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Most of us think so much about the Wi-Fi plan, data speed, data limit, etc. before getting a connection but not enough about the Wi-Fi router. It’s easy to forget that the small device in the corner of the room plays an important role in how good or bad your internet experience is. But with increasing demand for smart home technology, super-fast internet, and online gaming, the importance of Wi-Fi routers are coming to the surface. So, if you too are planning on getting a new Wi-Fi router for home, here are 7 things you should check.

Wi-Fi Band – Single, dual or tri-band

The Wi-Fi signal your router emits can be in different frequencies, and how many frequencies a router can host defines whether it’s a single-band router or multi-band. Older routers only work at 2.4 GHz frequency which means all devices are connected through a single channel. This easily gets congested which means when multiple devices are connected to it, you start noticing disconnections and slower Wi-Fi speeds.

On the other hand, dual-band routers support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and tri-band routers host 2.4 GHz and two separate 5 GHz networks. This allows different devices to connect to different networks and clear the line. So, if you’ll be connecting multiple devices at the same time, it’s best to go for a dual or tri-band router.

Wi-fi Range

This is extremely important because the farther away you are from your Wi-Fi router, the slower and weaker your connection will be. In larger homes, you might need to keep it in a central location so that you don’t have any Wi-Fi “dead zones”. External antennas help increase the overall range of Wi-Fi routers for the home, helping you extend the range beyond glass doors and walls.

Pro Tip: If you live in a large or a multi-story house, you don’t need to get multiple Wi-fi connections to cover the whole area. UK NET has introduced mesh routers, which can easily cover up to 3500 sq feet of area with a single connection.

Speed

One of the most important factors in choosing a Wi-Fi router for the home is how much bandwidth or speed it can deliver. For example, if you have a 1Gbps plan from UK NET but your router can only deliver up to 300Mbps, then you won’t be able to utilize the full bandwidth of the connection.

Most of the best wireless routers for 2021 provide fast speeds, but it’s best to do your due diligence before purchasing one.

But if you are an UK NET Fiber customer or plan on getting a new connection, you don’t need to worry because the plan comes with a router at no extra cost. In fact, the 1Gbps plan comes with an industry-first Wi-Fi router that can deliver the whole bandwidth wirelessly.

Security

Wireless devices can be convenient, but security is always a problem. To ensure that you are protected digitally, you must have advanced firmware, a firewall, and additional security features. Of the three Wi-Fi protected access protocols, it is best to get one with WPA2, as it is the most secure, followed by WEP and WPA. Make sure you check your modem to understand what level of security you will get.

UK NET customers can also opt for their latest service Secure Internet, a plan that not only protects your network but also your devices from viruses and malware. With this service, you can block out certain content you don’t want to see or use one of the four pre-built profiles that do it for you.

Choose a right internet connection

If you need to connect multiple phones, laptops and devices to a single WiFi router, you must ensure that they function smoothly without internet breakage. Here are the points that you should consider before opting for a WiFi router, broadband connection, or fiber optic.

Number of connections permitted

While most WiFi routers and broadband connections claim to support about 20 devices simultaneously, ending up affecting the download speed and coverage, UK NET Fiber allows users to connect up to 64 devices!

How to ensure your internet connection does not fail you?

Installing a good broadband connection, fiber optic service, or WiFi router isn’t enough.

Here’s what you need.

• Good Download speed: Numbers speak louder than words. With UK NET Fiber’s 1 Gbps plan, users get up to 1 Gbps download speed on a WiFi connection instead of 600 Mbps offered by most WiFi router services.
• Antennas: Antennas contribute to the WiFi connection’s strength and ensure that consumers receive the best network and coverage. But, have you noticed how some corners in your house do not seem to have proper WiFi coverage, even though they are not too far away from the WiFi router? This could be because of the WiFi router’s antenna position. Walls and metallic surfaces usually block WiFi signals.

UK NET Fiber’s 1 Gbps WiFi router solves this problem with 6 antennas. That’s 4 more than a conventional WiFi router, allowing more devices to connect to the WiFi router seamlessly.

In the current digitised age, having a fast internet connection is no longer a luxury but a necessity. We are spending most of our time indoors and are more aware of the WiFi speed now. Whether we are trying to work, watch Netflix, or video call our friends, even a slight drop in the speed doesn’t go unnoticed. If you’re an UK NET Fiber user, you can diagnose any connection problem straight from the UK NET. But if you’re wondering how you can check how fast your WiFi is working and whether it is delivering on the promised speed or not, we are here to help. This is how you can do a WiFi speed test for any connection.

What do you need?

The best thing about WiFi speed tests is that you don’t need any special tool or software for it; just your web browser would do. There are several websites where you can do the speed test online such as Speedtest by Ookla, Fast by Netflix, Netspeed, etc.

How to test the speed?

Now, if you’ve landed on any of these WiFi speed tests online, there are two things you can do – get an estimate of what internet speeds your current device is getting or how much speed or bandwidth is coming from your router. The difference is simple; since most likely your computer or mobile phone is not the only device connected to the WiFi, the bandwidth gets split between all the connected devices. Thus, what you get on your phone is not all that your broadband connection can offer.

Quick speed test

So, if you just want to check how much speed your computer is getting, you can go ahead and begin the test. For the Ookla speed test, you need to hit “Go”, for Netspeed, “Begin Test” and Fast starts on its own when you open the link. The online speed test can take anywhere between a few seconds to a couple of minutes, depending on your internet speed. Once it’s done, you will get results in terms of Download Speed, Upload Speed, Ping, etc.

When it comes to broadband plans, one size does not fit all. Which plan you should have at home depends on many things – how many users there are, what you use it for, how large the house is, etc. If you only need it to work from home, your usage might not be as heavy as, say, if you like to play online games, or there’s someone in the house who likes to stream Netflix while you have to work. With so many types of broadband connections available, it can be a little confusing to figure out which one suits you. So, let us help you pick the right UK NET Fiber plan according to your needs.

Light Usage

If you live alone or with one more person, your broadband usage is more likely to fall in this category. But as we discussed earlier, what you use it for also plays an important role. If you only need it for regular social media scrolling, working from home, some video calls, etc. then you probably don’t need very high-speed internet.

The best broadband plan for you then could be UK NET Fiber’s Standard plan, which comes with 100Mbps speed and unlimited data. You also get unlimited STD and local calls on the landline connection, and UK NET, Apollo 24/7 Circle, FASTag cashback and Wynk Music subscription.

Medium Usage

Now, if there are more people in the house, say 4-5, then even with light usage, the need for bandwidth is going to be higher. Here a 100Mbps plan is not going to be enough and if everybody is connected to the internet through their multiple devices, you might notice a drop in speed.

Therefore, you can go for UK NET Fiber’s Professional plan which offers 300Mbps speed and unlimited data. It gives you the following benefits: free subscription to Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix Basic, VIP service, UK NET, Apollo 24/7 Circle, FASTag cashback, and Wynk Music.

Heavy Usage

Finally, if you think you need even more speed and bandwidth, UK NET still has you covered. For people who pretty much live and breathe internet, UK NET Fiber offers their Infinity plan. Of all the different types of broadband connections, this is the fastest with a whopping speed of up to 1Gbps. You want to game online? This is for you. You want to stream it too? This is what you need.

If you can’t imagine how fast a broadband connection of 1 Gbps is, imagine downloading a 4GB 4K video in under 3 minutes. A whole family of 7-8 people can stream their favourite show online and nobody will notice a drop in the speed. The VIP plan also comes with the other added benefits, but the best is the industry-first smart router that can deliver this whole bandwidth over Wi-Fi, so you can experience this speed anywhere in the house.