Internet connection is like a life source that brings life to every gadget in your home or offices. A router however is the magic box that lets you distribute this life source to them all including desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, smart TV sets, and every smart appliances around you.
While a wired router is great and wireless router is better. It offer a strong, fast signal and security, so you can enjoy WiFi from any room. A wireless router, also called a Wi-Fi router or WLAN (wireless local area network) device, combines the networking functions of a wireless access point and a router.
Depending on the capabilities of the wireless router, it can support from a few to hundreds of simultaneous users, hence, there is the need to know the best wireless router to buy.
Due to varieties of available choices, you’ll need a Wireless Router Buying Guide to get the best out of your investment.
Wireless Router Buying Guide
There are many features you need to watch out for before choosing a wireless router. These includes;
Wi-FI Standard
Wireless Router has been in use for a long time now, hence, like your smartphone and other gadget they are been upgraded to better and advanced standards. As year went by we see Wi-Fi 802.11g, 802.11n, and 802.11ac standard, but the latest Wi-Fi standard is 802.11ax also known as “AX WiFi” or Wi-Fi 6.
The Wi-Fi 6 is designed to improve speed, increase efficiency and reduce congestion in heavy bandwidth usage scenarios. It uses both 1024-QAM to provide a signal packed with more data (giving you more efficiency) and a 160 MHz Channel to provide a wider channel to make your WiFi faster.
Similarly, the Wi-Fi 6 also uses 8×8 uplink/downlink, OFDMA, and BSS Color to provide up to 4x larger capacity and to handle more devices. It expands the WiFi band from 80 MHz to 160 MHz, doubling the channel width and creating a faster connection from your router to the device.
Wi-Fi 6 also allows for maximum (theoretical) data rates of up to 11 Gbit/s and operates on 1GHz to 6GHz bands. It utilizes Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) technology, which allows multiple users to access the router simultaneously without any noticeable decreases in bandwidth quality.
Above ll, this new version adds a slew of updates and reworked protocols to help improve speed, reliability, and security, and even help you extend device battery life. Hence, it is advisable to make sure the Wi-Fi router has the latest standard connection.
Wireless Router with Wi-Fi 6 covers almost all the necessary features to consider before choosing a wireless router, including;
Speed
You must consider the top speed of your Router’s Wi-Fi, although, it is more important to consider your internet’s top speed before choosing a router. The fact that a router is manufacture to offer up to 6,000Mbps or in case of Wi-Fi 6 router 6GHz per seconds does not means you can access up to that speed. Every speed limit you enjoy is determined by the the plan you purchase from your internet service provider. In other words, most routers won’t ever reach their theoretical maximum speeds
Bands
There are different wireless router with different band also known as radios. Some has two (2), one (1) and there are some with three (3) refers to as Mash. Wireless communication happens over radios, which can be seen as roads that your data travel along. Older Router operates on the 2.4GHz band but as time pass comes a support 5GHz bands introduced firstly on the 802.11n then continues with 802.11ac. And now there is a support for 1Ghz – 6GHz on the Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax standard.
Router with Dual band uses different frequencies to get a better signal to your devices. It helps eliminating congestion when the whole family’s using the web at the same time.
Security
security is a major concern for your home or office network. With the mass number of Router in the market, there is the need for you to make sure the router you are going for is security conscious. There are some router which comes with extra software that will protect your network from malware, ransomware and viruses.
Be sure to go for router with support of the Wi-Fi Protected Access protocol which provides even more robust security features.
Interface
When buying a router ensure it meets the connectivity requirements you need in terms of broadband and Ethernet only, or with USB. USB ports on a router are used for connecting to a flash drive, an external hard drive, or a USB printer if the router has a built-in print server, while, the LAN ports are used to connect a computer to the router using an Ethernet cable.
Router Covarage
Finally, the longer and better range your router can cover the better. People make mistake of focusing on how fast a router can go but forget that your access to the fast internet can be limited if your movement is limited. Moving around can make you get lower signal or even disconnect your from the connection.
Although there are many router that comes with longer range coverage but lets look at the best WiFi router for long range coverage.
Best WiFi Router For Long Range
A proper long-range Wi-Fi router has a number of special features, they are capable of covering areas of up to 5k square ft.
ASUS RT-AX88U
This router uses multiple, angled router antennas to help maximize signal strength and distance. Asus RT-AX88U is an upgraded version of the Asus RT-AC88U with the latest Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax technology, which promises increase in bandwidth, range, speed and reliability.
Key Features
- Next-Gen WiFi 6 Standard – 802.11ax WiFi standard for better efficiency and throughput.
- Ultrafast WiFi Speed – 6000Mbps WiFi speed to handle even the busiest network with ease.
- Wider Usage and More Convenience – 4 antennas + 8 LAN ports to support more clients at the same time.
- Commercial-grade Security – AiProtection Pro, powered by Trend Micro™, blocks internet security threats for all your connected smart devices.
- Better Partner with Mesh System – Compatible with ASUS AiMesh WiFi system for seamless whole-home coverage.
- Smart Home Ready – Control your RT-AX88U by linking your Amazon Alexa to it with simple voice commands.
TP-Link AX6000
TP-Link Wi-Fi 6 AX6000 is an affordable Wi-Fi 6 router. This Diual band router comes with eight antennas which help deliver extended wireless range with beamforming technology to maximize reach. It is 3x faster than most router thanks to the latest 802.11ax WiFi technology.
Key Features
- Next-Gen WiFi 6 Standard – 802.11ax WiFi standard for better efficiency and throughput.
- Blazing Speed – AX6000 Dual-Band Wi-Fi speed boosted by 1024QAM deliver astonishing wireless speed up to 5952 Mbps: 4804 Mbps (5 GHz) and 1148 Mbps (2.4 GHz)1
- Ultra Connectivity – 1 × 2.5Gbps WAN port6, 8 × Gigabit LAN ports, and 2 × USB 3.0 in Type A and Type C
- Highly Efficient – OFDMA increases average throughput by 4× in high-density scenarios, compared with an 802.11ac standard router. Downlink and uplink MU-MIMO are both supported.2 5
- Powerful Processing – 1.8 GHz Quad-Core CPU and 2 co-processors eradicate latency and deliver stable performance
- Intelligent Connection – Band Steering directs clients to less congested band and Airtime Fairness optimizes the time usage
- Security System Built In – A free lifetime subscription of TP-Link HomeCareTM provides your whole network with advanced antimalware service, delivering Antivirus, Parental Controls and QoS7
- Easy Setup – Link to your router via Bluetooth and set it up in minutes with the powerful Tether app
D-Link DIR-895L
D-Link DIR-895L brings to you the widest coverage of up to 500m2 (5400ft2)4. Thanks to the SmartBeam technology, coverage is automatically improved by directing bandwidth to your devices as you move around in your home or offices. This tri-band long-range Wi-Fi-5 router delivers fast speed of 5332 Mpbs (1000 Mbps + 2166 Mbps + 2166 Mbps) over long distances thanks to advanced beamforming technology.
Similarly, it is designed to support MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology that allows multiple devices to get high-bandwidth Wi-Fi signal at the same time.
Key Features
- WiFi 5 Standard – 802.11ac WiFi standard for better efficiency and throughput.
- Ultrafast WiFi Speed – 5332 Mbps WiFi speed to handle even the busiest network with ease.
- Wider Usage and More Convenience – 8 antennas + 4 LAN ports to support more clients at the same time.
- Tri-Band – (one 2.4GHz and two 5GHz bands)
- Two USB Ports -(one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0)
Netgear Nighthawk AX3000
Netgear Nighthawk AX3000 is a Wi-Fi 6 router powered by a dual-core processor which allows you to connect up to 16 wireless devices. The Nighthawk® AX3000 AX4 WiFi router also delivers a new level of Gigabit WiFi connectivity so you can connect, stream and download faster to newer mobile devices.
In addition, this router comes with 160MHz channel which offers doubles the speeds as offered by 80MHz channels to provide Gigabit speeds for compatible mobile devices and laptops.
Key Features
- Next-Gen WiFi 6 Standard – 802.11ax WiFi standard for better efficiency and throughput.
- Ultra-fast WiFi – Up to 3Gbps (600Mbps + 2.4Gbps)† wireless speeds.
- Improved Capacity – WiFi 6 uses OFDMA to improve capacity and efficiency of your network, so more devices can connect without slowing down your WiFi.
- 160MHz Support – Enables Gigabit speeds to compatible mobile devices.
- Powerful Dual-Core Processor – Smooth 4K UHD streaming to Smart TVs, mobile devices and gaming consoles.
- 5 Gigabit Ports – Connect more wired devices for faster file transfer and uninterrupted connections.
- Nighthawk App – Easily set up your router and get more your of your WiFi.
- Automatic Firmware Updates — Latest security patches delivered to the router.
- Works with Amazon Alexa™ and the Google Assistant.
- Supports WPA3 – the latest and cutting-edge WiFi security protocol
Linksys AC1200 Dual-Band WiFi 5 router
Linksys AC1200 is a dual-band WiFi 5 router with enhanced 1.2 Gbps speeds, delivers even more power, speed, range, and security for your ever increasing networking needs. It comes featuring the WPA2 encryption and an SPI firewall advanced security technologies to help keep your network safely connected. The Two antennas comes with a single corec processor and offers 4 fast Ethernet LAN ports and 1 WAN port.
Key Features
- WiFi 5 Standard – 802.11ac WiFi standard for better efficiency and throughput.
- Antenna – 2 external, non-detachable antennas
- Processor – Single core Processor
- Wi-Fi Bands – 2.4 and 5 GHz (Simultaneous Dual-Band)
- Security Features – WPA2-Personal, WPA2-Enterpris
- Wi-Fi Speed – AC1200 (N300 + AC867)
Where To Buy Wireless Router In Nigeria
There is a wide market for the sells of wireless router or WiFi router in Nigeria. Visit Kara Online store to choose from our varieties of routers at affordable prices. Choose your preferred brand from our wide range of trustworthy brands like TP-link, D-link, Cisco, Linksys, Netgear, Asus, Huawei and more. Enjoy payment of cash on delivery when you shop for your cameras at Kara store. We also have available in our store every accessories needed for installation and remote viewing including router, Ethernet cables and more. Buy now and enjoy our quick delivery policy of 1-3 days delivery.
