Facts you need to know about your Router and Internet Speed

Facts you need to know about your Router and Internet Speed: Below are some facts you need to know about your Router and Internet Speed

Does my router affect my internet speed?

Yes, your router influences your speed on the internet. It manages and processes all your home network data, so a good router makes the most of your internet speed, whereas it can be bogged down by a slow router.

Your internet is only as fast as the slowest portion of your network, so it serves as a choke point for your entire home network if your router is not capable of handling your internet speed. And you need to replace your router ASAP if that’s the case. Otherwise, you pay for more bandwidth on the internet than you’re really having.

For instance, if you have recently upgraded your internet plan to a speed of 400 Mbps but are using a wireless N300 router, you are losing 100 Mbps of bandwidth just because your router can’t handle speeds that quickly. How can I say if my Internet connection is being slowed down by my router?

By taking a few internet speed tests, you can usually tell if your router is slowing down your internet speeds.

For the most reliable results, take the first one with your computer linked to your router, preferably with an Ethernet cable. Then unplug your router and take a second speed test with a wired modem link. Your router is possibly a choke point for your internet speed if your speeds are much higher from the modem than from your router.

You can also do the second part of this test by logging in to the web interface of your computer and placing it in bridge mode if you don’t have a separate modem and router.

If the results of the speed test are not significantly different from your router and modem, the problem could still be your router. Get your network up and running again, and take a few more speed tests to connect to the internet on the computers you normally use.

You can note that devices that are connected via Wi-Fi are slightly slower than usual wired connections. But if your Wi-Fi connections are much slower than wired speed, to see if your router is the problem, you need to troubleshoot your Wi-Fi network (it may just be where your router is placed).

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Does my internet speed impact old equipment?

There could be much lower speed limits on older routers and network equipment than those made in the last few years. Old equipment will restrict the internet speeds you receive, depending on how fast your internet plan is. Technology and the way we use it are continually evolving and improving, with maximum Wi-Fi speeds in just 10 years going from 300 Mbps in 2009 to 9.6 Gbps.

One big explanation why dated equipment does not work as well as newer equipment is Wi-Fi standards. If you find your router is causing poor internet speeds, there are three key Wi-Fi requirements to be aware of.

Introduced in 2009, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) uses one wireless band at 2.4 GHz and can achieve a maximum wireless speed of 450 Mbps. Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) was launched in 2014 and incorporates the 2.4 GHz band for higher speed capabilities with an additional 5 GHz band. Routers with Wi-Fi 5 can accommodate speeds up to 3.5 Gbps (3,500 Mbps). This generation of routers also includes hardware such as MU-MIMO and beamforming for greater coverage and the ability to connect simultaneously with multiple devices.

The most recent Wi-Fi standard, which was launched in 2019, is Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands are also used by Wi-Fi 6. High speeds of up to 9.6 Gbps (9,600 Mbps) can be achieved, but Wi-Fi 6 was specifically created to manage network reliability better than only higher speeds. Many routers with Wi-Fi 6 can handle hundreds of connected devices quickly, making them suitable for smart home technology.

None of this is to suggest that all routers older than a few years are terrible. For some households, Wi-Fi 4 routers can still be perfectly serviceable, and most individuals still use Wi-Fi 5 routers effectively. But if you have updated your internet plan or added to your network several additional devices, it will be more difficult for an older router to juggle the extra work than anything newer will.

Will my Internet be accelerated by a new router?

Your internet can be accelerated by a new router, but even the best wireless router can’t make your network faster than the maximum internet speed sent to your home by your provider. So, if you have a 100 Mbps internet contract, you can’t even make your internet speeds go above 100 Mbps with the most fanciful router on the market. But if you’re using old equipment that prevents your 100 Mbps speeds from being completely used, replacing that router is bound to help make your internet faster.