Best Routers

The lifespan of a router is, on average, about five years. To ensure you’ll always have the best features and performance, it’s worth upgrading your router every five years. However, a router can last a whole lot longer if it is well maintained and meets your needs.

There are a number of factors that may affect the lifespan of your wireless router. These factors include:

• Quality of the router
• Type of wireless technology used
• Number of devices connected
• Use patterns
• Thermal handling capabilities
• Technological obsolescence

1. Wired and wireless routers: Wireless and wired routers are mostly used in homes and small offices. Wireless routers share data by use of antennas and create wireless local area networks (WLANs), while wired routers share data by use of cables and create wired local area networks (LANs).
   
2. Edge routers: Edge routers can be wired or wireless routers that distribute data packets between one or more networks, but not within a network. As their name implies, edge routers are placed at the edge (or border) of networks. They commonly connect to internet service providers (ISPs) or other organizations’ networks.
   
3. Core routers: Core routers can be wired or wireless routers that distribute data packets within networks, but not between multiple networks. Core routers are designed to be the backbone of a network because they do the heavy lifting of data transfers.
   
4. Virtual routers: Virtual routers are pieces of software that allow computers and servers to operate like routers. Virtual routers can share data packets just as physical routers do. They can be scaled as the business grows, offering more flexibility than physical devices.

No, routers and WiFi are not the same thing. Wi-Fi is the wireless technology used to connect computers, tablets, smartphones, and other devices to the internet. To create your own Wi-Fi network, you'll need a device called a router. A router will broadcast the Wi-Fi signal from your internet modem throughout your office or home.

Yes, it is worth buying a WiFi 6 router. If you have an older router (2018 and older), you should consider moving up to Wi-Fi 6, especially since new phones, tablets, and notebooks will likely support the tech. Wi-Fi 6 brings faster performance, better battery life, and less bandwidth congestion than what you get with Wi-Fi 5 routers.

A better router can maybe increase internet speed. Your internet speed is only as fast as the plan you’ve signed up for with your provider. If your provider advertises 400 Mbps, that’s the maximum bandwidth you will ever see, unless you upgrade to a faster plan. That said, you need to make sure your router can handle your current network load. If it can’t, you’ll need to either reboot the router or swap it out for an upgraded model.

Yes, you need both a modem and a router. A modem converts analog signals from your internet service provider (ISP) into digital signals that other devices can understand. The router then picks up these signals and distributes them to the multiple devices in your network. Without a router, your devices would not be able to access the internet from your modem. Without a modem, your router would not be able to access the internet from your internet service provider.

It’s best to follow the directions that came with the router. But here is a typical walk-through of setting up your router, which should get you fully connected.

1. Make sure you have an internet connection. To check internet status, use an Ethernet cable and plug in one end to your modem or ISP gateway and plug the other end directly into your laptop or desktop PC.
   
2. Unpack and assemble your router. If your router is new, look for any stickers or directions that may include setup information (like the router's web interface address or the username and password).
   
3. Find a place to install the router. The ideal router position will be in a central location in the office or home, since routers broadcast in all directions.
   
4. Plug in your router. Once it’s plugged in and turned on, you should see the router's indicator lights activate. Some will blink or change color during the setup process (which can take a few minutes).
   
5. Connect your router to your internet source. Use a basic Ethernet cable, plugged into the router's WAN or internet port on one end and your modem or ISP gateway on the other end. Watch the router’s LED indicator as you plug in the cable. You should see its color change or a new light appear. This indicates an active internet connection.
   
6. Plug your laptop or desktop PC into one of the device ports on the back of the router. You should be able to quickly open a wired connection. (Check to see if your router has a dedicated app for setup. If so, you can skip this step and go straight to the app for setup.)
   
7. Access the router's web interface. While you have a computer connected to the new router, you can now set a new network name and password. Additionally, you'll need to log in to the web interface to adjust your settings and activate your Wi-Fi. While you're activating the Wi-Fi, you'll also want to choose an encryption protocol for your wireless network. The recommended protocol is Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) protection.
   
8. Connect all wired devices with an Ethernet cable. If you want to physically connect any device to your router (such as a game console, printer, TV or internet phone system), you'll need an Ethernet cable for each. Plug each wired device into one of the available ports on the back of the router.
   
9. Connect your devices to the W-Fi. Once your Wi-Fi network is up and running, you'll want to get your devices connected. Use your new network name and password to log onto your new Wi-Fi network.