{"id":15739,"date":"2017-05-02T14:42:40","date_gmt":"2017-05-02T12:42:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.pricecheck.co.za\/?p=15739"},"modified":"2017-05-02T14:42:40","modified_gmt":"2017-05-02T12:42:40","slug":"internet-tips-how-to-choose-the-right-router","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/blog\/internet-tips-how-to-choose-the-right-router\/","title":{"rendered":"Internet Tips: How To Choose The Right Router"},"content":{"rendered":"

You might be surprised by this – but not all routers<\/a> are\u00a0created equal.<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, you still get routers that don’t have Wi-Fi capabilities, making them all but useless for your mobile devices.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, what should you look for when buying a router?<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Wi-Fi Capabilities<\/span><\/h3>\n

Considering the cost of mobile data, most people with an internet package at home will also want to connect their phones to their router via Wi-Fi.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most ISPs supply routers with Wi-Fi capabilities. But, you might want to shop for a more powerful one, depending on your needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you plan on getting the Wi-Fi signal all around your large house, you’re going to need a router with strong signal capabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n

WikiHow<\/a> suggests doing a real-life test to evaluate signal strength. Since the manufacturer’s specifications won’t be able to account for obstacles in your home (such as a room with thick walls), which may interfere with the signal.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’re unable to do this, there are sites like SmallNetBuilder<\/a>, which show the results of real-life tests for various routers.<\/span><\/p>\n

These results include the actual speed of the routers when used in real-life circumstances.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Number Of Simultaneous Connections<\/span><\/h3>\n

Another feature of your router, that you’ll want to consider, is how many simultaneous connections it allows.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have a small household, you can opt for routers that are among the lower range in terms of simultaneous connections, according to Connectedly<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, if you operate a business, or often have many guests on your property, you’ll want to opt for the higher range.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Compatibility With Your Devices<\/span><\/h3>\n

You’ll want to make sure that your router is compatible with your devices, like your laptops, computers, and gaming consoles.<\/span><\/p>\n

To do this, WikiHow states\u00a0that you should make sure your wireless router matches with your devices’ wireless network cards.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another benefit of compatibility is the possibility of getting faster internet speeds.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. See That It Has a Decent Warranty<\/span><\/h3>\n

This tends to be the rule of thumb for most products you buy. You’ll want to choose something with an adequate warranty period.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, a router that comes with a one-month warranty doesn’t inspire much confidence. So you’ll want to look for something that rather has a year-long warranty.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Check That It Can Handle Your Internet Speed<\/span><\/h3>\n

There’s no point in having an exceptionally fast internet line if your router can’t handle the speed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most router classes can handle speeds of over 100Mbps, which is fast enough for most consumers (especially in South Africa where most home packages don’t tend to exceed 150Mbps).<\/span><\/p>\n

However, there are some older classes that only support lower speeds.<\/span><\/p>\n

“If your internet package promises speeds in excess of 100Mbps, and you’re still using a Wireless N router, the limitations of the router’s wireless capabilities may become a bottleneck for your network,” Cnet<\/a> says.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The class numbers of modems can be a bit confusing for a novice to figure out. But you can always ask a salesperson, or check the product description for speeds.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. How Much Are You Willing To Spend?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Price is a factor that we have to take into account, with most products we buy. And this is no different for routers.<\/span><\/p>\n

You must decide how much you’re willing to spend on a router and whether paying for a top-end model is worth it.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are routers in production which are considered more “future-proof”, even ones that support speeds of up to 1Gbps (1000Mbps).<\/span><\/p>\n

However, considering we are nowhere near having those speeds available in our homes, dropping a bunch of cash on a router like this would be a waste of money.<\/span><\/p>\n

After all, by the time we reach those speeds in South Africa, your router would likely be outdated in other respects anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Conversely, you might not want to go for the cheapest product you can find as this can compromise your internet speed.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Final Tip: Keep Your Old Router<\/span><\/h3>\n

Cnet has a handy tip for those buying new routers – keep your old one too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Often, you can find a way to use the old router as a bridge, or range extender, to supplement your new network.<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, you can connect a router to certain stand-alone devices to make them connect with the rest of your network.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You might be surprised by this – but not all routers are\u00a0created equal. In fact, you still get routers that don’t have Wi-Fi capabilities, making them all but useless for your mobile devices. So, what should you look for when buying a router? 1. Wi-Fi Capabilities Considering the cost of mobile data, most people with<\/p>\n

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