Let’s first figure out what a wireless router or Wi-Fi Router is. This kind of device, often just called a router, allows you to connect other devices (e.g., laptops or tablets) to the internet and also allows them to communicate with each other without being physically connected. For this purpose, the router establishes a wireless network called a Local Area Network (LAN). The router will then be the central hub that transfers data between the devices in the local network and the internet.
Do you need a Wi-Fi Router?
Well, you don’t necessarily need a Wi-Fi Router. If you already have a wired router in your home and the devices you need to connect to the internet are in the same room, you are fine. But most wired routers offer only up to four Ethernet ports, so you can only connect four devices to the router using LAN cables. There are, of course, extenders available. But the better solution would be a wireless router. This will also give you much more flexibility for the location of the connected devices. In addition, you will be able to connect devices that don’t provide a physical port, such as smartphones, tablets, or VR headsets. To give you an idea about the number of devices you can connect, I provide you with my household number and the number of devices my wireless router can support: my household currently runs 11 devices on my wireless network, and the router supports up to 50 devices! I think you will agree that this is enough for every private household.
Selecting a wireless router
My advice: Take a good one! Don’t go with the cheapest option. I went through three low-budget routers in about four years before I decided to buy the one I’m using now. The first one still works, but its low signal strength was the issue. I’m using a laptop in my living room to stream movies and watch them on my big TV. Unfortunately, the kitchen is between the router in my office and the living room. And because the router’s signal was too weak, watching a movie was a bad experience due to many interruptions.
The rest of the story is short. I bought a different Wi-Fi Router that promised a stronger signal. It was again a low-budget option. And it stopped working after just a little less than a year. Same with the third router. It worked fine for around a year and a half, and then it was gone, too. That was the final straw.
The end of the story was that I researched the best routers and bought a Netgear Nighthawk 12-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router (RAX200). And I can tell you, it’s a huge difference. Streaming works without any interruptions and on multiple devices at the same time. The router was expensive, but the experience and the fact that I now use the same router for several years without issues prove that I saved money in the end.
