Internet connection is considered to be one of the basic needs these days. However, most people just connect to the Wi-Fi or LAN internet without thinking about the quality of internet connection devices that they are using.
One of the most unheralded devices for connecting your home or office to the internet is a router. We always just connect to the Wi-Fi at home or at the office using the internet service provider’s router. However, what most people don’t know is that the interest of the ISP is to get the monthly rental fees and not worry about the internet performance in your home.
Therefore, for a better and safer internet connection in our homes, we should consider getting the best Wi-Fi routers for our home. To achieve this, there are a few factors we need to consider in order to get a device that will suit your needs.
What is a router?
A router is a device that connects your home to the internet. It is the device that gets internet signals from the modem or ONT box and transmits it to your devices via Wi-Fi or LAN cables. The router also picks the information from your devices and routes it to the modem for onward transmission to the ISP or to other devices within your network.
Therefore, for a Wi-Fi connection or even for wired connections to several devices, we require a router.
Things to consider when getting a router for your home
There are a few things to consider when getting a router for your home. These features depend on your needs and will thus vary from individual to individual. The common features to consider include:
1. The number of devices in your home
As you plan to get your router, it is important to consider the number of devices that are already available in your home and also the number of potential devices that you may have in your home. This means you should get a router that can serve the number of devices you have.
For most homes currently, there are over 20 devices that require a Wi-Fi connection. You will find several phones, desktop computers, television sets, tablets, laptops, and other smart devices. In this regard, you should consider getting the best router for multiple devices to ensure all the devices can access fast Wi-Fi simultaneously.
It is important to note that some of the devices may require a LAN connection. Therefore, the number of Ethernet ports available on your router is also paramount.
2. Size of your home
As we grow financially, the size of our homes also keeps on increasing. Some people own story houses. For these houses, getting a router that can serve your whole home may be a huge challenge. However, there are a number of routers that can serve big homes with fast internet.
Most at times, getting a mesh router system may solve the challenge if you have a large home or a story house with thick concrete walls. There are various mesh wifi for thick walls available in the market which works fine in this case.
In addition, there are other non-mesh routers that have wide coverage. These routers will enable you to have a stable internet connection wherever you are in your home.
3. Internet speed
The internet speed in your home is dependent on a few things one of them being the router that you have. A good router should be able to support the ISP internet plan that you have subscribed for. There are several features in your router that determine the speed of the internet connection. These include:
- The processor
- MU-MIMO
- QoS
These features enable the router to offer great performance. Therefore, they are important features to check if you want a high-performance router. A high-performance router is important for 4K streaming, video conferencing, online gaming, and other internet intense activities.
4. Parental controls
If you have children in your home, this is a very important feature to consider in a home router. Different routers have different levels of parental controls that they offer. Other routers offer advanced parental controls but have a subscription fee for it.
Therefore, as you consider the router to take, you need to consider the children’s ages and the level of parental control you want in a router. Some of the features provided by a good parental control router include:
- Setting internet free time
- Blocking access to some materials available on Google, Bing or YouTube among other sites
- Blocking access to questionable apps
- Getting control feature for remote internet management
- Being able to see what your children are accessing on the internet
5. Security and privacy features
In our homes, we all need to feel secure when online. This is because there are several hackers, malware, viruses, and other security threats that are available online these days. Therefore, as you choose your router, you need a router that will take care of the users and the data in your network.
Current Wi-Fi technologies come with advanced security features and needs. Getting a router with advanced security and privacy features will go a long way in making sure that you and your family are safe and protected.
6. Router control features
Most of the routers these days are easy to set-up and manage because they have a customer-friendly browser user interface and an app. The two features enable you to set-up, configure, and manage your internet connection.
However, some other routers do not have a user-friendly browser user interface or an easy-to-use-mobile-app. In addition, some of the apps may not have all the features required in order to configure and manage your internet well.
Therefore, as you choose your router, we recommend that you check and see if the router you are getting has a great interface or not. In addition, it is good to check the reviews for the accompanying app to ensure that you can manage your connections easily.
To wrap it up
Getting a good router for your home will ensure that you will enjoy your online activities in your home. These activities may be gaming, 4K streaming, video conferencing, and other online activities.
Therefore, to ensure you and your family are safe and get a great connection, you need to get a router that satisfies most of the features discussed above.
