How to choose a router - tips for choosing a truly reliable device

The dilemma of how to choose a router now appears almost every person who has modern computer equipment at his home. Laptop, smartphone, tablet - all innovative devices are connected to the Internet, and to connect them to a single network without the accumulation of cords just help a small high-quality router.

Wai-router - characteristics

The router (or router) is designed to integrate the global network and the home network into a single one. Thanks to it, a PC connects and Internet access is provided to all gadgets in the apartment. Before you buy a router, the main thing is to figure out - by what parameters to choose a router, they differ among themselves types of data transfer protocols, performance, range. It is better that the equipment be equipped with a wireless interface for Wi-Fi.

What is the range of the router to choose?

Buying a WiFi router, and deciding what is best for home, you need to pay attention to its frequency, the following are its grades:

  1. 2.4 GHz - support almost all devices.
  2. 5 GHz - before buying, you need to make sure that the receiver (PC, laptop, smartphone) can work in this range.

The first option is old networks, found everywhere and therefore more loaded. The 5 GHz band in this parameter wins as free ether and is characterized by high range. But 5 GHz has a drawback - for this frequency of the structure, even foliage is an obstacle, whereas for 2.4 GHz it is not critical. Therefore, before choosing a router, it is necessary to evaluate the conditions in which the network will unfold. Many brands offer hardware with support for both bands.

What is the speed of the router?

When deciding how to choose a WiFi router for the home, you need to focus on the speed of data transfer, the available standards:

The most famous communication standard is 802.11n. Models with 802.1ac are just beginning to gain popularity in the market. It is important to take into account that the speed declared on the box is general theoretical, in real conditions the router can give a wireless signal a little bit less. But for the fulfillment of domestic tasks 100 Mbps is enough with a margin.

Which router is better - antennas?

Before choosing a router, you need to know that the speed limit for a single-antenna product is 150 Mb / s, with a pair of 300 Mb / s, with each subsequent it increases by 150 Mb / s. Transmitters are built-in and external. When you need a router for the house, which antenna to buy - it does not matter, the difference between them will be barely noticeable. In other situations, the model is selected for each real case:

  1. For a spacious office or open area, you need an omni-directional antenna, which should be suspended under a ceiling, on a roof, on a tree.
  2. To connect offices, servers or PCs in different buildings, you need a directional antenna, or two, "punching" the signal to each other.

Characteristics of routers - data encryption

All information transmitted via routers must be protected, and the entry to the WiFi network is closed with a password so that detractors can not easily use the home network. Basic types of encryption:

  1. WEP is an old kind, at the moment it is easily hacked and non-scriptable.
  2. WPS - standard without entering a password to enter the network, you need to press the button on the panel to connect. Hackers hack such a network in 3-15 hours, use it risky.
  3. WPA / WPA2 - deciding which router to choose for a home, it is worthwhile to dwell on hardware with this type of encryption, it is the most reliable. There are two varieties of it:
    1. PSK - the connection to the network occurs at the expense of a previously invented password (suitable for home PCs).
    2. Enterprise - the password is generated automatically, the ciphers are relevant for the corporate network.

How to choose an eco-friendly wi-fi router for your home?

When deciding which WiFi router to use at home, it is better to purchase a router with transmitter power control. The function is designed to operate the device at high, medium, low speed. The power saving mode automatically reduces the signal power and puts it into a "sleep" state when the network is not active. So you can save a few mW of energy per day, such devices produce less radiation. Now the influence of Wi Fi on a person is not investigated, rumors of its harm are forcing manufacturers to come up with eco-protection methods.

Technical characteristics of the router - additional functions

Before you choose a home router, you should know that some models are equipped with auxiliary modes:

  1. Built-in firewall. Protects the home network from hacking.
  2. USB port availability. It can connect 3G, 4G modems, printers, scanners, external hard drives .
  3. Download Wizard and torrent-client. Download files when the computer is off.
  4. Remote access to the home file store. Your records can be used anywhere in the world.
  5. Parental control. In the settings simply indicate which sites can not be visited by children.

Deciding which router is the best, you should not chase a large number of additional functions. Many of them will almost never be needed at home, and the price of such products is much higher than traditional ones. In addition, each additional function creates a load on the device, which can reduce its performance as an information transmitter.

What type of connection should I choose for the router?

To provide Internet services providers use different protocols. Large companies prefer PPTP or L2TP, small ones can use PPPoE. In some places there is still an ADSL protocol, which provides access to the global web through a telephone cord. At remote locations it may be important to support 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G modems. Required minimum for good hardware: PPTP, L2T and PPPoE, other protocols - according to needs. When deciding which type of connection to choose when configuring the router, it is important to clarify which technology the selected provider uses.

How to choose a wi-fi router?

When buying a router, it is advisable to evaluate the conditions under which it will be operated. For example, when deciding how to choose a router for a house, you can stop on a budget device without auxiliary functions. But when you need to create a high-performance network for transferring large amounts of data, you will need more powerful hardware with the ability to connect external storage devices.

How to choose a WiFi router for an apartment?

Before choosing a home router, you need to determine the protocol of its connection, the speed, the number of receivers that will be connected to it. The type of LAN-connector determines the speed of data exchange between the router and laptop , smartphone, tablet. There are two options:

How to choose the right WiFi router:

  1. Find the provider type of protocol and WAN connector (line from the phone or twisted pair).
  2. At an Internet speed above 100 Mbps, you need a device with Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) LAN ports, if less, you will have enough Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps) connectors.
  3. To work with documents and view sites, there is a router with a single antenna and support for the 802.11n standard.
  4. For online games, watching videos on many gadgets will require a router with multiple antennas and the 802.11ac standard.

Which router to choose for the office?

When deciding which office router is best, one should take into account that when building a working network, many devices are connected to the router. When buying, you need to know some of the nuances. How to choose an office router:

  1. To clarify the requirements for the equipment and the data transfer protocol from the provider.
  2. Purchase a device with multiple WAN ports. This will allow using the services of several providers to ensure the stability of communication. If one WAN port fails, you can switch to free.
  3. Buy a router with many LAN connectors Gigabit Ethernet or Fast Ethernet, depending on the number of devices in the office.
  4. Use a router that supports 802.11n or 802.11ac, depending on what standard the receiving devices are endowed with.
  5. You can buy a model with a USB port to connect a hard drive or modem to it.

Mobile routers - how to choose?

If you choose a router with a SIM card that works as a modem (it receives a signal from the mobile operator and provides WiFi), then it can be used on vacation, at the cottage. To access the Internet, then you do not need wires. Parameters to consider:

  1. For a good connection enough devices standard 3G, 4G.
  2. A battery for 1500 mAh holds a charge of 3-4 hours, expensive batteries for 3000 mAh will provide 5-6 hours of continuous operation.
  3. It is desirable to have a LAN port or a USB connector to connect the equipment to the laptop to update the firmware or reset the settings.
  4. The device with the ability to connect an external antenna will allow you to enter the global web, even in areas with unstable communications.

Which company to choose a router?

When deciding which WiFi router to choose, you should give preference to proven brands that have won the trust of users. Popular manufacturers:

  1. Lynksys - expensive high-performance routers, along with this reliable.
  2. Asus - products attract simplicity, a lot of flexible settings, provide good quality of communication for many years.
  3. Zyxel - produces many models of excellent quality, among them products with a powerful hardware platform and huge functionality.
  4. TP-link - offers reliable and high-quality products with a reasonable price, the performance is not inferior to expensive models.
  5. D-Link is the leading manufacturer of routers in the economy segment. The quality of the equipment is at an altitude, which can not be said about the firmware.