A wireless router helps you share broadband internet connection among gadgets in your home. With so many routers on the market what should you look for when looking for a router for your home?
Here are six things that can help you decide:
High Level User or Low Level User
Determining what level of use your router will get can help you choose the right one. Do you just like to surf the web and not do much else then you are probably a low level user.
If you love multimedia, you are a heavy duty gamer or you run a business from home than you are going to be a high level user. You can also contact your Internet Service Providers to get an idea of what kind of user you will be-and what they’ll charge.
Single Band or Dual Band
Knowing what type of user you are will help you decide whether you need a single band router or a dual band router.
A single band router will give you quick simple setup and access to your wireless connection. However a single band router will not give you a great signal at further distances. A dual band is perfect if you like gaming, file streaming, downloading and will give you a better network if you share between many devices.
Speed
When shopping for routers you may see numbers including 300 Mbps, 450Mbps and 900Mbps. So what do those numbers mean exactly?
These numbers let you know the speed that your router will achieve without interference. Meaning you are sitting in the same room of the router with no obstructions. However do not take them literally as you may never reach those actual speeds in a real life router situation.
The speed of your connection is actually determined by the bandwidth you receive from your Internet Service Providers. If you have slow bandwidth than no little or big number on a box is going to help speed it up.
Range
Is your router going to be in a closet or other space that is far from the room you often use your gadgets in? Different routers will be able to cover distances better than others. Look for Wireless-N when you go to purchase a router. This router type is better at reducing interference as well as covering distance.
Security
New routers should allow you to have the highest level of security. You will want to make sure that your new router supports WPA2. If you are a concerned parent then look for a router that offers parental control, this will give you that extra peace of mind.
Setup and Maintenance
This is where you will want to read reviews and quite possibly spend a little more money. Some of the top rated and more expensive routers are the easiest to set up and troubleshoot when a problem arises.
If you like to play around and want to learn more about router setup then you might want to go for a router that doesn’t offer automated setup. These are usually cheaper routers, you just need to know what you are doing in regards to setup and management.
You can also rent a router from Internet Service Providers that are already set up for use.
