If you are planning to share your internet connection wirelessly amongst the computers in your home then you’ve come to the right place. Our Buyer’s Guide will help to make you a savvier consumer and help you navigate the through the wide array of Wireless Broadband Routers available today. Becoming a savvy shopper begins with knowing your budget and asking yourself the right questions. Here are some questions to keep in mind as you work through our buyers guide:

• What is my budget?
• How many computers am I going to be connecting?
• What kind of distances am I going to need to cover?
• What is the best place for the Router?
• Do I plan to stream media though my router?
• Do I plan to do a lot of online gaming?

With some of these questions in mind, our buyers guide will now take you step by step through the some of the most important aspects of choosing a Wireless Broadband Router most suitable for your needs.

Budget

Before determining what features and specifications to look for, you should establish a clear budget for your Wireless Broadband Router purchase. With over 150 models to choose from, the best way to narrow your search is to have a clear notion of how much you want to invest. As will most things in life: the more you invest the better the quality and number of features.

Data Transfer Rates

Data transfer rate (DTR), is the speed at which data can be transmitted between devices. This is sometimes referred to as throughput. The data transfer rate of a Broadband Router is often expressed in kilobits or megabits per second, abbreviated as kbps and mbps respectively. Look for Broadband Routers that have a data transfer rate of at least 10Mbps. If you are planning on doing a significant amount of media streaming, online gaming or plan to have more than 6 computers connected at any given time then look for a data transfer rate of 100Mbs or more.

Wireless Technology

• Wireless-A (802.11a) - Operates at the frequency of 5GHz, which is less crowded than 2.4GHz where telephones and microwaves may cause interference. Although the speed is up to 54Mbps, the range is only up to 75 feet. Wireless-A is incompatible with both Wireless-B and G because it operates at a different frequency.
• Wireless-A+G (802.11a + g) - Several Wireless Broadband Routers also offers dual-band products, in which routers and adapters are compatible with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies. Both radio bands work simultaneously, blanketing your wireless zone and bandwidth.
• Wireless-B (802.11b) - 802.11b gear operates at 2.4GHz and offers a real-world throughput of around 5Mbps at close range. In a typical indoor environment, without a lot of metal, 802.11b equipment can generally maintain a solid connection up to about 150 feet. It is also fully compatible with the faster 802.11g standard. The weaknesses of 802.11b are its comparatively low throughput and the potential for interference with other gadgets that share the 2.4GHz band, such as cordless phones, security radios, and microwaves.
• Wireless-G (802.11g) - Features the same benefits as Wireless-B, but offers 5X the speed at up to 54Mbps. Wireless-G currently offers the best combination of performance and value. You can mix Wireless-B with Wireless-G equipment, but you will lose the higher performance speeds of Wireless-G. The Range for Wireless-G is approximately 150 feet.
• Wireless-N (802.11n) - The next generation of high-speed wireless networking, capable of delivering the range and capacity to support today's most bandwidth-hungry applications like streaming high definition video, voice, and music. Wireless-N is based on MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) technology, which uses multiple radios to transmit multiple streams of data over multiple channels. The Range of wireless-N is approximately 250 feet.

Wireless Transmission Speed

Measured in Megabytes per Second (Mbps), the wireless transmission speed is the rate at which the router can wirelessly route data to your computer. Below is a list of the average wireless transmission speeds for each standard.

Number of Ports

If you are panning to hardwire some computers on your network then you will need to determine the number of ports necessary. Most routers come with at least 4 ports as a standard. A rule of thumb is to get a few more ports than you currently use to allow yourself room for growth of your network.

Summary

With price points continually coming down and feature sets continually going up, it is a great time to purchase a Broadband Router. With all of the above considerations in hand you should now be better equipped to make an more informed choice when choosing a Broadband Router that best suits your needs.