Don’t buy repeaters to expand your Wi-Fi network

It may seem strange to start a conversation about Wi-Fi repeaters, but this is an important point because often the decision is made to buy a repeater in hopes of throwing away the old router and getting a new one. extending or improving the signal of the old router.

as he emphasized 24 ChannelsPoor coverage, disconnections, game session expiration, and other connectivity issues are all signs that you need a better Wi-Fi router.

You can definitely get some use out of a repeater, especially if you set it up right. You may even be able to partially fix one or more of the problems, but in the end you will most likely throw your old router in the trash. Therefore, it is better to immediately skip this step and pay attention to modern devices that are much more technological than old modems.

Don’t buy a “new” but old router

One of the worst things you can do when buying a new Wi-Fi router for your home is to buy a brand new, but technically outdated, router right out of the box. Think of it like car models. If you want the latest car technology, you buy a new car model. You are not buying a 2010 model in perfect condition. Today, if you buy a new router that is actually a model from five years ago, you won’t have the latest Wi-Fi technology and enhancements.

You should upgrade your Wi-Fi routers every 3-5 years, so if you buy a popular model that was first released five years ago, you’re already behind the Wi-Fi generation.

Today, there’s no good reason to buy a router that doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6 or later and WPA3. If you’re going to use a router for several years, it makes sense to make sure it supports modern standards for both Wi-Fi connectivity and security.

Don’t buy a very powerful router if you don’t need it.

In general, it is difficult to buy too many routers for your needs. Most people keep their routers for too long and suffer from poor router performance for years. And very few people buy a modern powerful router and then turn around and say: “This is a very powerful router. I wish I had less Wi-Fi coverage!”.

However, you can overpay for a device with features that you will definitely not use. For example, if you live alone in a small apartment and spend most of your time at work or on the road, and the only devices you’re connected to while at home are a smart TV, game console, and smartphone, it’s probably a little overspending $300-$500 for a premium router with the most advanced features.

As a last resort, you might consider buying a multi-packet router, splitting it up, using a node in your apartment, and upgrading your relatives’ home networks with others. Additionally, not surprisingly, mesh routers are often completely reliable as stand-alone network elements. Therefore, we recommend that users consider a mesh system even if they only need one node.

On the other hand, if you’re working from home, have a lot of people in your home, lots of connected devices, and each of them is an Internet savvy user, it doesn’t hurt to invest in a powerful router to handle it. all this activity.

Consider the size of your home and garden

Speed ​​tests are very popular tools for determining the quality of a network, but an equally important aspect is coverage. Especially if you have a large apartment or house. No one wants to suddenly find themselves in a room or part of the garden where Wi-Fi isn’t “caught”. It is important that you can use a smartphone or other device anywhere in your home with a reliable and stable connection.

The biggest complaint we’ve ever heard from friends, family, and neighbors is that Wi-Fi signals are weak in some places they want to use their devices and they want to fix it.

One of the best solutions in this situation would be to buy a mesh Wi-Fi system that can cover every inch of your home. You might be surprised, but even a budget-friendly mesh system will outperform an expensive $500 super-powered gaming router.

Do not ignore the requirements of the smart home

When planning to buy a new router, do not consider high-profile network devices such as smart TVs or phones. Also consider all other devices in your home network. Even if you don’t think you have a state-of-the-art smart home of the future, you might be surprised at how many devices might need Wi-Fi inside.

Video call, smart cameras, smart plugs, smart thermostat, all smart speakers, etc. When you start counting, you may be surprised to find that your list of smart home devices is actually longer than the number of items like smartphones and laptops. at your house

Most smart Wi-Fi devices don’t require a lot of bandwidth apart from smart TVs and security cameras, but they still need a stable connection. A good modern router is designed with the understanding that the Wi-Fi environment in your home is no longer just a few laptops and smartphones, but also a set of small devices that may require constant access to the network.

Pay attention to the features you may need

It’s best to think about the features you want and need before you buy, rather than after you’re frustrated with their shortcomings.

You can fix some feature flaws later. For example, if you find that parental controls are not working or missing on your new router, you can purchase third-party networking tools or use parental controls on separate devices to fix the problem. You can also turn a Raspberry Pi into a mini server to block ads or filter content in your home, but it’s not a simple task and not everyone wants to mess with it.

If you want simple parental controls, the ability to turn off the internet during family dinner, easy bandwidth monitoring, automatic updates, control who is connected to your network, multiple guest networks, or any number of other useful features, it’s better to find. a router model that supports them rather than trying to connect additional devices or services.

Do not choose a router that is too simple or too complex

There is a trend in router design that is often better for consumers. Router manufacturers, especially those building networking platforms, have been streamlining and simplifying the user experience for years.

Router interfaces have always been (and still are on some models) quite complex, which has resulted in many people never being able to set them up properly, missing out on features that might be useful, and otherwise not getting the benefits they deserve. . service level of your equipment.

If you’re not very network savvy and don’t like messing around with your router, there’s nothing wrong with choosing a router platform with a simple, app-based user interface. Most people don’t need or want to set up their own virtual LAN, running scripts or software on their routers.

It is important to consider all these tips before purchasing a router as it will help you choose the device you need. Remember that you should not overpay for unnecessary functions and excess power, but at the same time you should not buy a “new old” router or a cheap device with insufficient functionality.