What indicators are needed for good wifi. Best Wi-Fi router

If you are very seriously thinking about creating a full-fledged wireless network at home, then the first thing is to buy the “right” router. The right router in this case is a device that provides a stable connection to the Internet throughout the house or apartment.

So, which is preferable to choose a WiFi router for your home or apartment, mobile or stationary? When choosing a good quality Wi-Fi router for your home, we inevitably encounter certain difficulties. These difficulties are largely due to the large selection of devices on the market today. A wide range of products and lack of experience in this matter can play a bad joke on users.

It is highly recommended not to choose a Wi-Fi router at random without consulting a specialist. If this is not possible, then it is better to devote a few minutes of your time to familiarize yourself with the available devices. It is important to study the full characteristics of the models you like at the price, and then make your choice which is better.

Which is preferable – a full-fledged router or access point?

One of the most frequently encountered problems is deciding whether to buy a Wi-Fi router or access point.

Which option is preferable? The two Wi-Fi devices differ from each other not only in appearance, but also in functionality. The access point is actually a cable extender that outputs a radio signal. The signal is simply transmitted from the cable to the connected device, that is, the computer. This way you provide a wireless connection to the Internet. Using a point implies certain settings for the tcp/ip protocol. The parameters are provided by the provider. The difficulty is that connecting even two computers will not be easy. In particular, you will need to obtain an additional IP address.

As for a home Wi-Fi router, it is better because it already has an access point in its design. It allows you to create a full-fledged wireless network at home. The network will allow you to connect several devices at once - laptops, mobile phones, tablets. To do this, you will only need to enter the access password without making any configuration changes.

Another drawback that is worth noting about a separate access point is problems with protection from network intrusions from the outside. Therefore, you will need to fine-tune the Firewall on your computer. The router, in turn, has a built-in protection function against network attacks and other threats.

Another point is the Wi-Fi range. The operating radius of the access point is quite limited. It is only 200-250 meters, provided that there are no obstacles in the signal path. Also, the access point only has one Ethernet port, whereas routers have five ports. Four of them are LAN ports, one is a WAN port. Cables provided by providers are connected to WAN ports. Light indicators located on the front panel provide a signal about the operation of a particular port. LAN ports are designed to distribute the signal between clients of the created local network. Twisted pair cable is used for this.

Access point manufacturers set the factory default settings to disable the DHCP server. This is why a static IP address is required. During the initial settings, you need to clarify the connection protocol that the provider sets. In access points, the ability to use various protocols is limited, while Wi-Fi routers are much more functional in this regard.

What to pay attention to first

The job of routers is to provide you with a gateway to directly access the Internet. Very often the device itself is called a gateway, since it is located at the junction of several networks. This makes it possible, using the NAT protocol, to convert the IP address provided by the provider into several local addresses. Thanks to this function, you can connect several clients at once.

To better choose a router, it is important to understand exactly how it can work. There are several operating modes:

• access point;
• bridge;
• repeater;
• client.

If you use only one computer, then an access point (the role of which is played by a router) will be enough for you. We talked about this in the previous paragraph of our article. In this operating mode, the router creates a coverage area of ​​a certain radius around itself. You can connect several other points, such as Wi-Fi adapters and separate access points. To provide these functions, you will need to use the AP protocol.

Differences between modes

Which mode works?

Working in client mode is available exclusively for Wi-Fi routers. It allows you to connect surrounding devices to a wireless Wi-Fi network. This is very convenient if, for example, you receive Internet distribution via a radio channel. Using a cable, you can connect desktop computers to the radio network.

Bridge mode makes it possible to connect two segments of a standard Ethernet network that are remote from each other to each other. This mode of operation of the router allows you to avoid a wired connection if laying a separate cable is impossible or impractical. The final network is invisible and, therefore, significantly more protected from outside connections. It is also impossible not to note the excellent network performance.

Quite often there is a need to expand the coverage area of ​​a router. Therefore, the router’s functions include the ability to operate in repeater mode. Here the device is used as a signal amplifier coming from the main router. In this case, it is very important to position the routers correctly.

You see that Wi-Fi routers can be used in different ways. The choice of equipment will depend solely on your needs. But we still have one important question: what exactly do you need to pay attention to in the process of selecting a device for your home or apartment.

Basic parameters of the router that affect its functionality

The main things you need to pay attention to when purchasing a device for your home are the following factors:

• filling;
• presence of an external antenna;
• ability to support the most modern data transfer protocol;
• availability of a network security protocol;
• technical parameters;
• a specific router class;
• operating frequency;
• connection protocol;
• what will the price be;
• what manufacturer it was produced by;
• availability of Russian-language interface;
• Availability of official firmware.

The filling ensures the functionality of the device. If you need the router to operate in various modes (as we wrote about above), then the hardware and configuration will be of paramount importance. Please note the presence of a USB port, which will determine the ability to support 3G modems, cameras, and printers. Some routers allow you to use an ADSL connection.

Before you buy a router for your home, you need to make sure that it has a high-quality and powerful antenna. To do this, look at the technical specifications. The power indicator will be measured in decibels. Which one is better is obvious - you need to choose the device with the highest dBi value.

It is very important that the router supports a data transfer protocol such as TCPIPv6. Nowadays IPv4 is most commonly used, but it is limited by the length of the IP address.

We remind you once again that in no case should we forget about the availability of modern network security protocols - WPA and WPA2.

The most important characteristics that you need to pay attention to include: RAM, processor frequency, flash memory size.

If you intend to play online games and download large files, then choose a router with a WiFi data transfer speed of at least 300 Mbps.

The class of the router is of paramount importance. Modern routers must operate in 802.11ac and 802.11n modes. Only devices that support such modes are capable of operating at maximum speed.

A full-fledged wireless network is capable of operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. But the best option is a 5 GHz router frequency. It is worth choosing a dual-band router, which provides much better performance.

Modern providers use different data transfer protocols. It is very important to ensure that the router supports the protocol provided by your ISP.

Keep in mind that the number of features is directly proportional to the cost of the device. The price also depends on the brand chosen. A well-known brand will cost more, but the price will work out.

But, despite the cost, the best option would be to purchase a router from a popular brand. Manufacturers provide reliable guarantees, and the brand's reputation will speak for itself.

Russian language

The presence of a Russian-language interface solves a lot of problems with self-installation. It is also very important to ensure that your router has the latest firmware. You can verify this by looking at the date of the last update, which will indicate how often the manufacturer releases the software.

Studying reviews

Many of us are faced with the problem of choosing a router for the first time. One way to make the right choice is to look at user reviews on thematic forums. Quite a significant part of the information posted, unfortunately, is not reliable. But you will definitely get a general idea of ​​the problem and be able to make a better and more correct choice.

After the appearance of computers and laptops in almost every home, the number of clients from providers increased several dozen times, since in the modern world, for many, life without the Internet is almost unthinkable.

To begin with, the usual protocol for transmitting information via telephone was used, then an increase in the volume of transmitted information required improving the quality and increasing the transmission speed. New ways to access the Internet have emerged.

However, as before, the usability of laptops was minimal due to the need to connect a cable from a modem. After this, a wireless method was invented for transmitting a large amount of data over a fairly long distance, which was called Wi-Fi. In the modern world, in many large cities you can find Wi-Fi access points and anyone can do this if they have an Internet connection and a special router.

What is a Wi-Fi router for home?

Smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers can be used to obtain large amounts of data. In the case of tablets and phones, the situation is complicated by the fact that it is impossible to connect to the Internet to update software or other tasks via a WAN cable.

For the convenience of using the Internet at home, Wi-Fi routers began to be used. Such equipment differs from older versions in that it has a WI-Fi module that connects all devices in the field of its signal. The first models were equipped with an antenna; modern ones are no different in appearance from conventional versions.

The operating principle of this equipment is as follows:

1. A connection to the network is made through a telephone or Internet connection, as before.
2. The built-in module, which is configured via a computer when going to the system’s IP address, connects to the created network and evenly distributes the maximum speed between connected devices.

The router acts as an information distributor.

What types of routers are there?

The choice of router should be approached carefully, since the features of the created wireless network will depend on it. Conventionally, all Wi-Fi routers can be divided into the following groups:

1. ADSL– a wireless router that connects via ADSL. It is used if there is a WAN port for a telephone connector. It is quite popular, since in many cities the Internet connection is via a telephone cable.
2. FTTB– the most popular version, which is connected via twisted pair.
3. CPON/CEPON/PON– a recently introduced version that allows you to maintain the maximum permissible connection and information transfer speed. You can use such a router only if you have the necessary connection to the provider, which is called passive optical networks.
4. 3G– routers that are capable of distributing when connected to the Internet via cellular communication. In this case there are no ports, there is space for installing a SIM card.
5. The most expensive and popular version is universal. It provides for the combination of several connection types.

When considering this issue, we note that in 99% of cases, routers are issued by providers, since they need to be correctly configured according to their connection protocol.

Recently, Wi-Fi routers are being installed more and more often, since they eliminate the need for a long fuss with laying a cable to the required location.

Considering the fairly large operating radius and the fact that the signal passes through walls, the router can be placed anywhere.

The only catch is that the computer or other device must have a receiver. All modern laptops have a built-in receiver for such a wireless network, but desktop computers do not have it as standard.

There are several options for solving the problem of the lack of a Wi-Fi receiver on a desktop computer:

1. Using an external device that can be connected via USB or WLAN port. It should be taken into account here that the USB connection has a certain limitation in the speed of information transfer. Therefore, if the router has a high-speed connection (due to the characteristics of the provider’s services), this method of organizing a home network is not recommended. The WLAN port does not have such a strict limitation.
2. If the motherboard provides the ability to install an internal network receiving unit, then the system unit can be upgraded. However, this can be much more expensive than setting up a wired home network.

As a rule, the technician who comes to connect the Internet will recommend the most suitable connection option.

How to choose

Despite the fact that a representative from the provider will recommend the most suitable router option, in some cases you have to choose on your own. When choosing, you should pay attention to the following nuances:

1. Price– the spread of this indicator for equipment intended for use at home is very large. At the same time, the price corresponds to the filling: weak signal level, low reliability, small coverage range, and so on. However, there is no point in choosing a very expensive version for the home.
2. Availability of certain ports. In most cases, it is enough to have a set of FastEthernet ports. Ports that are designed to accommodate a gigabyte connection are often not needed, since the speed provided by the provider is often much lower. The only case is to create an extensive home network, but for domestic needs this is extremely rare.
3. The features of a Wi-Fi antenna are very important. There are two types of antenna locations: internal and external. It is recommended to purchase with an external antenna, as it is possible to replace it with a more powerful version if necessary. It is also worth considering that to achieve high transmission speeds, the antenna must operate using the 802.11n protocol. To reduce the cost of construction, some manufacturers install other types of antennas that operate at very low speeds. The operating frequency determines the coverage radius.
4. Hardware filling– an important indicator that few people pay attention to. The type of hardware affects the operation of a home network in the same way as the installed hardware on the system unit.
5. Additional options for such equipment are very limited. Often these are additional connectors, as well as built-in servers for certain programs.
6. Brand. As for the brand, there is practically nothing to say here - all manufacturers have terrible and good models. For example, TP-Link and Netgear have many models with good performance. Asus rarely crashes. But all manufacturers have models that often cause big problems. Often this is a line of budget options, since all manufacturers save as much as they can on their production.

Also, when choosing, you can look at the options that your friends have installed and ask them about problems with the Internet.

How to use it correctly

You can install the router anywhere. At the same time, it should not be placed in a damp room, the temperature should be room temperature, and exposure to direct rays from the sun should be excluded. Installing this equipment is quite simple: you just need to connect the cable from the installed network and that’s it. But the setup is more complicated.

The creation of an access point is carried out through a computer, but the features of connecting to the Internet depend on the work of the provider. Setting up requires an administrator login and password, and the provider does not provide this information to protect its servers.

Review of the best models

The following models can be distinguished:

1. TP-LINK TL-WR740N– an inexpensive version that has a powerful antenna. The transmission speed is 150 Mbit/s. For most users, this speed should be sufficient. Cost – about 2500 rubles.
2. TP-LINK TL-WR841N– a more productive option, which has a speed of about 300 Mbit/s. Two powerful antennas are installed. The cost is within 4000 rubles.

In conclusion, we note that you can make Wi-Fi at home without a special router only if you have a device with a built-in module that is capable of distributing, and not just receiving, a signal. Modern models of many laptops can become an access point, and if the computer has Internet access, the access will become visible to all devices. In some cases, a smartphone or tablet can become an access point.

D-link - Almost any router from this company does not work out of the box in 99 percent of cases. It starts working either after dancing with a tambourine, or after updating the firmware to the latest version of the software (if there is one, but if this is a new product, then you will have to wait for the firmware) You constantly come across models in which the password for Wi-Fi and the router disappears after two or three days All the neighbors start clinging... And this means Internet slowdowns, calls to technical support, calling a technician who will re-set the password. Naturally, call a specialist for money. A good technician will reflash the router (this bug can only be cured by flashing it to the latest version of the software). A bad technician will simply forget the password and leave. And after two days, all your neighbors will connect to your router again... They also get very hot and freeze 3-4 times a day, a power reset helps. This began after 2012, when dlink began to be produced in Russia. Until 2012, long lengths were an ideal budget option.

Tp-link - price-quality ratio. If you don’t want to bother with firmware and dancing with a tambourine, but you don’t have enough money, then it’s better to take a tplink. Again, models 740 and 741 are very weak, they often freeze (but much less often than D-links, you have to overload the power supply 3-4 times a week). It is advisable to update to the latest firmware after purchase. The 840 model reduces the speed of both cable and Wi-Fi. Firmware update to the latest version of the software helps. No problems were noticed with 9xx models, but they are not bad. It’s much easier to buy for that amount....-->

Asus is a workhorse for the money, the price is about the same as tp-link. The RTN-12 model is generally the best. Set it and forget it. But this is with hardware versions D1 and B1... All new Asus are configured with a tambourine (especially rtn-11, 30-40 minutes), they often glitch, although very often there are models that work without jambs. Reboot your diet - 3-4 times a month, and sometimes not even once.

Zyxel - Beast machine. Set it up, forget it, get covered in dust, get lost. The speed does not cut, practically does not freeze, it works like a clock. The cost is one and a half to two times higher than Asus and Tp-link. Models that are on par with Asus and Tp-link (in price) can be buggy, but much less than Asus and especially Tp-link. No dancing with a tambourine. If possible, take Zuhel, the price and quality matches.

Mikrotik is a Latvian manufacturer of network equipment... Terminator of all routers. However, it is also configured through the winbox program like a terminator...system administrator skills are required. Understanding Nat, Firewall, DHCP, Default Route. This is for normal setup only. You can set up a speed limit both for an IP address (for example, your sister’s computer, which constantly pumps and clogs the channel), and you can set up a speed limit on the port. At least up to 32 Kilobits. But again, who knows? An indispensable thing when setting up several Internet channels is their delimitation. In general, a complete stuffing of functions. The price of a good Mikrotik starts from about 6 thousand rubles. Everything that is cheaper is quite weak and will not even support 6-8 computers. Model 2011UAS-2HnD easily pulls 32 computers. In general, I would take such a model for myself... you can make a real server out of it.

All other routers such as Upvel, Huawei, Tenda and the like are also quite good. There are definitely good models among them. But they are put on very few, very rarely. There are also failures with them, most likely they are at the price-quality level somewhere with TP-links and Asus.

All data is based on personal 8 years of experience working with the provider as a system administrator.

Wi-Fi routers today are actively used to create a wireless network at home when the user has a large number of devices that need to be connected to the World Wide Web. Compared to a local connection, a wireless connection is much easier to organize and, in addition, you do not need to lay a lot of cables to connect each device to the Internet.

Today, on the computer device market there is a huge selection of a wide variety of wi-fi routers. What technical parameters need to be taken into account when choosing it, which Wi-Fi router is better to buy for your home and what you should pay attention to when buying this device - this is discussed in our article.

A Wi-Fi router (from English route) is a small device that provides wireless data transfer between the Internet and various devices (Wi-Fi).
Today, most computer communication devices already have built-in Wi-Fi receivers, which gives them greater mobility and ease of use.

At home, using a home router, you can both connect to the global wireless network from various devices (laptop, smartphone, tablet, etc.) and organize internal wireless communication between home devices (for example, you can connect a home computer or laptop to a wireless printer or play an exciting shooter game with the whole family).
Using a wi-fi router for your home, you can forget about “cable tethering”, place certain devices anywhere in the apartment and connect a large number of gadgets to one access point.
Before choosing a wireless access point for your home, you should understand its technical characteristics.

The most important characteristics of routers

When choosing a wireless router, you should pay attention to its characteristics. Any Wi-Fi router is designed to combine certain computer communication devices into a single network, as well as provide shared access of devices to the Internet channel.
One of the most important characteristics of wireless access points is the speed of data transfer over the network (from 8 – 35 Mbit/s for cheap models, up to 1 Gbit/s for expensive devices).
When choosing a Wi-Fi router, you should also understand the wireless connection standards. So, today there are several such standards that affect the maximum data transfer speed of the device. For example, the IEEE 802.11b standard is already outdated and provides data transfer at a maximum speed of up to 11 Mb/sec. New computer devices also have new standards - 802.11g with an Internet connection speed of 54 Mb/sec and 802.11n with a maximum speed of up to 300 Mb/sec. High data transfer speed allows you to transmit and receive information from the Internet much faster.

When choosing a wifi router for your home, pay attention to the amount of RAM. It is recommended to buy wireless access points with at least 64 MB of RAM and a processor power of at least 240 MHz. Flash memory in the device should not be less than 16 MB.
If you have a large apartment, it is advisable to purchase a router with 2 or 3 antennas and high power. The most powerful router allows you to “pierce” a building at 50 - 70 meters.
Well, of course, it is advisable to buy products only from well-known brands. Thus, among the best manufacturers of wireless access points are: Linksys, TP – Link, Asus, ZyXEL.

The main criteria for choosing a router for your home

When choosing a router for your home, you should pay attention to the following important characteristics: maximum data transfer speed, stability of operation, radiation power of the data transmitter, availability of additional connectors
The maximum data transfer rate is measured in Mbit/s. So, for example, when purchasing a device with a speed of 150 Mbps, you should take into account that this is approximately 10 Mbps. This speed is quite enough to comfortably work on the network from several devices. It is not necessary to take into account the speed of LAN ports (cable connectors). Typically, on cheap models the speed does not exceed 100 Mbit/s, and on expensive ones 1000 Mbit/s. Such characteristics are important if you connect several devices via cable and “drive” gigabytes of data between them.

When choosing a router, pay attention to how many meters it can transmit the signal. If you have a large apartment or house, take a look at powerful routers with multiple antennas.

As for the stability of the device, it depends on the firmware of the device, as well as on the reliability of the chip. In this case, again, it is best to pay attention to well-known brands and purchase a device in a specialized store rather than buying a Chinese-assembled device “hand-made”. And, of course, require a warranty for all purchased products.

If, in addition to wireless access, you need to connect additional devices to Wi-Fi (printer, local computer, IPTV receiver), purchase a device with additional connectors (USB, connectors for local cables, etc.).

Portable and mobile wifi routers

For travelers or businessmen who need to be constantly connected and have access to the Internet, it is best to purchase a portable router. The advantages of such gadgets include: small size, ability to operate on battery power, support for all cellular communication standards, and automatic connection setup. Such routers have a built-in router and are quite reliably protected from network attacks. They can be used when connecting several users and for organizing network storage with medical content, as well as to create wireless communication in a car, on a boat, on a yacht.

The disadvantages of mobile routers include the low power of the Wi-Fi transmitter, as well as the short operating time of the device. When choosing a portable router, you should pay attention to what is more valuable to you: the dimensions of the device or its autonomy. For short tourist trips, you can purchase a compact mobile router. For long journeys, it is worth choosing a larger router, with a capacious battery and the ability to organize a local network. Among the portable routers we can highlight: AsusWL-3300NUL, ASUSWL-330N3G, LexandLBP - 52C and LBP - 78W.

Scam by sellers or which routers are better not to buy

When choosing a router, you should not chase the most sophisticated and expensive device, especially if you live in a small apartment. Never buy routers or other devices second-hand, but only in specialized stores. Ask the seller to show you a license from the manufacturer, as well as a warranty for the device.

Attention: The most common scam from sellers is an additional guarantee. You will be offered to purchase an additional warranty in addition to the standard one. Do not buy an additional guarantee, it is often just a money grab. Routers rarely break down, and those that have worked normally for a whole year will work for a second and third year.

When choosing a router, try to get as much information as possible about it, watch video reviews, read text reviews about it on the Internet.
Which router is better to buy for your home? So, we present to your attention the top 3 Wi-Fi routers for the home!

Top 3 best home wifi routers (their advantages and disadvantages)

In third place in our hit parade of routers is a beautiful and stylish wireless router from NETGEAR - NETGEARWNDR4500.
Its big advantage is the data transfer speed – up to 900 Mbit/s! Indeed, with such a device you can freely download gigabytes of information from the Internet or play computer games over the network. The device has 6 internal antennas with separate transceivers that provide excellent signal reception.

LED indicators on the front of the device indicate port status, device activation, and operation. The big advantage of this router is also the Wi-Fi on/off button. It allows you to save energy or turn off the device if there is a threat of computer hacking.
The router is powered by a BroadcomBCM4706 processor at 600 MHz, it has 128 MB of RAM and 128 MB of flash memory. The NETGEARWNDR4500 router is a great purchase. Beautiful appearance, excellent data transfer speed and convenient control buttons - all this allows us to include this company’s router in the top three for the home user.
Among the disadvantages, it should be noted: the lack of wall mounting, the inability to adjust the transmitter power and the high cost of the router.

In second place is the device of the Chinese company “TP-Link” - TP-Link TL-WR2543ND.
A distinctive feature of this device is the ability to operate in 2 frequency ranges (up to 450 Mbit/s) in each. The device has smooth body lines. Three external antennas, which can be rotated 360 degrees, ensure reliable reception of the device anywhere in the apartment or house.
The router has indicators for operating modes, wireless network, power, Ethernet ports, and a USB port. There are also holes for wall mounting the device. The router has an “AtherosAR7242” processor on board, which operates at a frequency of 400 MHz, as well as 64 MB of RAM and 8 MB of flash memory.
The advantages of the device include: the ability to operate in 2 ranges, low cost, low energy consumption. The downsides are the small amount of flash memory and a not very user-friendly interface.

Well, and finally, the first place is deservedly occupied by the products of the famous brand “ZyXEL” - “ZyXEL KeeneticGiga 2”!
This device has an updated software platform and excellent technical characteristics, as well as an elegant appearance. Externally, “ZyXEL” looks very stylish - a black lacquered body with rounded edges and matte sides.

Two external antennas provide stable signal reception at speeds up to 300 Mbit/s. There is also a universal button that allows you to reprogram various functions of the device.
The “motor” of the router is the MediatekRT6586 processor, which operates at a frequency of 700 MHz and provides a stable and stable connection signal in any room of the house. 256 MB of RAM allows the user not to think about the performance of the device, but only to enjoy reliable and stable work on the network. The Russified interface of the device is very convenient. The hardware of the device works flawlessly, as does the software. Among the advantages of “ZyXELKeeneticGiga 2” we can note excellent communication quality, reliable, stable signal reception even in conditions of interference, a beautiful case, a Russified interface and a high data transfer speed - a well-deserved first place!

Good Wifi routers with a long range

If you have a large house or apartment or you need access to the Internet over a considerable distance, you need to think about purchasing powerful equipment. Moreover, if a computer or laptop has a low receiver power, then you should buy a more powerful adapter.

When choosing a powerful router, you should consider purchasing a good device with high Wi-Fi data transfer speeds (11g - up to 54 Mbit/s or even 11n - 600 Mbit/s) - this will ensure a fast connection and the ability to quickly download a large amount of information from the network.

A powerful router also requires a large number of antennas for stable communication, so you should opt for gadgets with the maximum number of antennas.

It is advisable to buy a wireless access point with two bands. In this case, its throughput increases. As for the company, there is only one answer - the undisputed leader among powerful and super-powerful Wi-Fi routers with a long range is and remains the ZyXEL company.

Important! The best place to locate a wireless access point is as close to the center of the house as possible on a shelf or wall above furniture level. If you live in a large private house, then the ideal option is the first floor in the center of the house. To ensure the best signal, the router antenna should be pointed straight up. You should not place the Wi-Fi router next to steel beams, reinforcement, or various electronic devices. These factors can affect signal strength or make it intermittent.

Well, and finally, a few tips to ensure that your router can transmit a signal over a long distance:

• Install powerful external antennas in the device;
• Place the router in the place in the building where the signal will be most stable;
• Buy another router, or buy special amplifiers.