Instructions to buy a Wi-Fi Router

Network Administration - How to choose a router to suit your needs? In this article we will give you some tips on choosing the best router for your needs.

Indeed we have so many options for buying a router that it can make you feel messy, even professional IT professionals.

One way to watch out is to use the speeds listed on the manufacturer's ads, which are rarely realistic. Some carriers advertise speeds up to 300 Mb / s in the names of routers, but in reality they are never in the real world. Instead, you need to consider many of the features you need and that can take a long time. While the market is currently flooded with Wi-Fi routers, finding a good router is much simpler than you think if you know what you're looking for. We provide a list of key points you should consider when choosing to buy a router:

Is 802.11n (N) really better than 802.11g (G)?

Believe it or not, 802.11g Wi-Fi routers use technology that has been around for 7 years, but is still popular, especially in the enterprise sector. Small businesses buy G routers because they will cost less and are easier to implement. 802.11g routers include a number of special and essential functions for businesses, such as policy-based firewalls and harmful issues management features. But in the home field, speed is far more important, when 802.11n Wi-Fi routers are king. Some N routers, such as TrendNet Gigabit, may have data transfer speeds of up to 200 Mbps, and theoretically can reach 300 Mbps. N routers often get five times more throughput than G routers during the actual test.

Are dual-band routers better than single-band routers?

N routers have two single-band and dual-band features. Single-band routers use the 2.4-GHz band, the same frequency used by G routers. Dual-band N routers support 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands. However, at 2.4 GHz, N routers have a faster data transfer rate than G routers because they use better bandwidth in the band and increase signal strength better in surface areas such as tables and chairs. and the wall. The average throughput for N-band routers is usually five times that of G routers. Some routers can achieve 100 Mbps by switching to a higher bandwidth. That is why dual-band routers are more expensive than single-band routers.

Solution for a dual-band router simultaneously?

Simultaneous dual-band N transmission technology is a recent development and is used by a number of manufacturers to simplify switching between bands. Routers with this feature, such as D-Link DIR-825 Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router and Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station 802.11n, often use simultaneous N signals in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. . By using both bands, these routers will have wider bandwidth and better signal strength, and as expected, they don't require you to switch between bands. On the other hand, dual-band routers are also more efficient in terms of throughput. Some routers, such as D-Link DIR-825, can manage frequency bands without user intervention. These dual-band routers can help stabilize throughput on your network. Therefore, these routers are usually more expensive than regular dual-band routers, but they are worth the price you spend with certain performance and features.

Do you need two, three or four antennas, or hidden antennas?

Since the speed of N routers depends largely on the signal strength and the multiple antennas of the transmitter and receiver, the ideal antenna configuration is 4 x 4. This means that the router has four antennas, one for each. There is a transmitter. However, it is common for most N routers to have an antenna configuration of 3 x 2 or 3 x 3. Antennas can increase the size and shape, most of them are easy to see, they are often shaped. tube. Manufacturers such as Apple, Netgear, and Linksys of Cisco have redesigned some antennas so you can hardly detect them, such as the Apple Xtreme router, the Netgear RangeMax Wireless-N Gigabit Router WNR3500 . Important point It should be considered at this point that the number of receivers and transmitters built inside the router. Each antenna with a transceiver will give significantly more performance.

What is guest access?

Guest access is one of the most useful and often overlooked features of a wireless router. Routers have guest access, such as the Belkin N + Wireless Router (F5D8235-4), which can split Wi-Fi networks into two different parts. This capability allows friends to use your broadband access without knowing your network password. The same configuration can be achieved with routers that support virtual LANs (VLANs), but the steps to set up multiple VLANs are much more difficult.

What about Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)?

Wi-Fi Protected Setup is a standard for protecting your laptop with Wi-Fi router. This technology will simplify the encryption process that users must perform to protect their Wi-Fi network. Is this technology simpler than the hierarchical way for it? That depends on the laptop and the operating system you use. For example, Windows Connect Now (WCN) goes with WPS. When WPS works, it is a simple process. However, in order to have a configuration that works on laptops that do not support it (both software and hardware), this is quite difficult. But should you try to find this feature in the router? The answer is no, WPS is not a crucial issue, but only a part of your installation is incompatible.

How many wired ports do you want to have?

While most Wi-Fi N routers have a standard 5-port block, you might be surprised by some that aren't so - for example, the Apple AirPort Xtreme and Apple Time Capsule, only four ports. Adding a NAS device, an Xbox 360, a VoIP phone, and a PC will maximize a 5-port router (the last port connects to a DSL or cable modem). If your router has only three Lan ports available, you will have to purchase a switch to plug in additional network devices.

Does the router need to come with a strong firewall?

Fortunately for us, most routers include a firewall feature and a large number of SPI (stateful packet inspection) firewalls, which is a better firewall technology than a firewall. NAT. Some routers, such as SMC Barricade N Wireless Broadband Router (SMCWBR14S-N2), offer a range of manual settings on the firewall. Are these routers better? Really not. In particular, manual firewall settings are designed for specific usage needs that do not enhance the whole. As long as the Wi-Fi router has an SPI firewall, that's more than enough for most of us.

Home routers need to have the needs of small businesses?

In recent years, although businesses need extended security or other technologies not included in some home routers. However, there are several home routers such as SMC Barricade N Wireless Router and ASUS RT-N11 EZ Wireless N Router, with advanced features like 802.1X authentication, routing and VLANs that make them especially attractive. with small businesses.

The best way to access your router remotely?

Routers like the Netgear WNR3500, which support dynamic DNS - as in Dyndns.org or TZO.com services - are the best solution to buy if you want to access the network remotely. With dynamic DNS, you can increase access by using a domain name like myhomenetwork.net instead of using the IP address provided by your Internet service provider. Because service providers often turn IP addresses, the best way to find your network on the web is to activate a dynamic DNS account in your router.