Factors to Consider Before Buying a WiFi Router
If you don’t know which WiFi Router is perfect for your home or office, then you need to sharply consider the following points foremost –
1 Factors to Consider Before Buying a WiFi Router1.1 Various Types of Routers1.2 Router with Built-in Modem1.3 Different Wireless Standards2 Best Wi-Fi Routers for 2022
Various Types of Routers
There are plenty of different types of WiFi routers available in the market. Routers are available in different strengths and the number of manufacturers. You need to consider all the different types of WiFi routers before selecting a suitable one. Common types of routers available in the market are – Single Band Router – As we know the main function of the wifi router is to communicate with your gadgets through radio frequencies and every router has the strength of transmitting different types of frequencies. Single-band routers can transmit 2.4GHz of frequencies which is very helpful for the home user. This frequency can be easily transmitted through walls and floors. Plus, one of the main advantages of this router is that it is available at highly affordable rates.
Dual Band Router – It is clear from the name that this router can support double frequencies than the single-band router. This router can enable you to connect with gadgets between 2.4GHz to 5GHz. This router is very useful when you live in a densely populated area as double band routers are less used by people as compared to a single band routers because 5GHz can’t be penetrated through walls and floors. Here are some advantages of using a dual-band router:
Up to 100x the wireless bandwidth (Picks up both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands)Dedicated Wi-Fi Network for video and gamingSeparate networks avoid interferenceTwo separate Wi-Fi networks operating simultaneously
Tri-Band Router – You must be thinking that tri Band Router will add up another frequency to it. But, apart from tripling the frequency strength, this router will add up one another 5GHz to the layer. The biggest advantage of this router is that it reduces congestion and interference on your Wi-Fi networks even more. With an extra lane for traffic, congestion in that lane is seriously reduced, meaning it’s much more likely that you’ll be able to reach higher speeds at any given moment.
Supports more devices due to additional wireless bandsThree separate bands mean three times more bandwidthDedicate each band to separate devicesMore wireless bands for less interference
Mesh Network – Okay, so if you are planning to buy the mesh network WiFi Router, then you need to clear one thing that this router isn’t related to bands. It is mainly related to the extent of WiFi connectivity. Under the mesh network, one main router is connected to other nodes present at different locations to increase the operational area of the WiFi network. The mesh network is useful for large house between 2,000 and 4,500 square feet or multiple floor corporate offices. Other Features Apart from focusing on the different types of WiFi routers, you need to consider numerous other points also to get the perfect WiFi routers for your office and home. If you want to buy the perfect wifi router, then you need to consider the following points as well –
Router with Built-in Modem
To run a smooth wireless internet connection at your home, you need to device modem and router. These days router builtin with a modem is present in the market so you need to choose whether to buy a built-in modem router or get a separate setup because both have their own advantages and disadvantages. The major advantage of this router will be that you won’t have to worry about the clutter of different wires and cables at your house. Moreover, the coaxial connection is going to be way cheaper than getting a router and modem separately. But, it has one disadvantage you won’t be able to configure different security and firewall settings separately. So, now it is your choice which one router you buy.
Different Wireless Standards
We have already explained the different types of WiFi routers, but you need to also consider the wireless standards while purchasing the router. In the past 20 years, multiple wireless standards have been changed such as –
802.11 used the 2.4GHz band and had a maximum bandwidth of 2 megabits per second (Mbps).802.11b uses the same 2.4GHz band with a maximum bandwidth of 11 Mbps.802.11a was introduced in 1999, at the same time as 802.11b, but it operates on the 5GHz frequency band and supports a maximum bandwidth of 54Mbps. 802.11a.802.11g also supports a maximum bandwidth of 54Mbps but operates in the 2.4GHz band.802.11n was introduced in 2009, which operates in both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands and supports a bandwidth of up to 300Mbps (or even 450Mbps with three antennae).802.11ac works exclusively in the 5GHz band and supports bandwidth anywhere between 433Mbps to multiple gigabits per second.
These are just a few examples of wireless standards as there are multiple other wireless standards are available to select from. So, here, you need to be very careful when you are selecting the wires for your router.
Best Wi-Fi Routers for 2022
TP-Link Archer C2300
Wi-Fi Spec: 802.11ac/Dual-BandNumber of Antennas/Removable: 3/YesPorts: Four 1-Gbps LAN, 1 WAN, 1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0Peak Throughput: 939.6 MbpsSize: 8.5 x 7.5 x 1.5 inchesBuilt-in antivirus protection
Netgear Orbi
Wi-Fi Spec: 802.11ac/Tri-BandNumber of Antennas/Removable: 6/NoPorts: Four 1-Gbps LAN, 1 USB 2.0Peak Throughput: 552.1 MbpsSize: 8.9 x 6.7 x 3.1 inchesThe dedicated router-to-extension data channelMU-MIMO technologyChoice of app or browser setup
TP-Link Archer A7
Wi-Fi Spec: 802.11ac/Dual-BandNumber of Antennas/Removable: 3/NoPorts: Four 1-Gbps LAN, 1 USB 2.0Peak Throughput: 647.4 MbpsSize: 1.3 x 9.6 x 6.4 inches
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
Wi-Fi Spec: 802.11ac/Tri-BandNumber of Antennas/Removable: 8/YesPorts: 1 WAN, 4 1-Gbps LAN, 1 2.5-Gbps LAN, 2 USB 3.0Peak Throughput: 731.4 MbpsSize: 9.4 x 9.4 x 2.8 inchesFirst Wi-Fi 6 (802.11AX) routerPerformance improves with distancePlenty of customizationImpressive 2.5Gbps wired connector
TP-Link Archer C5400X
Wi-Fi Spec: 802.11ac/Tri-BandNumber of Antennas/Removable: 8/NoPorts: 1 WAN, 8 1-Gbps LAN, 1 USB 2.0Peak Throughput: 859.5 MbpsSize: 11.2 x 11.2 x 7.6 inchesTri-band designCustomization potentialSecurity software
So, there are multiple other points that you have to consider when you are buying the router for your Wi-Fi connection. You need to work on how many portals you don’t want and much more. We just hope that after reading this WiFi router buying guide, you will be able to select the best router for your home or office.
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