The gateway to the Internet: Why it pays to get a better router

There’s one in almost every household but the humble router is barely noticed. Yet without these vital devices, modern Internet and telephone connections are impossible. So when it comes to buying a new one what should you look out for?

If you just want to access the Internet, all you need is a modem – this establishes a connection via the telephone network or TV cable.

However, if you want to connect to the Internet using more than one device, then you need a router. It distributes the data packets to all of the connected devices, but also networks them with each other.

If you’re not so tech-savvy, it makes sense to take the router that the service provider offers. That will be already configured and ready to work straight out of the box. Plus, if something goes wrong with it the provider will replace it.

However, the devices supplied by the providers are not always very powerful. If you want more than a bread-and-butter device, it’s worth considering buying your own router, German consumer goods tester Stiftung Warentest advises.

It sounds obvious but it’s important to get a router that can do everything you require of it. For example, not every router has a built-in modem. And there’s no point spending money on features you don’t need – not everyone requires a media server at home.

More useful is something such as guest access which allows house guests to access WiFi without automatically having access to all of the home network.

You should also make sure the router supports Internet-based Voice over IP (VoIP) telephony as sooner or later all remaining analogue connections will be switched over to VoIP.

An additional feature that can be useful in a router is if it supports cordless digital DECT phones – you can then pair a cordless phone directly to the router without needing an additional base station.

If you already have a working router or modem, it’s possible to retrofit some functions to it, such as faster WiFi or media server operation, says telecommunications expert Alexander Kuch.

In most cases, a new router can be simply connected to the existing device via a LAN cable. Then it doesn’t matter if the new device doesn’t have its own modem or doesn’t support telephony, as the old device will continue to handle these functions. – dpa

Source: TheStar