In the not so distant past, hubs and switches were the kings of household networks because routers were expensive. Hubs simply facilitated data flow while switches added traffic management systems. Routers on the other hand have all those features plus more.

 

Routers manage network traffic while at the same time protecting the computers from intruders wanting to inflict viruses and Trojans and stealing important information including bank and credit card numbers. 

 

When buying a wireless router, you should first consider how much of a budget you have, how many computers you want to be networked with the router, and the kind of internet service you will want to have.

 

802.11a Wireless Router Standard
The 802.11b standard falls under the wireless Ethernet standards series capable of 54 megabits per second (Mbps) maximum within a range of 25 to 75m. Although faster than the 802.11b standard, the problem with 802.11a is that the signal is more prone to obstruction. 

 

802.11b Wireless Router Standard
 This 802.11b has the range of 35 to 120m. The network equipment costs less and works a lot faster than the traditional dial up internet connection. The 802.11n LAN can support a data rate up to 11 (Mbps) maximum. 802.11b routers use a security protocol called the 40bit Wireless Equivalency Privacy (Wep) security protocol but this protocol has a number of holes in it. There is though an update version called 802.11b+ which has patched some of the holes and can give a boosted speed up to 22 Mbps.  

  

802.11g Wireless Router Standard
The 802.11g, the latest in the IEEE 802.11 series, is the now the most commonly used router standard. This has a range of 35 to 120m. Routers of this standard can in theory give you a whooping 54 Mbps although actual speeds can be lower. This standard uses the Wifi Protected Access (WPA) security protocol which is more robust and reliable. As an 802.11 standard, this exclusively supports Ethernet networks. A new standard in the series called 802.11n is coming and it promises to deliver up to 300 Mbps. Already, some routers that have "Pre-N" or "Mimo" capabilities are in the market.

 

Voice over the Internet (VoIP) allows you to use the internet to make calls similar to phone calls at minimal fee or for free.

 

NAT means Network Address Translation (NAT). As each computer is assigned a unique identifier number in the internet called IP address, the NAT exposes only one IP address even if you have multiple computers within your home or office network for protection and privacy. It becomes the task of you router to route the data to the appropriate computer within you network.

 

DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol which helps you automatically assign IP addresses to all devices within your network.

 

Once your computer is connected to the internet, it becomes exposed to a global jungle where malicious hackers and phishers abound. It is extremely important that you consider buying a router that has a firewall feature. A firewall filters incoming packets and alerts you of an impending attack.  Try looking for Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) or Wifi Protected Access (WPA) and make sure you properly set up these security features. 

 

Some routers ship with firewall and anti virus software. Make sure you get these added offers as they can really give you peace of mind.

 

Many routers can be set up in minutes. Try to study the software that comes with the router. Some software allows you to make a few clicks and the system goes running in no time.