Rate Wireless Routers

How do you rate wireless routers? There are many factors you can use to rate a wireless router but here we will describe the key ones you need to understand before buying a wireless router.
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Price Matters

You get what you pay for and the more expensive wireless routers will in general rate better overall. Quality wireless router brands are priced higher because they use higher quality electronic components and have been certified. Look for these features.

Bandwidth Speed

The speed of a wireless router determines how fast it can transmit and receive data packets over a wireless network. This is known as bandwidth throughput. The higher the bandwidth throughput of a wireless router, the faster it can perform. Bandwidth is usually measured in mega bits per second (Mbps). Common wirless router bandwidths include 11 Mbps, 54 Mbps and 108 Mbps. Look for a faster bandwidth if you need a faster wireless network such as playing online games.

Wireless 802.11x Standards

Wireless routers use the IEEE 802.11x standard for data communications. The standard has gone through a number of progressive versions as technological advances in wireless communications have been made. Each version has its strengths and weaknesses. Be sure your wireless router will be compatible with the equipment you intend to use it with by checking which version of the 802.11 standard you need.

Security Protocols

Wireless routers can have a number of security protocols to enable you to setup a secure wireless network. The best wireless routers offer an extensive range while the most common ones will be to suit your needs. The are two common wireless router security protocols. The first is known as WEP (Wired Equivalency Protocol) which encrypts data packets and uses a "shared key" which is similar to a password to secure the data communications between the wireless router and the device it connects to over the wireless network. The second is known as WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) which also encrypts data packets but uses a dynamically generated key that changes regularly to secure the wireless network. WEP offers a basic level of security while WPA offers a higher level of security protection. Always use the highest available methods of security protection for wireless networks.

Coverage Area

The range and area a wireless router will cover is known as its coverage. Some will cover a sizable area of several hundred meters if there is a direct line of sight while between the devices connecting to the wireless router. However, the same wireless router may only have a very limited coverage if it has to go through several walls within a building. The best range wireless router will have special electronic components that boosts the wireless signal and can tolerate high levels of signal interference without degrading its performance. Common wireless routers will have a coverage of about 100 metres in open space while this may descrease down to 20 metres inside a building with reinforced concrete walls.

Setup and Configuration

A wireless router setup should be easy and quick. Better wireless routers have "smart" wizards that help you setup and configure your wireless router. Have a look a the wireless router's manual to see how intuitive the setup and configuration is.

Reliability and Support

A reliable wireless router will not "lock-up", "hang-up" and "drop-out" under a heavy load of traffic. Check out some of the online forums for the brand and model wireless router you are considering to see if anyone is having reliability issues. Also visit the wireless router manufacturer's web site and see what type of support they offer online and offline for their products. If they don't offer good online support such as FAQ's, support forums, manuals, drivers and the like, then stay clear of that brand wireless router.

Understanding the key rating factors above will allow you to prioritise which ones are most important to your situation so you can confidentially rate wireless routers to fulfil your home or business needs.