Buying a new router? Here’s what to look for!

If better Wi-Fi speed is what you really want from Santa, you might consider taking matters into your own hands and investing in a new router, particularly if your home is about to be inundated with data-hungry holiday guests.

If your router is more than 4 or 5 years old, then chances are it’s time for an upgrade anyway, and you might even be pleasantly surprised by how far Wi-Fi technology has advanced since the last time you went shopping for a router. Your router is an essential part of your home internet network, so an old or malfunctioning router could definitely have an effect on the quality of your Wi-Fi signal. A new router is a good investment to keep your Wi-Fi up to speed for the next few years at least.

When you’re looking for that new router, you may want to consider options which weren’t available to you a few years ago. One of the best options is to buy a dual-band concurrent model; this means that the Wi-Fi can be transmitted across the standard wireless frequency of 2.4 GHz, or the less commonly-used 5GHz. The use of a less common frequency may allow your Wi-Fi signal to go uninterrupted, particularly if you are in an area with many other wireless internet networks around.

You may also want to look for a router which operates on 802.11n or 802.11ac Wi-Fi standards, which are the newest and most efficient networking standards available on the market. A router which operates on 802.11ac may be a little more expensive than standard models, but their technology can mean less congestion, stronger connections and a faster possible connection speed. Remember that if you really want better speeds, you need to take a good look at the package you are subscribed to with your internet service provider.

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