Purchasing
your own equipment to use with the services offered by your internet provider
can be a daunting task. It doesn't have to be, however. There are two main
devices you need to purchase in order to be able to connect to the internet: a
modem and a wireless router. These are devices which you can usually rent from
your internet provider, as well.
THE
BENEFITS OF RENTING
Most AT&T
Uverse Bundles customers prefer to rent the equipment, since they
are not liable for upgrades or replacements as the equipment ages, and don’t
have to worry about configuring the equipment or ensuring compatibility.
However, sometimes these same consumers often find themselves with dead zones,
unable to get a stable signal from their Wi-Fi networks. Most people who live
in smaller homes are satisfied with their current Wi-Fi network, since the
residential area is covered. This is not the case for larger homes.
WI-FI
DEAD ZONES AND BANDAGE SOLUTIONS
To
prevent the creation of these dead zones, consumers often purchase Wi-Fi
extenders or repeaters. However, an even better option does exist. The main
fault with range extenders is that they create a new network which has its own
SSID and passwords. Therefore, an additional, unnecessary login is required.
Repeaters also often cut your internet speed in half, which means you end up
paying more for half the speed in these dead zones.
SELECTING
THE RIGHT MODEM FOR YOUR INTERNET
The first
piece of equipment that needs to be purchased is a modem, which allows you to
decode and access the internet based on your connection. Modems have two
numbers that you should take into consideration: the downstream and upstream
values. Popular variations include 16x4 and 8x4. The first number is the
downstream, the second is the upstream.
16x4
modems are capable of supporting a download speed of 680 Mbps, whereas 8x4
modems support download speeds up to 340 Mbps. 24x8 modems may be required for
some high-speed internet connections, however it is always a good idea to
confirm with your service provider prior to purchasing the equipment. Don’t
forget to take the upload speed into consideration as well, especially if your
internet usage is mostly business-oriented.
Modems
often include integrated wireless routers for convenience. However, they often
fall short in terms of range when compared to standalone routers. Your service
provider will usually offer assistance in configuring your modem to work
properly alongside your wireless router.
SELECTING
THE RIGHT WIRELESS ROUTER SOLUTION
Once you
have your modem, the second item you need to take into consideration is your
wireless router, which is the more important piece of equipment of the two. You
want to select a wireless router that supports your modem in terms of
connectivity and download speed.
The first
specification you need to consider is the range of the device. Remember that
the range advertised is an approximation based on certain conditions, and that
obstacle such as walls and floors will result in interference and limitations,
resulting in dead zones.
WHAT THE
NUMBERS AND LETTERS MEAN
There is
a large range of routers to select from, with the newest routers being defined
as 802.11ac. The “ac” represents the standard and generation of the
signal. Previous generations include a, b, g, and n standards. Chances are that
if you purchase a 802.11ac router, it will only work on the 5GHz band, whereas
802.11n routers will offer dual-band frequency of both 5GHz and 2.4 GHz. At
times, you will come across devices defined as AC1900 or AC3000. That indicates
the combined theoretical data transfer speed of both bands measured in Mbps,
and can be misleading. For example, an AC1900 router can either give you a download
speed of up to 600 Mbps on a 2.4 GHz band, or a speed of 1,300 Mbps on the 5.0
GHz frequency, but not both.
THE
DIFFERENT BANDS AND RANGES
The
difference between the two bands of 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz is the transfer speed
of data with older devices using 2.4 GHz and newer devices using 5.0 GHz.
802.11ac routers will not grant an 802.11n device to exceed the limits of
802.11n. If your current internet speed is 25 Mbps, a $300 router
capable of gigabit speed won’t allow you to exceed 25Mbps. A simple ac router
will cover a range of 2500 square feet from its center, whereas a wireless mesh
system will cover over 5,000 square feet using nodes.
WIRELESS
MESH ROUTERS
Once you
have decided on the transfer speed and bands, the next thing that you would
have to figure out is the desired range of your wireless network. If the range
exceeds 2500 square feet, a wireless mesh router is recommended. The system
would consist of the main unit that is attached to your modem, and a satellite
receiver which would connect to the system and further broadcast the signal,
without deteriorating the transfer or internet speed all within a singular
network. The more satellites that are a part of the network, the further the
signal range is increased. The best thing about that is that there is only one
SSID and password, instead of multiple ones.
The main
pitfall of purchasing your own equipment is the fact that technology will
progress, and that what you have purchased today will eventually become
obsolete as time goes on. The new standard which is pending finalization in
2018 is 802.11ax, which will be capable of transfer speeds of 10 Gbps. What
really matters, however, when purchasing your equipment is your internet speed
and your budget.