
Hi linksys tech,
I hope you can help me…. I know nothing about WIFI Routers or anything else lol…. But I need help! I live in a 2 story 5 Bedroom house and the area we live in has terrible service Internet and Cell phone…. and a lot of people on different devices computers, laptops, printers, gaming systems and Iphones….. the issue is that in certain parts of the house things are terrible so I was told to get a wifi router to boost the signal…. would you please recommend something for me and explain what all I need…please ?
Thank you,
Marla
Thank you for sharing your insights.There are lots of wifi Router in the market.Acetel is a leading manufacturing of 4g mobile broadband .R810 is the lastest 4G Cat6/Cat12 LTE CPE Router indoor base on Qualcomm chipset.The R810 delivers maximum speeds of 4G LTE CAT6 / 12 300/400Mbps through its Gigabit Ethernet port. It can also support RJ11 port with CSFB or VoLTE voice. Its 2.4Ghz/5GHz Dual band 11ac WiFi capability allows this device to share internet access for up to 32 clients operations simultaneously.We provide ODM/OEM/JDM service.
thank for you the information
This article helped me a lot as I am finding a suggestion for a router and all the other sites are busy promoting their brand but this site, in particular, shows the points we should consider while looking for a router. Cause it varies from person to person.
This is a smart article. In my point a view, the best home wifi router is Asus. Because it provides high speeds facilities so that we can use the internet without any fluctuation.
Since Wifi router has gained huge popularity nowadays, to get the right one for your home it needs to meet certain criteria such as speed, number of devices you wanted to connect to, number of ports as well as worth of money or not.
Thanks for recommending that media prioritizing is an important factor to consider. My sister needs to install internet because she will be taking online classes. These details will help her choose the right router for her internet connection.
The router is the most important equipment for home and office. For home use, I think do not need to buy an expensive and high-speed router. Because in house appliances we do not need to do heavy work.