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What makes one router better than another?

ShaunOfNintendo
By ShaunOfNintendo
in Networking
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Go to solution Solved by Train27,

As far as I know, buying a new one (I mean, a good, new one) will bring you some advantages:

  • Internet traffic encryption: most decent +40$ routers come with some sort of encryption to protect all your traffic. It's remarkable to say that they do not encrypt your traffic through the open internet, only from your PC to your internet provider. (to have a continuously encrypted traffic you'll have to be using https all the time).
  • Reduction in the ping/latency: tho the decrease in ms will most likely be negligible, some people really appreciates this (usually competitive gamers and server admins).
  • Number of devices connected: keep in mind that this won't make them go faster, since it doesn't increase your bandwith, but old/bad routers have a small limit on the amount of devices they can have connected at once.
  • Security features: besides encryption, there are other ways of protecting your internet connection. A good router will provide strong defenses against usual attacks (such as the so feared DDOS attack).
  • Larger connection area: assuming it comes along with some sort of wi-fi adapter (almost all of them do), chances are it will be better than your old one's, thus improving the range and quality of your wi-fi signal. If you need a really good signal and you want to improve it even further the standard, you should look towards routers that come with slots for extra antennas.
  • They look cool: let's assume it, it might not be worth the price just for this, but modern routers tend to look cooler than the older ones.
Posted

I realized this is one thing that I've never fully understood.

What specs would you look at when shopping for a new/better router?

Would having an upgraded router actually improve my upload/download speed and reduce ping, or is allot of that just determined solely on my ISP? 

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  • Solution

As far as I know, buying a new one (I mean, a good, new one) will bring you some advantages:

  • Internet traffic encryption: most decent +40$ routers come with some sort of encryption to protect all your traffic. It's remarkable to say that they do not encrypt your traffic through the open internet, only from your PC to your internet provider. (to have a continuously encrypted traffic you'll have to be using https all the time).
  • Reduction in the ping/latency: tho the decrease in ms will most likely be negligible, some people really appreciates this (usually competitive gamers and server admins).
  • Number of devices connected: keep in mind that this won't make them go faster, since it doesn't increase your bandwith, but old/bad routers have a small limit on the amount of devices they can have connected at once.
  • Security features: besides encryption, there are other ways of protecting your internet connection. A good router will provide strong defenses against usual attacks (such as the so feared DDOS attack).
  • Larger connection area: assuming it comes along with some sort of wi-fi adapter (almost all of them do), chances are it will be better than your old one's, thus improving the range and quality of your wi-fi signal. If you need a really good signal and you want to improve it even further the standard, you should look towards routers that come with slots for extra antennas.
  • They look cool: let's assume it, it might not be worth the price just for this, but modern routers tend to look cooler than the older ones.
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