A router is one of the most unheralded devices in the networking world today. However, it is a device that you need in order to connect your devices to Wi-Fi. However, if you have a small business, how do you choose the router that will serve your small business employees and customers.
There are many routers on the market today. They come in all shapes and sizes, but choosing one for your small business can be daunting.
In this article, we will discuss some things that you should look for when shopping for a new router so that you don’t end up with an inferior product or spend more than necessary on something that doesn’t fit into your company’s budget.
You need to find a router that will work with multiple devices and provide fast internet speeds without slowing down or crashing your network. This is not an easy task because there are so many different types of routers available on the market today, including mesh routers (which we’ll talk about later). But how do you know which type of router will work best for your small business?
To help you choose the right type of router for your needs here is our guide to finding the best wireless router for your small business based on what matters most to you as well as our top picks at each price point. We also have tips on how to get started using it before we dive into specific recommendations. Let’s get started!
Features to consider when choosing a router
When it comes to technology, you need the best possible equipment in order to keep your business running smoothly. A router is one of those devices that is essential for your small business because without a router you can’t connect all of your devices to Wi-Fi and thus you can’t have internet access. However, choosing a good router for your business isn’t easy.
Number of devices
Since you are choosing a router for a small business, the number of devices that it can support is very crucial. The router should be able to manage all the employee and customer devices without lags.
To ensure that the router can support a number of devices, it should have a high-performance CPU. It should also have performance technologies such as MU-MIMO to ensure all devices get a good internet coverage.
Range required
A small business will occupy some space. This means that you will need a router that can give you coverage to all this space. If the router does not cover the space adequately, then your customers or employees may get frustrated when going on with their activities.
A good range is supported by technologies such as high-performance antennas, Beamforming, and others. Therefore, if you are occupying a large space, it is good to consider a router with these technologies.
Compatibility with Wi-Fi extenders and all devices
A good router will be compatible with all the devices in your business. This includes the modem, all smart and wired devices, Wi-Fi boosters among others.
A good router will be easy to extend the network. This means for example, it should be compatible with the best AT&T Wi-Fi extenders if you are using AT&T as your internet service provider. This will make it easy for you to eliminate all dead zones from your business.
Wi-Fi speed required
A good router for a small business should be able to support the Wi-Fi speeds required. These speeds should be able to serve the customers and employees seamlessly.
Depending on the number of users you can go for an 802.11ac or 802.11ax router for your business. These Wi-Fi standards are able to support good internet speeds for your business with Wi-Fi 6 being the latest and more advanced standard.
Dual-band or tri-band
A good router for your needs should be a dual-band or triband. You should not go for a single band router because the 2.4GHz even though has a good range, is slower than 5GHz and also prone to interference.
Getting a dual-band or triband router balances the coverage and high speeds. You can for example connect all your employees’ devices on the 5GHz band since they are near the router and for customers, they can use the 2.4GHz band because they are far from the router.
In addition, a dual-band or tri-band router ensures that you mitigate against interference for the 2.4GHz band. This is because the band is prone to interference by devices such as microwave ovens, cordless phones, baby monitors, Bluetooth headphones, and others.
Security features and VPN support
A small business router should be able to support advanced security features and offer VPN support. This is because these days there are malicious people who are out there hacking and trying to destroy small businesses.
Therefore, you can choose a router with VPN support to mask your location from hackers. In addition, the security features will provide protection from malware, hackers, and other viruses.
Ease in set-up and configuration
Finally, you want a router that you can easily set up and configure. This means that it should be easy to troubleshoot and solve the connection problems easily instead of always calling a technician.
Therefore, it should be a router supporting do-it-yourself. This can be made possible by the router having an easy-to-use web user interface or mobile app that you can use to manage the connections.
Most of the routers in the market today are easy to install and manage. However, you should check the ones that your team can easily operate.
Conclusion
Having the best router for your business is a good thing. It should be able to support all the activities in your business and also give you peace of mind. Ensuring that the business has no dead zones and also has all the users covered is a great thing.
Always aim for a router that also is easy to manage to enable your employees to easily use the internet.
Interesting Related Article: “Securing Your Home & Business Wireless Network From Hackers“
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