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Selecting the right Wi-Fi router is a crucial step in establishing your home internet connection. Consumers often find the process challenging due to inflated speed claims from retailers and the rapid advancements in Wi-Fi technology. Understanding these complexities is key, as a dependable router represents a significant investment for optimizing your internet service and ensuring you receive the full value for your money.
Whether you are looking to end router rental fees from your ISP or are considering an upgrade to a mesh router system, grasping fundamental Wi-Fi basics is essential when investing in a quality Wi-Fi router. This guide will delve into the fundamentals of Wi-Fi technology and its connection to your router, explore potential limitations imposed by ISPs, and discuss vital factors for selecting suitable equipment. A solid understanding of these principles will streamline your search for the ideal router for your internet setup.
For more detailed advice and recommendations, consult our comprehensive router shopping guide, featuring insights on top routers, mesh networks, and Wi-Fi extenders.
Understanding Wi-Fi Technology
Let’s begin with the basics. Your router uses Wi-Fi to connect multiple computer networks. Wi-Fi is essentially a suite of wireless network protocols enabling your router to transmit and receive data through radio waves.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) pioneered Wi-Fi, launching the initial version in 1997. The IEEE categorizes Wi-Fi within the 802 family of standards for local area networks, identified as 802.11. This designation differentiates Wi-Fi from other standards in the family, such as Ethernet (802.3), Bluetooth (802.15.1), and Zigbee (802.15.4).
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Over time, the IEEE has played a significant role in certifying and standardizing new advancements in Wi-Fi technology for widespread adoption.
This is where the series of letters following “802.11” become relevant; each denotes specific generations of Wi-Fi. For example, the first widely adopted iteration of Wi-Fi, released in 1999, was labeled 802.11b, succeeded by 802.11a, then 802.11g in 2003, and 802.11n in 2009. Wi-Fi 6, or 802.11ax, represents the current generation predominantly used by devices today.
Recognizing the growing confusion among consumers, the Wi-Fi Alliance, the non-profit organization overseeing the Wi-Fi trademark, simplified Wi-Fi labels.
Upon the introduction of 802.11ax in 2019, the alliance rebranded the standard as “Wi-Fi 6” and retrospectively applied similar naming conventions to previous Wi-Fi generations. This revised system significantly clarifies Wi-Fi nomenclature:
- 802.11be: Wi-Fi 7
- 802.11ax: Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E
- 802.11ac: Wi-Fi 5
- 802.11n: Wi-Fi 4
- 802.11g: Wi-Fi 3
Exploring Wi-Fi 7 and its Relevance
Wi-Fi 7 represents the latest evolution in Wi-Fi technology. It offers enhanced speed and improved performance in environments with numerous connected devices, utilizing multiple frequency bands concurrently. Unlike Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, which also support multiple bands, previous generations restricted devices to a single band at a time. Wi-Fi 7 aims to decrease latency, expand network capacity, and enable faster data transfer rates.
However, fully leveraging Wi-Fi 7 requires both a Wi-Fi 7 router and Wi-Fi 7-compatible devices. While Wi-Fi 7 maintains backward compatibility, allowing older devices to connect to a Wi-Fi 7 router, these devices will not experience the full benefits of the new standard. Although routers with Wi-Fi 7 are appearing in the market, they currently come at a premium price. While Wi-Fi 7 capability is expanding to more devices, including newer smartphones, widespread adoption is still in progress.
Understanding Internet and Router Speeds
With a foundational understanding of Wi-Fi technology in routers, it’s crucial to consider internet speeds.
Begin by assessing your household’s speed requirements. Initially, conduct a speed test to ascertain your current internet speed. Then, evaluate the number of devices and internet usage patterns within your household. Households with frequent gamers, streamers, remote workers, or students, along with numerous smart devices, should consider plans offering 1-gigabit or multi-gigabit speeds.
When upgrading your router, prioritize the minimum speed necessary for your household and select a router capable of supporting those speeds. Be cautious of potentially misleading marketing practices.
Retailers often advertise the combined peak speeds across all of a router’s bands. This tactic can be deceptive, leading consumers to believe they are purchasing equipment capable of 3,000 megabits per second when the router’s actual achievable speed is significantly lower.
Remember that the internet speed promoted by providers represents the maximum potential speed for any single device at home. Purchasing a router with multi-gigabit capabilities will not yield those speeds without upgrading to a corresponding multi-gigabit internet plan.
Wi-Fi Speed vs. Ethernet Speed Considerations
It’s important to understand that an Ethernet connection will virtually always deliver faster internet speeds compared to Wi-Fi.
Ethernet utilizes a direct, wired connection, minimizing signal obstruction between the router and device. Conversely, Wi-Fi is a wireless connection reliant on frequency bands, not physical cables.
Occasionally, retailers may advertise speeds achievable only through a wired connection, leading to a perception that typical Wi-Fi speeds are significantly lower than advertised.
Decoding Router Naming Conventions
Beyond brand-specific naming conventions, most modern routers include designations like “AC1900” or “AC3150.” These aim to provide a quick indication of the Wi-Fi version supported (“AC” for Wi-Fi 5, “AX” for Wi-Fi 6, etc.) and a general sense of speed capabilities.
However, these numerical values following “AC” or “AX” represent the combined theoretical maximum transfer rates across all of the router’s bands. While somewhat useful for comparing routers, this metric can be misleading. The combined speed typically exceeds the real-world speeds experienced by users.
For example, the D-Link DIR-867 is marketed as an AC1750 router. This dual-band Wi-Fi 5 router offers theoretical maximum transfer rates of 1,300Mbps on the 5GHz band and 450Mbps on the 2.4GHz band. Summing these values yields 1,750, hence the AC1750 designation.
The issue is that these bands cannot be effectively combined for a single device’s connection, unless utilizing a Wi-Fi 7 router with a Wi-Fi 7-enabled device. Thus, the maximum theoretical speed achievable from the DIR-867 is 1,300Mbps, not 1,750Mbps. Furthermore, these peak speeds are determined by manufacturers in controlled lab settings, not in typical home environments. Real-world tests of the DIR-867 yielded maximum speeds of 163Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 802Mbps on the 5GHz band. While respectable for a budget router, these figures are far below 1,750Mbps, even when combined.
Speed inflation becomes even more pronounced with tri-band routers that incorporate an additional 5GHz band. For instance, ASUS offers a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 gaming router in its ROG Rapture series labeled “AX11000.” “AX” denotes Wi-Fi 6, and “11000” signifies the aggregate peak speeds across bands—1,148Mbps at 2.4GHz and 4,804Mbps on each of the two 5GHz bands.
Despite this substantial concurrent bandwidth, individual devices will not approach 11,000Mbps. The highest speed achievable by a single device would be 4,804Mbps, and current ISP connections typically do not reach such speeds. In fact, the average internet speed in the US is approximately 564Mbps, according to recent data.
Key Considerations for Router Shopping
Navigating the array of Wi-Fi terms during router selection can be daunting. Here’s a breakdown of common terms and their implications for your home network:
- Mesh Networking: Mesh Wi-Fi systems utilize multiple access points to enhance coverage in larger homes. Similar to Wi-Fi extenders, they broaden coverage but with more localized zones. A base unit connects to your modem as a traditional router, while satellite units act as signal repeaters throughout the house. Consider mesh routers if you experience connectivity dead zones, such as in remote bedrooms.
- MU-MIMO: Short for “multi-user, multiple-input, multiple-output,” MU-MIMO enables routers to segment their signal into multiple streams, facilitating simultaneous data transmission to multiple devices. MU-MIMO is advantageous in households or settings with numerous devices and high internet usage, optimizing network efficiency. Compatible receiving devices can also leverage MU-MIMO to receive data across multiple streams concurrently, accelerating transfers. Wi-Fi 6 routers can support up to eight streams (8×8), while Wi-Fi 7 routers can handle up to 16.
- Band Steering: Various brands may use different names for this feature, but increasingly routers automatically shift devices between frequency bands based on their proximity to the router. For instance, during a video call on your phone near the router, the 5GHz band, optimized for short-range speed, might be selected. Moving farther away during the call could prompt the router to automatically “steer” the connection to the 2.4GHz band, which provides more stable long-range connectivity.
- Beamforming: Standard routers typically broadcast signals uniformly in all directions. Beamforming allows routers to concentrate signals toward specific devices attempting to connect, improving signal strength and range while minimizing interference.
- Quality of Service (QoS): QoS is a feature that prioritizes certain types of network traffic. It is commonly found in gaming routers.
Beyond these fundamentals, router manufacturers are increasingly incorporating features like simplified app-based setup, voice assistant integration (Alexa, Google Assistant), VPN support, enhanced parental controls, and optional cybersecurity monitoring. Evaluating these extras based on your home networking needs is advisable.