Choosing a Wi-Fi router - Rating of the best models for the home. What to look for when choosing a home router

The third in the MegaFon line of LTE routers, born Huawei E5372. A successful, multi-band device with Wi-Fi support 5 GHz, dual MIMO antenna jacks, card support microSD memory and automatic repeater mode.

Other positive features include an informative 1.45-inch monochrome TFT display; control of functions is intuitive and clear. There was no need to install additional software; when connected via a USB cable, Windows 7 recognized the router as an Ethernet connection. Implementation deserves a separate discussion Internet functions WLAN (repeater mode), everything works automatically without human intervention. The router can be used as a backup external battery.

Dot the i's

Standard size SIM card ( mini SIM), without any micro or nano-frills. The router is locked to work on the MegaFon network, the price of the device is 1,900 rubles. in the operator's online store. The 1,780 mAh battery is rather weak, enough for 5 hours of active Web surfing or 3-4 hours of downloading programs and content. Supports microSD memory cards up to 32 GB, easy access to files on the card from the Web interface or Android application.

An important plus is support for almost all bands in the used standards: GSM 1800 / GSM 1900 / GSM 850 / GSM 900, UMTS 1900 / UMTS 2100 / UMTS 850 / UMTS 900, LTE 1800 / LTE 2100 / LTE 2600 / LTE 800 / LTE 900. There is no support for LTE TDD (only FDD), but this version of the standard is of interest only to some MTS subscribers in the capital.

Lyrics and positioning

I have written more than once that the hotspot mode in modern smartphones greatly reduced the mobile router market segment. Many people don’t see the point in buying something they already have for free. Consumers of such technology often suffer from gadget mania of varying severity; old smartphones gather dust in their closets and bedside tables. It’s too lazy to look for a buyer and sell it for ridiculous money, but such a smartphone can easily work as an access point. Accordingly, a mobile router should not only be more practical and work better, but also, ideally, have some unique features and opportunities.

Traditional “enticement” - LTE support. Smartphones operating on networks fourth generation, have not yet had time to “grow old” and form any significant fleet of devices for distributing LTE via Wi-Fi. In this sense, competitors to mobile routers have not yet matured. But it’s time to start thinking about those who managed to purchase a 4G router a year and a half ago. This audience is already “ripe” or “ripening” for an upgrade, provided that the new device turns out to be something more interesting and better. How “more interesting and better” did the authors of MR100-3 manage to do this? Let's figure it out.

About the main pros and cons

In addition to working in 4G, the MegaFon MR100-3 router is “packed” to the fullest extent. The most important ones are two TS9 antenna sockets (the same in the Huawei E392 modem) for connecting MIMO antennas, a slot for a microSD memory card (up to 32 GB), and among the new products - an automatically operating Internet WLAN mode. It feels like they tried to make the device as convenient and functional as possible.

The “filling” itself and additional features no one is interested if the router poorly fulfills its basic responsibilities for uninterrupted supply to the owner mobile internet. There are few complaints about this device; everything works in full accordance with what is stated in the description. The “disease” that often occurs in routers: freezing when moving between networks of different standards, this model seems to have passed.

There are no complaints about the speed characteristics either; it works well for both reception and transmission. Wi-Fi in the 5 GHz band is a great boon for those in places with big amount working transmitters, this is an important plus.

Unfortunately, we abandoned a capacious power source; the battery in the router is 1,780 mAh. Although the 1,430 mAh in the MR100-1 is not entirely ridiculous, it is still not enough. Why didn’t we go the same way as with the Huawei 821FT router, which was equipped with a 3,000 mAh battery? I don’t understand why they gave up such an important advantage without gaining much in size and weight. Is it really for the sake of reducing the cost of the product? With such a battery capacity, the external battery function made me laugh at first, but ok. You never know, the smartphone suddenly “died”, but you need to make an urgent call. Let it be, in case it is useful to someone.

So as not to return to the issue of the battery. I already wrote about the operating time, 5 hours of active Web surfing and 3-4 hours of work at full load. In episodic access mode (a scenario typical for a smartphone), you can safely count on a full day of operation; with very rare and short calls, the router managed to work for almost two days. That is, they have dealt with the issue of optimizing energy consumption quite well. Charging time for a completely discharged battery is 1 hour 50 minutes from a charger with an output current of 2A. The charge indicator is not informative; it only shows the fact of charging. The display in operating mode is also not good; the indicator is very nonlinear. The first bar “goes off” only when the discharge is 30 percent, and the last bar means the remaining charge is about 10%. From external source The router does not work with the battery removed.

Equipment and design

Neat box, very compact. The advantage of standardization: the charger itself is no longer included in the kit; few people need it now. We saved on the price of components and the size of the box. However, they continue to install the connecting cable, which everyone also has. Although in this case it would be much more appropriate to put a short adapter tail to use the router as a backup battery.

In addition to the router itself and connecting cable, in the box there was a detailed “User Guide” and warranty card, All. There are almost no complaints about the “Manual”: the pictures are normal, almost all the necessary operations are described, the language is clear. Maybe we should have paid more attention to the Web interface. There are, of course, omissions, and where would we be without them? For example, find out about the possibility wired connection I had to connect the router to the computer “by scientific poking.”

There is no design as such. Trough with rounded back cover and an almost flat front panel. The router doesn’t need any design flourishes, but why couldn’t the side edges be made flat? It can be convenient to place the router on a table, but the rounded edges leave you with no choice but to lay it down. More precisely, the main area of the face is flat, but with a slight slope. The tilt is just enough to make it impossible to stand the router on its side. This is some kind of sabotage design.

The case material is cheap matte plastic, fingerprints are almost invisible on it and are very noticeable only on the glossy plastic of the display. However, for the router appearance It doesn’t really matter, as long as it doesn’t cause irritation to the owner.

Design

The usual layout of all elements, the slots for the SIM card and microSD memory card are covered by the battery. The back cover latches are not symmetrical, but there are no problems with guessing top/bottom. On inside the lid has a protrusion that correct position fits into the hole for prying off the battery, so you won’t be able to break the latches when trying to put the cover upside down. There are only four latches themselves, but the lid fits securely onto the body and fits without play, everything is in order here.

On the right top corner There is a slot for a lanyard, the lace itself is not included. It would hardly occur to you to wear such a decoration around your neck, but it will be useful for hanging a router in conditions of unstable reception. An extra couple of meters above ground level can radically improve the performance of the device somewhere in nature, and such an opportunity would not hurt in the house. At the top is the “Menu” button for controlling modes; it also brings the device out of “hibernation,” into which the router falls when there are no consumers connected to it.

On the bottom edge there is a standard microUSB socket for connecting to charger or USB port of a computer. Install on Windows 7 additional programs no control was required; with a USB connection, the router was recognized as a standard wired connection.

Standard TS9 antenna jacks for MIMO antenna. Those who used such an antenna with Huawei modem E392 will not have to buy new adapters, this is a “note to the owner”. And, according to reviews, the router works very well with an external antenna. As a useful reminder: although the TS9 sockets are not the flimsiest out there, they still require extremely careful handling. And they are certainly not designed for daily connection and disconnection; in such operating conditions they usually do not survive longer than a couple of weeks.

The power button is on the front panel. It also works as the “OK” button when switching operating modes of the router.

Reset button is responsible for returning to factory settings, is hidden under the back cover and is not noticeable. Given the wealth additional settings And different modes work, the saving button will certainly be useful to many.

Display

Monochrome TFT 1.45 inches, we are already familiar with this display from the Huawei 821FT model (aka Huawei E5776). Very informative in normal display mode, but in Huawei models The E5372 took the expected next step and used the display capabilities to control operating modes.

IN standard mode indication display shows:

Connection type: 4G (LTE), 3G, 2G or WLAN Internet
Name mobile network or WLAN networks
Network signal strength and roaming status
Internet connection information
Information about the presence of unread SMS and their number
Battery level
Wi-Fi network activity indicator
Counter connected by Wi-Fi users
Wi-Fi mode (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz)
Volume of traffic consumed through the cellular network
Traffic packet volume (user-defined)

The default Wi-Fi mode is 2.4 GHz, there is no indication. When switching to 5GHz mode, an additional 5G icon appears on the display.

Finding out the volume of consumed traffic for a SIM card inserted into the router can be an extraordinary quest when several devices are connected to the router. It's possible in the Web interface, but I'm lazy. And don’t forget to reset this counter to zero on the right day. Numbers directly on the display are more convenient, especially due to the ability to set the date (day) in the interface from which the monthly traffic consumption begins.

The name of the operator MegaFon Russia did not fit in its entirety, and the display pleases us with a continuous creeping line. They could, of course, shorten Russia to Rus, it would work just right. I already wrote about the nonlinearity of the battery charge level indication, signal level indication cellular network doesn't work the best either in the best possible way. It’s nice, of course, to look at the indicator and rejoice at the phenomenal sensitivity of the router, but surprises are possible. For example, with one or two divisions of the indicator, the data may easily no longer be transmitted. Based on experience of communicating with the network in familiar places on different devices I can confidently assume that the indication is overly optimistic. Not critical, but keep it in mind.

Characteristics

As I already wrote at the beginning of the review, it’s almost pleasing full set ranges in all standards. It will work in roaming and with a reserve for the future; it is unlikely that you will need to change the device for this reason. LTE TDD is not particularly interesting to us, and MegaFon does not work in this standard. But in LTE, FDD in the 800 MHz range can be very useful.

The 5 GHz Wi-Fi range brings immense joy to those who happen to live and/or work in rooms heavily littered with other networks. True, there are two disadvantages:

The router does not distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi in two bands at the same time, either the “generally accepted” 2.4 GHz, or the currently free 5 GHz. Which, unfortunately, is not supported by all devices.
The router does not suffer from any particular range even at 2.4 GHz, but in the 5 GHz range it is much worse. You can safely not count on signal penetration through monolithic walls, but for reliable coverage of a medium-sized apartment you will have to think about optimal placement router.

The number of devices simultaneously connected to the router is up to 10 when connecting to the Internet via a cellular network and up to 9 V Internet mode WLAN. The router is not able to create simultaneously closed and open Wi-Fi networks; of the handheld devices present on our market, the MegaFon MR100-2 and the same Yota router are trained to do this.

Very interesting auto mode repeater, I have never come across such an implementation option before. When this mode is enabled, the router connects to one of the Wi-Fi networks “prescribed” in it and works as a repeater; when it leaves the Wi-Fi coverage area, it independently switches to accessing the Internet via a cellular network. Conversely, when it enters a Wi-Fi zone, it switches to repeater mode. This is similar to how an Android smartphone works when Wi-Fi is turned on, but there are two differences:

The router is not trained to search for open Wi-Fi networks and connects only to those that are registered in it.
In the management interface, assigned Wi-Fi networks can be assigned priorities.

How popular is the function? Looks very attractive on tariffs that include unlimited Internet via closed operator Wi-Fi networks, good way save valuable cellular traffic. Can be convenient for group events. Not all devices can automatically switch between networks; it’s a good idea to assign this responsibility to one router.

Or, for example, my entire area is tightly “covered” by a Wi-Fi network /articles/2013/c2-free.shtml with a subscription fee of 100 rubles/month for unlimited Internet for each device. In general, if you don’t personally need it, then no one forces you to use it, but there are practical scenarios. The main thing is that all this works automatically. There is nothing revolutionary in the repeater mode itself, but the need to delve into the Web interface of settings every time to turn it on/off is a serious barrier and the function was used by some enthusiasts.

Another fairly typical case of simple forgetfulness: a person came home or to work, forgot to turn off the router in his bag and continues to eat “native” traffic from the cellular network. And here the router itself will take care of the savings. Finally, let us take into account the fact that in the mode Wi-Fi repeater the router consumes significantly less battery power than on a 4G or even 3G network.

Control

Here we have three options:

Directly from the router, using a three-level menu on the screen and two buttons “Menu” and “OK”. Convenient, but only basic mode switches are available.
Through a special page. http://192.168.8.1 All controls and settings are available; this is the main tool for interacting with the router.
Through a special application for Android OS. Very convenient and intuitive, most functions and settings are available. Most, but not all.

In any case, it’s better to start with the Web interface and set your password first. Default password admin is fraught with trouble. Huawei understands this very well and will remind you every time you enter the interface that this is the right decision.

There are a lot of settings, and it is impossible to sort them all out in one review. Unlike some pocket routers, here we have an almost complete set and everything can be configured. If you need it.

The web interface allows you to send and view received SMS messages; this is normal functionality. But it’s much more convenient to do all this from an Android application.

One of the controversial settings, as it turned out. It seemed to me that the ability to set a certain standard (besides the Auto mode) was an advantage. But I’ve already seen indignant complaints a couple of times from those who lack the 3G/2G mode with 4G disabled. Perhaps the ideal looks like a drop-down menu with all possible combinations. And yes, some enthusiasts would not refuse a menu with a choice certain frequency. On the other hand, enthusiasts will find a way out, but it’s better not to give too many tools to ordinary users. After all, they can make things worse not only for themselves, but also for their neighbors at the base station.

This is what the control menu of the router itself looks like. It’s intuitive and convenient, and even familiar with minimal experience in using a camera. In any case, it's better than remembering the functions of different buttons.

Router speed

The speed of a router usually means the maximum theoretical speed of the Wi-Fi interface. It is indicated, for example, like this: 150 Mbit/s. This means that in reality it will be able to transfer somewhere around 100 Mbit/s wireless interface. In megabytes this is about 12 MB/s. This router speed is enough for almost all household tasks. Provided that the manufacturer is not lying and, naturally, must be able to work at such speed.

The characteristics indicate the speed of the LAN ports, i.e. cable connectors. The standard figure is 100 Mbit/s. On expensive models this can be 1000 Mbit/s (gigabit). As a rule, this is completely useless at home, especially if you don’t transfer hundreds of gigabytes between your devices via cable.

There is another very important characteristic that you will not recognize from the product card - this. The problem is that many routers reduce speed. That is, if your provider provides a 100 Mbit/s channel and you are at a speed of 100 Mbit/s (or even higher), you still won’t see your honestly paid 100 Mbit/s on the Internet. It will, in best case scenario, 95Mbit and that's normal. You can get the maximum only by connecting the Internet directly to your computer without a router.

You can find out how much the router slows down the speed from reviews and forums. But I wouldn’t advise you to read the forums, because... reviews are often very contradictory: from not cutting at all to cutting speed by 10 times! On forums or in reviews, it is enough to catch the general “background” from the real owners. The main thing is that there is twice as much good as bad

The difference in “readings” can be explained incorrect settings device (with crooked hands) or some incompatibility with the provider (more on this below). And in general, this makes sense if you have a channel of 100 Mbit/s or more, and not everyone has this.

Operation stability

You also won’t find out about stability in the specifications, but this is very important factor. Almost all routers freeze periodically, as you can read about in thousands of posts on forums. It looks like this: everything works, maybe for days/weeks, but at one point the router freezes, and the Internet disappears. You need to unplug it and plug it back in (restart the router).

To a large extent, such a glitch depends on the stability of the firmware and overheating of the chips. Therefore, it is important that the manufacturer updates its firmware more often. Therefore, it is better that the manufacturer is not “noname”, i.e. no name, unknown. Especially if you constantly keep your torrent client turned on, you need to take a closer look at devices of at least medium price range.

There are various alternative firmwares like DD-WRT on the network that can improve stability, speed, and in addition new functions will appear, but I would not recommend installing them yourself, because... there is a high probability of getting a dead piece of plastic, silicon, and what else is there in routers. The fact is that even identical models can differ greatly in internal filling: processor, memory, wifi module, flash drive, etc. Therefore, the fact that the firmware is on the same The router doesn’t say anything at all!

I decided to write an article and express my opinion and some observations about routers that do not reduce the speed and provide a stable 100 Mbit/s over Wi-Fi networks, or the speed that is stated according to the tariff of the Internet provider. A very controversial, controversial and popular topic. After all, everyone who chooses a router is mainly looking for a model that does not reduce speed. Or one that “breaks through walls.” But that’s a different story :)

The backstory is very simple. Most likely, you yourself have seen and seen from your own experience how routers reduce speed. Or somewhere on the Internet, perhaps in reviews of a particular router, they read a comment about how a certain “deceived” client used the Internet at maximum (according to the provider's tariff) speed, and then I bought this damn router, configured it, and the connection speed dropped several times. Perhaps he still gets almost maximum speed via the cable from the router (for example, 100 Mbit/s), but on Wi-Fi is full horror. The speed dropped to 50, 20, 10 Mbps or even less.

This is exactly the “problem” that almost everyone who connects their devices to the Internet via a Wi-Fi network faces. Yes, the connection speed via the Wi-Fi router drops. How much depends on many factors, which I will discuss in this article. The router is not always the only one to blame. And most importantly, there is no router that would not cut down on Wi-Fi speed. Some people just cut less, some more. At different conditions and external factors.

Why did I write 100 Mbit/s in the title? Because this is the most popular tariff, which is most often connected in cities. Yes, the speed at the tariff may be lower. In this case, you may not even notice a drop in speed after installing the router. For example, if your provider gives you up to 20 Mbit/s. But there are tariffs with speeds up to 200 Mbit/s, 500 Mbit/s or even more. In this case, the loss in Internet connection speed after installing the router can be very large. Here, of course, a lot depends on the router you choose.

Why is the speed lower than what is stated on the box with the router and in the specifications?

But why? Why does the box with the router say N150, N300, N450, or even N600 and higher, but my Internet speed is so low? Support workers of online stores, router manufacturers, or innocent consultants in stores very often suffer from approximately this question :)

Now I’ll explain, and we’ll close the topic with these numbers, which are indicated on the box, or in the specifications for the router. Also, many people see the “Speed” item in the connection properties on a computer or mobile device, and do not understand why the data is so different.

Each router has a certain Wi-Fi network speed index. This is one of the main indicators and criteria when choosing a router. If we consider routers that operate only in the 2.4 GHz range, then the speed there is from 150 Mbit/s, and apparently up to 600 Mbit/s (4 antennas). If we consider dual-band routers that support 5 GHz frequency, then the speed will be higher.

So, all these numbers, up to 150Mbps, up to 300Mbps, are the maximum theoretically possible speed of a wireless network that can be achieved this router V ideal conditions and only in theory. In some article I already wrote that these numbers have nothing to do with actual speed, since it depends on many factors.

For example: an 802.11n router that can deliver speeds of up to 300 Mbps (there are most of them on the market now) in theory, in reality it can squeeze out a maximum of 100 Mbit/s. But this is also practically impossible. I'm not even talking about budget models with the N150 index. There is a maximum of 50 Mbit/s.

It turns out that if you have a tariff of 100 Mbit/s, and you bought a router with a speed of up to 150 Mbit/s, then the maximum you can get via Wi-Fi is 50 Mbit/s.

Don't forget that Internet speed primarily depends on your provider. From the tariff. Therefore, before complaining about a slow connection through your router, connect to the Internet (cable from provider) directly to the computer and . Then you will have data to guide you.

The speed also depends on the device itself that you connect to the Wi-Fi router. From the strength of the wireless network signal, from interference, and to some extent from the wireless network settings.

What causes the speed through a Wi-Fi router to drop?

Now about the most important thing. Why is the speed directly the same as stated by the provider, the cable from the router is the same, or slightly lower, but the speed sags over Wi-Fi. Sometimes even very strongly.

Here, as it were, everything is clear without complicated proceedings. A cable is a cable. According to it, our Internet “flies” to devices strictly along the designated route, and is not scattered throughout the room, apartment, etc., as is the case with Wi-Fi.

Let's take a closer look and consider the main factors due to which speed sags wireless connection.

I'll tell you a little secret. Router, it's like small computer. It contains the main board, processor, RAM, permanent memory, and wireless module. As with a computer, the performance of a router depends on the amount of memory, processor performance and the quality of these elements. The more memory than more powerful processor and the wireless module faster router can process data. And the speed of the Internet and the stability of work even under load directly depend on this. It often happens that the speed seems to be good, but as soon as a load appears on the router, it immediately sags. All this is due to weak and not very high-quality hardware, which is most often installed in budget models.
If our computer runs on Windows, then the router also works on its own operating system. In other words, firmware. And a lot also depends on the firmware. If software part If it's done poorly, even powerful hardware won't save you. And if the firmware has many errors, is crude and unfinished, then the connection speed may also suffer because of this. Always update the firmware on your router. This does not always have a positive effect, but it happens that the router starts working better and faster. You need to update the firmware!
Each provider uses a specific type of Internet connection. If you set up a router yourself, then most likely you understand what I mean. So, Dynamic IP (DHCP) and Static IP are the simplest and lightest protocols. With them, the router will reduce the speed the least. If PPPoE connection, then it’s more complicated here, the router will waste its resources to connect using this protocol and the speed will drop. And in the case of PPPTP, the speed will drop even more.

So it’s better to choose a provider that provides addresses automatically, or requires you to enter them manually, but without authorization using a username and password.
Wi-Fi client. Simply put, the device that you connect to the router. For example, when measuring speed from a laptop (via Wi-Fi), it may be 15 Mbit/s, and from a phone – 70 Mbit/s. Or vice versa. Why is that? It's very simple, the speed is limited by the slowest device on the network. And if the router gives even 100 Mbit/s, and the module in a laptop or other device is limited to 24 Mbit/s (this is the maximum real speed for 802.11g), then this is the speed we will get. An outdated Wi-Fi module, lack of support for new standards and technologies, outdated software (drivers) - all this directly affects the speed of your Internet connection. And the router, as you understand, has nothing to do with it.
Other external factors. For example, the poorer the signal strength on your device, the slower your connection may be. Each Wi-Fi network operates in a certain range and on a certain channel. And when there are many of these networks around, they begin to intersect and interfere with each other. I would also add here interference from various household appliances, obstacles in the form of metal in the walls, etc.
Router settings. From the factory, by default, the router is configured to provide maximum compatibility with different devices. Including old ones that you may not have. For example, the network operating mode is set to auto mode (b/g/n). And the channel width is 20/40 MHz. But, if you don’t have older devices that only support g wireless network mode, then it makes sense to switch the router to n (only n) mode, and the channel width to 40 MHz.

Maybe, Wi-Fi speed networks will increase significantly. All these settings can be changed in the router’s web interface, in the section with wireless network settings. I wrote about this in an article.

We figured out the reasons, it seems like nothing was missed.

What router is needed to get maximum speed over a Wi-Fi network?

To get maximum speed over Wi-Fi, we need a modern, powerful (and therefore not the cheapest) router New device (laptop, PC with Wi-Fi adapter, phone, tablet, TV) with modern Wi-Fi module. And preferably a provider with a Static IP or Dynamic IP connection protocol.

If we are talking about modern, wireless network equipment, then it goes without saying that there must be support for the 5 GHz band and the . This support should be both in the router and in the device itself that we connect to the Wi-Fi network. That is, the router must be dual-band. You can read more in the article.

Not only that, according to the 802.11ac standard, the Wi-Fi network speed is much higher (maximum, theoretically possible up to 6.77 Gbit/s) in comparison with the most popular now 802.11n, also in the 5 GHz range (and 802.11ac only works in this range) there is practically no interference.

note on the speed of the WAN and LAN ports of the router. In choosing a router that will reduce the speed as little as possible, we forget that the speed is also limited by the WAN port to which we connect the Internet. And if our tariff rate is 200 Mbit/s, and we installed a router with a WAN and LAN ports can operate at a speed of 10/100 Mbit/s, it is clear that we will not get more than 100 Mbit/s either via cable or Wi-Fi.

If you have fast internet, more than 100 Mbps, then you need a router only with gigabit ports. This is always indicated in the specifications. Even routers in the mid-price range do not always have gigabit (1000 Mbps) ports installed. Be careful.

Routers supporting the 802.11ac standard are now quite available. There are so many models on the market. The only negative is that Wi-Fi coverage networks in the 5 GHz band are slightly smaller than in the 2.4 GHz band. This is true, I have already convinced myself of this. Not critical, but the signal is weaker.

Someimportant points:

Dual-band routers distribute two Wi-Fi networks. At 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz. So those devices that do not support the new standard will connect in the 2.4 GHz range. If necessary, you can disable an unnecessary network.
If you want to squeeze out maximum speed through a Wi-FI router, then do not buy budget models. The more expensive the router, the better iron installed in it. And this means more productivity and speed.
Don't forget about restrictions on WAN and LAN ports.
To achieve maximum speed, update your router's firmware and experiment with Wi-Fi settings. Operating mode, channel, channel width.
Don't forget that speed Wi-Fi connections also directly depends on the quality, productivity and Wi-Fi characteristics module of the device on which we measure the speed. You can take measurements on different devices, and you will see that the speed will most likely be different.

You can find more tips on choosing a router in the article.

conclusions

Any router will reduce the speed of the Wi-Fi network. The only question is how much. But how much the speed will drop depends primarily on the power of the router, support for new standards, and parameters Wi-Fi receiver in the device, from the provider (connection type and speed according to tariff), interference, signal level, etc.

If you are just choosing a router, then I definitely advise you to buy a dual-band one. With support for the new 802.11ac standard. And preferably with gigabit ports. Most likely, your new mobile devices already support 802.11ac. If everything works well, then for PCs and even laptops you can buy USB adapters that support the ac standard. I would also advise not to skimp on the router. It’s better to take a good, modern and powerful model that will be relevant for many years to come, than to change the router after a year, and spend the whole year spitting on low speed.

It is clear that everything here is individual, and a lot depends on the tasks that the router must cope with. But in this article we are talking about choosing a router that can provide maximum performance and minimal speed losses.

You can leave questions in the comments and share your thoughts on this matter. Also write what router you have, what the tariff is, and what the Wi-Fi speed is. Maybe you were somehow able to speed up your Wi-Fi and want to share some useful advice.

Just one request, don’t ask me which specific model to buy. The choice is yours. I wrote above how to choose.

Korean brand network equipment Totolink is little known on the Russian market, but some of its products are sold here. In particular, a few years ago we looked at . The Totolink N100RE model belongs to the entry-level and has already gone through several versions: the first version was released in 2015, and today we will get acquainted with the third generation.

The model has three wired ports at 100 Mbit/s and a wireless access point with one antenna at 150 Mbit/s in the 2.4 GHz band. Today, these parameters can be called not even an entry level, but an economy option. On the other hand, if the task is to provide access to the Internet within one small apartment for several smartphones, such a router may well be sufficient. Essentially higher value, in our opinion, today has the stability and capabilities of the built-in software. Still, according to the formal hardware characteristics different models It’s easy to compare, but understanding their firmware is much more difficult. True, it should be noted that regular users rarely interested in any specific opportunities - basic version The functions “get Internet via cable and distribute via Wi-Fi” are most often enough for them.

Delivery package, appearance and hardware configuration

The router comes in a small cardboard box with registration on English language. It traditionally contains photographs, use cases, technical specifications and other information.

The delivery set includes a 9 V 0.5 A power supply, a patch cord and brief installation instructions in leaflet format. There is nothing unusual here. Let's only praise compact unit power supply that will not block adjacent outlets in the extension cord.

The company has a localized website, but there is no information on the model in question. The only useful thing to note is the web interface emulator in English.

The router has compact body made of white matte plastic. The design can be called interesting for this segment. At least it looks like they've worked on it. dimensions excluding antenna and cable connections are 91x80x25 mm. The legs are made of plastic; they raise the device slightly so that the ventilation grilles at the bottom are not blocked. This model does not have wall mounting capabilities.

There is a small recess on the top panel in which five dim indicator LEDs are hidden orange color(two for wired ports, Internet, Wi-Fi, status), as well as WPS and reset buttons. The latter is hidden and requires some thin object to press.

The indicators and buttons have signatures, and in the center of the top panel we see the manufacturer's logo. A non-removable antenna is also located here, which is quite unusual. It has two degrees of freedom, and the length of its moving part is about 15 centimeters.

On the rear panel there is an input for the power supply and three network ports- one WAN and two LAN. Everything is signed, and the ports additionally differ in color.

Overall I liked the design and construction. Despite the budget segment, the router makes a pleasant impression with its unusual body shape and antenna location.

The router is based on SoC Realtek RTL8196E, has 32 MB random access memory and 4 MB of flash memory for storing firmware. It also contains a switch for wired ports. The radio unit here is external - Realtek RTL8188ER. There are no radiators on the chips, but this is not required. There is a console port on the printed circuit board, but there is no direct access to the operating system through it.

Testing was carried out with firmware version 3.2.4, released this summer.

Settings and features

First of all, we note that the router firmware has both English and Russian interfaces, as well as translation into Ukrainian. True, we didn’t manage to get into Russian right away. Considering the level of the device, there is nothing complicated in the settings, but still, for a model designed for the mass segment, it would be nice to provide a simple option to switch to Russian or automatic selection based on browser settings.

There is no special setup wizard for the first connection in the router. After entering your username and password, you are taken to a simplified version with basic settings: Internet connection type, wireless network name and password, connection to an IPTV set-top box.

In fact, if you have DHCP, then the Internet will work out of the box. Another thing is that by default there is no password on the wireless network, which is not very good today, and in any case you will need to set it. If these parameters are not enough, go to the full version of the settings.

The menu design is standard: a tree of items is on the left side of the window, the rest is on the right. The “Status” page displays information about active wired ports, WAN connection and access point parameters, as well as firmware version, processor and RAM load.

The device supports not only router mode - it can also perform roles wireless bridge and a wireless network extender.

The “Basic Settings” group of pages is responsible for selecting parameters for connecting to the provider and for managing clients local network. The router supports IPoE, PPPoE, PPTP and L2TP options. There is support for access to the operator’s local network in configurations with VPN. Through separate mode Implemented work with wireless operators (WISP). It allows you to change the MAC address WAN port, changing the web interface port, allowing access to settings from the Internet. We also note the presence of IPTV support.

In addition to working with multicast broadcasts, IPTV set-top boxes can be connected using VLAN technology.

As for the home local network, everything is familiar here: the router acts as a DHCP server and automatically assigns IP addresses to clients. The settings indicate own address router, a pool of addresses for clients, it is possible to implement static MAC/IP assignments. On separate page You can see the list of current clients of the router.

Like many other routers, it supports dynamic routing and it is possible to add your own routes. However, these functions are rarely used in the budget segment.

Implementing IPv6 (including DHCP and RADVD) may be useful for the future. True, they have been talking about it for a very long time, but its distribution still cannot be called widespread. So issues of performance and compatibility will still have to be dealt with.

Basic settings for a wireless access point include selecting a network name and security mode (including WPA2 with password and via RADIUS server). In addition, you can limit the number of connected clients, as well as their speed.

Additionally there are several fine adjustments wireless network, in particular the choice of region, channel number and width, output power, etc. In addition, the firmware provides WDS and WPS technologies, as well as work with a black or white client access list. Setting a schedule for the wireless module will also be useful for home users: you can select up to ten intervals indicating the day of the week and time (accurate to the minute).

As an advanced feature, we note the function of creating guest wireless networks of up to four inclusive. Each can have its own name and protection mode. In addition, you can limit guest access to the Internet only, blocking work with your home local network. It will also be useful to limit the speed for guest connections.

The router has a QoS bandwidth management function. In it you can configure restrictions for clients based on their IP or MAC addresses. However, you need to understand that this service is very demanding on computing resources, and using QoS on platforms with weak processors is not very comfortable. In this case, simply enabling the service, even without setting up rules, reduces the routing speed in IPoE mode by about half.

In chapter " Firewall» it is possible to configure an access filter based on MAC addresses (completely blocking access to the Internet for local network devices or creating whitelist with allowed access), programming IP rules (blocking access to a specific client on specified ports of services on the Internet), URL filter (blocking hosts by name). True, there is a limit of 10 rules in each case, and the filter by URL does not always work correctly.

In addition, this section configures access from the Internet to services on local network computers: port translation rules (up to ten) and DMZ. This router also has UPnP support. In addition, SIP ALG is declared.

In the “Maintenance” group you can find the usual set of firmware update items, save/restore/reset settings, time settings, changing the login and password for accessing the router, and the system log (there is support for sending to the syslog server).

Also included here DDNS settings(three services: DynDNS, TZO, NOIP), protection functions against DoS attacks, traffic statistics on interfaces (in packets), reboot schedule, launching ping and trace route for connection diagnostics.

To routers budget segment usually not presented special requirements in terms of extended functionality, so we have no significant comments on the Totolink N100RE firmware. Among the advantages, we note the presence of support for guest wireless networks, scheduling for Wi-Fi and functions for working with IPTV. Of the minuses - open wireless network with default settings.

Testing

In this material, this section will be quite modest in terms of the number of graphs: after all, this time we have an inexpensive device, and there are few options for its use. In addition, recall that the wired ports here are rated at 100 Mbit/s, and the wireless access point has one antenna and a connection speed of 150 Mbit/s.

Let's start, as usual, with routing.

Considering the hardware characteristics of the router, we can say that it performed well. In most scenarios, the data transfer and reception speed is approximately 90 Mbps. Moreover, all options, except PPTP, show good results in duplex.

Additionally, we tested the Dual Access function with this model - simultaneous download information from the Internet and from the provider’s local network.

There are also no comments on this scenario.

For the first test of the wireless access point, we used our regular Asus PCE-AC68 adapter. Of course, its combination with budget router It looks at least strange, but it will allow us to compare devices under the same conditions. Specifically, in this test, the client and router were located in the same room at a distance of about four meters.

Remembering the characteristics of the router, the speeds shown wireless communication at the level of 80-90 Mbit/s can also be considered good.

More interesting in this case will be the question of working with mobile devices and coverage areas. We are testing it together with the Zopo ZP920+ smartphone, equipped with a dual-band module with one antenna. Three options were used for the test relative position: four meters line of sight, four meters through one wall and eight meters through two walls.

Here the router has nothing special to boast about. If the first and second points are generally still not bad, then in the third the speed decreases significantly. On the other hand, the shown few megabytes per second may be quite enough. True, one must understand that inexpensive smartphones antennas and wireless modules may be “weak”, which will negatively affect the results over long distances.

In general, the router showed the performance expected for its configuration. As for wireless communication, you should not require budget model long range, but of course it’s worth taking this characteristic into account when choosing.

Conclusion

The Totolink N100RE wireless router can be considered a typical representative of the budget segment of home equipment. It has 100 Mbps wired ports and a 150 Mbps access point on the 2.4 GHz band. The device has an interesting case design with the antenna located on the top panel. The built-in software has all the popular functions in this segment. In terms of performance, the device can be used on tariff plans up to 100 Mbit/s inclusive. Wireless point access shows good results for its characteristics in terms of speed of operation on short distances, but its coverage area is relatively small.

The range of Wi-Fi routers is increasing every day. If your eyes run wild in the store and you don’t know which model to buy, then this article is especially for you. Below I will tell you how to choose the right router for your apartment to suit your needs. And also you will find a rating of the best models of 2019.

Popular manufacturers of Wi-Fi routers

There are many popular, and not so popular, router manufacturing companies. We will not list them all here, but will highlight only the main manufacturers who consistently produce new models for our market.

It is immediately worth noting that each manufacturer produces models in different price categories. Therefore, first you need to decide on a budget, and only then choose a device.

1.TP-LINK

A popular manufacturer of computer and telecommunications equipment. They are very popular in our market due to their relatively low price, good quality assembly and materials. Personally, I recommend choosing a router from the range of this brand. As a rule, they serve for quite a long time (mine lasted more than 3 years) without breakdowns or failures.

2.ASUS

Manufacturing company computer equipment and its components. The routers of this company are distinguished by their high price and corresponding quality. Cheap models can be counted on one hand, but they also have mostly positive customer reviews.

3.D-LINK

Popular manufacturer of network equipment. The assortment includes a large number of routers of various price categories. The company specializes exclusively in network technologies, therefore it produces only high-quality products in its segment.

4.ZyXEL

A large Taiwanese company producing network equipment. The production of routers is one of the main directions of the company. The company's equipment prices vary markedly. There are models for budget buyers, and there are models for people with an unlimited budget.

5.Huawei

Rapidly developing Chinese company, which occupies one of the leading positions in its industry. Now the company is actively developing the production of network equipment. Customer reviews of the products are mostly positive.

We will not dwell long on choosing a manufacturer. In any case, there is no point in arguing which brand is better. You need to choose among specific models that suit your budget and characteristics. You can compare the best router models in the table below.

Choosing a router for your home. What you should pay attention to?

Each device is designed for specific purposes and tasks. If you are buying a router for the first time, it is important to correctly evaluate the characteristics of the device so that they match your requirements. Below we will write a specific list of characteristics that will help you choose the best router for your home or office.

Wan port type

The most important thing is the WAN port. This characteristic is indicated on all models. It depends on your Internet, so it is important not to make a mistake when choosing this option, otherwise the router simply will not suit you. There are three main types:

Ethernet- this is a standard connection type that is available on almost all modern Wi-Fi routers. If the Internet in your home is connected via a network cable (not via a telephone), then this type of connection is suitable for you.
ADSL modem- These are routers that connect to a telephone cable. note: if you already have a regular ADSL modem at home, then you can buy standard router, which is equipped with an Ethernet port (it can be connected via an old modem).
3G/4G routers- provide distribution of Wi-Fi signal from a USB modem. If you need a modem that supports this function, look in the port characteristics for the inscription: USB 3G/4G.

Wi-Fi signal speed

This is one of the most important characteristics, which you need to pay attention to first. As a rule, most cheap routers (under 1000 rubles) can provide speeds of up to 150 Mbit/s. If you expect to use Wi-Fi on 1-2 devices, then this speed will be quite enough.

I recommend paying attention to models in the price category of 1,500 rubles and above. Such devices will provide Wi-Fi speeds of >300 Mbps. You can connect several devices at the same time, and the connection will not be interrupted or freeze.

Wireless capabilities also play an important role. Depending on the price category of the models, we recommend choosing the following standards:

802.11n- if the router is in the price category up to 2000 rubles.
802.11ac- if the router is of average price or higher.

Wi-Fi frequency

Most modern routers support two signal frequencies: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Due to the rapid Wi-Fi distribution In all apartments and offices, the 2.4 GHz frequency range quickly filled up, so the signal transmission speed may suffer.

The newer 5 GHz band provided owners of new routers with a free frequency, and as a result, fast Internet without interference. Therefore, if you have the funds to purchase a router with a frequency Wi-Fi work 5 GHz, we recommend choosing this option.

There are also dual-band routers that support two frequencies simultaneously. But such models, as a rule, cost a little more.

Router power and range

That's enough too important question, especially if you have a large apartment or country house.

As a rule, the operating range of the router model is not indicated in the specifications. And this is understandable, because this characteristic is influenced by a large number of external factors, which differ for each buyer (wall thickness, type of walls, congestion of the frequency range and other interference).

But how then to choose a Wi-Fi router for a large room?

Number of antennas. As a rule, the presence of two or three antennas greatly enhances the signal and increases the range of the router. On expensive models, the presence of 3 or more antennas affects the signal transmission speed rather than the radius.
Antenna power. We recommend choosing models that have antennas with a power of 5dBi or more.
User reviews. Most often in the comments, users cite real examples. You can compare them with your room and choose the right model.

If you still can’t cover the whole room with one router, then it’s better to buy an additional one.

Rating of the best routers for 2019

Category	Rating (based on user reviews)	Price
The best cheap routers	4.6 / 5	1 200 ₽
	4.6 / 5	1,050 RUR
	4.9 / 5	1,080 RUR
	4.6 / 5	1,080 RUR
The best routers at an average price	4.5 / 5	1,750 RUR
	4.9 / 5	4,650 RUR
	4.9 / 5	RUR 3,130
The best premium routers	4.5 / 5	RUB 15,590
	4.6 / 5	7,580 RUR
	4.9 / 5	6,050 ₽

The best routers according to user reviews

ASUS RT-N12

This router belongs to the line of “affordable” models from Asus. Designed for use in an apartment (2 or 3 rooms) or small office. Thanks to two powerful external antennas, it provides high speed data transmission. ASUS RT-N12 will be enough if you like to watch movies and videos in high quality, or play online games.

Setting up the router takes a few minutes. After completing all the steps in the “setup wizard”, the router will be ready to Wi-Fi distribution signal. The total signal transmission speed can reach 300 Mbit/s.

Advantages of the router according to user reviews :

Installation and configuration is quite easy.
Two powerful adjustable antennas that provide good coverage signal.
Maximum signal transmission speed: 300 Mbit/s.

Flaws :

Not found.

TP-link TL-WR841N

A reliable device for creating networks of wired and wireless connection in an apartment or small office. Excellent signal transmission quality is ensured by two external antennas. The data transfer speed reaches 300 Mbit/s.

The router complies with the 802.11n standard, but at the same time, is backward compatible with devices with 802.11b/g standards. Functions parental controls, virtual server and fast protection will expand the boundaries of Internet use.

Advantages of TP-link TL-WR841N :

Strong signal. Two powerful antennas can transmit data over a distance of more than 100m.
Quick setup using Easy programs Setup Assistant.
Beautiful, streamlined body shape.

Disadvantages of TP-link TL-WR841N :

Not found.

Zyxel Keenetic Start

Wireless router Zyxel Keenetic Start is an excellent option for creating a network in an apartment or office. With its help, you can combine all your existing devices (tablet, laptop, phone) into your home network. The maximum data transfer speed is 150 Mbit/s. This will be enough to watch movies, download files large sizes and gatherings in online games.

This router allows you to create guest networks. Therefore, you do not need to give your network login and password to your friends and acquaintances every time. Due to its compactness, the device can be located anywhere in the apartment.

Pros of the router :

A reliable and stable router that works for a long time without interruption.
Convenient control, quick setup.
Compact sizes.

Minuses :

One external antenna, which is why the signal is not strong enough.

D-link DIR-615

A simple router that provides wireless connection speeds of up to 300 Mbps. Installation and configuration of the router is carried out in a matter of minutes, thanks to the built-in setup wizard. Software updates occur automatically from the D-Link update server.

The device allows you to create a guest network in which you can limit Wi-Fi speed and access to home network. D-link DIR-615 is also equipped with a special button to turn the router on/off. Now, when leaving home, you will not need to unplug the device from the outlet.

pros :

Wi-Fi speed up to 300 Mbps.
Wireless capabilities 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b.
Quick installation, convenient setup.
There is an on/off button.

Minuses :

It gets hot during prolonged use.

TP-link TL-MR3420

The router allows you to set up a high-speed Wi-Fi network connection with the click of a button. Two powerful external antennas provide a stable signal with a speed of 300 Mbps.

This router is compatible with 3G modems. Now you can connect to Wi-Fi in places where 3G/3.75G networks are available.

Advantages according to user reviews :