Everyone wants to be trustworthy and fast internet, and a good router can help. The trick is figuring out how this complicated mess of standards, confusing acronyms, and sci-fi-sounding features translates into better Wi-Fi in your home. Join us as we lift the curtain to reveal pertinent facts about Wi-Fi, routers, mesh systems, and other jargon. Hopefully you’ll eventually be better equipped to buy a router.
Update February 2022: We’ve added information about MoCA, linked to our Wi-Fi 6E explainer, and added a major fix explanation.
Table of contents
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Who is your Internet service provider?
Internet service providers (ISPs) connect your home to the Internet, and they usually send you a modem and router (sometimes in a single device). The modem connects your home to the wider internet; router connects to a modem, and you connect all of your devices — wired or wirelessly — to the router to access that connection. ISPs usually charge you for this equipment, and their routers are usually basic in terms of performance and features. The good news is that by law, ISPs are no longer allowed to force you to use their equipment or charge you for use your own hardwarealthough you may still have to return their item to avoid being charged.
For the most part we’re looking at using your own router in this guide and using your ISP’s modem. By using your own, you can save money in the long run, but you can also enjoy faster Wi-Fi, better coverage, easier configuration, and extra features like parental controls and guest Wi-Fi networks. We’ll take a look at your router options, but whichever system you decide to use, check compatibility with your ISP before purchasing. You can also search your ISP’s forums to find posts where people discuss using different routers and modems. A little research before you shop can save you a headache.
What kind of router do you need?
Many How to make your Wi-Fi fasterand buying a new router is one of the most obvious. To help you decide on a router type, calculate the rough square footage of your house before you begin.
Single router
The simplest solution for most people is to choose a single router or a router and modem combo. Keep in mind that this device will have to plug into an outlet or your existing modem via an Ethernet cable, which limits where you can place it. The Wi-Fi signal will be strongest near the router and will fade and slow down as you get further away.
Routers should always specify square footage for coverage, but certain types of structures — thick walls, insulation, and others — can interfere with the Wi-Fi signal, so don’t expect it. Expect to enjoy full-speed Wi-Fi over longer distances. Powerful routers with wide coverage are often large devices with many external antennas, but they are often very expensive.
Grid system
If you have a larger home and want solid coverage in your garden, or you have thick walls and specific dead spots with your current setup, mesh Wi-Fi could be the answer. word. Grid system includes a central hub, which connects like a single router, as well as additional satellites or nodes that you can place around the house.
Devices connect to the internet via the nearest node, so you can achieve wider Wi-Fi coverage and a more reliable connection in different areas by adding a button. Just keep in mind that each node will need a power outlet. Mesh system is more expensive than single router setup (although not always), but they enhance coverage and reliability, and they often boast additional features and control options. They also tend to be smaller than regular routers and are often designed to blend seamlessly with your decor.
Alternatives to a new router
If your problem is coverage related and you have a unique problem room where you want to improve your Wi-Fi or a specific device that needs a faster connection, you may not need to buy a router. new. Try one of these alternatives. Each has its own technical challenges and potential problems. Even when implemented successfully, they won’t have the convenience of a good grid system, but they’re both much cheaper.
Wi-Fi repeater
You can use a Wi-Fi repeater to spread the Wi-Fi from a router a little further and potentially boost the signal in dead spots. These devices are a good solution for some, but they can be inefficient, prone to interference, and often create a different named subnet than your regular Wi-Fi.
Power line adapter
Sold in pairs, power line adapters transmit internet signals through your electrical wiring. You plug one into a power outlet near your router and connect it with an Ethernet cable, while the other powerline adapter plugs into an electrical outlet in the room where you want faster internet. They can be a good solution if you have a console or smart TV in the living room at the back of the house, but your router is in the front lobby, for example. Unfortunately, the efficiency is highly dependent on your wiring.
MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance)
If you have coax cables installed in your home (perhaps for cable TV), you can use them to create a reliable wired network that offers high speeds and low latency compared to Wi-Fi. You can purchase a router, network adapter, or Wi-Fi extender that supports it MoCA standard. Like powerline adapters, this can be a great way to get an Internet signal to a smart TV, game console, or desktop computer that doesn’t receive a strong Wi-Fi signal.
Access points
If you don’t mind a challenge and have a spare old router, you might consider configuring it as an access point or using it as a Wi-Fi extender. This can be especially effective if you can connect it to your main router via cabling, but configuration can be complicated.
There are many things to consider when you are trying to decide on the speed of your router. The maximum speed of the Internet is determined by your ISP. Internet speed is measured in Mbps (megabits per second). Follow Ookla’s Speedtest. Most ISPs will indicate a certain speed or give you a range — like 300 Mbps download and 30 Mbps upload — but what you really get is often less than the maximum. (especially upload speed) and it should be shared among all connected devices.
You can check the download and upload speeds you are getting by running a speed test in your browser. Just type “speed test” into Google to find some options. For a rough look at how Mbps translates into internet usage, we can refer to FCC Broadband Speed Guide, which indicates you need 3 to 4 Mbps to stream standard definition video, 5 to 8 Mbps for HD, and 25 Mbps for a 4K stream. In general, if multiple people in your household stream 4K video with several devices connected, you’ll want at least 200 Mbps, if not more. If you only have a few devices connected and mostly just surf the web, with some video here and there, you should be fine with 50 or 100 Mbps.
