Networking : Wireless Routers, Modems & Extenders

Call your Internet provider to get a high-speed plan that provides a minimum speed of 100Mbps, and up to 1,000Mbps (1Gbps or higher) is recommended for the best experience.

Choose a cable modem that is compatible with your cable Internet provider and supports the speed of your Internet plan. For example, a modem that supports 1Gbps speed will support an Internet plan up to 1Gbps. The cable modem connects your home to the Internet, and connects to your wi-fi router or mesh system to provide wi-fi to your devices.

Note the cable modem you purchase will replace the cable modem you lease from your cable Internet provider, so you can send back the cable provider’s modem and stop paying the monthly cable modem rental fee.

Optionally, you can choose a cable modem router combo (also known as a gateway) which has a cable modem plus wi-fi router built in. If you buy this all-in-one device, you will not need to use a separate router or mesh system for wi-fi.

Choose a router based on the wi-fi speed and coverage you need for your home. Higher speed is generally faster, assuming your Internet plan is fast. Routers provide good coverage for small-to-medium homes or apartments.

Choose a wi-fi mesh system if you have a home with multiple stories, a large floor plan, or outdoor devices like security cameras. A mesh system consists of a router and satellite(s) that work together to provide consistent coverage and speed inside and outside your home.

The difference between a modem and a router is that a modem connects to the Internet, and a router connects devices to wi-fi. You need a modem and a router to set up a home network. If you're connecting a single computer to the Internet with a wire, you can use only a modem. There's no case where you can use just a router. You'll always need a modem to decode the signal from your ISP. When you want to speed up your network, the router is usually what you want to focus on. It has bandwidth limits, and it distributes the signal to all your devices. Your router creates and manages your wi-fi.

What is the speed package you are paying for? Knowing the download speed you are paying for can help eliminate entire lines of products. For instance, if you have or plan on having a speed package above 100 Mbps then you would want to avoid any router with fast ethernet 10/100 ports. This is because the speed on these ports is limited to a maximum of 100 Mbps. If you know you will never go above 100 Mbps then looking at devices with fast ethernet will save you money.

How many devices will you be connecting? You want to make sure you get a router that is capable of handling the load being put on it. The more devices the faster a processor you want the router to have. 5 or so devices and single-core processor will be fine. 10 or more and you will want at least a dual-core processor on your new router.

How many bands do I need? Single-band routers are 2.4GHz only. Dual and tri-band routers typically are 5GHz, with the difference being that tri-band splits the channel options into two separate bands. So now you need to know the devices connecting to the router. Are they capable of connecting to a 5GHz network or can they only communicate on 2.4GHz? If only 2.4GHz, then it's likely you will only need a single-band router. If they can connect to a 5GHz network, then we would definitely recommend a dual or tri-band router.

Does the number of antennas matter? Yes, in most instances it does. Generally speaking, you increase the network bandwidth with each new antenna added. This is because each antenna increases the number of streams your devices can connect to and communicate with. Speeds are affected by both the number of antennas of the router and the number of antennas on the client devices. The more antennas available, the more streams you can connect to and your throughput is increased as a result.

Range extender: A range extender is a wireless networking device that allows for a WLAN (wireless local area network) coverage area to be expanded beyond its normal range. Also called a repeater, these devices, usually a plug-in unit, take a signal from an existing wireless router or AP (access point) and transmits that signal farther than the original device was capable of doing. With today’s device being more reliant of a wireless signal, these devices help ensure total coverage throughout a user’s home. The chief complaint about range extenders is slow connection. The network's speeds are affected because the range extender can only communicate one way at a time, either receiving from the router then transmitting to the end user device or vice versa. For customers who are looking at getting more dedicated speeds, they may want to look into a mesh system as an alternative to a range extender.

Mesh wi-fi: Mesh wi-fi is a whole-home wi-fi system built to eliminate dead zones and to provide uninterrupted wi-fi throughout your home. Mesh systems enable devices in your network to have faster speeds, greater coverage, and a more reliable connection. While traditional routers broadcast wi-fi from a single point, mesh wi-fi systems have multiple access points. When one unit links to the modem, that unit becomes the main hub. The other units (called “nodes”) will capture and rebroadcast the router’s signal. The result is an efficient wireless network that provides a strong signal no matter where you are.

Wi-fi 6 is the next generation standard in wi-fi technology. Wi-fi 6, also known as “AX wi-fi" or "802.11ax wi-fi,” builds and improves on the current standard. Wi-fi 6 was originally built in response to the growing number of devices in the world. If you own a VR device, multiple smart home devices, or simply have a large number of devices in your household, then a wi-fi 6 router might be the best wi-fi router for you.

Wi-fi 6E means wi-fi 6 extended to the new 6 GHz frequency band. Wi-fi 6E works with the same standard as wi-fi 6 but with an extended spectrum. Unlike the existing bands on which channels are currently crammed into the limited spectrum, the 6 GHz band exists without overlap or interference. Access to the 6 GHz frequency brings more bandwidth, faster speeds, and lower latency, opening up resources for future innovations like in AR/VR, 8K streaming, and more. The 6 GHz band is available only for wi-fi 6 traffic, allowing wi-fi 6 to meet its intended potential.