Wifi router description. Does a Wi-Fi router need an external antenna? The best Wi-Fi routers with built-in file storage

which will provide good signal, and do not overpay for unnecessary functions? We are interested in whether there is a difference between devices that differ significantly in price.

The power of a router depends not only on the number of antennas

Let's find out how to choose a device for an apartment or cottage, which of the routers on the market are the most powerful. In addition, it is advisable to consider several price categories so that you can choose a modem according to optimal price and corresponding quality.

• The antenna and coverage radius are perhaps the most important parameters for any device that provides wireless communication with the World Wide Web.

Antennas come in two types - built-in and external. In most cases, external antennas provide best signal and, accordingly, larger radius coverings in the house. Significant advantage it will be possible to change the antenna or add a few additional parts to increase the signal coverage area - this is especially true for apartments with a large number rooms and country houses.

• Wi-Fi standards and router speed - it is advisable that the modem supports the 802.11n standard, and for high Internet speeds you need to choose a device with a similar or higher speed than what your provider provides.

• Brand - priority will be to choose a router from a well-known developer. Why shouldn't you buy a “no-name” router? Its operation is more likely to have problems, it may freeze, or the connection will be unstable. Another important point is that it is easier to update the firmware on devices from popular brands, which is regularly improved and released for each individual model. New firmware makes the router work efficiently and uninterruptedly, protects against problems.

Rating of the most powerful Wi-Fi routers

Not everyone can afford the most expensive Wi-Fi modem with many functions and powerful hardware, but in different price categories There are remarkable models that differ from other routers in quality, fast operation and fully justify their cost.

Affordable, good quality routers

• TP-LINK TL-WR740N- it's simple, but powerful model with excellent functionality: speeds of up to 150 Mbit/s are quite enough for active home Internet use, the device supports the most popular data transfer protocols - PPPoE, dynamic and static IP. It has a built-in surge protector for protection against viruses and attacks, it is provided for signal distribution external antenna, which will provide a larger coverage area.

• TP-Link TL-WR841ND- another excellent router of this brand, it has two removable antennas, the range of which is 270 m. The device supports Internet speeds of up to 300 Mbit/s, there are 4 LAN ports for connecting other computers and creating a local home network.

• Zyxel Keenetic- 3G Internet function is provided, the device has an additional USB connector. It has 2 removable antennas. Using a router you can use interactive television IPTV.

Powerful mid-price routers

• Zyxel Keenetic Giga 2 - costs about 3.5-4 thousand rubles, supports speeds up to 300 Mbit/s, has gigabit Ethernet ports and 2 ports USB format. He has powerful processor and 2 removable antennas that can easily provide good Wi-Fi signal coverage in the house.

• Asus RT-N56U- although this router has built-in antennas, this is not reflected in the signal quality. The router operates in 2 frequency bands - the standard 2.4 and the more powerful 5 GHz. It supports all current communication protocols, has an IPTV function, and several users can use high-speed 3G Internet at the same time. Average price device is about 4.5 thousand rubles.

• Xiaomi Mi WiFi mini - this model is attractive not only internally, but also externally - there is a large selection of color options for the router, which will appeal to those who love bright colors. The internal content is represented by two frequency ranges 2.4 and 5 GHz, for each of them a separate external antenna is provided. Thanks to the 802.11n protocol, the router can operate at very high speeds - up to 1167 Mbps. The price fluctuates around 3.3 thousand rubles.

The most powerful routers costing from 5 thousand rubles

• Asus RT-N66U- the model will cost you about 7 thousand rubles, but will fully justify its cost. It has three removable powerful antennas that will provide good coverage the entire area of ​​the house. As is customary in impeccable devices, it has two frequency ranges and reaches connection speeds of up to 900 Mbit/s. It has a rich filling, many functions, including the ability to create a separate guest network, parental controls, traffic manager and others. This is really powerful router, and also attractive and practical in appearance; Unlike many devices, this router has a matte finish.

• Asus RT-AC87U- the top router for the home among all products of this brand and similar devices from other developers, it costs about 15 thousand rubles, but it can be confidently called the most powerful Wi-Fi router for the home. Judge for yourself - four removable antennas are capable of creating a coverage area of ​​up to 465 square meters. m. Moreover, it has a record maximum Internet connection transmission speed - up to 2334 Mbit/s. Inside the stylish case, which will not leave anyone indifferent, there is a 2-core processor - it will provide stable and fast work devices. It’s not even worth mentioning multiple frequency bands, protocol support and availability USB port- the router has everything to rightfully be considered the best among other existing models.

Depending on the price and your needs, thanks to this rating you can choose a router that will provide a high-quality Internet connection via wireless technology Wi-Fi. All of the above models will allow you to create a large signal coverage area that will cover the entire area of ​​your apartment, house or cottage.

After two months of research and testing, I can say that the ZyXEL Keenetic Giga III router is best WiFi a router for most users (both advanced and not so advanced). It works in two ranges - this is very important! — it is fast, long-range, reliable and allows you to connect to it external hard drive via USB 3.0, thus creating a small network storage operating at an acceptable speed. Plus, users have access to a fairly extensive and detailed help section on the manufacturer’s website, which greatly simplifies the resolution of many issues.

If for some reason Keenetic Giga III is not available for purchase, the next worthy candidate for the role of the best router is TP-Link Archer C7 rev.2. It is not inferior in speed characteristics and range, but has a worse interface, slower access speed to network storage and a worse approach to security. None of these shortcomings are critical, however, if the ZyXEL Keenetic Giga III is available for sale at a similar price, we would still recommend the giga.

If the price of about 7,000 thousand rubles seems excessive to you, then you should pay attention to the cost of 3,500 rubles. It is not inferior in range to the Giga III, but has lower performance; gigabit ports have been replaced with 100-megabit ports, and instead of USB 3.0 ports, only USB 2.0 is left. In other words, it's a good compromise at a good price.

Why should you believe me

I've been tinkering with computer equipment for 25 years. Of these, the last 10 I have been actively publishing in a number of major computer publications. Moreover, on such a highly specialized resource as Habrahab.ru I was awarded the status of “legend” for articles, which was achieved by a little more than fifty users in the entire history of the site. And the audience there, I must say, is very, very demanding. So yes, I have a good understanding of technology and you can trust me. But, as is customary on our website, you are not obliged to take the word of a stranger, so I will provide links to other authoritative sources throughout the text.

Who needs a new router and why you don't need a cheap model

In a situation where you don’t have a router, everything is clear - you need to take it, because it’s convenient and sometimes simply necessary. But if you already have a router, then it may very well be time to change it to modern model. And these are not marketing tricks.

Why your router may not work well

If your router is more than three years old and inexpensive, it most likely operates at 2.4 GHz. There are only thirteen channels on this frequency. Since your neighbors have the same simple router as you, most likely there are several more access points on your channel. Let me give you a simple analogy: each channel is a dedicated lane on the road. If only you use this channel, then the speed of movement is limited only by the capabilities of your car. In other words, if you can go 50 km/h, you are going that fast. If it’s 180 km/h, you’ll go as fast as you can. However, if someone else is sitting on your channel, this is tantamount to crossing an intersection. As soon as your neighbor's router starts transmitting information on your channel, a red light turns on for your car. Accordingly, when the light is green for you, your neighbors’ packages are sadly stomping around in line. And the more active the data transmission, the worse the traffic jams at intersections.

The picture above shows the channel loading in my house. My network (Keenetic-4223) has the highest signal level, the rest of the “hills” are the neighbors’ networks. As you can see, there is not a single free channel where my and my neighbors’ networks would not interfere with each other. Naturally, as long as I am near the router, I get a more or less stable connection. But as soon as you move into the next room, fierce competition for the range immediately begins.

In the 2.4 GHz range, I repeat, old and cheap household access points work. Meanwhile, modern devices transmit data simultaneously in two bands (in the old 2.4 and new 5 GHz), and in 5 GHz, firstly, more channels, secondly, almost no one sits on them. There are two modern data transmission standards in the 5 GHz band: 802.11n and 802.11ac. You need a router that works according to the Wi-Fi standard 802.11ac, because the previous one, 802.11n, at 5 GHz does not help, since the signal in this range fades and is weakened by any obstacles. And 802.11ac, due to its initially higher theoretical speed (the basis for which, in turn, is a whole bunch of new technologies and algorithms), allows you to achieve acceptable real speed even taking into account strong attenuation.

Thus, if you are tired of dead zones in your home, you are not satisfied with the data transfer speed (for example, video is slow when transmitted to the TV), or your router cannot cope with the load of a large number of connected devices, it may be time to change it to a more powerful one.

Clarification: it is not a fact that a new Wi-Fi router will solve the problem of dead zones, especially since the 5 GHz network has less range than the 2.4 GHz network, but it is very likely that the new model will be more powerful than the previous one. Moreover, do not forget simple rules We described how to set up a router in the article about repeaters.

In addition to the standards, the box usually also contains a designation such as N600, AC1200, AC1750, and so on. This is the maximum speed at which the router's wireless network can operate. However, it works out in a clever way - by summing up the maximum connection speeds in different ranges. For example, the previous generation router, designated N600, has a 2T2R scheme and supports connecting clients in two spatial streams in the 2.4 GHz band at a speed of 300 Mbit/s (150+150) plus similarly up to 300 Mbit/s in 5 GHz. Total 600 Mbit/s. The AC1750 router typically has three streams in the 2.4 GHz band (150+150+150) and three in the 5 GHz band (433+433+433). The total is 1750.

Difficult? Wrong word! But now we’ll get into even greater depths to make it clear why we need just such a router, what we chose and why it costs so much. If you find this boring, you can skip a few paragraphs and go directly to the model comparison section.

The first caveat: speaking about the AC1750 formula, we are, of course, not so much talking about the router as a router, and not even about its built-in Ethernet switch. The AC_how_much_there formula characterizes only the built-in Wi-Fi access point. Where can a router that only has a gigabit output/pump 1750 Mbps? WAN port, - for some reason few people think about it. Likewise, there are plenty of routers with the AC750/1200 wireless formula, but even having a 100-megabit port for connecting to the Internet.

The second architectural caveat: the speed of the ACxxxx formula cannot be summed up by the router in any real problem, because even in real routing (read communication with the Internet), even in switching (read transmission over a home network) it will always run into a bottleneck. Let's say we have gigabit router(with Gigabit WAN port and Ethernet switch) with AC1750 formula on Gigabit Internet connection. Maximum speed from the Internet, subject to ideal compliance with this formula wireless client(if you even find a device that will operate in 3 streams) you will get no higher than 1000 Mbit/s, similar to the local network. When transferring from one such wireless client to another, you can even theoretically expect only half as much as 1300 Mbps. And if you transmit between 2.4 and 5 GHz networks, the common denominator will be the client speed of 2.4 GHz.

The third caveat (usually already known to many Wi-Fi users): any declared Wi-Fi speeds are channel connection speeds in one pair of router (access point) - client (wireless adapter). This speed is included in the formula we are discussing; it is shown by the adapters and routers themselves in their interfaces, however real speed The data transfer that can be experienced in a speed test, downloading a torrent or downloading a file will usually be half as much (for simplicity, consider that due to protocol overhead and inevitable interference). It is important to understand that Wi-Fi in the same band is a shared medium, and the channel speed is the maximum speed of this medium for the pair. If the access point has to communicate with two clients (for example, transferring from one to another), the actual speed drops by another half.

From here, for a moment, the right to exist for AC1200 models with a hundred-megabit WAN port becomes clear. Let’s imagine the scenario for now and for the next 2-3 years: a TV streams heavy content via Wi-Fi (say, a 4K stream from a network storage), backups are being made in parallel, a couple of laptops are surfing the Internet and someone is downloading a torrent (not even about smartphones) I mention). The Internet here is a maximum of one hundred megabits, and the rest will be just 300 Mbit/s remaining from the 400 possible in AC867 5 GHz (TV, backup, taking into account the attenuation of the 5 GHz signal, in general it will be great if they can count on at least 100-150 Mbit/s), web surfing can also be connected via 2.4 GHz. Although, of course, having a NAS on a router with a 100-megabit switch is usually unwise. And the speed here is just right.

Tri-band routers

There are also so-called tri-band routers on sale. Now these are devices that essentially have three access points: one at 2.4 GHz and two non-overlapping ones at 5 GHz (yes, I know that models with a third 60 GHz band of the 802.11ad standard are already looming on the horizon, but this is completely separate song, many users have never even seen 5 GHz). With an obvious increase in price, such a router provides an advantage only if devices between which maximum speed is required (for example, a high-performance laptop and a computer) are connected to different 5 GHz points. But even in this case, taking into account the above, you can not count on the promised “AC_ogogo” formula, but only on the maximum speed of one of them.

Usually these are the maximum according to the AC1733 standard (4x4), but now it’s time to ask how many adapters and client devices there are in nature that support at least 3x3, not to mention 4x4 (not to mention 802.11ad at all). Smartphones and tablets mostly have a 1x1 adapter, top models– 2x2. Rare laptops, like the MacBook Pro, have 3x3 adapters. No less rare 3x3 USB adapters and PCI-E adapters designed for installation in 3x3 or 4x4 desktops are more expensive than many decent routers. Point AC1733, meanwhile, will only give them the speed they can handle. And yet, it’s a big mistake to think that a 4x4 AC1750 point can easily simultaneously “stream” devices with 400 (real) Mbit/s simultaneously on two 2x2 AC867 adapters. Alas, classic Wi-Fi technology still provides clear timeOe separation when servicing client devices: the access point transmits (or receives) the required portion of data first from one client, then from another, etc. It cannot transmit to two at the same time. All this takes time, really high-speed clients do not receive enough speed, slow clients, it turns out, waste point resources in vain.

This could not continue, and for a couple of years now we have been told about MU-MIMO technology, which, theoretically, should allow simultaneous transmission to several clients. But it stalls horribly. Firstly, it is full of its own limitations. For example, the maximum number of devices that can actually be served simultaneously is limited to four, and simultaneous postback from clients is not supported (hello torrent servers and surveillance cameras). Secondly, in many routers where MU-MIMO was announced, it never really worked. And thirdly - surprise! – it must be supported by the clients themselves. How many are there in nature? That's right, even less than it is unclear how there are routers that support it.

In other words, it’s not like getting ahead of yourself—there’s absolutely no need to even keep up with the locomotive of modern marketing technologies. Let's finally move on to the question of what to choose now.

How we chose

As we said above, we need a router that works according to the 802.11ac standard. We go to Yandex.Market and set up several filters: the presence of an AC standard, a connection speed of at least 1200 megabits (this is how we cut off older models, why this is important, we discussed above), gigabit network port, high user ratings. As a result, we get exactly two models that deserve attention.

• ZyXEL Keenetic Giga III
• TP-LINK Archer C7

Interestingly, many Western publications recognize TP-LINK Archer C7 as the best home router for most users. Moreover, when measuring signal speed and range, it confidently outperforms many of its competitors, for example, the same Asus RT-AC68U. Moreover, Archer C7 allows you to achieve the maximum connection speed of AC1750, while Keenetic only allows AC1200. On the other hand, ZyXEL Keenetiс is deservedly loved in the CIS, its firmware is perfectly adapted for the Russian market, plus, above we have already discussed the features of obtaining these formulas. Well, the more interesting it will be to compare both devices. So, we order and test.

An important point: the TP-LINK Archer C7 router must be of the second revision. The first was somewhat buggy, did not have Russian in the interface and allowed you to connect a smaller number of devices. The revision number can be found on the box.

Zyxel Keenetic Giga III or TP-LINK Archer C7?

In most cases, a Wi-Fi router falls into the “install, configure and forget” category. Therefore, there are only two main requirements for it - that it works quickly and stably and that it “finishes off” as far as possible.

Both candidates are in perfect order with stability - neither of them had any problems after two months of use. As for speed and range, we will now demonstrate it.

So, the performance of both routers was compared under the following conditions: we have a room in which both devices are located. We turn it on and alternately test the signal level and speed on the end device. To measure the signal level, use the application under Android WiFi Overview 360, to measure speed, the iPerf3 program in server mode, launched on a computer connected by wire to the router via a gigabit port. And it’s in client mode, running on a laptop with a dual-band Wi-Fi adapter.

Measurement is carried out at three points: directly in the room with the router, in a room located around the corner through two main walls (very difficult task for any router) and in a room located at the end of a long corridor 30 meters long.In each of the three cases, we measure the speed on both bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz).So, three measurements of the signal level: in the room with the router, behind two concrete walls and at the end of the corridor.

In the same room with the router, when measuring at the opposite end, we see that the signal level in the 5 GHz network is almost the same, but in the 2.4 GHz range TP-Link router will be more powerful.

Measured through two main walls and at the end of a long corridor:

In both cases, we see that TP-Link has a better signal in the 2.4 GHz band, and Zyxel has a better signal in the 5 GHz band. In theory, 5 GHz is more important to us - in this range the data transfer speed is higher. However, let's see how things work in practice.

Measurements again, now speeds in three positions in each of the network ranges. First, connect the laptop directly with a wire and check the data transfer speed. We get 901 megabits from the kineticist and 902 from TP-link. As they say, close to the gigabit ceiling of the channel. Great, now we start taking measurements at the desired points.

No difference at all. The numbers are so close that their difference can be written into the margin of error. Moreover, please note that the difference in signal level, which we saw in the pictures above, has practically no effect on the data transfer speed.Of course, the laptop is partly to blame here - it cannot work on three spatial streams, like, say, a Macbook Pro. If he had been able to do this, it is quite possible that TP-Link would have shown higher speeds (after all, AC1750 versus AC1200 from Zyxel). However, we have a completely average AC chip operating at medium settings.

Theoretically, we can achieve a situation by going to a place where the kinetics signal of the 2.4 network will completely disappear, and TP-Link will still be barely warm. In practice, using the network in this place will be uncomfortable.

And if there is not much difference, how then to choose?

As I said above, if you have several top-end 2016 laptops at home that simultaneously pump a large amount of traffic through them, you may notice a difference in the performance of both routers. In practice, in the next 2-3 years, it’s unlikely. Therefore, you should choose a router based on secondary characteristics, such as interface convenience and additional functions.

So, the interface, ease of setup and additional functions. Here Keenetic confidently holds the palm. Firstly, everything is Russified, including the inscriptions on the ports on the back.

Secondly, its interface is more convenient and allows you to fine-tune everything. Compare:

To be fair, it must be said that on TP-link you can install alternative firmware, which allows you to significantly expand functionality. However, it is unlikely that most users will do this.

And thirdly, upon startup, Keenetic immediately prompts you to set a password to access the router and immediately checks for new firmware versions (which, by the way, are released frequently). With TP-Link, to change your password, you need to know where to go. Well, changing the firmware requires going to the manufacturer’s website, finding the firmware from the router of the required revision, downloading it, and then ordering the router to update to it. In other words, most users will never do this. For this, Tp-Link receives a big minus in terms of security - holes in the firmware have not been canceled.

Network storage

Modern routers are powerful enough to turn them into an analogue of NAS - network storage, which can be used by the whole family and all network devices in the house. Those. you can store movies, music and general documents there without taking up precious space on your hard drives personal devices. You can also dump it there backups important files, which are usually much more valuable than the devices themselves. In other words, this is a file dump for the whole family. Of course, it is better to buy a specialized device, but most people feel sorry for the money for it, especially since external hard drives Many people have it.

So, modern routers allow you to connect an external hard drive and provide 24/7 access to files. Yes, this is an entry-level NAS, but it copes with simple tasks and allows the user to understand whether he needs it at all. I’ll say right away that it’s necessary (backup is above all!), but many people need to see this from their own experience.

Both routers in question allow you to connect an external drive via USB. However, unlike Tp-Link, Keenetic has USB 3.0 on board, providing high write/read speeds.

Let's compare these indicators in practice:

As you can see, thanks to USB 3.0 we have five times the reading speed of Keenetic. The recording speed is not that different. An important point: when measuring, we used a very mediocre screw from Silicon Power, which, frankly speaking, speed characteristics doesn't shine. The use of more “thoroughbred” media accelerates the reading speed to 80 megabits. However, it was decided to leave the graph exactly this way in order to illustrate the difference in speed even on mediocre hardware.

Keenetic has a plus software module, allowing you to download torrents autonomously. Those. you give it a download command, and it writes the required file to the connected hard drive. Another plus in favor of the kineticist.

One more nuance: USB work 3.0 may adversely affect data transmission in the 2.4 GHz band. Many manufacturers even have a special checkbox in the interface - disable USB 3.0. However, I did not notice any interference when working with the kineticist

Budget router with AC1200 formula

At the beginning of 2017, Zyxel released an excellent compromise router Keenetic Extra II, which replaced gigabit ports with 100-megabit ports, removed USB 3.0 and reduced the price to 3,500 rubles.

The result is an excellent budget router, which in terms of range is almost as good as the Giga III and Archer C7 (see ours). And considering that software chips it is exactly the same as the giga, we strongly recommend this router to all those who do not care maximum performance, but very important trouble-free operation for reasonable money.

Conclusions

Based on the above, it may seem that TP-LINK Archer C7 is a bad router. Nothing of the kind, this is the best combination of price/functionality that I have ever seen (especially among routers in the AC1750 standard, we remember that there are never enough flows) and it’s not for nothing that the Western press loves it so much.

It's just that Keenetic Giga III is a little better. Moreover, this is best achieved through additional functions, which include both the above and great job with a zoo of printers, security with Yandex.DNS or SkyDNS, finally connecting DECT handsets. True, the question remains: will the owner use it all?

In other words, TP-LINK is a router that you set up once and forget about for many years. He has this philosophy of use. But Keenetic, and this is clear, was made in order to work with it more often. Therefore, on at the moment, I advise my friends to purchase it. On the other hand, if the TP-LINK Archer C7 is nearby and it costs less, you can safely consider it as a powerful alternative.

Basic parameters for choosing a Wi-Fi router

Long gone are the days when there was a home for the whole family best case scenario one computer. IN modern world We are surrounded by a variety of devices with which we can access the Internet. To organize shared access to the World Wide Web of all this equipment, you can use one of your home computers - however, you will have access to the Network as long as it is turned on. You can also install a server, but this requires certain knowledge to configure it, and the price is not always justified. Fortunately, there is another device that can solve this problem - a router, sometimes called a router.

So, the two main functions of a router are combining various equipment into a local network and providing general access to the Internet channel. Routers are sometimes confused with switches and Wi-Fi access points, this is due to the fact that they perform fairly similar tasks. But, unlike routers, these devices only allow you to create a local network, a switch - wired, and an access point - wireless.

Routers also come in both wired and wireless, the price difference between them is small, and the functions they perform are almost the same. ABOUT wireless models and we will talk, although much of what has been said also applies to wired analogues.

Scheme of organizing a network using a router

There is enough production of routers large number manufacturers, but still there are not so many main players; you have probably already heard about most of them. ASUS is one of the world's largest suppliers of not only network equipment, but also various computer components and finished products; routers under this brand are reliable and well-equipped. D-Link at one time became popular thanks to inexpensive models of ADSL modems, in present moment it is one of the leaders in the production of routers, modems and network cards. But the TP-LINK company offers router models that have good equipment at a low price. Zyxel is one of the veterans in the production of components for building a network; the products of this company have always been distinguished by their reliability and quality. Linksys- trademark Cisco, one of the leaders in the production of industrial networking equipment, whose advanced achievements are embodied in these models. offers various devices that are distinguished primarily by their unusual design, thanks to which these models can become a noticeable part of the interior. At the same time, the equipment of these models remains at the proper level.

Some Belkin models: N750 DB, Double N+, N1 Vision

A router, as a rule, has one port for external connections, called a WAN port, and several for connecting computers within the network - LAN ports. Wireless models may have one or more antennas, but in some cases they are hidden inside the case. Routers are quite compact in size. For example, the common D-Link DIR-300/NRU has dimensions of 14.7x11.32x3.15 cm - quite small for stationary use; if you often need to use a router when traveling and on business trips, you should take a closer look at compact devices, for example ASUS WL-530g, which measures only 12.9 x 4.4 x 2.9 cm.

Compact ASUS model WL-530g

Main Features

Let's figure out what you need to pay attention to first when choosing a router, and start with key characteristics. One of important parameters is the type of WAN port used in the device - the most common today are ADSL and Ethernet. If you are not sure which one to choose, check with your Internet provider. In addition, there are routers that use the mobile Internet channel as an external connection or have a USB port for connecting a 3G modem, such as the D-Link DIR-412 model.

Second important characteristic are the supported external connection protocols. The most common ones are "static IP", "dynamic IP", PPPoE, L2TP and PPTP. We won’t go into the details of each technology: you just need to check which one is used by your provider and choose a device that supports it. Fortunately, most well-known router manufacturers have provided good support for these protocols and adapted them to the specific application in Russia. Also, some providers use the binding of the MAC address of the network card to the IP address of the computer. In such cases, you won’t be able to simply connect a router instead of a computer and set it up right away - you need to contact the service technical support provider. But you can do it easier and use the function of copying the MAC address from the computer to the router, which is found in almost all modern models.

The third important characteristic when choosing a router is the number of ports and the speed of wired and wireless data transfer channels within the local network. All modern routers, except for some compact models, usually have 4 Ethernet ports for wired connection(LAN ports) supporting speeds of 100 Mbit/s or 1 Gbit/s. Today, the most common are hundred-megabit networks; in most cases, their speed is sufficient for data transmission. But gigabit equipment is becoming increasingly popular, and its use will soon become standard in computer technology. Therefore, you should give preference to models that support a gigabit connection, and buying a hundred-megabit device only if necessary will save a little on the cost.

If you are building a wireless network at home, there are some important nuances to consider. So, in real conditions, the connection speed will always be lower than that stated in the standard and on the box with the device. This is due to the fact that part of the channel is used to encrypt the transmitted data, as well as maintain the quality of the connection, which very much depends on the barriers between the network equipment. Walls, other Wi-Fi networks or, for example, a microwave oven operating nearby can create significant interference, forcing you to use part of the channel to restore information, thereby reducing the useful flow. In addition, the entire wireless network will operate at the speed of the slowest element connected to it. This leads to the fact that if at least one 802.11g device is connected to the 802.11n network, the transfer speed will be no more than 54 Mbit/s.

To build a home network, you should choose a router that supports the 802.11n standard with speeds of up to 300 Mbit/s. You should be especially careful when choosing equipment if you are going to transmit video over a Wi-Fi network. In this case, it is worth, among other things, choosing a model with support for two frequency ranges- 2.4 and 5 GHz. Due to the fact that the second band is used much less frequently than the first and has more free channels for transmission, the speed can be higher and, most importantly, more stable. It is only important that other devices on the network support this mode. In addition, some models can create two networks simultaneously, one of which can be used to transmit speed-demanding traffic, and the second to connect all other equipment. Buying a model that supports 450 Mbit/s speed will be more of a foundation for the future, since there are still few devices supporting this speed today. Unfortunately, high-speed routers are more expensive, sometimes significantly more, than their slower counterparts. Therefore, in some cases it will be wise to take a closer look at 802.11n devices that support 150 Mbps speeds.

Additional features

In addition to their main purpose, some routers can perform a number of useful functions. Support for the print server option allows you to connect a printer to the router using a USB port and provide access to it from any computer on the network. Some models support connection external USB drive, For example hard drive or flash drives. This opens the ability to access files on the disk, such as music or movies, from any device on the network - these are network-attached storage (NAS) functions. And some routers support working as a torrent client, so you can download various files from the Internet using this popular protocol without using a computer.

If you need to organize Wi-Fi coverage over a fairly large area, for example in a building educational institution, it is worth taking a closer look at models that support WDS wireless distribution system technology. It allows you to combine several routers and access points into a common wireless network, thereby expanding the overall coverage area. Sometimes routers have to be installed in places without access to a power outlet. One solution to this problem may be to select a device that supports Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology; in this case, the router is powered directly via an Ethernet cable, as in the TP-Link TL-WR743 ND model.

Security wireless network

If it is not so easy to intercept information on wired networks, then you can connect to an unsecured wireless network from any laptop, located several tens of meters away. To prevent data interception, various Wi-Fi traffic encryption standards are used, the most common of which are WEP, WPA and WPA2, which are supported by most wireless devices. The first of them does not provide a sufficient level of protection and can be easily hacked by attackers, so it is better not to use it. For protection, you should choose the more reliable WPA or WPA2 protocols; these encryption methods provide a high level of protection, making it almost impossible to hack the network and intercept data.

Also among additional features any modern router There are tools that allow you to configure security when computers operate on a network. Most often, this is a firewall, which is necessary to control the passing traffic, as well as a DMZ - a “demilitarized zone”, which allows you to configure restrictions on access to local network resources from the outside. In addition, in routers you can find a “parental control” function, with which you can set rules for user access to the Internet at different hours and days of the week, as well as limit the ability to visit certain sites.

Radiation

When using modern technology, including Wi-Fi equipment, many of us are concerned about the issue of electromagnetic radiation and its impact on health. It should be noted that the radiation power of home routers is limited to 100 mW, this is up to ten times less than that of mobile phones - today this level is considered completely safe for the human body. But many models allow you to reduce even this power in the settings. In addition, you should choose a device with a shutdown button wireless module or the entire router when not in use.

Of course, there are more than enough subtleties when choosing a router for home use, and it will not be possible to describe them all within the framework of this article. When choosing a device, focus primarily on the functions you expect from the router. If you just need general access to the Internet, choose an inexpensive model with a minimum set of functions. If you need a device to perform specific tasks, pay attention to the availability of certain options.

New technologies are increasingly becoming part of our lives, and few people are able to live without a computer and the Internet for even one day. There are more and more devices in every home that have access to the World Wide Web, but there is usually only one access point. This problem is solved by organizing a local (partly wired, partly wireless) home network to which all available equipment will be connected. For these tasks, routers are used, which are also called “routers”.

All establishments selling computer hardware have a fairly large number of various models of this device, so selection problems often arise. All routers of the latest models include the ability to organize WI-FI connections, but differ in price several times, have different capabilities and functionality. So the question of how to choose is very tough. There are many subtleties and nuances that need to be taken into account.

How to choose a WI-FI router

The most important thing is to know. You can find out from your provider. The connection can be:

• ADSL - using a telephone line;
• Ethernet - via local networks;
• 3G, 4G - wireless connection through mobile networks last generations.

When choosing a specific router model, make sure that there is an input port that supports your connection type. There are models that have multiple inputs, and you can connect to the Internet from two providers. This is convenient when you need to organize a stable connection, regardless of whether one of them has problems.

When answering the question of how to choose a WI-FI router, we further advise you to pay attention to the standard with which the device works. The gear with which yours will work depends on it. local network:

• 802.11b - provides speeds of no more than 11 Mbit/s.
• 802.11g - provides speeds of no more than 54 Mbit/s.
• 802.11n - theoretically provides speeds of up to 600 Mbps.

for home

Most modern devices with Internet access support

802.11n standard. So it’s logical to choose a router with these characteristics. If one of your devices has a lower standard, then it will work with a higher-ranking router, but at the speed that is available to it. If your router has a lower speed, then, naturally, all devices will operate at the speed that it can provide. One more thing: you shouldn’t overpay for the 802.11n standard if the maximum speed of your connection is not higher than 50 Mbit/s.

When wondering which router to choose for your home, find out at what frequency all devices in the house that have Internet access operate. For most computers and other equipment, this figure is 2.4 GHz, but there are devices with operating frequency at 5 GHz. If both types of devices are available, you will have to choose a router that operates at two frequencies, which, of course, is somewhat more expensive, but it removes the limitation when purchasing new devices.

The next point worth considering is the number and type of antennas. They can be built-in or removable. If you are going to use wireless Internet only in your apartment, then models with built-in antennas will be enough, but if you want to “climb” in global network, sitting on a bench near the house, then external ones are required.

Essentially, a router is a small computer with limited functionality, and, like any computer, it has a certain amount of memory and a processor. The larger the first and more productive the second, the better and faster your local network will work. Therefore, choose the “coolest” option based on these parameters from the options available to you.

That's probably all you need to pay attention to. We hope it has become clear to you what characteristics you should pay attention to first. There is also a minor point: the presence of USB ports. This is sometimes very convenient: you can connect a printer or external storage, other devices that have such an input.