Wireless Routers buying tips

Written by Tom Wilkinson:

When choosing a wireless router it must suit you needs . They allow you to connect several PCs to the Internet cheaply, without any wires running around, and provide added security to your home network. You can also buy wireless routers which act as an ADSL modem, meaning you can get on the Internet & share a network from just one device.

Remember you must always password protect your network; otherwise people nearby can use your network to gain access to the internet. They could use up all your bandwidth in days or cause your connection to feel slower. Even then it is vital to select the right security protocol, as some protocols allow your password to be guessed or cracked easily. WPA2 is an excellent, secure protocol ideal for use with home networks - you must never use WEP as this can be easily cracked. It is also important to not use an obvious password. Do not pick a dictionary word and try to combine numbers, upper & lower case letters, and symbols.

Things to look out for when choosing a wireless router are:

The number of ports - which equates to the number of PCs you need to support on your network.

Network speed - you definitely want to be looking at no less than 54 Mbps.

Does it support Network Address Translation (NAT)? This is an excellent security feature for a network and should be looked out for.

Parental control filter - if you have children then you can block them from accessing certain websites.

Network range - if you have a large house make sure all your computers will be in range of the router.

Also you need to make sure that it supports your system.

 

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