The Internet is so firmly established in our everyday life that it is rather difficult to imagine a modern house without it. Almost everyone knows that a small device is needed for communication - a router that receives a signal and distributes it to other devices - telephones, computers, tablets, laptops, distributing among all network members. And, it would seem, what difficulties may be encountered in buying it - chose, bought and use. But in the end, having bought the first router at the lowest price, many consumers remain unhappy because of the constant interruption of communication, hang-up, frequent reboot, low speed, etc. And in order not to get trapped in such a situation, we will show you how to choose a router for your home so that the device will provide you with quality access to the World Wide Web.
What is a router for?
Before buying a router, it is important for the future owner of the device to determine whether it is necessary. The fact is that the router is a miniature computer with a RAM, a processor and an operating system and, unlike a modem, provides more functions. The router allows you to configure the network and, having its own IP address, distributes it to all connected devices. It allows you to work with huge amounts of information and practically allows you to build a full-fledged office at home with a good connection speed for permanent downloads, network storage or a home media server.
Which router to choose - important criteria
Having the goal to purchase a router, the potential buyer most often first of all refers to the price of the device. And in fact, the price offer for routers varies usually from 30-50 dollars and much higher. As a rule, a simple philistine adheres to the principle that all routers are the same, perform the same functions at the same time, and therefore there is no sense in overpaying, giving 3,000 rubles for it. But in fact - this is a mistake that in the course of time usually turns into a senseless waste of money. The fact is that budget models use cheap parts, substandard components, because of which the router either just works poorly or breaks. Therefore, it is better to give preference to devices with a price range from 50-150 dollars, guided by the truth that says: "I'm not so rich to buy cheap things."
Before choosing a router for an apartment, pay attention to the technical characteristics of the device. First of all, this processor (CPU) RAM (RAM) and FLASH-memory. So, for example, do not pay attention to routers with a processor with a power below 240 MHz, RAM less than 64 MB and Flash memory less than 16 Gb.
In addition, consider the nuance of supporting Internet access protocols. Providers now offer various protocols - PPTP, PPPoE, L2TP. Please note that the router you selected supports the protocol that your ISP provides.
It will not be unnecessary to have a Wi-Fi connection in the router, thanks to which you can use wireless Internet anywhere in your home from a laptop, tablet or smartphone. If you have a private house, buy a router with a powerful transmitter, otherwise a substandard device will not allow you to go from your phone to the worldwide network, even in the kitchen or in the courtyard. Optimum can be considered a router with three antennas and an operating range of 5 GHz.
Pursuing how to choose the best router, pay attention to some additional functions: support for IPTV, the presence of USB-port, FTP-servers, torrent client, DLNA-server.