How to Choose a Wireless Router

I recently bought a Dell laptop, but that poor thing is being snubbed all thanks to my desktop, my old war horse. The reason for my swank, brand new laptop to be sitting on the sidelines is that I have still not got an Internet connection for it. Asking around, I have realized there are two good options - a wireless router and a USB Internet card. Right now I have kept the latter aside and I am wondering how to choose a wireless router. If you are also sailing in the same boat as I am, join me in finding about that!

How to Choose the Right Wireless Router

When you go to buy a wireless router, there are several factors which need to be checked and done before you zero in on one.

Research and Homework
There is no escape to this, unless you are in that business itself and are extremely well versed with the fundamentals of the best wireless router. The initial step you would do is to get some legwork done on what types of routers are recommended for domestic usage. There are a couple of them - wireless G and N routers. You will also need to identify your Internet requirements and the speed of the connection you are looking at. Finally, you will need to also see whether your laptop is compatible with the router you are aiming to buy.

The Need for Speed
A very crucial aspect when you are posed with the question of how to choose the best wireless router is undoubtedly the speed. The speed of these routers is always mentioned in megabits for a second. The older Wi-Fi models clocked 11 Mbps, the mid-range, 802.11g routers 54 Mbps and the latest Draft N routers promise a speed up to 300 Mbps. Although you might be tempted to go for the comparatively latest routers, with a commendable speed, it is important to remember that the performance you will really get as you use it averages a lot lower than the speed rating claimed on the package.

Bandwidth and Security
When you are going to choose a wireless router, picking a router with an excellent bandwidth is one of the cardinal rules. The more people connected with a single router, the more data is going to be transferred through the same network. In that case, you will either have to pay more for excess usage, or, the usage will be blocked until after the current billing period gets over, in account of the bandwidth allotted for the month being used up prematurely.

Brands and Network Adapter
To buy a wireless internet router, there is another aspect you can think of considering, is buying a wireless router of the same brand as your network adapters. This perhaps might not make a huge difference but this wireless networking is worth a shot. What this will do is that the dealers will try and enhance the communication protocols of their equipment and it may lead to a better performance as compared to a router of a different brand. In case you are starting from scratch, see if you can buy all the Wi-Fi gear together from a similar manufacturer.

Apart from these factors, the size, style, security and the cost, all these factors to be given a thought. Within the security, check out the URL, IP and MAC address filtering features. Further, while choosing a wireless router, you can also go and speak to the people you know who are using such a mechanism.

Well, that was all about choosing a wireless router! I log off here!