choosing a wifi router for home

Currently, Internet technologies are developing at a pace no less than the Internet itself. If until recently the speed of the Internet was measured in kilobytes, now the bill is already in gigabytes.

And if earlier you had to stop the Internet connection if you needed to make a phone call, now there is a much more convenient option — Wi-Fi connection is completely wireless. And the most popular device, without which it is almost impossible to imagine modern data transfer, is a router.

What is a wi-fi router?

router is a device needed to split the Internet signal. A router is the best option for those who have several gadgets at home that need to be periodically connected to the Internet — a computer, tablet or smartphone. The router has an input (WAN) port where the Internet cable is connected, and output (LAN) ports that are connected via cables to computers and other receivers. You can make both a wired connection, using Ethernet ports, and wireless, using a Wi-Fi signal.

What threatens the wrong choice of router?

If the router, say, has too low a coverage area, it will only be able to provide Internet to devices that are in the same room with it. If the router does not have the number of ports you need, you will not be able to connect all the devices that you planned. The wrong choice of router leads to the fact that the buyer is dissatisfied with the purchase, as a result of which he has to spend nerves and time on a return or exchange.

What to look for when choosing a Wi-fi router?

When choosing a router, you should focus on the following criteria:

• Price. On the forums, many users advise buying the cheapest version of the router, arguing their point of view by the fact that there is no need to overpay for a device that has only one function. Actually this is a delusion. The advantages of a more expensive option will be a high-quality assembly, so you do not have to constantly send the router for repair (which, by the way, can take up to 45 days) and an excellent reception area (many inexpensive options can only work inside one room at all). At the same time, expensive models costing over 4,000 rubles are hardly worthy of attention — most likely, the purchase will become a waste of money.
• Connection speed. Maybe the tariff plan that is used when connecting via Wi-Fi assumes a speed of up to 60 Mbps, however, it is cut down to 30 by the router itself. In this case, the user, as a rule, is sent to make claims to the Internet service provider, although blaming him You can only yourself for a superficial approach to choosing a device.
• Availability of USB interface. The USB port gives the user many benefits — you can connect a hard drive or a printer. In addition, the USB port makes it possible to connect a 3G modem if necessary, however, one port is not enough for it to be read — a special function is required.
• Number and speed of switch ports. There are usually four Ethernet ports with which you can build a wired network on routers. This is usually enough, however, if your home has more devices that require an Internet connection, this point should also be taken into account when choosing. It must be remembered that a wired connection, although less convenient than a wireless one, is faster and more stable. When choosing the speed of the ports of the router, you need to proceed from how active you are as a user. Fans of downloading heavy movies and games weighing tens of gigabytes should better purchase a router with port speeds up to 1000 Mbps. For those who do not need high speed, 100 Mbps will be enough — such models will be much cheaper.

What are the most common mistakes buyers of routers make?

The main mistake of the buyer is that he goes to the store without special knowledge and idea of ​​what kind of device he needs, counting on the help of consultants. It must be remembered that modern consultants do not work at all in order to assist buyers — most likely, you will be sold a stale product or simply low-quality, but promising the seller a high margin. Therefore, before you go to the store, it is worth learning about the product that you are going to buy as much as possible.

Another mistake is the prejudice that all Chinese technology is bad. It is worth noting that 90% of all electronic products are made in China, since Chinese labor is cheap, which does not mean, however, that their products are second-rate. If phones, tablets and routers were produced in Europe, the Russian average consumer would simply not be able to afford them. The breakdown of the Chinese apparatus is a probabilistic accident, in no way connected with the country of manufacture.

Finally, do not pay much attention to the recommendations of friends and product reviews on the Internet. As a rule, this is a subjective opinion — people may be unhappy with the router just because they failed to connect or configure it, and, as a result, dissuade you from buying the device that suits you best.

What are the best manufacturing companies?

All router manufacturers have different reputations. The leader among budget devices is D-Link. Its main advantage lies precisely in cost, so this company takes its market share primarily due to quantity, not quality. At the same time, the quality of D-Link products often causes criticism — often you have to deal with complaints about the constant repair of routers from this company. Routers from Linksys and Asus are champions not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of functionality, however, the price of most models is quite high.

Recommendations from an expert

One of the most popular router models is the D-Link DIR 615, not least due to its low cost — its average cost is about $ 30. Such a router will probably not satisfy an advanced user, but a beginner who is just mastering the Internet will definitely like it, because another of its significant advantages is ease of setup. The D-Link router has a «quick setup wizard» feature that allows you to start working on the Internet within a few minutes after installation.

Another inexpensive but noteworthy model is the TP-Link TL-WR743ND. The average price of such a router is 1000 rubles. For this money, the buyer receives fairly average parameters and quality that does not cause much criticism. TP-Link has one WAN port and four LAN ports with speeds up to 100 Mbps. It also has the ability to connect to receiving devices via Wi-Fi (speed up to 150 Mbps), a detachable antenna to improve signal stability and a Dos-attack protection system.

If the price is not a limitation for you, you should pay attention to the ASUS RT-AC66U model. In addition to 4 LAN ports with an output speed of up to 1 Gbps, the router also has two USB ports. Wireless communication is provided by the Wi-Fi function with supported speeds up to 1300 Mbps, and its quality is guaranteed by 3 dual-band antennas. This router also boasts Dos protection and IPTV support. The average cost of the device is 6,000 rubles.