There are few things more frustrating for a homeowner than an unreliable internet connection. The quality of the internet in your home or office depends on a few different factors, and hardware is one of the most important ones to consider. The equipment you have for your connection is extremely important, and any damage to it can cause your connection to become weak and unstable.
Choosing and setting up the right Wi-Fi router is an important task, and getting some advice or assistance from someone more experienced could help you make the right decision; you can even do some of your research using Google assistant voice. The following are a few steps that may help homeowners decide what kind of Wi-Fi router would best suit their home.
What Type of Connection Do You Want?
There are a few different types of internet connections that homeowners can select from. The connection you want depends on your requirements, such as the number of people using the internet in your home, or what you plan on doing online.
Fiber, Cable, DSL and Satellite are the most commonly available options, and deciding the type of connection will help you pick your internet top speed. While Fiber offers the best internet speed, it can be somewhat expensive and is not available everywhere. Make sure you look through all your options and do the relevant research before deciding on the connection type.
Find an ISP
One of the most important things which contribute to the quality of your internet connection is your internet service provider. From your equipment to your internet speed, everything can be negatively impacted if you do not choose the right provider. You can do this by looking through the available options in your area by entering your zip code on the relevant website, and it will list down all available providers for you.
After this, you can see which providers offer your desired internet type and speeds. This will help you narrow things down, and make your decision much easier.
Browse through Options
Now that you know which provider to opt for, you can select through the options they have. Providers often have packages and bundles for customers to select from since a lot of people tend to buy multiple services from one source that they find reliable. This benefits both the customer and the provider, since the customer gets a hassle-free purchase, while the provider gets to sell more of their services.
According to your requirement and budget, narrow down your options. If you don’t want to spend too much, you may always eliminate high-end options regarding equipment, and even get a cheaper plan. Your provider will be able to help with any queries you may have.
Do You Have the Right Space?
The placement of the router within your home should be decided before it is bought. This is because where your router is kept has a huge impact on how your internet functions, since obstructions can cause the connection to become much less effective. Make sure you have a room or a corner where the router can be placed without any physical restrictions. This should be done in a way that the signals can easily reach the rest of the house without anything getting in the way.
Obstructions like furniture or walls are one of the main reasons why internet speed often slows down in homes. This can be avoided by moving your router to a better location.
Number of Devices
The type of connection you buy depends on not only what you plan on doing online, but also the number of devices that will be connected to that network. Just as obstructions can slow down a connection, so can too many devices on the same network. This can become a problem, especially in homes that are automated with smart appliances, since they must be connected through Wi-Fi as well.
To avoid this issue, you can either get a separate network for those devices, or try to limit as much as possible. Another good idea is to get a stronger connection so that it can handle a high number of devices being connected to it simultaneously.
Is the Device Secure?
When getting an internet connection, considering its level of security is an absolute must. Often, cheaper devices are not as secure as those that cost more, and homeowners tend to make the mistake of not getting them due to the price point. This is something that could not only expose your valuable information to any potential hackers but also put your smart home at risk. Make sure your router follows the WPA2 security protocol to have good internet security.
For an even better experience, you can check if your selected provider has good customer service, since you may require their assistance at some point.Bad customer service is also a sign of bad service in general.
Conclusion
A router is what provides your entire home with Wi-Fi. Without a router, you cannot connect to Wi-Fi even with an active internet connection from your provider to your home. This is what makes this the most important device when trying to determine the quality of an internet connection. With a good router, you can easily browse through any website you want, stream anything online and play all the videogames you want without interruption, lag, or any other kind of inconvenience.