Which WIFI Router to buy for the fastest wireless internet

The need to be connected is more important than ever. The wave of connected products that companies are producing is on the rise. Devices like smartphones, smart TVs, and other mobile computing devices have become so important in our day-to-day lives that without them, we just can’t cope anymore. As a result, finding the right WIFI router for sale has never been more important. Not only does your WIFI router need to be able to handle the ever increasing data demands, but it also needs to be affordable. This article will explain what a router does, how it works, and show you some great WIFI routers for sale in South Africa.

What is a WIFI router?

A wireless router is a device that connects other devices, like your smartphone and computer, to a wireless local area network (WLAN). This is normally done for the purposes of connecting these devices to the internet. A normal WIFI router requires cables (Ethernet Cable) to be connected from the devices to the router, the difference between a normal router and a wireless router is that this is done wirelessly.

Not only does this device connect things to the internet but it also acts as a security guard, or firewall, for your network. This is possible because your router uses its own IP address, which is like your computer’s thumbprint, when accessing the internet. This means that your own device’s IP address is not exposed to the online world.

Technical wireless router Jargon

There’s a lot of nerd speak associated with finding the best WIFI router for sale. You will probably be bombarded with a lot of numbers and specs, but what does it all mean?

Single Band or Dual Band?

When searching for the best ADSL router, you probably came across the term “band”. Essentially there are two different bands, namely The 2.4 (single) and 5 GHz (dual) bands. These are the frequencies in which wireless communications operate. Dual-band routers allow each device to connect simultaneously, whereas single band routers have to run all your connections through one gateway. The decision between buying a single-band or dual-band WIFI router really depends on what your networking needs are. A dual band can handle multiple connections where a single band can only really handle one. So if you have multiple people members streaming video, or playing online games at the same time, for example, then a dual band will handle the loads much better.

Wireless Protocols

Wireless Ethernet networks use protocols called 802.11 to send and receive data. Your older routers will use 802.11b and 802.11g which are limited to very slow data transfer rates. The newer routers utilise the 802.11ac protocol which is much faster and has wider channel bandwidth, so you can connect more devices to it without losing connection speed. You will also see the labels on the newer routers showing codes like AC1200, AC1750, AC 3200, and so forth. This indicates the router’s theoretical maximum speed. The higher the number, the faster the speed. Of course, these are all dependent on cost. The more advanced and faster the router, the higher the costs.

Maximum Speed

During your WIFI shopping, you will most likely come across a three of four digit number on the side of the box. These will either be 300Mbps, 900Mbps, 1750Mbps or 1900Mbps. This is an indication of the speed in which your router sends and receives data. This means that under perfect conditions, this router will reach transfer speeds of the number indicated. Please be advised that these speeds are online internal speeds. This will have no effect on your internet connection. That is set by your internet service provider. What this will do is effect internal network speeds, so file transfer rates or video streaming speed etc.

Difference between 3G (Wireless Broadband) and ADSL

In South Africa, there are two primary ways to connect to the internet via routers. People marketing these products will either sell them as a 3G WIFI router or an ADSL router. In truth, WIFI routers can handle both of these signals perfectly well. The difference is how the routers handle these signals. A 3G WIFI router acts as the connection between the cellphone companies, who provides the 3G signal, and your device. The 3G internet connection is delivered to your home through a 3G USB modem. You plug this modem into the router and then your WIFI router connects your device to this modem wirelessly. Essentially your router becomes a simcard. You then access the data that the cellphone company has allowed you to use via your router.

ADSL, which stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, works over your normal copper wire telephone cables. These types of routers plug straight into the telephone cable and the WIFI router then sends this data wirelessly to your devices.

Top five WIFI routers in South Africa

You should now have a better idea on what you should look out for when finding yourself a great WIFI router for sale. To make your job easier, we have compiled a list of the top five wireless WIFI routers available in South Africa.

Trendnet Ac1900 Dual Band Wireless AC

This wireless Router is fast and very affordable when compared to other WIFI routers and the AC1900 is currently said to be one of the fastest Wi-Fi routers on the market, pre-encrypted for your security and fully compatible with other legacy wireless devices.

• Bands: 2.4+5 GHz Dualband
• Top Wi-Fi speed: 1300Mbps
• Wired Ports: 4 (excluding WAN)
• Antennas: 1 internal
• WIFI router price : R2,239.00

Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WIFI Router (R7000)

This very cool looking Nighthawk router is not just dressed to impress. It houses a powerful 1GHz dual-core processor making it possible to achieve speeds of up to 600Mbps at 2.4GHz and up to 1300Mbps at the 5GHz band.

It has great range and full VPN functionality. This means that you can mask your home’s IP address so it makes it very difficult to hack. Also you have full anonymity when browsing on the internet.

The only issue with these routers is that it has very low 2.4GHz band speeds for its price. If you are running older devices then this is not a good choice for the money you will be paying.

• Bands: 2.4+5 GHz Dualband
• Top Wi-Fi speed: 1300Mbps
• Wired Ports: 4 (excluding WAN)
• Antennas: 3 external
• WIFI router price : R3,870.09

Linksys WRT1900AC Wireless Router

These WIFI routers feature very powerful networking hardware, has amazing WIFI range and excellent data transfer rates. It allows for add-on storage with unsurpassed NAS performance. It has a funky retro design and allows users to swap out the device’s firmware on the fly.

It is however the most expensive and one of the biggest routers on the market, but for good reason. It’s the most powerful home based router on the market to date. The WRT is very easy to use, you can expect to get it up and running in less than 10 minutes after taking it out from the box. It has remote access and management and is also firmware flashable via OpenWRT.

Lastly, it has a very powerful CPU promoting simultaneous high speed connections. Its high speed data processing allows the device to handle multiple users. You can simultaneously run online games, stream movies, and transfer files without the device lagging whatsoever.

• Bands: 2.4+5 GHz Dualband
• Top Wi-Fi speed: 1300Mbps
• Wired Ports: 4 (excluding WAN)
• Antennas: 4 external (high performance)
• WIFI router price : R4,067.00

Asus RT-AC68U Dual-band Wireless-AC1900 Gigabit WIFI Router

The ASUS RT-AC68U has been said to be the world’s fastest WIFI router for sale and has the biggest range distance too. It has combined dual-band data and gives an amazing 1300 Mbps at 5 GHz. It utilizes Broadcom® TurboQAM™ technology at the 2.4 GHz band that pushes its performance up to 600Mbps.

This router is perfect for those who have range problems and own newer devices that utilise the 802.11ac band.

• Bands: 2.4+5 GHz Dualband
• Top Wi-Fi speed: 1300Mbps
• Wired Ports: 4 (excluding WAN)
• Antennas: 3 External
• WIFI router price : R2,878.80

Almond (Firmware Dec 2012)

The Almond by Securifi is the world’s first touch-enabled portable WIFI router. This is a small device that has full touchscreen functionality and everything from setup to password changes can be made with a few easy finger placements. It’s not by any measure a powerful router, it has only 300 Mbps dual-band speeds, but it is perfect for those who don’t need massive connection speeds, such as those who only need to send or receive emails and visit their social profiles.

If you need very light Internet with some decent performance, then this is the router for you.

• Bands: 2.4 only
• Top Wi-Fi speed: 300Mbps
• Wired Ports: 2
• Antennas: 1 internal
• WIFI router price : R1200

Find a cheap, WIFI router for sale on Junk Mail

Netgear 3G /UMTS Mobile Broadband wireless router

ZTE MF253 WIFI Router

Linksys WIFI Router

MGII Full HD 1080P Android 4.4

Once you have reviewed our list of WIFI routers, you can decide on a model that meets your needs. With a range of models on the market, it is easy to find one that fits your requirements. Looking for a WIFI router for sale in your area? Browse www.JunkMail.co.za to find a portable WIFI router that will meet all your needs. Selling your WIFI router? Place your free ad on Junk Mail today.