Types of wi-fi routers

When you connect a new device, your ISP provides a unique IP address. To connect other devices, you will have to request separate IP addresses for an additional fee. The task of the router is to connect multiple devices to the same external IP with traffic distributed to internal addresses. The router itself assigns internal IP addresses for each home device.

How to choose a router for the apartment: the best devices for home Internet

Connect to the Internet today you can not only a smartphone, tablet or computer, but also a TV, a refrigerator, as well as other household appliances. The smart home system is based on Wi-Fi technology, in which all devices are connected to the router, and the appliances are controlled through a special application on the smartphone. Before you go to the store to buy a router, you need to decide which router to choose, what affects network speed and how to properly connect the device to distribute the home Internet.

A Wi-Fi router, also called a router, is designed to transmit data wirelessly. The router receives the Internet signal from the provider, then distributes it among several devices.

Internet speed depends on the range of the router, the wifi generation, and the number of devices connected to it.

Modern models are capable of detecting high-risk sites and restricting access to them. In order to ensure network security, some routers have an encryption function for traffic. Before choosing a router for an apartment, it is necessary to find out the requirements for the device from the provider, including the connection protocols and the type of WAN-connector. The home router includes a hardware unit, antenna, and power supply.

The main purpose of the router for an apartment is communication between the server connected to the network and the user's home devices. Each device connected to the network has its own IP address. When connected to a computer, the router is able to receive and transmit data. To protect users, signals are encrypted using WPA technology.

What affects the speed of a Wi-Fi network

The first thing you should pay attention to before buying a home router is the Wi-Fi speed. The manufacturer indicates this information on the packaging. Even the cheapest router has a claimed connection speed of 150 Mbps. To view a FullHD video clip a speed of 8 Mbps is sufficient. It would seem that 150 Mbps is quite enough to connect and comfortably use a dozen of devices, but the actual connection speed can be several times lower.

The first thing to do is to determine the Wi-Fi connection range, which can be 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. Some models only support 2.4 GHz, while others can support both bands.

Devices that support 2.4 GHz have a lower price tag. 2.4 GHz radio waves have good penetration, so the router will be able to cover a large area of the apartment. But this range is prone to congestion, which severely reduces the speed or there is a complete absence of signal. In this case, you can switch to the 5 GHz frequency or use one of the many ways to boost the network signal.

The 5 GHz band can achieve speeds of up to 1 Gbps, but not all devices support this frequency. Budget smartphones and tablets can operate in the 2.4 GHz band. To find out the congestion of the selected band at the router's location, you should use a WiFi network analyzer.

Benefits of Wireless Internet

Wired Internet, which has been around for decades, has firmly entered the lives of every third inhabitant of the Earth. For this reason, there was a need to facilitate access to the World Wide Web. So appeared Wi-Fi routers, whose main task was to convert the signal into wireless and its distribution "in the air", because it is very convenient. In general, it is possible to note such advantages of wireless Internet:

1. The absence of a huge number of wires in the house.
2. Possibility to use Wi-Fi on several devices in parallel – desktop computer, portable laptop, tablet or smartphone.
3. High connection speeds that are available today.
4. Reasonable cost of routers.
5. Routers, for the most part, support various Internet connection options provided by ISPs.

In general, routers can be divided into two types. The first are connected to a cable that transmits a wired signal. The second type has appeared relatively recently. Such gadgets are used for 3G and 4G connections. The sim card of the mobile operator that provides this type of service is installed in them. Among the disadvantages of devices connected to the cable, include the lack of mobility and the inability to move the router outside the house or apartment. They are designed to distribute Wi-Fi only in the place where they are installed. 3G and 4G routers can be moved to use the Internet within network coverage. The area of high-speed 3G and 4G wireless Internet coverage depends on the level of technology development of the country and the operator providing the service.

It is worth noting that there are routers that are designed to connect corporate Wi-Fi with seamless roaming. Such devices are installed by organizations when it is necessary to provide wireless Internet to a large number of users. The coverage of such routers is much wider than gadgets designed for home use. Of course, the cost of routers for corporate use is much higher.

General classification

Every user of the World Wide Web should know what routers are. This information will allow you to make the right choice when buying, as well as simplify the process of setting up a new gadget. According to the generally accepted classification, there are five varieties of routers for the wireless network.

The first type is a somewhat outdated variety of devices that receive the signal through a telephone cable with an RJ11 connector. They are called ADSL routers. It is worth noting that they are able to receive data at a speed of no more than 1 megabit per second, and distribute – only up to 700 kilobits per second. Of course, such parameters will not suit anyone today, because such a speed does not allow you to download large files. But in the past this technology was very popular, because it didn't require a new cable into the house or apartment. Low connection speeds allowed ADSL-routers to gain popularity. But later they were replaced by more advanced technology.

The second type is the most popular today technology Ethernet. Such devices have a WAN port, which connects a cable with an RJ45 connector. Of course, such routers come in several varieties. They can differ in the type of protocol used, the set of IEEE 802.11 standards supported. There are models from a variety of manufacturers on the market, from budget ones to products with top characteristics.

The third type is 3G and 4G devices. They use packet data transfer. At the same time, the principle of operation of such routers is very similar. They differ only in the speed of operation, data coding and operating frequency. It should be noted that in many respects the quality of operation of such a router depends on the coverage provided by the operator. At the same time, routers that receive a radio signal are very convenient for people who often work in different places.

Leading manufacturers

All of the issues discussed above give much insight into which router for your home or apartment is best to choose in order to ensure stable access to the wireless network.

But it is also important to consider the fact that not always the declared characteristics and capabilities correspond to reality. It is a sin of little-known manufacturers, as well as those who fake routers under the guise of a leading brand.

If a user wants to choose a really reliable and high-quality Wi-Fi router, it is worth paying attention to several leading manufacturers. Namely:

The vast majority of routers are represented by these brands.

TP-Link Deco M5.

For rooms with a complex layout, one router, even a powerful one, is not enough. In such cases, the ideal solution is to use the so-called Mesh-systems, which consist of several small routers placed throughout the house. A striking representative of this family is the Deco M5 from TP-Link.

The router looks elegant – it is a small, not very thick circle with one LED in the middle, with two Gigabit LAN ports, one of which (either one) is used to connect the ISP. Additional devices can be connected both over the wire (increased speed, but loss of one wired connection) and over the air. Connection of additional modules is automatic. The devices can be controlled via a proprietary application from Android and iOS gadgets. There is also a built-in antivirus with parental control function. The only disadvantage can be considered the lack of range management and VPN function, which is not often used at home.

The theoretical throughput of the device is 0.4 Gb/sec for the 2.4 GHz band and 0.867 Gb/sec for the 5 GHz band, but the exchange between nodes somewhat reduces these figures.

Each of the devices has four built-in antennas, there are no USB ports. Estimated coverage of the set of two nodes – 350 m 2, of the three nodes – 510 m 2. One module costs about 8000 rubles, if you need more than one, it is better to buy the whole kit.

Asus RT-AC66U B1

If you wonder what is the best router for your home or apartment from among the less expensive ones, you can recommend this particular product. But that does not mean that it is weak: its functionality is up to the mark, there are two operating bands, the ability to receive data on three devices at 2.4 GHz and on the same frequency – on 5 GHz, the total speed of the router – 1.75 Gb / sec.

There is a possibility to connect additional devices, but the Mesh-system of our own design can't be called exceptionally reliable. Two USB 2.0/3.0 ports allow connecting network devices. There is both a web-interface and a mobile application for managing the router with a large number of settings.

The users note the ability of Asus RT-AC66U B1 to get very warm; this is why the device should not be installed in a closed, preferably well-ventilated space. The cost of the router is from 8500 rubles ($125). The work with flash drives and 3G/4G-modems is supported.

USB port

In my opinion, a USB port on a modern router is very desirable! Why:

1. you can connect a printer to it and make a wireless "printout" point;
2. it is possible to connect a hard disk and make network storage (besides, some routers with USB can load files/ torrents to this disk even if the PC/laptop is switched off);
3. to USB you can connect a modem from a mobile operator (as a backup Internet access).

A few words about reviews and manufacturers

First, I recommend paying attention to the router models, which already have dozens of reviews . Why? The point is that they will help you understand how stable the router "holds" the speed – and this is one of the key points, which overrides everything else! (just many models, when you will actively download something, may go to reboot, and the network will often "break" for 15-30 seconds).

SecondlyI would like to say right away that nothing in our world is perfect, and all manufacturers have both good models and bad ones.

ThirdThirdly, I would like to add, that all what is written below is taken from personal experience (I do not denigrate and do not whitewash anyone).

1. D-link – One of the most popular router manufacturers (probably due to the line of very cheap devices). All budget and mid-budget models are extremely glitchy: passwords to Wi-Fi network can constantly fly off, reboot, hang up.

Also the factory firmware leaves much to be desired, often you have to 👉 change it for the firmware from "folk" craftsmen (of course, the warranty in this case "goes off"). Up to 2013-2014 there was not much choice among budget options and you had to "reconcile", but now I personally do not see the point.

2. TRENDnet. – An average manufacturer in terms of price/quality ratio. Budget models are not much different from D-Link (except the basic firmware is a little better).

I would note that many models of this brand are very warm (which often leads to device failure). Also, when actively loading the router (for example, downloading files), the device may reboot.

3. TP-link – Inexpensive routers of this brand are significantly superior in quality to devices from D-Link and TRENDnet. However, the 740 and 840 series are somewhat "cutting" the speed of both Wi-Fi and cable (but they do not reboot and do not hang up). I.e. everything is stable enough. Not a bad choice for home or office.

Wireless Internet setup

You're better off letting an experienced user set it up. Usually the provider will provide this service himself or even give you the modem already configured for use until the expiration of the contract.

In-depth setup requires at least a basic knowledge of networking technology, and even a housewife can cope with a quick setup. The device comes with a disk, it remains to insert it into the drive and follow the instructions that appear on the screen.

You will be prompted to select a provider, enter the username/password, enter the name of the access point (the name that is visible in the network), come up with a Wi-Fi password, and then the program will do everything automatically.

If your provider is not on the list, you will have to configure manually. We warn you in advance that only advanced users can do this, further tips for them.

In the browser (see what browser is better) enter the IP address of the router – 192.168.1.1. Standard login / password: Admin/Admin, Admin/1234, admin/admin (in some models user/user). Language and case does matter.

In case none of the suggested options came up, reset the settings to the standard ones, look at the sticker on the back of the router, where the login/password pair is specified. Do not be lazy to go to the manufacturer's website and fill in the latest firmware for the device.

Since there are a lot of manufacturers and even one has different versions of the Web-interface, here are the basic parameters. On the WAN tab enter the VPI and VCI. For example: for Rostelecom it is 0/33, check with your provider.

Local network configuration

To exchange files, applications and games on the network you do not need access to the World Wide Web, it is enough to set up a local network between devices via Wi-Fi. If two devices access the Internet through one router, we can say there is already a network, you just need to do a little manipulation.

in the menu "Network" select our network, right-click and go to the menu (if there is no network in the list, click on the network settings)

"Enable and disable sharing", enable it if it was not enabled before

Turn on network discovery and file and printer sharing, save the changes, and do the same on the other device.

On the "Computer" icon (explorer in the start menu), right-click on "Properties

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