Advice on a router's speed
Why do routers have multiple speeds?
A router often has 2 or 3 different speeds, indicated in Mbps. That's because most modern routers work on 2 or 3 frequencies, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. More luxurious models have a second 5GHz frequency. The first frequency has a lower maximum speed, while the second has a smaller range. A router that works on 2 frequencies at the same time has the best of both worlds, a fast connection via the 5GHz frequency and a large range via the 2.4GHz frequency. This last one is important for older devices.
What does the speed of my router indicate?
The speed of modern routers is often very high. Speeds of 1300Mbps (which is more than 160 megabytes per second), aren't an exception. But what you can do with this? First, let's clarify a common misunderstanding. If you have an internet connection of 100Mbps, and you switch from a router with a speed of 300Mbps to one with 1300Mbps, your internet speed won't be higher. But, you'll be able to transfer files more quickly within your own network. This is useful for streaming videos from your PC to your TV, or when you have a network drive. Higher speed is also better available for large distances.
Why is a higher speed important?
As you can read above, higher speeds stay available over a longer distance. We'll explain this by the following example. Let's say you only have 75Mbps left 2 rooms down the hall with a router with 300Mbps. With a router with 1300Mbps, you'll still have about 300Mbps left in those 2 rooms. With the average data plan, you'll still reach your maximum internet speed in those 2 rooms too.
Which internet speed do I need?
The speed that you need for your computer depends on your use. To work from home, you need a maximum speed of 20Mbps. When you stream a 4K HDR movie, you need 126Mbps. Keep in min that your router distributes the internet signal across multiple devices. Do you want to stream 4K or Full HD? You need Gigabit internet, otherwise Fast Ethernet is enough with 100Mbps.
Do you want to be able to use the full speed anywhere in the house?
Do you want to use the full speed of your internet provider in your bedroom too? And even in the attic? With a multi-room WiFi system, you can place multiple stations in your house. On the first floor, for example. These stations are linked together, so you'll always have the fastest internet connection. Thanks to this, you can also watch Netflix in the attic or download fast in the study.
