Why is it needed?
Technology is knocking at our doorsteps, most important and prominent being internet and connected gadgets such as smart TVs, smart phones and other related mobile devices making our lives easier and automatic. There has been a requirement, important than ever of devices such as wireless routers, to deal with increased requirement of Wi-Fi connectivity.
Consideration before buying:
When choosing a new router, one must consider the size of coverage area which can be the home or the office, and the number of users, not forgetting the types of devices that will connect to the router. Price is again something that can’t be left undiscussed. There's no reason to pay high for few modern features that one will hardly use anyway. However, if you have several family members or clients vying for bandwidth for things like video streaming and playing online games, a better choice can make life easier and more efficient.
Router Bands:
These have different types. Some models can only communicate over a single-band, while others use dual, however in few cases, the tri-band router is the required model. This selection depends upon the number and types of connected devices and the work load.
Single Band Routers:
Single-band routers operate on the 2.4GHz frequency band. They are the least expensive models, especially for home usage. Adequate for Web surfing and social media services like Facebook and Twitter.
Dual Band Routers:
However, if more than one devices are using video streaming or online games are being played, dual-band router is a better option. These consist of two radios, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. 5GHz is less crowded and ideal for videos and gaming duty, as it lesser the load on both sides.
For heavy network traffic when the number of users is greater, the tri-band router is an expensive but best choice. It has three radios, one operates on 2.4GHz and two on 5GHz and this is what a router demands to be called as the excellent wireless router ever.
What it provides:
Features of almost everything are directly proportional to the price. Same scheme goes here. Some ideal features of these are as follows:
• At least four (gigabyte) Ethernet ports.
• At least one, preferably two USB ports.
• Router must have parental controls.
• Quality of service (QoS) options.
• A guest-network feature.
Wireless Protocols:
The newest class of Wi-Fi routers use 802.11ac technology, which provides more efficiency in working as compared to previous protocols, including wider channel bandwidth (up to 160Hz, compared with 40Hz), more MIMO spatial streams (as many as eight), and beam forming.
Known Manufacturers:
• 3Com
• Apple Inc.
• Belkin
• Buffalo Technology
• D-Link
• Linksys
• Netgear
• TP-Link
• Arris
Examples:
Most famous routers as ranked in 2017 are:
• Asus RT-AC88U Dual-Band Router
• D-Link AC5300 Ultra Wi-Fi Router (DIR-895L/R)
• TP-Link Talon AD7200 Multi-Band Wi-Fi Router
• D-Link AC1200 Wi-Fi Router (DIR-842)
• Linksys EA6350 AC1200+ Dual-Band Smart Wi-Fi Router
• Trendnet AC2600 Stream Boost MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Router (TEW-827DRU)
• Asus RT-AC5300 Wireless AC5300 Tri-Band Gigabit Router
• Netgear AC1200 Smart Wi-Fi Router (R6220)
