Do you want to buy a WiFi router and don’t know exactly what to look for? Then you are exactly in the right place The Internet has become indispensable in many households. However, a WLAN connection is required, especially when laptops or smartphones and tablets are involved. You need a special router to use it.
Although there are currently a large number of models, the decision to buy a wireless router is not that easy and there are a few things to consider.
What do you have to pay attention to when buying a WiFi router?
There are various routers that support WiFi and the differences in price are just as large as the range. But before you decide on a device and maybe save at the wrong end, you have to think about a few things. The questions to ask yourself are:
- Where should the router be used?
- How would you like to use the router?
- Which devices should be connected to the router?
- What security does the router offer?
All these points play an important role when you are planning to buy a wireless router.
Where should the router be used?
The first question you need to ask yourself is where the router will be used. This is important because different models have different ranges and signal strengths. If you have a small apartment then a cheap model is definitely worth considering, but especially if you want to send the signal over longer distances or perhaps across multiple floors in a house then a better model may be required.
How would you like to use the router?
This question is especially important because every router has different software. As with the range above, it also applies here that no special requirements are necessary for the simple connection of a laptop or smartphone. However, the situation is different if you need functions such as VPN or a virtual WLAN. Not all routers support these features, so be sure to look for them when purchasing a new wireless router.
Which devices should be connected to the WiFi router?
Again, this is an important point that is often overlooked. WLAN signals are now available in several WLAN standards. There are the common B and G standards, as well as the newer N standard and also a modern AC variant. While most devices can easily connect to the B and G standard, there are still older hardware, smartphones or tablets that do not support the new N and AC standards.
The same is true the other way around: B, G, N and AC standards all have different speeds, ranges and capacities. If you want a fast connection, then the new standards are a must. In addition, in relation to the first point, after the area of ​​application, the range plays a role.
For long distances, you should use a router that supports the G standard.
The security of the routers
The question of safety is also often underestimated. Even if it’s a basic home network, there are certain things to watch out for here. Functions such as the firewall are particularly important here, as well as the fact that the manufacturer regularly releases new updates for the software.
Many cheap WiFi routers in particular come with old firmware that is no longer updated and that cannot be found on the Internet either. This makes your router vulnerable to problems and attacks by hackers.
Other points worth considering when buying a WiFi router
Other things that you should pay attention to when buying a WiFi router are things like support or any additional functions. Do you need things like level of service or do you have special requirements due to your IT? Then you should carefully check here before buying that these functions are also available.
Conclusion on buying a WiFi router
As you can see, there are a few things to look out for when buying a wireless router. There are different models at different prices. Here, it depends entirely on your requirements: it does not always have to be the most expensive model, but in many cases, it is also wrong to choose the cheapest router, as problems can then arise later or certain functions may not available.
