What To Consider Before Buying A Wireless Router

We all want access to the internet especially when we’re not at the office where your Wi-Fi connectivity may be provided by your employers. The idea of owning a router then hits you, but you’re not a tech nerd, so how would you know which one works for you and your internet needs, apart from having an adequate data bundle plan? This is where we come in.

First you must understand that what router works for someone else may not work for you, and vice versa. If you only need to use Wi-Fi on your laptop or PC, you’re better off (and will spend less) on a USB modem that you can just plug into your computer.

If you need one that can connect to multiple devices in your home, then you definitely should buy a wireless router that you can access from any room in your house.

Also, what are your browsing needs? If you’re a heavy browser who lives for streaming and downloads, you may need a different router from users who do basic stuff on the net like surf pages.

Wireless routers all have a standard specification number 802.11 which was decided by the WiFi Committee. Ok I made that up but really it was agreed upon by a team of big dogs that monitor all things called the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). When checking your new router the number 802.11 is followed by a letter, either a, b, g or n. The later the letter, the faster the router. There’s a new range that has the specification 802.11ac, which is one of the fastest. We won’t get technical but you needed to know that.

Make sure you get a dual-band router. This one has two radios inside that can connect to both older version devices and new ones too. Most wireless routers work either on 2.4 or 5 GHz bands. You may want to get one that works with the 5GHz band. It will most likely be less congested and faster, but will cost you a few Kwachas more than other types. However its downside is that it doesn’t do longer distances well so you have to make sure your devices are somewhat near each other. If you want to connect devices that are far apart, stick to the 2.4GHz band range, or get a router that uses both bands, dual band, which is what we suggest in the first line of this paragraph.

Also look at the price, more expensive doesn’t always mean it’s the best router out there but it most likely is. Make sure you check the specifications of the router based on everything I just told you above.