How to Choose the Best Wireless Router For Your Need

Wireless router is the main wireless devices needed, besides the modem, to build a wireless network environment in home or in the SOHO. Generally when you sign-up for a broadband internet connection from the ISP, the ISP provides you a modem which is connected direct to one computer in home either using USB port or NIC adapter. So if you want to build a wireless network, you need to buy a router or access point. How do you know which one is the best wireless router you need?

The term the best wireless router is relative; there are some factors you need to consider in deciding which router is the best for your need. If you have limited budget, you really need to consider the basic requirements which are the best for your need. For example, if you just want to share the broadband internet connection with couple of computers in the household, and other share documents and printer within the household, then you don't need to buy a high features router such as one which is designed specifically for gamers in mind.

Netgear Wireless N Router

There are many types of Wireless Routers at the marketplace you can purchase, but which one is the best? In selecting the wireless router; some people make the mistake of trying to find the best wireless router. Of course, that's a moving target as router get better and better with each new model introduction, but what you really need is The perfect router that is best for your need. So your target is not the best wireless router but the best for your need.

Best Wireless router for Internet sharing

Based on the "The perfect router that is best for your need" If you just want to build a wireless environment in home to share the internet connection, or just for the portability reason so you can browse the internet with your laptop everywhere within the house wirelessly, you just need an all-in-one device which combines the function of modem, router, and the wireless access point.

If you subscribe for ADSL internet from the ISP which includes the monthly charges for the modem, you can purchase all-in-one device which includes the ADSL modem with the price under 0 such as D-Link DSL-2640B, or you can consider Netgear DG834Gv5 - a DSL Wireless Modem with Wireless -G Router and built-in DSL Modem. Both are routers with built-in ADSL modem, including 4-port Switch LAN, wireless access point, and with router/firewall feature for security protection against the internet threats.

Both routers would be suitable for your home wireless environment to share the internet, share the files and printer with several computers in the household. All the requirements you need for building a wireless environment in home with this type of modem-router, a single device for all. This type of all-in-one device would be the perfect wireless router for your need. For Cable Internet, you can consider SBG-900 Cable modem router by Motorola.

Wireless Router for Gaming and HD Streaming

Still hold the principle of the perfect wireless router for your need, wireless router for gaming and HD media streaming demands high performance, fast, and reliable networks. Both Gaming and streaming HD video applications demand high-speed networks that capable of delivering high bandwidth-sensitive applications. They should be capable to intelligently manage and automatically prioritize network traffic to better execute bandwidth-sensitive applications including VoIP and multimedia applications. You need a wireless router which has QoS (Quality of Service) technology feature.

The fastest wireless network today is based on draft 2.0 802.11n standards. It is not finalized yet, but mostly the manufacturers have shipped their new lines of products using this draft version of 802.11n technology. This draft 802.11n (wireless -N) technology can deliver the speed of up to 300 Mbps (ideal condition, actual speed may vary) with enhanced technology specific to the manufacturers. They should also feature enhanced wireless technology for optimal range and connectivity such as MIMO technology. MIMO is a technology which uses multiple antennas to coherently resolve more information than possible using a single antenna.

The best wireless router for gaming and streaming HD media should be clear from the source of interference. Common source of radio interference is wireless devices which operate in the 2.4 GHz radio band such as cordless phone, baby monitor, microwave oven, home security and monitoring appliances, garage controller, and so on. Wireless 802.11b/g and draft 802.11n standards operate in 2.4 GHz radio band too. For a clear radio band, the wireless router should include the dual-band feature which can operate both in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (802.11a) radio bands either selectable or simultaneous. With dual-band, you can stream HD media as well as for gaming in a clear 5 GHz frequency band, less radio interference as in 2.4 GHz band. This will assure a jitter-free and lag-free wireless environment.

Example of the perfect wireless router for gaming and HD streaming is D-Link DGL-4500. DGL-4500 is specifically designed for gamers in mind. It is powered by award winning GameFuel technology which allows you to customize your network settings to prioritize game traffic so others will not hog all the bandwidth while downloading HD media.

How to Choose the Best Wireless Router For Your Need

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Best Home VPN Router - Making Information Secure Yet Accessible

When you are working from home, congratulations! You are one of the few people who has succeeded in breaking the pattern of "working for the man". You have become your own boss. You feel empowered as you are determining the direction in which you want your business to go.

What does a VPN router, or a virtual private network router, have to do with working from home? Well, a lot, possibly. We'll explore two reasons why a home office needs a VPN router, which is making your business and home information more secure, and second, making your information accessible. But first, let us define a VPN router!

Netgear Wireless N Router

What is a VPN router?

If you have more than one computer in your home office or home then you likely have a home network set up. And the first thing that attaches to your cable modem or DSL modem is a wired or wireless router. The router's main purpose is to allow all the computers attached to your home office network to access the internet independently, so the internet connection can be shared. The second most important function of the router is that it actually creates the home network, that is, it makes home network computers accessible from each others. A more advanced concept would be to attach a home network storage to the router, and have shared disk space available to everyone.

So why would you need a small office VPN router or a VPN wireless router? A VPN, Virtual Private Network, router is a router that allows not only computers on the home network to share the internet connection, but also allows authenticated users on the internet (think yourself at the Starbucks with a laptop or iPhone) access your home network through a secure connection over the shared, public internet. It is like building a secret tunnel directly from your home network to your browser on your laptop outside home. All you need is internet access, your VPN password and a small piece of VPN software for your laptop. Then, you can access your home network from anywhere securely and no one else will know about that.

VPN through router makes your private information more accessible

By allowing authenticated, strong password protected incoming connections to your home VPN router and your home network, you suddenly have access to your home network from anywhere you are. Document files, your videos, music mp3 files, even the programs that you normally run at home, are suddenly available to you seamlessly. Be it at the local Starbucks, at the client's office, at a friend's house, you will have a connection and access to your data any time, as long as you provide a secure password.

VPN router makes your information more secure

Sure, you say, but I use a laptop anyways for my business, and I can take it anywhere with me. True. But, consider the downside. All your software, all your data, is there with you, in public places, in the car. These are all the places where your laptop and your valuable information can easily be stolen if you leave them unattended even just for a minute. So you either need to exercise an extreme level of caution when roaming outside your home, or... get a secure VPN router and leave ALL the important information securely stored in house, and access it securely from wherever you are.

Best Home VPN Router - Making Information Secure Yet Accessible

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New D Link Dir-827 and Dir-857: The First Wireless Routers With a USB 3.0 Port

Being able to share an external storage attached to the wireless router is an advantage to support your multimedia wireless environment. This is particularly advantageous if your wireless router supports a built-in media server. Wireless routers with a built-in media server allow you to stream multimedia files stored in the attached storage to the Blu-Ray player, XBOX console, and HDTV seamlessly.

Standard home wireless routers do not include a USB port, but mostly home wireless routers which fall into high performance router category are embedded with one or two ports. USB 2.0 port can deliver data rate transfer up to 480Mbps. If you have 5 or ten users or even more on your network either via wired or wireless connections access the files stored in the attached storage intensively time to time, you will experience a slow performance in accessing or transferring the files to and from the storage. This is due to the maximum data rate transfer the USB 2.0 device can deliver is up to 480Mbps. What if the router is embedded by Superspeed (aka USB-3.0) port?

Netgear Wireless N Router

Intel specifies the speed of Superspeed port as fast up to 10 times as the speed of traditional USB 2.0 port with the data rate transfer up to 5Gbps. In CES 2011 D Link showcased two wireless routers which are embedded by Superspeed port: the Dir-827 and the Dir-857 wireless dual band routers with data rate transfer up to 2Gbps. It's not as fast the maximum speed transfer as Superspeed port specified by Intel (5Gbps), but it is still as fast 4 times as those traditional routers with USB 2.0 port.

Both Dir-827 and Dir-857 are true simultaneous dual band routers with USB 3.0 port but with different speed. The Dir-827 is engineered by wireless N600 technology with the speed up to 300Mbps similar to the Wndr3800 N600 router, while the Dir-857 is engineered by the wireless N750 technology with the speeds up to 450Mbps similar to the Linksys E4200 N750 router.

How do you compare Dir-827 with Linksys E4200 router? The main differences between Dir-827 and E4200 wireless routers are the speed, the USB port and the guest network. Firstly, the total bandwidth Dir-827 can deliver is up to 600Mbps (300Mbps each band) but Linksys E4200 is up to 750Mbps. Secondly, the Dir-827 includes one Superspeed port but Linksys E4200 includes traditional USB 2.0 port. Not just that, Superspeed port in Dir-827 is powered by Shareport technology to let you easily host an external storage or printer which can be accessed by users on the network. And the last but not the least, Linksys E4200 supports guest network to provide your guests internet access without compromising your private network, but D Link Dir-827 doesn't support guest network.

Except the Superspeed port compliant, the D Link Dir-827 is similar to Netgear WNDR3800 premium edition which the USB port can be used to share the storage or the printer. Is the Superspeed port in both Dir-827 and Dir-857 important for your need? You will judge, but I prefer the wireless router which includes two USB ports for hosting both storage and printer concurrently to support my "work and play" environment.

New D Link Dir-827 and Dir-857: The First Wireless Routers With a USB 3.0 Port

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Wireless Networking, Part 1: Capabilities and Hardware

Wireless Networking, Part 1: Capabilities and Hardware

These days it isn't uncommon for a home to have multiple personal computers, and as such, it just makes sense for them to be able to share files, as well as to share one Internet connection. Wired networking is an option, but it is one that may require the installation and management of a great deal of wiring in order to get even a modestly sized home set up. With wireless networking equipment becoming extremely affordable and easy to install, it may be worth considering by those looking to build a home network, as well as by those looking to expand on an existing wired network.

Netgear Wireless N Router

The first installment in this two-part series of Tech Tips will provide an introduction to the basic capabilities and hardware involved in wireless networking. Once that foundation has been established, we'll take a look at a few setup and security related considerations that should be addressed once the physical installation is complete.

Capabilities

The basic standard that covers wireless networking is the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11, which is close kin to the wired Ethernet standard, 802.3. Many people will recognize 802.11 more readily when accompanied by one of three suffixes (a, b, or g), used to specify the exact protocol of wireless networking.

The 802.11a protocol first hit the scene in 2001, and despite a small surge in recent popularity, it is definitely the least common of the three at this time. The signals are transmitted on a 5 GHz radio frequency, while "b" and "g" travel on 2.4 GHz. The higher frequency means that the signal can travel less distance in free space and has a harder time penetrating walls, thus making the practical application of an 802.11a network a bit limited. The maximum transfer rate, however, is roughly 54 Mbps, so it makes up for its limited range with respectable speed.

As mentioned, 802.11b and 802.11g networks operate on a 2.4 GHz radio band, which gives a much greater range as compared to 802.11a. One downside to being on the 2.4 GHz band is that many devices share it, and interference is bound to be an issue. Cordless phones and Bluetooth devices are two of many items that operate at this frequency. The range of these two protocols is about 300 feet in free air, and the difference between the two comes down to speed. 802.11b came first, released back in 1999, and offers speeds up to 11 Mbps. 802.11g first appeared in 2002 and it is a backwards compatible improvement over 802.11b and offers speeds up to 54 Mbps.

On top of these protocols, some manufacturers have improved upon the 802.11g standard and can provide speeds of up to 108 Mbps. This doesn't involve a separate protocol, but just a bit of tweaking in areas like better data compression, more efficient data packet bursting, and by using two radio channels simultaneously. Typically, stock 802.11g equipment is not capable of these speeds, and those interested need to shop for matched components that specify 108 Mbps support. I say "matched components" as this is not a standard protocol and the various manufacturers may take different approaches to achieving these speeds. In order to ensure the best results when trying to achieve these elevated speeds, components from the same manufacturer should be used together. For instance, only Netgear brand network adaptors rated for 108 Mbps data transfer should be used with something like the Netgear WG624 wireless router (http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=WGT624NAR).

Considering your typical broadband Internet connection is going to offer data transfer rates of 10 Mbps or less, it can be seen that even 802.11b would be more than adequate if you just want to surf the web. Sharing files on your LAN (Local Area Network) is where the faster protocols will really make a difference, and comparing the prices of 802.11b and 802.11g components may show that there is little to no difference in selecting a "g" capable device over a comparable "b" capable device.

Hardware

Access Point - Wireless Access Point (WAP) is the central device that manages the transmission of wireless signals on a network. A base access point may be capable of handling up to 10 connections, and more robust APs may be able to manage up to 255 connections simultaneously. The D-Link DWL-1000AP+ (http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=37) is an example of a wireless access point capable of 802.11b transmissions.

Router - In somewhat technical terms, a router is a network device that forwards data packets. It is generally the connection between at least two networks, such as two LANs, or a LAN and ISP's (Internet Service Provider's) network. For our purposes, and for the sake of simplicity, a wireless router is basically an access point with the added feature of having a port for sharing a broadband Internet connection. The D-Link AirPlus G (http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=DI524-R&cat=NET) is an 802.11g capable router that provides access for numerous wireless connections and four hard-wired connections to one WAN (Wide Area Network Internet) connection. A typical router for home use will generally cost less than an access point, and via settings within the firmware, can be used as just an access point anyway. Wired or wireless, all the computers using the router can share files over the network, as well as sharing a broadband internet connection. Communication between wireless computers (or a wireless computer and a wired computer) will max out at 54 Mbps, while communication between wired computers will take full advantage of the 100 Mbps provided via the 802.3 protocol.

Network Adaptor - A network adaptor is required for every computer that you would like to be connected to the wireless network. Many laptops, such as this Sony Centrino 1.5 GHz (http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=PCGZ1RA-R&cat=NBB) now include a wireless adaptor built in, so no extra hardware is needed. For those with systems that don't have wireless capabilities built in, adding them is fairly simple, and can be done using a variety of connections. Desktop computers can go wireless by adding a PCI slot network adaptor such as the 802.11g capable D-Link DWL-G510 (http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=308). Notebook users can easily add wireless connectivity by using a PCMCIA adaptor, such as this 802.11g capable device (http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=PBW006-N&cat=NET). And for truly convenient plug-n-play connectivity to wireless networks, USB adaptors such as this 802.11g capable dongle (http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=80211GWUD&cat=NET) are available.

Antenna/Extender - These items are not essential, but given the specifics of a wireless environment, they may be helpful. Devices such as the Hawking Hi-Gain Antenna (http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=HAI6SIP-N&cat=NET) or the Super Cantenna (http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=SCB10&cat=NET) serve the purpose of increasing the wireless signal strength, and therefore extend the range of a given wireless network. Not only can a large area of open space be covered, but the signal quality may be improved in structures with walls and floors that obstruct the signal transmission.

Final Words

In this Tech Tip, we took a look at the basics of wireless networking as it relates to capabilities and hardware. In the second part of this two-part series, we will look at some of the basic setup and security considerations that should be addressed. The physical installation of a wireless network may be exponentially easier than a wired network, but the more difficult part is setting up the software and security to make sure everything stays up and running without incident.

Wireless Networking, Part 1: Capabilities and Hardware

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