Should You Change the Wi-Fi Router

Many Internet users come up with a problem of low connection speed. If you want to freely move around the apartment, watch videos online or play without lags, then it’s time to think about changing the router to a high-speed one. Anticipating the possible question “why to change it, if everything works?”, we prepared five arguments. Let’s consider them step by step.

1) Side strays

Wi-Fi routers, like any other technology that uses a wireless connection, operate at certain frequencies. There are two main bands — 2.4 and 5 GHz. Most routers operate at 2.4 GHz. Radio waves from the simplest household devices — a microwave oven, a wireless mouse, a baby monitor — work at the same frequency, so do not be surprised if, by placing the router near them, you will not get the desired signal quality.

Solution:

Choose a dual-band router, as docsis 3.0 modem router combo. The 5 GHz frequency is freer, so it guarantees a much higher speed without side strays. However, it is worth remembering that the higher the frequency range of the wave, the faster it damps. Although the information transfer rate is 2.4 GHz lower, the signal can “get” further.

2) Outdated technology

You changed your smartphone or laptop, and now your gadget is faster than the Wi-Fi. Why? The most obvious reasons are performance and new standards. Any router is a mini-computer. It has its own processor, RAM, and various communication modules, which every year become better, more productive, cheaper than similar devices of past years.

Solution:

Update the router with the advent of a new communication standard. This will allow you to enjoy Internet surfing at the maximum for several years. The modern standard 802.11ac differs in the signal that is transmitted at a noiseless frequency of 5 GHz. Considering that many people live in apartments and work in offices with numerous Wi-Fi networks, just switching to a freer frequency range will increase network performance.

3) More gadgets — the lower speed?

Each router is designed for a specific data transfer speed. If you access the Internet from several devices, then the speed between them is divided (test internet speed ). The more people connect to the router, the slower the connection speed will be.

Solution:

Pay attention to the maximum speed of data transmission declared by the manufacturer, and take into account the area of our own apartment. Choose the equipment for a specific room and the number of devices that will be connected, as well as the speed that your Internet provider can offer.

4) A lot of videos

You bought a router a few years ago, installed and forgot about it. Everything seems to work. However, video downloads very slow. You press the pause and wait for it to load. Why does it happen that you pay money, and the service does not meet your expectations!

Solution:

If you bought a router five years ago, then the developers created it earlier than numerous video content and devices appeared in our lives. What does it mean?  If the tasks and your needs have changed — change the device.

Also see: What Internet Speed do I need for Streaming?

5) Antenna Power and Coverage

In different corners of your small apartment — different signal levels, which sometimes can even disappear. What to do?

Solution:

Choose a router with powerful antennas. Moreover, the number of external antennas is not an indicator. Often they are hidden inside the case. The signal quality and the coverage are affected by their power, which is indicated by numbers of milliwatts or decibels per milliwatt. The higher these values, the further the Wi-Fi signal will reach.

Additional benefits include support for MU-MIMO technology, in which the router interacts with several devices at once, and Beamforming technology, which determines in which direction signal loss occurs (for example, from walls), and strengthen it. Thus, wherever you move around your apartment, the router will provide a high-speed connection for each of your devices.

In Conclusion

During the time that you use an old router, purchased several years ago, standards are changing, new models appear with their support, new processors and an improved receive-transmit system.

As you can see, routers are developing fast and companies are ready to offer many useful changes in new models. Following them or letting the old router work for another year is a personal matter for everyone. In any case, we advise you not to forget that such utilitarian devices are vital and the last models can make our online experience more comfortable.

If you ask whether you should change the router after several years of usage — we will say yes. Now you know more reasons why to do it.

What device do you use at home? Share with us in the comments.