How to choose the best router for the office

Choosing the right router plays a vital role in providing a stable and fast Internet connection for the office. When choosing a device, you must take into account a series of factors that determine its performance and functionality. Let’s look at a series of important characteristics depending on the type of connection.

Office area and number of employees

For an office of up to 50 m², with 3-4 employees, a router with a small coverage area will be sufficient. However, for a workspace with many computers that require Internet access, there will be other requirements for the router, you may even have to build an entire network of routers. Brick concrete partitions will also weaken the WiFi signal and it may be worth emphasizing wired connectivity for some devices. Let’s break down the important parameters of the wifi routers which you should pay attention to.

Connection type

Modern routers can transmit data using the following technologies:

GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) translates as “Gigabit passive optical network”. Or simply “optics”, a name that everyone actively uses. Allows GPON to provide high-speed Internet: up to 1 Gbps.

Ethernet. Most routers work on the basis of this technology. Supports speeds up to 100 Mbit/s.

It is important to purchase a router that supports the technology in which the Internet provider’s service is used.

Number and composition of router ports

The router’s WAN port is designed to connect to the provider’s network.

The LAN port is a connector for a cable that is used to receive/transmit signal to the device. This type of connection is called a LAN connection. The number of LAN ports must correspond to the number of devices you want to connect by cable.

Internet provider fee

Speed ​​rates range from 2-5 Mbps and up to 1 Gbps. You should choose this parameter based on your objectives and the number of devices.

– Up to 5 Mbit/s is suitable for browsing mail, web pages, communicating with colleagues on social networks for 1 user.

– Up to 10 Mbit/s: watch videos, download data. For example, a 100 Mbyte file at this speed will be downloaded in 1 minute and 20 seconds under ideal conditions of signal transmission by the router via Wi-Fi or LAN cable (connection to the device directly from the router).

– up to 100 Mbit/s – the speed will be enough for 2 to 5 devices too depending on the purposes.

– up to 1 Gbit/s – it is possible to watch high resolution 4k video on multiple devices, transfer large amounts of data. The same 100MB file will ideally download in less than 1 second.

The working range of the router depends on the frequency at which your WiFi network operates:

2.4GHz. It is the most popular frequency range and provides a wide coverage area. The wave is almost immune to interference and can pass through various obstacles.

These routers are much cheaper, but interference may occur due to range congestion by neighboring routers.

Important – Data transfer speeds of up to 150 Mbps in ideal conditions.

5GHz. With this frequency range, the coverage area is smaller because the wave is sensitive to obstacles.

Less susceptible to interference, due to the smaller coverage area and low prevalence among users.

Important – Data transmission speeds greater than 150 Mbps.

2.4 GHz and 5 GHz routers are dual band. They automatically change frequency if the band is congested.

How to check if the 2.4 GHz band is busy

Any Wi-Fi network load analysis program, such as WiFi Analyzer, will help you. If there are no more than 5 networks in this range, then you can install a 2.4 GHz network. The current problem is more relevant for apartments due to the large number of neighboring routers and devices connected to them.

A win-win option is a dual-band router. In case of channel loading in the 2.4 GHz band, it will automatically switch to the 5 GHz frequency.

Wireless connection standards

There are many wireless connection standards. It is important to remember that these are the most common:

802.11n – Wi-Fi 4.

Works in the range of 2.4 and 5 GHz, data transfer speed – up to 150 Mbit / s per device in budget routers;

802.11as – Wi-Fi 5.

It operates in the frequency range of 2.4 and 5 GHz, performance is up to 6.77 Gbps;

802.11ah – Wi-Fi 6.

It works in both frequency ranges with speeds up to 11 Gbps.

The first thing to take into account is the number of devices connected by Wi-Fi. For a large number of devices it is worth paying attention to MIMO technology. This is a multi-stream data transmission technology between the router and the device. As a rule, the router has from 2 antennas. The reception and transmission of the signal is carried out by several antennas at the same time.

MIMO or SU-MIMO is multistream transmission with a single device. While one device is transmitting, the others are on a waiting list.

MU-MIMO is receiving and transmitting the signal simultaneously to multiple devices. It allows you to use the Internet provider’s rate more efficiently.

Transmitter power

This parameter can be measured in decibels (dBm) or milliwatts (mW). The strength and distance over which the Wi-Fi signal propagates depends on the power. The maximum for the 2.4 GHz band is 20 dBm and 24 dBm for the 5 GHz band. To connect a large number of users to the Internet, choose a router close to this value.

Antenna type

Each router is equipped with one or more antennas that amplify the signal and set the vector of its propagation.

They can be external (antennas on the outside) and internal (the antenna is hidden in the case). Routers of the first type are suitable for most tasks. Additionally, antennas are divided into directional (signal in one direction) and omnidirectional (signal in all directions). Directional is used when you need to cover a specific remote area with one network, omnidirectional – many devices around the router. Also omnidirectional router is better to install in the center of the room or near devices that use Internet access.

Antenna gain

This indicator usually varies between 1 and 9 dBi.

A gain close to 1 dBi will create a spherical coverage area around the router and provide access to Internet devices on multiple floors. The higher the antenna gain, the farther the signal will propagate in the plane, while at the same time it will become narrower.

It is recommended to aim for a value of up to 5 dBi.

The router’s Beamforming technology detects the location of the connected device and concentrates the transmitter’s power in its direction through interference (wave superposition). This will also boost the Wi-Fi signal in a spacious office environment.

MESH systems can also be used to reinforce the signal in large offices. This equipment is a router with an internal antenna, which acts as an access point and retransmits the signal from the main router. MESH routers can be networked and cover areas of several kilometers². This way you can get rid of dead spots where there is no Wi-Fi signal.

What you need to know about security

When connected to an unsecured network, the threat of leakage of personal information, passwords and corporate data increases. An office router must support modern encryption protocols to protect transmitted information. It is recommended to choose router models that support the WPA2-PSK (AES) or WPA3 encryption standards, and use a VPN for greater security. It is also important to disable passwordless network login.

Other recommendations

Models with a USB port will allow you to connect a network printer, a webcam and a 3G/4G modem as a backup communication channel.

The IPTV function will allow you to watch channels over the Internet, which is especially useful for reception areas where company clients wait.

Black and white lists. The blacklist allows you to deny Internet access to certain devices, even if they know the network username and password. By activating the whitelist, only the devices on the list will be able to access the Internet.

One of the most important functions of the router is the integrated VPN, or Virtual Private Network. Provides a secure connection to the Internet by establishing a secure connection with a remote VPN server. VPN technology allows you to encrypt your IP address and hide your browsing data, keeping your data safe and reducing the risk of data leakage.

What is the best place to install and buy

The router should be placed in an area between all devices that use the Internet. If you decide to place it between two rooms separated by a concrete or brick partition, you should choose a larger room and place it next to the partition. Do not install the router in the kitchen, as the magnetic field of household appliances may affect the quality of the device.

It is better to buy the device from an authorized dealer in Germany, for example in the online store www.getic.es.

Key points

• A router receives the signal from the provider and distributes it to all connected devices in the office: laptops, smartphones, surveillance cameras, etc.
• It is worth purchasing routers that operate on two frequency bands (2.4 and 5 GHz) and can automatically switch from one to the other.
• When purchasing a router, it is important to look at its transmission power (20-24 dBm) and the antenna gain (about 1 dbi for a small area and several floors and about 9 dbi for a narrowband signal at a large area). These parameters determine the overall strength of Wi-Fi and its range.
• Choose routers compatible with your provider’s connection technology: GPON or Ethernet.
• To create a high-speed network in a large office, it is worth purchasing a seamless mesh system.
• To protect data security, it is important to pay attention to the protocol the router uses. The optimal option is a device that supports WPA2 or WPA3 encryption standards.
• It is worth purchasing routers equipped with a USB port. Allows you to connect a network printer, a webcam for monitoring and a 3G/4G modem.
• Thanks to the support of VPN technology, the router provides data protection for all devices connected to it.
• Blacklists and whitelists will help limit network access to unverified devices.
• Now you know which WiFi router to choose for the office.