What do wi fi waves look like? Wi-Fi router for dummies: purpose, operating principle, device connection

Hypothetically, if we could see everything digital signals that surround us, what would they be like? If we could physically see a WiFi footprint, what would it be? This is precisely the question that photographer and artist Luis Hernan explores in his newest series works entitled "Creative Exploration of Wireless Spectra".

Obsessed with the invisible wave infrastructure that holds our wireless world together, Louis decided to capture the landscape electromagnetic waves in a series of amazing color photographs. The photographs quickly gained popularity, which prompted the author to further research in this area.

Using a long exposure camera and RSSI sensors to visualize WiFi networks, he was able to create these vibrant paintings. The result is a beautiful collection of surreal images, both active and static. People often abuse technology without even thinking about its nature. But thanks to Luis Hernan, you can now imagine what Wi-Fi looks like in your home!


This project aims to demonstrate the nature of electromagnetic wave space and prove that high tech can be visualized. If the human eye does not see something, this does not mean that it does not exist. And the author of these photographs clearly demonstrated this by making wi-fi waves temporarily accessible to perception.


The Digital Ethereal project is a progressive creative research effort exploring the materiality of wireless protocols. As part of this work, these impressive photographs were taken.

A router is a very complex device with many technical characteristics. We will focus on those that play an important role for the buyer.

WAN port type and connection protocols

The WAN (or Internet) connector is used to connect an Internet cable to the router. This is the first detail you should pay attention to when purchasing a device. It depends on it whether the router will work with the provider.

A typical router has a WAN port in one of two formats:

1. DSL(ADSL, VDSL and other subtypes) - for connecting to the Internet via a telephone line.
2. Ethernet- to connect through a special provider channel.

There are also universal devices, which support several formats, including DSL and Ethernet. But they are much less common.

In the now quite popular fiber optic networks, access to the Internet is provided through a GPON terminal, to which the router is connected. Some routers have a corresponding connector for connecting the provider's fiber optic cable directly. This allows you to get rid of the terminal, which often suffers from power surges and remove an extra link in the chain.

Provider Compatibility

Internet providers use various technologies to connect subscribers. Some of them are widespread and are supported by default in all routers, others are less common and are not available everywhere.

For example, many service providers use L2TP, which does not work in every router. Therefore, before purchasing, it is advisable to check with the provider’s support service whether their networks support the router you are interested in.

If, instead of DSL and Ethernet, the provider uses specific connection technologies, which rarely happens, then it is better to trust the choice of equipment to specialists.

Number and type of LAN ports

Computers, consoles, TVs and other stationary equipment that require stable wired access to the Internet are connected to the router’s LAN ports. This connection always guarantees maximum speed, which does not depend on distance and interference.

And the more such connectors in the router, the more devices You can connect to it via a wire. Routers are usually equipped with four LAN ports. But if this is not enough for you, choose a model with additional connectors.

The maximum speed of data exchange between the router and other devices connected to it via a wire depends on the type of LAN ports.

There are two such types:

1. Fast Ethernet provides speeds up to 100 Mbit/s.
2. Gigabit Ethernet - up to 1 Gbit/s.

If your provider offers Internet access at speeds greater than 100 Mbps, choose a router model with Gigabit Ethernet ports. This way you will use your channel to its fullest.

Wi-Fi standards

From Wi-Fi standard The maximum possible speed of data exchange between the router and the fleet of devices connected to it wirelessly depends. There are currently two standards in use:

1. 802.11n- a widespread, but already outdated version, which is supported by the vast majority of gadgets. Possible speed is up to 600 Mbit/s.
2. 802.11ac- current standard, provides the highest speed - up to 6.77 Gbit/s.

But don’t let the characteristics confuse you: the values ​​indicated are only theoretically possible within the technology. Real speed figures are much lower.

The speed indicated by the manufacturer is also most often unattainable in practice. It's just possible meaning without taking into account distance and interference.

Thanks to backward compatibility, you can connect any gadgets to a router with the 802.11ac standard via Wi-Fi. Even if they only support 802.11n and older versions. But to unlock the full potential of 802.11ac, both the router and all other devices in your wireless network must support this standard.

Number of Wi-Fi bands

Some routers can work simultaneously in different frequency ranges. In this mode, the router is able to support not one, but several independent Wi-Fi networks.

Many popular models can distribute data transmission between two ranges. Thus, they create two networks at frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, respectively.

1. Frequency 2.4 GHz ideal for connecting smartphones and office equipment.
2. Frequency 5 GHz provides a more stable and faster connection, and is therefore better suited for multimedia devices that work with video and other heavy content. So, if you don’t want to connect a TV or set-top box via wires, you can use Wi-Fi at a frequency of 5 GHz.

These networks can operate in parallel without limiting each other. But again, their total speed will not exceed the limit set by the Internet provider.

In addition, not all gadgets support a 5 GHz network.

Number and type of antennas

In addition to standard and frequency Wi-Fi work, the speed of the wireless network depends on the number of antennas in the router. The more there are, the faster the data exchange between connected devices and the router.

The maximum Wi-Fi speed in the 802.11n standard for a model with one antenna is 150 Mbps. With two - 300 Mbit/s, with three - 450 Mbit/s. That is, with each antenna the maximum possible speed increases by 150 Mbit/s. And in the 802.11ac standard - at 433 Mbit/s.

Let us remember that we are talking about theoretically possible speeds under ideal conditions. In reality, these figures are much lower. In addition, do not forget that the final speed of Internet access via Wi-Fi cannot exceed the provider’s limit.

Antennas can be built-in or external. As practice shows, in a typical city apartment, the type of antennas is not so important. Contrary to popular myth, the difference is barely noticeable.

But for large rooms it is still worth choosing a router with external antennas so as not to have. In addition, if the external antennas are removable, if necessary, they can be replaced with more powerful ones.

Availability of USB port

By choosing a router with one or two USB connectors, you can connect additional devices to it. For example, a USB drive will provide remote access to shared file storage via any device in Wi-Fi networks. A wireless USB modem will be yours in a backup way access to the Internet, if cable internet will stop working.

Brief selection instructions

Let's go over the key points of the article again. This checklist will help you choose a good router.

1. Find out the provider's requirements for the router: type of WAN connector and connection protocols. Only then choose a model.
2. If the Internet speed is above 100 Mbit/s, buy a device with Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports (1 Gbit/s). If the speed is lower, Fast Ethernet connectors (100 Mbit/s) will suffice.
3. If access to the Internet is needed only for browsing websites and working with documents, you can limit yourself to a router with one antenna and support wireless standard 802.11n.
4. But if you look streaming video If you play online games, use a lot of wireless devices, often download large files and are not used to denying yourself, then choose a dual-band router with multiple antennas and support for 802.11ac.
5. If you wish, you can buy a model with a USB port to connect a storage device or wireless modem to it.

Today, perhaps, you will no longer meet a person who does not use a computer or does not have a PC at home. In addition, more and more services and programs necessary for work and leisure work when connected to internet networks.

Also, recently the situation has become increasingly popular when an apartment, house or office has not one device, but several (PCs, tablets, communicators, smartphones, etc.), each of which requires its own separate connection to the network.

The ability to connect several devices to the internet, while having one input signal point from the provider, is currently achieved using a router or router.

Photo – Networking with multiple paired devices

The router itself is network device, the purpose of which is to transmit packet data between devices paired with it and the access point - the service provider. In addition, more expensive routers are equipped with a number of additional functions, among which:

• the ability to set restrictions on access to sites that are potentially dangerous for software;
• ability to connect a firewall;
• the ability to encrypt network access and traffic distribution;
• ordered distribution of traffic across access points, etc.

A standard router, which can often be found both in a private home and in a company office, public places, is a small-sized equipment consisting of a hardware unit, an antenna for Wi-Fi transmission signal, power supply for connecting to the electrical network, patch cords (patch cords).

Photo – Equipment and connection of the router

A standard router is capable of organizing a network by connecting 4 PCs to it via wired communication, as well as 5-10 devices for which Wi-Fi signal channels will be allocated. However, experts do not recommend completely loading the router, especially if it is not an expensive model of this device. Otherwise, the router may freeze and cannot withstand heavy loads.

Some router models may be equipped with USB ports to connect a flash drive to them or hard drive. This feature will allow you to use the equipment as a file server, print server, etc. In addition, some models also boast support for 3G modems.

What you should pay attention to

When choosing a router, you should consider following features, operating parameters of this equipment:

• for organization home connection or a network for a small office, a regular (non-professional) router from the mid-price range will be sufficient;
• device support for IEEE 802.11g and IEEE 802.11n standards is required will provide data transfer speeds via Wi-Fi up to 600 Mbit/s;
• installation must support PPTP or L2TP, which will provide access to Internet communications from almost any provider.

How a wireless Wi-Fi router works

The principle of operation of the equipment is based on receiving and converting the recipient's address, which is “written” in the header of the information packet for its transmission, then the path along which the information is addressed is determined using the routing table. If the routing table does not provide any address, the information is not accepted and discarded.

Photo - Example of a user network working with a router

In practice, there are some other systems for transmitting data to devices paired with the router. For example, using the sender address or protocols upper levels headers. There are also cases when the router’s operation is based on the transmission of addresses of both the sender and the recipient, as well as filtering the transit stream of transmitted data.

How to install a Wi-Fi router: step-by-step instructions

In order to connect and configure the router yourself, you need to do the following:

1. The first thing they do to install the equipment is to connect all communications from the router to the PC and to the Internet signal transmission unit from the provider. To do this, insert an Internet cable into the connector called WAN, and insert the cable that comes with the router into one of the remaining ports; its other end is intended for the Ethernet connector on the back panel of the PC. After this, turn on the power to the device.
2. Next, move on to setting up the router software. The equipment setup is not standard and may differ depending on the router model and connection settings from the provider. Configuration can be done through any browser installed on your computer ( Google Chrome,Opera, Internet Explorer, etc.). To do this, you need to go to the administrative interface of the device by entering the combination of numbers in the address bar of the browser: 192.168.1.1. After pressing the Enter key, the equipment administration window should pop up. If this does not happen, then you should check the cable connection, make sure that the connection is running, and then try again.
3. The next step is to directly configure the Wi-Fi connection. If the router is equipped with a quick setup function, then you need to start the “Quick Setup” service and follow the prompts of the installation wizard. Among the setup steps there will be a choice following parameters: — type of preferred connection;

   — type of Internet connection;

4. Next, you need to connect the Wi-Fi module itself directly. To do this, the installation wizard offers the following menu.

Photo - Wi-Fi signal connection module

After these steps, the Internet connection should already be working. However, if the Internet speed is low or constant signal loss occurs, experts recommend choosing a specific channel (from 1 to 13), saving the settings. It is also worth taking care of the access password to the signal of the router you are connecting. Otherwise, unauthorized connections are possible, which will also reduce traffic and make the router work slower.

After the router is connected and configured, all that remains is to connect the network card to your PC or laptop and use the device’s internet connection. On a laptop, you need to make sure that you press special key, including Wi-Fi mode. If this operation completed, you need to connect the device to the network.

Photo – Network indicator

To do this, on the desktop toolbar on the network icon, click right click mouse, select the name of the installed network from the drop-down menu, and click the “Connect” button.

Photo - Context menu with Internet networks installed on the device

The connection is made in a similar way for Windows 8; for other systems, the device is turned on in a similar way.

How much does a router for a computer cost?

Today the electronics market and computer equipment offers its customers a wide selection of routers, differing from each other both in the manufacturer and in some of the functional features of the device. These could be routers for home network with a few connected devices or industrial equipment to provide access to the Internet for public places and large offices. Accordingly, considering functionality device, the cost of devices will vary significantly. By visiting a store or online store of electrical goods, the client can choose the appropriate equipment that will meet the requirements for it. At the same time, he will need to deposit an amount of money ranging from 1 thousand rubles. for a standard model up to more than 25 thousand rubles. for professional multifunctional devices.

Hello, dear visitors! Have you decided to buy a new Wi-Fi router? Great idea! In this publication, we will tell you how to choose a WiFi router for your home, what to look for when choosing a router, and how not to be disappointed in your purchase. We have already told you what to pay attention to and how not to make a mistake when choosing. We even wrote an article on how to get into the car correctly. The time has come and home Wi-Fi router.

It's no secret that today there are a lot of manufacturers wireless routers and access points: ASUS, D-link, Huawei, Linksys, MikroTik, NETGEAR, TP-LINK, TRENDnet, Ubiquiti, Upvel, ZyXEL and others. And each manufacturer can have several dozen models of routers and Wi-Fi access points. Which router should you choose for your home among all this variety? Do you need to overpay for famous brands, modern innovations and progressive features? Let's figure it out together!

In one of our articles, we have already described what the basic principle of its operation is. We would like to immediately clarify the difference between Wi-Fi router ohm and Wi-Fi hotspot access. Otherwise, in stores, routers can be called access points, and vice versa. The first difference between a router and an access point is the presence of network ports on the router. And this is not easy, since the task of a simple access point is to expand the network coverage area, and not to distribute the Internet to devices.

All WiFi points access are designed to increase network coverage area. That is, it will not be possible to organize a full-fledged network using an access point (there are no necessary ports). WiFi router(aka router) is the same wireless point access, but with the ability to organize a network. Any router can act as a switch, since it has LAN ports for connecting a laptop or computer via network cable(). We will now show you what these network ports are. This is what it looks like standard Wi-Fi router from the back:

As you can see, there is nothing complicated about it. First of all, you need to understand for which Internet connection you want to choose and buy a Wi-Fi router. After all, there are several connection technologies and here you need to know exactly what type of Internet you have installed. Or what type do you plan to use in the future. we have already talked about Various types Internet connections in our article. Here are the three main connection protocols: Ethernet, ADSL And 3G/4G.

Advice! Many providers post recommended router models on their websites. It would be a good idea to go in and check the compatibility of the router with your Internet connection.

First protocol Ethernet(the main three varieties of this protocol in Russia are PPPoE, L2TP or VPN) works over a network cable, if in network card your his home computer or laptop is connected to a cord from the provider, which means your connection uses this communication protocol. The most popular providers providing Ethernet access is Beeline (Beeline), Rostelecom (Online), Dom.ru (Dom.ru), NETBYNET Akado, ByFly, TTK, Ukrtelecom and others. In fact, there are a great many of them, it’s just that many of the providers buy the channel from larger ones. This is what the RJ-45 connector looks like on a router:

The second common communication protocol is ADSL. In Russia, a provider works with it MGTS. This is what a WiFi router looks like for the ADSL protocol (the connector looks like a telephone connector):

The third popular type of connection is 3G/4G. People like that work with him mobile operators, How MTS, Beeline, Megaphone And Skylink. On the router intended for distribution 3G/4G Internet there is a special USB connector:

The first thing a buyer always pays attention to is the price. Why does one router cost a thousand rubles, and another four or five thousand? In many ways, it's all about its characteristics. But before we look at them, a few words about the price and pricing market for routers.

Very often you can hear two opposing points of view. Some users of home WiFi routers claim that there is no point in overpaying for expensive router models, while others say that cheap routers are defective, break down quickly, are glitchy and unstable. As usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle. The vast majority of routers are produced in China, but this does not mean that they are all of poor or the same quality. Here's what affects the price of a router:

• What hardware is installed in the router (processor, flash memory, etc.).
• Router brand.
• Hardware and software capabilities one model or another.

Let's consider all three factors influencing the price. Of course, the price is influenced by the build quality and good components that are present in more expensive router models. But if you look at the essence and take a closer look at specific models, then you can choose a WiFi router for your home for less money and you can’t go wrong with its contents.

For example, WiFi routers from one of the leading manufacturers Dlink, especially cheap models, are often released with crude firmware, and the hardware of cheap routers and access points from Dlink is not designed for high performance. Eminent Asus has a varied the lineup, which includes both expensive router models and relatively budget options. The latter may not be the most best choice. Linksys– relatively expensive, but mostly reliable and high-quality routers. TP-Link is a budget manufacturer of Wi-Fi routers; the quality of this company’s products is highly controversial. You may end up with a low-quality product. Zyxel – produces a whole range of models for the home, which are quite proven and suitable for home use. True, the prices of this company are not the most affordable. Routers from NETGEAR And TRENDnet They are also of fairly high quality and relatively cheap.

In general, you can run into a low-quality model from any manufacturer. But if you pay attention to the reviews and specifications, then this probability can be greatly reduced. Hardware and software capabilities are what you need to know if you want to choose a decent wifi router for your home. In many ways, the price of a particular model depends on the capabilities that the router can provide. But are advanced features really needed in everyday home use? WiFi router? Let's look at the question of how to choose a router for an apartment, from the point of view of its technical characteristics.

Main technical characteristics when choosing a Wi-Fi router

If you choose home router at the price and not pay attention to its characteristics, then you can make a mistake with the purchase. Some are cheap wireless devices are not designed for high power and the network coverage area can be several meters. In addition, low-power routers do not allow the signal to reach through walls or other obstacles. If you have an apartment with concrete walls or a country house with brick walls, you should take a closer look at the chosen model.

There are a lot of negative reviews from owners of cheap routers who complain that their router cuts down the incoming and outgoing Internet speed via WiFi. This is due to the cheap and low-quality hardware of Wi-Fi routers. For example, if your provider provides access via a 10 megabit channel, and the measured file download speed is less than 1.25 megabytes, then it may not be a problem of poor quality service, but the operation of Wi-Fi.

In addition, cheap router models can freeze, glitch and simply turn off. Agree that constantly rebooting the router is a very nerve-wracking task. Sometimes a device can be saved from such behavior by flashing it, that is, replacing the internal firmware with a newer one (the latest firmware can be found on the manufacturer’s website). However, you may not be lucky with an expensive analogue, but the likelihood of such troubles is lower.

Now we will look at the main characteristics of routers that you need to pay attention to when using WiFi at home. If you are choosing a WiFi router for the first time, then most likely you do not understand the specific parameters. In fact, it's not that complicated. We have already found out above that any router has a port for connecting a channel from the provider, LAN ports for connecting to network card computer and the ability to distribute the Internet via wireless technology Wi-Fi. These are the characteristics a modern router should have; if you don’t know which WiFi router to choose, then these will be sufficient:

1. The ability to encrypt the channel with all available encryption types – WEP, WPA, WPA2.
2. Ability to work on all standards wireless communication – 802.11b, 802.1g, 802.11n. N mode provides the fastest speed wireless connection. It is advisable that the router be able to work with mixed modes 802.11b/g And 802.11b/g/n . This will allow you to connect those devices that I can use 802.11n and those older gadgets that only work on 802.11b or 802.1g. Some models support the standard 802.11ac, which theoretically allows you to work over a wireless gigabit channel. But in practice, a gigabit channel is not needed at home, and there is no need for a provider who can provide such throughput need to look.
3. The router must be able to work with protocols PPPoE L2TP And VPN. The first is usually included by default in all models, but not all have the second and third protocols. Even if you don’t have a VPN or L2Tp connection at home now, it’s not a fact that you won’t need it in the future.
4. It is advisable that the router have a removable antenna. This will increase the WIFI coverage area if it turns out to be insufficient.
5. Number of external antennas – the more, the better. However, for a small apartment or a small country house, a Wi-Fi router with one antenna may be enough. If the apartment or a private house are large enough, you may have to install a wifi router in the middle of the house or apartment, or buy an additional access point.
6. Volume . It is advisable to buy a router with a capacity random access memory from 64 megabytes. 32 megabytes of RAM may not be enough when using WiFi big amount devices.
7. It is advisable to find a router with not the weakest one. Powerful router wifi for the home is the key to stable operation in the future. The maximum Wi-Fi data transfer speed and signal stability during device operation depend on the processor.

All modern routers have their own web interface, with which you can. There is no need to worry about the absence of such an interface. In addition, all modern models have a built-in DHCP-a server that allows you to distribute IP addresses to a computer, laptop, phone, tablet or other gadget in automatic mode. Also, most routers have built-in software firewall(FireWall), which will protect your home network from hacking by an attacker. A more specific characteristic of the router is the function WPS. It serves for quick connection devices that support it. For those who are interested quick setup WI-FI connections using WPS, we recommend reading our articles and setting up and. We also suggest that you read our articles on WiFi setup router:

• – how to connect a Wi-Fi router using the example of a router Trendnet.
• - even more detailed instructions on setting up and connecting a Wi-Fi router.
• – what to do if WiFi still doesn’t work.

Typically, for home use you do not need a router with a print server (with software, which allows a group of users to share a printer by connecting it via USB). However, if this function is necessary, do not forget about it when choosing and purchasing the model you like. In the next chapter, we have compiled a rating of home routers based on their characteristics, which in our opinion are the most optimal choice in terms of price/quality ratio.

After the appearance of computers and laptops in almost every home, the number of clients from providers increased several dozen times, since modern world For many, life without the Internet is almost unthinkable.

To begin with, we used the usual protocol for transmitting information via telephone communication, then an increase in the volume of transmitted information required improving the quality and increasing the transmission speed. New ways to access the Internet have emerged.

However, as before, the ease of use of laptops was minimal due to the need to connect a cable from a modem. After this it was invented wireless way transmitting a large amount of data over a fairly long distance, which is called Wi-Fi. In the modern world, in many large cities you can find Wi-Fi access points and anyone can do this if they have an Internet connection and a special router.

What is a Wi-Fi router for home?

Smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers can be used to obtain large amounts of data. In the case of tablets and phones, the situation is complicated by the fact that it is impossible to connect to the Internet to update software or other tasks via a WAN cable.

For the convenience of using the Internet at home, Wi-Fi routers began to be used. Such equipment differs from older versions in that it has a WI-Fi module that connects all devices in the field of its signal. The first models were equipped with an antenna; modern ones are no different in appearance from conventional versions.

The operating principle of this equipment is as follows:

1. A connection to the network is made through a telephone or Internet connection, as before.
2. The built-in module, which is configured via a computer when going to the system’s IP address, connects to the created network and evenly distributes the maximum speed between connected devices.

The router acts as an information distributor.

What types of routers are there?

The choice of router should be approached carefully, since the features of the created wireless network will depend on it. Conventionally, all Wi-Fi routers can be divided into the following groups:

1. ADSL – wireless router, which is connected via ADSL. It is used if there is a WAN port for a telephone connector. It is quite popular, since in many cities the Internet connection is via a telephone cable.
2. FTTB– the most popular version, which is connected via twisted pair.
3. CPON/CEPON/PON– a recently introduced design option that allows you to maintain the maximum permissible connection and information transfer speed. You can use such a router only if you have the necessary connection to the provider, which is called passive optical networks.
4. 3G– routers that are capable of distributing when connected to the Internet via cellular communication. In this case there are no ports, there is space for installing a SIM card.
5. The most expensive and popular version is universal. It provides for the combination of several connection types.

When considering this issue, we note that in 99% of cases, routers are issued by providers, since they need to be correctly configured according to their connection protocol.

Recently, Wi-Fi routers are being installed more and more often, since they eliminate the need for a long fuss with laying a cable to the required location.

Considering the fairly large operating radius and the fact that the signal passes through walls, the router can be placed anywhere.

The only catch is that the computer or other device must have a receiver. All modern laptops have a built-in receiver for such a wireless network, but desktop computers do not have it as standard.

There are several options for solving the problem of missing Wi-Fi receiver on a desktop computer:

1. Using an external device that can be connected via USB or WLAN port. It should be taken into account here that the USB connection has a certain limitation in the speed of information transfer. Therefore, if the router has a high-speed connection (due to the characteristics of the provider’s services), this method of organizing a home network is not recommended. The WLAN port does not have such a strict limitation.
2. If the motherboard provides the ability to install an internal network receiving unit, then the system unit can be upgraded.

However, this can be much more expensive than setting up a wired home network.

As a rule, the technician who comes to connect the Internet will recommend the most suitable connection option.

How to choose Despite the fact that a representative from the provider will recommend the most suitable router option, in some cases you have to choose on your own.

1. When choosing, you should pay attention to the following nuances: Price
2. – the spread of this indicator for equipment intended for use at home is very large. At the same time, the price corresponds to the filling: weak signal level, low reliability, small coverage range, and so on. However, there is no point in choosing a very expensive version for the home. Availability of certain ports.
3. In most cases, it is enough to have a set of FastEthernet ports. Ports that are designed to accommodate a gigabyte connection are often not needed, since the speed provided by the provider is often much lower. The only case is to create an extensive home network, but for domestic needs this is extremely rare. The features of a Wi-Fi antenna are very important. There are two types of antenna locations: internal and external. It is recommended to purchase with an external antenna, as it is possible to replace it with a more powerful version if necessary. It is also worth considering that in order to achieve The transmission antenna must operate using the 802.11n protocol. To reduce the cost of construction, some manufacturers install other types of antennas that operate at very low speeds. The operating frequency determines the coverage radius.
4. Hardware filling– an important indicator that few people pay attention to. The type of hardware affects the operation of a home network in the same way as the installed hardware on the system unit.
5. Additional options for such equipment are very limited. Often these are additional connectors, as well as built-in servers for certain programs.
6. Brand. As for the brand, there is practically nothing to say here - all manufacturers have terrible and good models. For example, TP-Link and Netgear have many models with good performance. Asus rarely crashes. But all manufacturers have models that often bring big problems. Often this is a line of budget options, since all manufacturers save as much as they can on their production.

Also, when choosing, you can look at the options that friends have installed and ask them about problems with the Internet.

How to use it correctly

You can install the router anywhere. At the same time, it should not be placed in a damp room, the temperature should be room temperature, and exposure to direct rays from the sun should be excluded. Installing this equipment is quite simple: you just need to connect the cable from the installed network and that’s it. But the setup is more complicated.

The creation of an access point is carried out through a computer, but the features of connecting to the Internet depend on the work of the provider.

Setting up requires an administrator login and password, and the provider does not provide this information to protect its servers.

Review of the best models

1. The following models can be distinguished: TP-LINK TL-WR740N
2. – an inexpensive version that has a powerful antenna. The transfer speed is 150 Mbit/s. For most users, this speed should be sufficient. Cost – about 2500 rubles. TP-LINK TL-WR841N – a more productive option, which has a speed of about 300 Mbit/s. Installed two powerful antennas

In conclusion, we note that you can make Wi-Fi at home without a special router only if you have a device with a built-in module that is capable of distributing, and not just receiving, a signal. Modern models of many laptops can become an access point, and if the computer has Internet access, the access will become visible to all devices. In some cases, a smartphone or tablet can become an access point.