SMC Home Network Wireless Routers

SMC Wireless Router

A wireless router is a device present in a wireless local area network that resolves a network point where data packets are forwarded to. It works similarly to a router found in a local area network but provides for greater mobility, particularly for portable computers. The respective computers within the network have small wireless transceivers installed on them and can be inserted into a PC card slot or a USB port.

• It offers the convenience of mobility within the grid range.
• It allows multiple connections at a time, each having a particular IP address.
• It lets you connect to the internet with ease and without the need for wires.

The different types are grouped depending on speed and range, also known as throughput. They include 802.11n and 802.11ac routers. Those using 802.11ac are much faster than the ones using 802.11n, notably at close range.

• Internet requirements: Check the speed and range of the router to ensure it meets your requirements.
• Router limits: One with top speed will not automatically improve the online streaming performance because data across any grid moves as fast as the slowest connection. The grid between the premise and service provider is the slowest connection.
• Mesh grid: This refers to installing additional small routers that work in unison to improve on wireless repeaters by expanding the reach of your grid without a drastic drop in speed.
• Frequent houseguests: The use of a guest grid can be considered in order to allow online access without having to provide guests your regular security password.
• Security: The router should be secured with a password using WPA2 encryption to prevent unauthorized access to a wide-covered area.
• Single or dual WAN: Wireless routers have a WAN port that connects the grid to the internet. Those with two WAN ports provide for reliable connectivity by providing another link to the internet. This helps prevent grid downtime.

• LAN ports: These are ports that enable computer-router connection via an Ethernet cable. Various internet-connected smart-home devices require a LAN port-connected hub to operate. A need for more LAN ports than the inbuilt ones can be solved by incorporating an Ethernet switch.
• USB Ports: This is used for connecting to a flash drive, printer, or external hard drive.
• Quality of service: This is also referred to as Media Prioritization or Traffic control. This feature allows for the optimization of the routers performance depending on what is being done at a given time.