Are you looking for a router? There are many different kinds of routers on the market now, which one is suitable for your need?

Before talking about routers, you need to know what networks are?

Computer networks have private networks and public networks. The basic concept of a network is sharing resources. For example, two computers sharing a printer use the network to share resources. This system is called your private network, or "Intranet."

Over the internet, you have computers that use the internet to share files or reading news from Google. The web server shared this file with you using the internet's public network. It is also called "Extranet."

The router manages the traffic, keeping the local traffic on your private network separate from the traffic going out to the internet on the public network. The intranet speed depends on the router's performance and the devices' support or not, and the internet bandwidth(extranet) is fixed base on your internet plan from ISP providers

Know your router specs.

There are many routers on the market with different specs.  WiFi 5 or WiFi 6, 2.4 GHz and 5GHz, Dual-band or Tri-band, MIMO? What is IEEE802.11 ax/ac/n/g/b/a? Which one is right for your need? Better know them before you make a decision.   


2.4GHz and 5 GHz

 

A 2.4 GHz connection travels farther at lower speeds, large coverage area, and better at penetrating solid objects. If you have many applications of using 2.4 GHz as a baby monitor or live in apartments or multi-level houses with many walls, that 2.4 GHz band is likely to be congested, damaging speed and signal quality.

 

5GHz wireless network is the higher frequency of a wireless signal and shorter range. A 5 GHz network does not penetrate solid objects such as walls nearly as well as 2.4 GHz signals do. It is a good choice for devices of high-bandwidth activities online and located near your router.

 

Can you use 2.4 GHz and 5GHz at the same time?

The dual-band and Tri-band routers can simultaneously receive and transmit on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies simultaneously, providing two independent and dedicated networks that allow more flexibility and bandwidth.

 

2.       WiFi Versions

 

WiFi 5 and WiFi 6 are WiFi versions for different generations. The equipment has listed the versions of WiFi using the name of the IEEE standard that it supports.

IEEE 802.11n means WiFi 4 (WiFi generation 4), IEEE 802.11ac (WiFi 5), IEEE 802.11ax (WiFi 6)

These generations have a high degree of backward compatibility with previous versions. The newest generations can help higher-speed, minor lagging, connect more equipment simultaneously, and save power.

 

3.       Dual-band and Tri-band

 

Dual-band routers offer two wireless networks: one at 2.4GHz and one at 5GHz. The highest-tiered dual-band support speeds of up to 450Mbps at 2.4GHz and 1300GBps at 5GHz.

 

Tri-band routers host one 2.4GHz signal and two separate 5GHz signals. The ASUS RT-AC3200 supports up to 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1300Mbps on both 5GHz signals. The "AC3200" in the product name: 1300+1300+600. That 3200 is the signals' combined speed, not the potential throughput of a connected client to the router.

 

A dual-band router makes sense for compatibility reasons, but why do you need one more separate 5 GHz WiFi signal? Because the WiFi networks suffer congestion. The maximum WiFi speeds are split and shared among all the devices on your network. A tri-band router automatically sorts devices into different networks and offers more speed to share among your devices. Note that it won't speed up a single device, but it will provide more speed to additional devices you add. It means, if you plan to set up a Mesh system, a Tri-band router is the solution.

 

4.       MIMO

 

MIMO stands for "multiple input, multiple outputs." which is the wireless communications technologies. A 2×2 MIMO device has two antennas for two simultaneous data streams. A 3×3 MIMO device has three antennas for three data streams, and a 4×4 MIMO device has four antennas for four data streams: more MIMO, more speed, and better signal.

 

Some newer wireless routers support MU-MIMO, which stands for "multi-user multiple-input, multiple-output." A router with 4×4 MU-MIMO has four antennas it can communicate on at once. If you had several 4×4 MIMO devices connected to that router, they would all maintain a connection of four data streams simultaneously.

 

But, if your devices have 2X2 MIMO, even your router support 4x4 MIMO, you can only get 2x2 MIMO Wi-FI speed. It will only use two data streams.

 

Things need to concert for choosing a router

1.       Do you need to set up an intranet system?

2.       For home office or you have a lot of devices that need to connect to the internet?

3.       Living in a big house or multi-level home? Thinking about setting up Mesh?

4.       The internet speed that your ISP provider supports?

5.       Do your own devices support the newer features?

6.       For gaming? Speed matter



Need help?

TSA Tech is an IT solution provider and having a lot of experience to help. Talk to us at 09 3755222 or email [email protected]