Indeed, many of us may have outdated routers and haven’t had an upgrade from our provider - and aren’t going to get one without a payment. Then, it may be possible to use a premium WiFi router to just do a better job.
This article will look at what a WiFi router is and some of the reasons why people get premium upgrades for their connections.
What is a WiFi Router?
A WiFi router is the box that connects to your telephone line (in the case of ADSL) or cable line (in the case of fibre optic) and passes the signal around your house. Essentially, it translates the data coming in so that it can send it over wireless signals to the devices that need to connect to it.Normally, with ADSL, the WiFi router is sent to you in the post and you are given instructions as to how to install it. With fibre optic broadband, you normally have the router installed for you.
Characteristics of WiFi Routers
The biggest difference between various models of WiFi routers is the speed that they can send signals at. If you have a super-fast broadband connection offering 100Mbps, there’s no point having a router that has the capacity for 11Mbps, as that is all you’ll achieve - and you’ll have a bottleneck in your broadband process.Routers tend to be classified as 11Mbps, 80Mbps and 450Mbps, although there are, nowadays, faster routers as well for top-level connections that are used in business - of 1Gbps and more.
Warranties on Routers
It’s a good idea to pick a router that has a good length of warranty. This will demonstrate confidence by the manufacturer that their router will actually stand the test of time.Popularity of Routers
It’s also a good idea to pick popular routers. The best selling models will probably be the best performing and most stable. Read some online reviews and look at the sales figures of different devices to find out which are the most popular.Picking by Design
It’s also possible to get lots of very different designs of WiFi router. They come in all different shapes, sizes, colours and finishes, and can be an accessory for your home rather than an eyesore. If you have a very elegant home, you may like to choose a router to fit with it.Why you might need a Premium Router?
As we saw earlier, a router may not be able to deal with the connection speed of your broadband. In this case, you’ll have to get a better WiFi router or put up with the limitations that the old one has.There are also some very important reasons to get a different WiFi router:
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Interference from Other WiFi Connections
If you live in a built-up area with lots of WiFi connections running, you may well have to get a premium WiFi router in order to get online wirelessly. This is because most WiFi routers operate at the 2.4GHz frequency range and, therefore, the airspace can be filled with connections vying for space.If you find you’re having problems because of this, a premium WiFi router may be the solution, as you can get different frequencies in order to bypass the other signals. A good way to find out whether you’re likely to be having this problem is to jump on to your ‘manage connection’ and search for networks to see how many are there. If there are lots of strong signals in your area, then it could be that you’re getting interference from them.
There are also tools you can use to find out whether there are connections on the same frequency as you, and then you can change the channel if needs be, through your WiFi router.
Interference from Other Devices
You can also get interference from other devices around your home. For example, baby monitors, WiFi boilers and wireless audio systems can have a real impact on your internet connection. I had a situation where my internet went off every evening and it turned out that this happened exactly when we turned the baby monitor on. Again, getting a premium WiFi router can bypass the signal blockage caused by other devices.Increased Range
A premium WiFi router can offer you an increased range for your broadband. The premium routers often have better and more antennae in them and, so, can simply pass the signal further for you.Repeaters, Relayers and Extenders
Instead of getting a premium WiFi router, you could choose to go for a repeater or extender. These sit in between your connecting device and your WiFi router and act as signal amplifiers that increase the range of your WiFI signal. They’re relatively inexpensive and can be picked up at most good electrical shops.A repeater is an easy solution to get around physical objects such as dense ceilings and walls as well, and many people will have one installed at the top of their stairs on their landing being fed from the bottom of the stairs by the incoming telephone port-based WiFi router.
Top Tip
It’s a good idea to always shop around and read reviews when it comes to WiFi routers. If you’re looking for an upgrade, then ensure that you get something compatible with your internet connection. Some providers will limit the types of routers usable with their connection.Indeed, also make sure that you get a WiFi router that’s compatible and optimum for your network adaptors, where appropriate. This can improve speed by a few percentage points over having hardware that does not work well together.
Sam JonesAbout the Author:
Sam Jones wanted a broadband deal with a new Wi-Fi router . All the deals were listed on sites like uSwitch and he was able to find the one that he wanted at a glance.