Wireless routers have become indispensable in our daily routines, granting internet connectivity to various devices, such as smartphones, laptops, and even smart home appliances. Despite their widespread use, many consumers are still uninformed of their wireless routers’ fundamental capabilities and features.
Here are five aspects you should know about Wireless routers.
Basic Configuration
It’s crucial to correctly set up your wireless router when you first set it up so that your devices may connect to it and gain internet connectivity. The router and modem must first be connected before using a web browser to visit the router’s settings page. From there, you can select security settings to block unauthorized access and set up your wireless network name (SSID) and password.
Wi-Fi Channels
Wi-Fi signals work on particular frequency bands that are segmented into groups called channels. The majority of routers use the 11-channel 2.4 GHz bands by default, although this band can get crowded in locations with many Wi-Fi networks. The 5 GHz band, which has more channels and offers higher speeds, is also available on more recent routers. You can utilize a Wi-Fi analyzer program to find the least crowded channels and change them for improved performance.
Update Your Router’s Firmware
if necessary because it may have bugs or security holes that need to be fixed, just like any other piece of software. Periodically, manufacturers release firmware updates to solve these problems, so it’s critical to maintain the firmware on your router up to current.
Quality of Service
If several devices share your router, quality of service can aid in traffic prioritization and guarantee that critical applications like video streaming or gaming receive enough bandwidth. Most routers have the quality of service settings that let you give particular devices or apps higher priority.
Guest Networks
Setting up a separate guest network is good if visitors frequently need to connect to your Wi-Fi network. Visitors can connect to this network without having access to your main network because it has its own SSID and password. Setting bandwidth restrictions on guest networks is a good way to prevent visitors from using your bandwidth.
To sum up, wireless routers are crucial to our connected life. However, many people are still uninformed of the fundamental features and functions that might help them operate more efficiently and securely. You can ensure that your wireless router is set up correctly, current, and tailored to your needs by heeding the advice in this guide.
