Upgrading your Wi-Fi routers

However, depending on how much you have invested in your routers lately, you might be noticing one or more of the following problems with your (wireless) Internet connection: inability to operate more than one or two wireless devices at once, slow speed of download/upload (bandwidth), someone is illegally using your network, you are unable to […]

However, depending on how much you have invested in your routers lately, you might be noticing one or more of the following problems with your (wireless) Internet connection: inability to operate more than one or two wireless devices at once, slow speed of download/upload (bandwidth), someone is illegally using your network, you are unable to set up the security system in your router, you have spotty signals in some locations within your apartment (home), low signal bars, or weak connection even at maximum signal. If you experience any of these, it might be time for router upgrade.
For what they do, routers are pretty cheap. With $50 or less, you can get one of the basic, albeit old, routers. Spend $300 or more, and you can get top-of-the-line routers. If you have not upgraded your router lately, you are probably using an 802.11n or 802.11g router. (These classifications have been assigned by the professional body that controls the standards for this line of product.) According to Joanna Stern in her 3 February 2015 article in The Wall Street Journal, the solution to your router problems may be found in the 802.11ac models. The basic attractiveness of “ac” routers is the provision of less-degraded speeds at longer distances from the location of the router in your home or apartment. You’ll also see better performance when you transfer data from one device to another, but bear in mind that you won’t get faster Internet speeds from a new ac router, as speed is determined by your Internet service plan.
There are many vendors and capacity levels of the ac variety of routers, and some guidance is helpful. Stern suggests you opt for ac models that range in classification from AC1200 at the lower end to AC3200 at the high end. The pricier models deliver faster speeds at greater distances, making these types more suitable for larger homes.  In her (small) Manhattan (New York City) apartment, she saw no performance difference between three routers of the ac variety: a $100 model, a $180 model and the “Ultra” $310 model. “The space simply wasn’t big enough. But in my parents’ larger home, the top-of-the-line D-Link AC3200 and Netgear’s Nighthawk AC1900 routers provided better speeds—and smoother, higher-quality Netflix streaming—than the competition at various points around the house, especially when I got farther away from the boxes.” Note that antennas may not solve your problems. Some suggestions, gleaned from a few sources, can be stated as follows:
Router placement: To reduce the occurrence of dead zones, place your router in the middle of your house or apartment, and in an unobstructed location in the house or apartment.
Consider a network extender: If you still have dead zones, consider getting a network extender, which is basically a second wireless router or what Stern refers to as a “pair of plug-in-the-wall ‘powerline’ networking boxes such as the $65 Linksys PLSK400 powerline adapter set.”
Be mindful of the number of connected devices: The AC3200 has an additional advantage beyond speed: they were designed for situations where you have many devices that you want to connect to the Internet. “Behind the scenes, the AC3200 routers operate three separate networks, compared to two for cheaper networks.  The implication is that your devices won’t be competing much for bandwidth.”
Pick a router that can easily be set up: Stern does not recommend TPLink routers for the reason that they are very complicated to set up: “The Chinese company has great deals on AC routers, making it one of the most popular buys on Amazon. But its setup tool looks like it was designed in the early ’90s, and you have to have networking experience even to change the network password.  Netgear and Linksys, on the other hand, were the easiest to set up and manage on a Windows PC, while Apple’s AirPort Extreme was dead simple on a Mac—or even an iPad or iPhone, using the Airport Utility app.” With the right routers, setting up may be quite easy.
Protect your access: Always set up pass codes, make sure that you select AES/WPA2 encryption.
What to buy: For a small apartment, go with Netgear’s $180 Nighthawk AC 1900. If you have a large home, you may opt for D-Link’s $310 AC 3200 Ultra Wi-Fi router. (Equivalent routers apply, of course.)
Jay Campbell, in responding to Stern’s article online, shares his testimony, which you might find useful: “If you have more than three wireless devices, absolutely upgrade to one of the recommended routers. My basic Netgear wifi router worked fine when I had a couple devices. As we added more (iPad, Apple tv, blue ray player), we had frequent router freezes requiring a reset. The only way to watch Netflix was to turn off all other wireless devices else Netflix frequently froze. I upgraded to the Netgear Nighthawk. We now have as many as ten wireless devices at the same time and no performance issues – Netflix never freezes. Plus, the added range gives higher speed all through my house and even out to my barn. Spend a few extra bucks. You’ll be happy you did.”
The bottom line If you are not satisfied with the performance of your Wi-Fi router, it may be time to consider the high-end “ac” types.