Are You Searching For How to Choose Best Internet Router for Home?, then we must say you are at the right post. Here are 5 tips for purchasing the right router for your home. From social media to entertainment, a network router is something that keeps you connected to the world at all times and fuels all your online activities.
A router acts like a magic box that enables you to distribute internet signals to a variety of devices in your home. Although Ethernet connections are considered more secure, a wireless connection allows you to move freely around your home all the while staying connected to the World Wide Web. In addition to this, you can connect multiple devices to the internet including your smartphones, laptops, and computer desktops, and that too without a clutter of cables.
How to Choose Best Internet Router for Home?
With so many entertainment options and online needs, a good router has become a necessity for many households. Numerous devices are being connected to the internet at the same time and old routers certainly cannot cater to such heavy connections.
Therefore, you need to get a new router for your home so that you along with your family members can enjoy seamless connectivity to the world. The question is, how to choose a router that best suits your needs and requirements whether you are a heavy internet user or a moderate one. Stay tuned and let’s get started?
Here are 5 tips for purchasing the right router for your home:
1. Evaluate your connection speed
To figure out the speed of your internet connection, you can either contact your service provider to inquire about your package details or test the speed yourself by logging on to www.speedtest.net. Make sure that you know your internet’s maximum speed because you will need a router that can handle that speed. For instance, if your internet subscribed package speed is 200Mbps, then you will need a router that can at least handle 200Mbps of speed.
Also Read:
5 Powerful Ways To Speed Up Internet Connection
2. Check with your local ISP
If you are one of those individuals who are getting their services from the same provider for the past few years, then chances are that you have not updated your router. Your ISP will definitely have updated versions of routers that you can rent or purchase. Although renting is more expensive in the long run, it is good for people who cannot make the entire upfront payment for the router. Many ISPs offer routers and modems for free when you sign up for their services, for instance, spectrum internet comes with a free modem that is capable of transmitting super-fast internet and wireless signals throughout your home. Moreover, you will not be restricted to smaller data caps, as it allows you to do as much streaming, browsing, and downloading as you like due to its unlimited data caps.
3. The Devices that the Router will Support
It is always a good idea to make a note about the devices that you will connect to the router for internet access. This will help you determine whether you want a small router or a big router that supports numerous devices. Small and average power routers can easily support 6-8 devices provided that the devices do not perform heavy tasks like 4K video streaming and gaming.
You also need to evaluate the bandwidth that you will be consuming over the router. If you are fond of watching movies and playing games, then it is better for you to get a high-power router, which can support all your online activities easily.
4. Understand the router speed and range
While it is tempting to pick the router that claims to be the fastest in the industry, it is important to look at the following factors:
Advertised Speed: The speed mentioned on the package may be misleading. Therefore, you need to test the router before making the final decision. You can also search regarding the product online and read customer reviews in order to get an idea about its performance.
Ceiling Speed: Ceiling speed is the highest speed at which the devices can use the internet. For example, a router that has a ceiling speed of 300Mbps would not be of much help to a device that can only reach up to 150Mbps.
Router Range: The range of the router dictates the distance to which it can extend its signals. So, if you live in a large house, you need to get a router with a strong signal extender.
5. The router should support WPA2 Encryption
WPA2 is the most recent and by far the safest encryption in the internet world. Therefore, make sure that the router supports this encryption protocol. Avoid WPA and WEP because these encryptions are outdated and do not protect your information to the fullest.
Best Routers to Purchase
Have a look at some of the best routers you can purchase in 2021 and beyond.
TP-LINK ARCHER AX11000
Why You Should Purchase:
- Eight Wired Points
- Extended Range
- Latest WiFi 6 Speeds
Why You Should Avoid?
- Costly
- Setting and Configuring TP-Link Archer AX11000 is difficult
NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK XR700
Why You Should Purchase:
- Triple Band Support
- Best Coverage in Large Spaces
- 10 Gigabit Ethernet
Why You Should Avoid?
- Highly Expensive
- Not Suitable for fewer People
ASUS RT-AC86U
Why You Should Purchase:
- Greater Range
- On-board Software
- Budget-Friendly
- High Performance
Why You Should Avoid?
- Wall Mount is Not Available
ASUS GT-AX11000 ROG RAPTURE
Why You Should Purchase:
- Stable and Powerful Software
- Eight WiFi Antennas for Better Coverage
- Support WiFi 6
- Best WiFi Router for Extreme Gamers
Why You Should Avoid?
- Expensive
- Not Suitable for Normal Internet Users
- Bulky Design
Tricks: Combine Two Wifi Connections to Get Faster Internet
Final Words
Once you have narrowed down the list of routers, conduct thorough research regarding their performances so that you know which router best suits your needs and requirements. In addition to this, confirm with your ISP to ensure that the router is compatible with your current package plan. If you are thinking of renting a router with your service provider, we would recommend you to invest one time on purchasing one from the store instead of paying on monthly basis.
Follow the aforementioned steps to choose the perfect router for your home and enjoy seamless connectivity.
