Upgrade Your Router: Why It Matters for All Your Devices
The Unexpected Benefits of Router Upgrades
A common misconception exists that an older router isn't a significant issue if your connected devices aren't the latest models. However, even with older smartphones, laptops, and tablets, upgrading a router that is past its prime can yield substantial improvements.
Why Older Routers Hold You Back
The performance of your entire network is often limited by the router, not necessarily the individual devices. A dated router can create bottlenecks, impacting speeds and overall connectivity.
Consider that router technology has advanced significantly in recent years. Newer routers offer improvements in several key areas.
Key Advantages of a Modern Router
- Increased Speed: Modern routers support faster Wi-Fi standards, delivering quicker data transfer rates.
- Improved Range: Newer antennas and technologies extend the Wi-Fi signal further, reducing dead zones.
- Enhanced Security: Updated security protocols protect your network from emerging threats.
- Better Device Handling: Modern routers can efficiently manage a larger number of connected devices simultaneously.
These advancements translate to a smoother online experience, even if you aren't utilizing the newest gadgets. Faster speeds mean quicker downloads and less buffering.
A stronger signal ensures reliable connections throughout your home or office. Enhanced security safeguards your personal information.
Don't Underestimate the Router
It’s easy to focus on the devices themselves, but the router is the central hub of your network. Investing in an upgrade can revitalize your entire connected experience, regardless of the age of your other wireless equipment.
Reasons for Router Upgrades
Routers frequently operate as the unsung heroes of residential networks. They often receive little attention until a significant issue arises, and upgrades are rarely prioritized.
However, neglecting router maintenance can result in a compromised internet connection and a less satisfying online experience for all network users. Investing in a modern router represents a cost-effective and impactful method to enhance your home network's overall performance.
Benefits include expanded Wi-Fi range, a more robust signal, and improved capacity to manage the demands of contemporary internet usage. A router designed for the era of DVD rentals is ill-equipped for the streaming demands of today.
Concerns about upgrade costs are often unfounded. Significant improvements in Wi-Fi performance can be achieved without purchasing a high-end, expensive model.
Numerous mid-range routers incorporate current technologies that surpass the capabilities of older devices by a considerable margin.
The following sections will detail the circumstances under which an upgrade is advisable, and subsequently, the advantages that such an upgrade provides.
Considering a Router Upgrade?
Determining whether a router upgrade is necessary can be challenging. Providing a universally applicable recommendation is impossible, as individual network needs vary. However, these guidelines can help you assess your situation.
Initially, evaluate your router's performance. Frequent Wi-Fi signal drops throughout your home, even after exploring options like Wi-Fi extenders or a secondary router, suggest a potential upgrade is warranted. Similarly, persistent network congestion—manifesting as slow page loads or interrupted video streaming—that isn't attributable to your internet service provider indicates your router may be struggling to meet household demands.
Is Your Router Sufficient?
Another key consideration is the router's origin. If your router was provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), either as a combined modem/router unit or a standalone device, its capabilities may be limited. ISPs typically don't distribute top-tier router hardware, and combination units often lack advanced features.
It's important to note that even without apparent issues, the age of your router matters. Consider both the physical age of the device and the model's age. A two-year-old router based on a five-year-old design may be outdated.
- Using a Wireless-G router from 2010 or earlier is akin to using outdated technology.
- Newer routers offer significant performance improvements.
Furthermore, upgrading can be beneficial even if you haven't fully adopted the latest Wi-Fi standards, such as 802.11ac. Modern routers are optimized to enhance performance for older devices as well.
Related: Understanding 802.11ac and its benefits.
Ultimately, a router upgrade can provide a more stable and efficient network experience for all connected devices, regardless of their age or capabilities.
The Advantages of Upgrading Your Router
While we cannot guarantee every benefit listed will be realized with a router upgrade, individuals utilizing an outdated or low-cost ISP-provided router can anticipate experiencing a significant number of improvements.
It’s important to note that many of these advantages extend to both wired and wireless connections. Although Wi-Fi is the primary concern for most users due to the proliferation of Wi-Fi enabled devices, enhancements in quality of service and newer hardware also benefit devices connected via Ethernet.
Reduced Congestion and Interference Through Multiple Bands
Routers supporting contemporary standards are, at a minimum, dual-band devices. Legacy standards such as 802.11b and 802.11g operate on the 2.4GHz frequency band. More recent standards like 802.11ac utilize the 5GHz band, with some high-end routers incorporating two 5GHz bands for optimized network performance.
Related: How You and Your Neighbors Are Making Each Other’s Wi-Fi Worse (and What You Can Do About It)
At a minimum, you’ll gain the benefit of dedicating one band to older devices and another to newer devices capable of 5GHz communication. Even without current 5GHz devices, this provides future-proofing for when you upgrade.
For advanced users, combining multiple bands with multiple radios significantly improves network congestion and overall performance. What contributes to this common network congestion? While a large number of Wi-Fi devices can contribute, external factors also play a role. The 2.4GHz band is heavily utilized, not only by routers but also by cordless phones, baby monitors, and wireless security systems, among other devices. Shifting some traffic to the 5GHz band helps alleviate congestion.
Enhanced Coverage with Multiple Radios
When paired with multiple bands, multiple radios provide the greatest performance boost. It’s crucial to differentiate between radios and bands: radios are the physical components within the router, including its antennas, responsible for sending and receiving data. Bands represent the portion of the radio frequency spectrum they operate on. Consider each band as a separate highway, and each radio as a lane – more lanes equate to better performance.
Related: HTG Reviews the Google OnHub: A Fusion of Wi-Fi and Smarthome Technology (If You're Willing to Wait)
As an example, Google’s OnHub router is a dual-band device utilizing both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, but it features 6 radios dedicated to each band.
With multiple household members streaming, gaming, and browsing simultaneously, an abundance of radios ensures traffic is distributed efficiently, preventing dropped connections and lag.
Improved Wi-Fi Range Throughout Your Home
Modern routers offer superior coverage thanks to a combination of dual radio bands, multiple radios, and improved hardware. Wi-Fi technology has significantly evolved since its early days, and contemporary routers are better designed to support a busy household with numerous Wi-Fi devices.
While users in 2006 might have been satisfied with a wired laptop connection, today’s users expect a reliable Wi-Fi signal while sitting on the couch, in a treehouse, or even at the edge of their property.
Router designs reflect this demand, with mid-to-premium models engineered to provide a strong signal for checking email while retrieving physical mail from the driveway.
Simplified User Interfaces
Router interfaces were historically complex and challenging to navigate. Modifying settings required significant technical expertise. Fortunately, router interfaces from leading manufacturers like D-Link, Netgear, and ASUS have dramatically improved in recent years.
You might not anticipate utilizing these features, but you may be surprised. Instead of simply plugging in the router and accepting the default settings, you might find yourself exploring the menus and utilizing the advanced features.
Advanced Features for Enhanced Control
Newer routers typically include a wide array of advanced features that were either absent from older models or were too difficult to access.
Modern routers make it easy to establish Quality of Service rules, prioritizing bandwidth for specific devices or applications. You can also implement "bedtime" restrictions, limiting internet access during designated hours, create guest networks for visitors, or connect USB hard drives for simple Network Attached Storage for backups and file sharing.
The range of advanced features available on even a mid-range modern router is significantly greater than what was available on routers released years ago.
Regular Software Updates
All devices eventually reach their end-of-life, at which point manufacturers typically provide only critical security updates, or cease updates altogether. Anyone searching for drivers for older hardware has likely encountered this issue.
Related: How to Use a Custom Firmware on Your Router and Why You Might Want To
Routers are no exception. Over time, your router may lack both hardware and software updates, potentially leaving it vulnerable to security threats. Receiving updates ensures you benefit from new features and security enhancements.
If you are considering flashing custom firmware, verify the newest hardware supported by the firmware project. Like manufacturers, custom firmware projects eventually reach a stable end-of-life release; new features require updated hardware.
If your router is outdated or the free unit provided by your ISP, now is an ideal time to upgrade and benefit from the latest advancements in router technology.
Image courtesy of Norlando Pobre, Webhamster.