But that’s easier said than done.
Few have the degrees in computer science and telecommunications engineering necessary to decipher router specifications. And knowing that spells the difference between blissfully perfect internet connectivity and the sheer helplessness of being unable to Google why your Wi-Fi router isn’t working.
Fortunately, this guide will distill Wi-Fi router specifications down to the very basics, and demystify the arcane art of choosing one that works the best for you.
Stop Renting Your Router
The World Economic Forum (WEF) famously predicted that by 2030, we will own nothing, but we will still be happy. However, most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) already follow that business model and rent out Wi-Fi routers to subscribers. This might come as a shock to the WEF, but customers weren’t happy with this arrangement at all—to the point that the US government had to intervene by passing a new law prohibiting ISPs from forcing the predatory practice upon subscribers.
If that wasn’t enough of a red flag, rental Wi-Fi routers are generally outdated and feature bottom-of-the-barrel specifications. Buying a new router is still the only viable route to decent wireless networking performance and handy features, even if your ISP has provided one for free. Moreover, it is significantly cheaper to buy a decent router in the long run, as opposed to paying monthly rental fees.
Wi-Fi Standards Explained
Wi-Fi routers and associated devices in this wireless communications ecosystem have agreed to adhere to the standards and specifications laid down by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). As computing evolves and consumer wireless devices become capable of higher data transfer rates, these standards evolve to accommodate additional features and support higher bandwidth capability of newer equipment.
The governing body defines the Wi-Fi standards as IEEE 802.11 protocols. As of this writing, the lowest end Wi-Fi routers operate on the 802.11n standard, which has subsequently been renamed as Wi-Fi 4. Most modern Wi-Fi routers, laptops, and smartphones support the Wi-Fi 5 (or 802.11ac) protocol. However, the most bleeding edge smartphones and laptops support the Wi-Fi 6 (or 802.11ax) standard, with the Wi-Fi 6E being the latest one.
Although data transfer speed is the primary differentiator between these Wi-Fi protocols, each subsequent one offers better features, increased signal integrity, improved security, and support for a larger number of connected wireless devices. If you wish to learn more, our comprehensive Wi-Fi standards guide delves deeper into the subject.
What Are Wi-Fi Bands? Are Single or Dual Band Routers Preferable?
The prevalent Wi-Fi 4, 5, and 6 protocols also differ in terms of the carrier frequency underpinning each protocol. Wi-Fi 4 operates on the 2.4GHz frequency spectrum, which is known for its long range, but its theoretical maximum data transfer speed limit of 140Mbps makes it unsuitable for high bandwidth internet connectivity.
Wi-Fi 5, on the other hand, supports the significantly faster 5GHz frequency band touting a theoretical maximum bandwidth of 3.5Gbps. The actual data transfer speeds achievable by a single connected device are significantly lower, since the aforementioned figures are divided across multiple wireless data streams. Although Wi-Fi 5 is indispensable for gigabit-tier internet connections and supports a greater number of connected devices, the 5GHz band cannot penetrate walls and other physical obstructions.
Most modern Wi-Fi 5 capable routers, therefore, ship in dual-band configurations compatible with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands. This enables high bandwidth connectivity when you are within the range of the router’s 5GHz radio, but your wireless device can still fall back to the longer range 2.4GHz frequency band when you move further away from the router. If money is no object, top-end Wi-Fi routers also ship in tri-band configurations that incorporate a third 5GHz or 6GHz band.
Newer Wi-Fi 6 routers heavily borrow OFDMA technology from cellular networks to increase the number of wireless devices that can simultaneously and efficiently connect to a single wireless network. The theoretical maximum bandwidth of 9.6Gbps might seem like a huge improvement, but this performance uplift doesn’t translate proportionally on a per-device basis.
That’s because Wi-Fi 6 has been designed to cope with modern home wireless networks buzzing with numerous Wi-Fi enabled computers, smartphones, and home automation equipment. It makes more sense for large families with multiple wireless devices, or wireless networks that are otherwise bogged down by network congestion.
Wi-Fi 6E additionally introduces an even faster 6GHz carrier frequency that further compromises wireless signal range for extremely high data transfer rates. However, the number of devices supporting this Wi-Fi protocol aren’t common enough for most consumers to bother paying the high first adopter’s fee.
Making Sense of Router Speed Ratings
Wireless manufacturers usually have the router’s data transfer speed listed alphanumerically on the packaging and through other marketing avenues. Routers are usually rated by the manufacturers as N800, AC1750, AC3200, and AX6000, with the letters representing the Wi-Fi protocol supported and the subsequent numbers indicating the maximum theoretical bandwidth expressed in megabytes per second.
A higher number is obviously better, but it doesn’t reflect the maximum data transfer rate achievable by a single connected wireless device. The AC1750 rating, for example, is usually the combined bandwidth of the 2.4GHz band running at 450Mbps and the 1300Mbps maximum achievable throughput on the 5GHz band. The ridiculous sounding AX6000 accounts for the 2400Mbps backhaul radio link between multiple mesh router nodes. This is an internode communications channel that doesn’t directly contribute any bandwidth to users.
It pays to read the fine print to figure out how the total advertised bandwidth is divided across various Wi-Fi bands, and whether the number has been artificially inflated by factoring in the user inaccessible backhaul infrastructure.
If you are running a 50Mbps internet connection, even an AC1200 router should suffice. However, streaming 4K video across multiple devices warrants a 200Mbps connection. Most AC1200 routers deliver 800Mbps on the 5GHz band, but this theoretical maximum bandwidth is spread across multiple wireless streams. That’s why it is wiser to rely on professional router reviews showing real-world data transfer speeds. If you’re curious about the real-world performance of your existing router, our nifty Wi-Fi speed test guide will be of great help.
Be sure to avoid routers rated for anything less than AC1200, because that usually involves outdated Wi-Fi protocols.
What Factors Affect Wi-Fi Range and Speed?
It is possible to extend your Wi-Fi router’s range by following best practices, such as keeping it in a central, elevated location away from sources of radio frequency interference such as microwave ovens and baby monitors. However, routers with multiple antennas definitely cover wider area compared to ones with hidden antennas. Furthermore, some routers use multiple radio bands with a dedicated set of antennas that can be articulated to propagate radio signals in desired directions. This makes it easier to direct Wi-Fi radio coverage to areas of the house where you need them the most. In fact, our DIY Wi-Fi antenna guide is a great way to extend your existing router’s range for virtually nothing.
It also pays to refer to router reviews and read supplied documentation to understand the router antennas’ gain rating, which is usually expressed in dBi. The higher the rating, the further the Wi-Fi signals will propagate. Although most manufacturers don’t reveal the wattage rating of the Wi-Fi radio hardware, a higher rating improves range and makes it easier for the Wi-Fi signals to penetrate through obstructions. Although radiation safety protocols ultimately limit maximum wattage of radio hardware, router reviews that test for range are the best way to gauge the real-world impact of these factors on Wi-Fi coverage.
Expensive routers still heavily advertise features such as MU-MIMO, band steering, and beamforming that significantly affect effective range. For example, most modern routers incorporate MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) technology that boosts both speed and coverage by leveraging multiple antennas to support simultaneous wireless streams. Routers supporting Wi-Fi 5 and newer standards support MU-MIMO, which is the multi-user variant of MIMO that promises to serve multiple wireless client devices without compromising on speed.
Wi-Fi beamforming, as the name suggests, intelligently locates the relative position of the connected wireless devices and directs a concentrated stream of radio signals to the device, which boosts both Wi-Fi range and data transfer speeds. The band steering feature improves Wi-Fi range in dual-band routers by intelligently steering connected devices between 5GHz and 2.4GHz carrier frequency bands depending on their proximity to the router. This allows the devices to dynamically strike a balance between data transfer speeds and Wi-Fi range depending on their actual physical location.
How CPU and RAM Specifications Impact Router Performance
On the computational side of things, a router’s primary workload stems from having to direct every single packet of upstream and downstream data according to a preordained routing table. The computational workload is further increased when dealing with BitTorrent networks, which require serious multithreaded processing.
Furthermore, a network with many connected devices also increases the load on the CPU as well as the RAM. Additional aspects such as encryption, connected USB devices, in-built network attached storage (NAS) functionality, and Quality of Service features place additional processing and memory requirements.
When a router’s computational hardware is stretched beyond its means, it leads to packet loss which manifests as connectivity issues. In extreme cases, this may even lead to the router rebooting, or otherwise becoming unresponsive until it is reset. Most entry level and mid-range routers are outfitted with single-core CPUs and 128MB of RAM. This is fine for typical home networks, but extremely busy networks that require complicated routing tables can overwhelm such routers.
However, most high-end routers ship with dual-core or quad-core processors and upto 1GB of RAM. It is difficult to recommend a certain minimum CPU core count or RAM capacity in a router. Variables such as firmware optimization and the number and complexity of inbuilt features significantly affects computational resource utilization. Consequently, check reliable router reviews to check for symptoms of underpowered hardware.
Choosing the Right Wi-Fi Router
Navigating the minefield of bloated specifications and misleading claims made by Wi-Fi router manufacturers is a lot easier with the knowledge you have gleaned through the course of this guide. Although you get what you pay for, most users don’t need top-shelf hardware. Knowing what these features and specifications entail will help you choose the right router for your specific needs.
