Wireless Routers
I don’t know what to do. I consider myself as technically savvy as the next man. I’m a simple man that loves his plug and play electronics. But buying something as simple as a wireless router has become a major headache. Please help me Cali. I’m at a loss. I’m a PC user, and there are so many things to consider. Like what the heck is the difference between a “G” router and a “N” router. What’s the best company to buy from? What’s a good price for a router? When you buy a router, do you have to buy an adapter too? Awww! This is frustrating.
Wireless routers use a standard called 802.11 to connect to a Wireless LAN (Local Area Network). This standard has different generations, known as 802.11 a, b, g and n. 802.11a is the first generation, and with each move, the connection speeds get faster, so 802.11n is the fastest and the newest.
One thing you should know about the 802.11n is that it’s actually still (at the time of this writing) under review with the committee that approves these standards, called the IEEE. The devices you can buy now that come with “N” standard are certified for 802.11n draft, and they’re using the latest draft provided by the IEEE.
There are two pieces to the router puzzle. One is the router itself. The faster connection the router supports, the better. The second piece is your computer. Between the computer and the router, the earliest standard will win. For example, if your router supports 802.11n and your computer only supports 802.11g, then 802.11g is the fastest speed you’ll get.
The good news is your router will be backwards compatible, meaning that if it supports 802.11n, and your computer is 802.11g, you won’t have a compatibility issue, and the two will work together to give you the “G” standard.
I use and recommend the Airport Extreme. It works with both PCs and Macs, and supports 802.11n. You can connect your USB printer so that you can print wirelessly. It’s $179.
The other router I love is the Belkin N1 Vision. It’s beautiful! It also supports the “N” standard, and even has a readout so you can easily see the download and upload speeds each computer on the network is getting at any given time.
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Wow, thanks for binging the N1 Vision to my attention. And just when I was thinking it might be time for a Gigabit upgrade. I do love those flashing status screens…