Wi-Fi is the acronym that we perhaps encounter most easily: public roads, clubs, offices, and of course, our home use the Wi-Fi system to connect computer devices to the network.
Wi-Fi means Wireless Fidelity, or Loyalty without Cables: computers, smartphones, tablets, smart TV, IoT (Internet of Things) devices are connected not through the cables we are used to but through radio waves. The device that generates these radio waves is the Wi-Fi modem router.
So let’s see what a Wi-Fi router is and how it works.
Table of Contents
Modem, Router, or Modem Router?
Let’s start by clarifying a point that is not always known: routers and modems are not the same.
The modem, which has existed since the 1950s, takes its name from a combination of the terms ” modulator ” and ” demodulator, “as its task is to convert analog impulses into digital ones (and vice versa). It is used to receive digital data from the analog telephone line. To connect to the Internet, more simply.
And what is a router instead? Router means ” router, ” and its function precisely conveys and regulates the data traffic presents on the network it deals with.
To make a long story short: the modem can connect the home PC to the Internet via a telephone line, but only a router can manage the digital data flows that cross the ether. This means that the router can only connect several devices to the network, regulating their range and traffic.
So why are we talking about the Wi-Fi modem router? Simply because, to date, almost every modem on the market is equipped with Wi-Fi technology, which allows it to overcome the router’s functionality.
The Wi-Fi modem router is an optimal solution for the home network, which allows at the same time the connection to the telephone network and the connection of the various devices within its range.
How does the Wi-Fi modem router work?
But how does a Wi-Fi modem router work? A Wi-Fi network is a subset of the available radio frequencies; in particular, Wi-Fi technology uses two frequencies, that of 2.4GHz and 5GHz.
Traveling on these frequencies, the Wi-Fi router device transmits to all connected devices a data packet containing the identification of the Internet (called SSID), the Internet security protocols, and the transmissions data.
The router transmits these packets, called beacons, every 100 milliseconds. In doing so, the devices recognize the wireless network to which they are connected and recover the attributes; they need to surf the Internet and make the various devices communicate.
The most common Wi-Fi standards are as follows:
- Class B, which can transmit up to 11 Mbps (MB per second).
- Class G, covering up to 54 Mbps.
- Class N, ranging from 300 to 450 Mbps.
- AC, the latest generation Wi-Fi, reaches a transmission speed of 1.3 Gbps, or 1.3 GB every second.
As it is obvious, Wi-Fi ac exists only in the latest generation modem routers, the so-called dual-band or tri-band, which can operate on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (accessible only from Wi-Fi AC).
Speed or reliability?
Generally, manufacturers and vendors of telephone contracts focus their marketing strategies on the Wi-Fi modem’s speed. But does it make sense?
First of all, it is good to consider different polluting factors between nominal and effective power: the telephone operator, the quality of the network, and the physical cabling. The network traffic can significantly affect the effective speed of the connection.
A further increase in the Wi-Fi modem’s performance, to date, could be beneficial only if we make the network a specific use. For example, if you do not use the PC for gaming, mining, or the frequent transfer of huge files, a faster connection speed will likely serve you nothing.
An element to consider, rather, could be the reliability of the vehicle. Imagine a super-fast and powerful connection that crashes every quarter of an hour. It’s probably a far worse scenario than we might have with a medium-speed or slow ADSL modem.
If we started to take for granted the presence of a Wi-Fi network around us, it would be good to consider stability as a priority, plausibly more important than the super-speed connection.
What does the functionality of a router depend on?
Once we see what a Wi-Fi router is and how it works, which we have seen in almost all cases coincides with a Wi-FI modem router, let’s see what criteria can guide us in investigating its reliability.
What features considering?
- The brand: it is clear that a manufacturer with decades of experience generally enjoys greater trust, even if many new brands gain their credibility, above all thanks to an extremely competitive quality/price ratio. Fortunately, there are forums and reviews of users in sufficient numbers for each type of Wi-Fi router we are dealing with.
- The number of antennas: in the new ac models, the number of directional antennas affects Wi-Fi coverage. An instrument with multiple antennas will certainly be preferred, as far as design can suffer. Even if not many antennas know how to direct the signal better than one, a better-equipped infrastructure will certainly be a considerable advantage.
- The expandability: although it significantly affects the price, it would always be preferable to have a medium with the largest number of Ethernet, USB, and other connection interfaces. Its longevity also depends on its expandability: when its performance is no longer optimal, we can bring it back to perfect functionality with a bridge or a Mesh system without undoing it.
Let’s not be fascinated by stratospheric speeds or attractive designs if we want from our modem because it has a long life and optimal functioning.
Attention to detail!
Now that we know what a Wi-Fi modem router is and how it works, and the criteria that determine its functionality and quality, let’s move on to some last useful considerations.
It is good to know that a modem router’s signal covers an area between 160 and 300 feet. This signal can be implemented with devices such as access points and repeaters, for which Ethernet and USB ports will be useful. Even if our house is not served excellently by the telephone network, in short, data routing and connectivity can be ” helped ” with the necessary skills.
It is also good to remember that the Wi-Fi signal is disturbed by objects between the modem and the various associated devices. In particular, radio waves fear water, so avoid putting bulky plants along the possible signal paths. Unsightly, it will be a good practice to place the modem in a high and isolated position and with the antennas directed towards the most-used devices.