How to choose the best router

Your home network powers your online life. And the router is the brain of your home network. Your router can make or break your network if you choose the wrong one

Understanding the wifi standards: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standards

The newest routers are defined as 802.11ac Wave 2. Make sure your next wireless router offers 802.11ac support.

Single-band vs. dual-band

Wifi routers operate in 2.4GHz and 5GHz. You will need to look for a device than can work on both of these bands simultaneously. So you can split your load evenly to these bands. So, Always look for simultaneous dual-band routers should be what you're looking for, as they offer both bands at once. Why limit yourself to just one?

Types of Routers:

• Wireless Routers (with inbuilt Access point) - Commonly known as Wifi routers has an inbuilt radio and is the most common type of consumer routers. If you live in an medium sized apartment, you should be getting one of these.
  
• Wired routers and separate wireless access points (Advanced users) - This is a key point of confusion for a lot of consumers especially when branching out into the "prosumer" market with products like Ubiquiti. Here you will have  a central router (may be in your living room) from which you run cables to all the other rooms and have a separate AP (Access point) in each of the rooms

Determine how much area you need to cover (Router vs Mesh vs Custom wired home network)

• A Single Wireless Router will be more than sufficient for most small to medium-sized homes
  
• Mesh - If you've got a big house, coverage probably sucks in some parts of it. Remember "Mesh" does not refer to a coordinated network of multiple APs, but rather to the fact that they get their connection to the router via a second wireless connection
  
• Cable + Multiple Access points: Always remember cable is the fastest. If there is a provision for you to run cables to multiple rooms, always make use of it and then you can plug them to wireless access points

wifibeans

posted on 31 Aug 18