What is a wifi router?
What is a wifi router, and what is it intended to do? In simple terms, “Wifi router” means that the wifi router lets you connect to computers on a local network and the Internet.
For an individual, the router will connect a computer or a tablet via wifi waves to the Internet.
For a company, the router will connect all the computers and tablets of your employees, but also servers, linked objects, wireless printers, smartphones, etc.
What exactly is the wifi router function?
Don’t think of a modem as an actual router!
The modem lets you connect to the Internet via a telephone line/fiber/cable (…). The router will connect to the modem. It will serve as an intermediary by broadcasting a signal to the surroundings, allowing your equipment to connect to it and access the Internet.
It is, therefore, possible to have a modem without a router (but then you can only connect one device at a time), but having a router without a modem will not allow access to the web…
To summarize: Your computer connects via wifi to your wifi router, your wifi router connects to your modem, and your modem connects to the web! The router is, therefore, responsible for distributing the Internet signal between all the devices on your network.
The various types of routers.
There are three kinds of routers:
– Single-band routers only manage one wifi network band (2.4 Ghz most often)
– Dual-band wifi router manages two network bands
–Tri-band wifi router manages three networks (often three bands, one 2.4 GHz band as well as two bands of 5 Ghz)
A tri-band wifi router is the latest and most efficient: offering a third wifi router band helps avoid network congestion because the available speed is shared between the devices connected to the router. Attention: A tri-band router does not offer higher rates but provides more places to connect devices simultaneously.
The different wifi standards
WiFi 1 = WiFi a
Frequency band: 5 GHz
Maximum theoretical throughput: 54 Mbps
Signal range: Low
Congestion risk: Low
Channel width: 20 MHz
MIMO: No
WiFi 2 = WiFi b
Frequency band: 2.4 GHz
Maximum theoretical throughput: 11 Mbps
Signal range: Fair
Congestion risk: High
Channel width: 20 MHz
MIMO: No
WiFi 3 = WiFi g
Frequency band: 2.4 GHz
Maximum theoretical throughput: 54 Mbps
Signal range: Fair
Congestion risk: High
Channel width: 20 MHz
MIMO: No
WiFI 4 = WiFi n
Frequency band: 2.4 GHz
Maximum theoretical throughput: 288 Mbps
Signal range: Good
Congestion risk: High
Channel width: 20 MHz
MIMO: No
WiFi 5 = WiFi ac
Frequency band: 5 GHz
Maximum theoretical throughput: 5,300 Mbps
Signal range: Fair
Congestion risk: Low
Channel width: 20, 40, 80 or 160 MHz
MIMO: Yes
WiFi 6 = WiFi ax
Frequency band: 2.4 and 5GHz
Maximum theoretical throughput: 10,530 Mbps
Signal range: Fair
Risk of congestion: Shallow
Channel width: 20, 40, 80 or 160 MHz
MIMO: Yes
How do you choose the best wifi router?
There are numerous aspects to take into consideration before deciding on the best wifi router.
– Do you need a wifi router for your home and connect some personal equipment to it? A personal computer, for example, a tablet or gaming console with video, a security camera…
Do you require an experienced wifi router for your company? It must be managed
by dozens of employee computers simultaneously, several connected printers, your visitors’ devices, connected objects, and NAS (etc.) with very different needs from domestic use.
– Does your Internet box already have an integrated router?
– What bitrate / minimum speed do you need?
– How many elements should be able to connect to it simultaneously?
– What will be the uses (videoconferencing, data transfer, streaming, etc.)?
– What level of security do you need (WPA, WPA2…)
– What technology do you have (ADSL, fiber, cable, etc.)?
– What connectivity do you need (Ethernet, gigabit, wifi standard, USB port, etc.)?
– What is the size of the area to be covered (a living room, an open space, several floors, etc.)?
– What is the configuration of the premises (thin partitions, thick walls, etc.)?
– Do you already use wireless equipment, and how to avoid saturation (2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band…)?
– What features do you need (e.g., parental controls, separate network for guests…)?
– Finally, what budget do you have? A wifi router can range from ten euros to a few thousand euros!
Before equipping yourself, you must compare the wifi router on the market according to your needs and budget! Mainly, you could review user reviews about these products before deciding.
The brand of wifi router
Wifi is a mature technology that has been strongly developed and democratized since the 2000s. It is found in homes, in businesses, in stations, in cafes, in shops, in trains, in certain brands of cars…
Therefore, This market has attracted many computer manufacturers who seek to stand out through prices and services. This is excellent because it allows consumers to lower costs while obtaining new services and technologies. (such as the latest Wi-Fi Six standard, which promises performance similar to 5G).
For your information, the wifi Alliance brings together more than 800 members worldwide to certify equipment and define future standards. The wifi Alliance estimates that over 14 billion objects use wifi daily to function!
The number of brands for routers is, therefore, significant…
Brands of professional-oriented routers: 3Com, Motorola, Cisco Systems, TP-Link, Asus, etc.
Consumer-oriented router brands: Netgear, Google Nest, TP-Link, Huawei, Linksys, Asus…
If you are looking for a router for a VSE, a startup, or a small SME, a consumer router may suffice without a problem.
