Buyer's Guide: How To Choose A Wireless Router
By Jim Sabellico
BUYER'S GUIDE
How to choose the right wireless router for you
What is a Wireless Router?
A wireless router is a device that connects to your home or office modem, so that you may connect multiple devices, typically wired and wireless to your internet connection at the same time. Please see below for the most common features of wireless routers, and read on for detailed explanations of what those features are, and how they may benefit you.Range
The range of a wireless router is a measurement of how far (typically in feet) the signal of the router will travel. Most good wireless routers are capable of broadcasting your signal to a range of around 150 feet indoors, assuming typical household conditions.Certain wireless routers like the D-Link DIR-655 are capable of signal range up to 300 feet in your house, again - assuming perfect conditions. For more information about how antenna design affects wireless signal, see the antenna section below.
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| EASY SETUP - Simple installation, no CD required.
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| Up to 2.8 times faster than Wireless-N technology: Simultaneous dual-band speed up to N300 Mbps (2.4 GHz) + AC867 Mbps (5 GHz) for media-intense applications
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Single Band or Dual Band
When looking for a wireless router, you are going to come across two different types - single band and dual band. As you might have guessed, dual band routers will broadcast your wireless signal on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, thus giving you a more robust and quality signal.Although a dual band router will allow you more options for delivering wireless signal in your home or office, the 5GHz signal frequency has some caveats. The other downside to this, is that not all wireless devices are capable of accepting a 5GHz wireless signal, so not every device you own can take advantage of the added frequency.
If you have a lot of other wireless devices in your home, or live in a crowded area, you're going to want to pick a wireless router with dual band. Since some devices still use the older but more popular 802.11g standard, you'll want to make sure you can broadcast both the new 802.11n signal, as well as the older 802.11g, and beyond.
• 802.11a - 802.11a is an IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 54Mbps and an operating frequency of 5GHz.
• 802.11b - 802.11b is an IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 11Mbps and an operating frequency of 2.4GHz.
• 802.11g - 802.11g is an IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 54Mbps and an operating frequency of 2.4GHz.
• 802.11n - 802.11n is an IEEE wireless networking standard the specifies a maximum data transfer rate of up to 540Mbps and an utilizes MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology to increase signal quality.
Security
When you are setting up a wireless network at your home or office, you want to make sure you take your wireless security seriously. Picking a wireless router that is capable of implementing the popular security protocols will ensure that you can setup a secure wireless network that won't leave you vulnerable.The most common types of wireless security protocols are WEP, WPA, & WPA2. A pre-shared key (PSK), or passcode, is used to allow communication between the wireless router and the endpoint (your laptop or computer).
• WPA - WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is similar to WEP, however WPA further protects your wireless data transmission via encryption. Computers that are physically connected to your router will benefit from increased speed and reliability, so if you are able to, it's always a good idea to get a router like the Medialink Wireless N Router that also has LAN ( or Local Area Network) ports so that you can physically connect your computer to your router.
If you find a wireless router without local network ports, make sure that it is actually a router, and not just an access point. If you already have a wireless router in your home or office, you may use an access point to provide an additional source of wireless, so long as your main router provides the basic routing functions for your home network
Antenna Design
When choosing a new wireless router, you want to take into consideration the type of antenna design the router uses, which will either be internal or external. Aesthetically, a lot of the popular manufacturers are now choosing an internal antenna that is housed within the body of the wireless router.
While an internal antenna may look a little 'cleaner' than having a small external mast type antenna sticking up from the top of your router, the external mast type antennas generally give a better performance and range than a router with an internal antenna.
MIMO
MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) is a fairly new technology found in new routers which will enable you to get better speed and range from your wireless router, by allowing the wireless router to broadcast and receive multiple different signals at once.