Computer Help and Support

AndyS

(14,559 posts) Tue Oct 11, 2022, 07:19 PM Oct 2022

I need a crash course in wifi routers.

I'm changing Internet providers to pick up more speed and less $$. The new service requires me to rent a wifi router if I want to use wifi. $15 a month. I see routers listed on Amazon from $30 up so I'm thinking buy one instead of renting.

My house is 1100 sq feet and two story (600 sq feet per floor, live on top floor), I stream using ethernet on the Smart TV and my desktop; the rest is a cell phone, a tablet I use as a cookbook and a laptop I use for email and light browsing as I drift off to sleep. The longest distance from the router would be 50' max. I live alone and max number of devices on wifi would be 3 with one active.

Advice on selecting a wifi router?

11 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

I need a crash course in wifi routers. (Original Post) AndyS Oct 2022 OP

I bought a Netgear router pwb Oct 2022 #1

Buy the router, good idea. OAITW r.2.0 Oct 2022 #2

A single router should be enough James48 Oct 2022 #3

Typically if it's a $15/month rental it's not just for the router Hugh_Lebowski Oct 2022 #4

I'm currently operating on 15 mbps and upgrading to AndyS Oct 2022 #6

There you go! Or if they're giving you the modem (certainly possible) just take that Hugh_Lebowski Oct 2022 #8

Eero at Amazon. I bought my own instead of renting. sprinkleeninow Oct 2022 #5

Cable modem? DSL modem? CloudWatcher Oct 2022 #7

DSL to the home. nt AndyS Oct 2022 #10

Unless you have a lot of wood or metal which would block, get the single dual band router. Lithos Oct 2022 #9

I'm terrified of changing my router setup bucolic_frolic Oct 2022 #11

pwb

(12,197 posts)

1. I bought a Netgear router

Reply to AndyS (Original post)

Tue Oct 11, 2022, 07:26 PM

Oct 2022

at Target. It works great upstairs and down.

OAITW r.2.0

(28,228 posts)

2. Buy the router, good idea.

Reply to AndyS (Original post)

Tue Oct 11, 2022, 07:29 PM

Oct 2022

Upgrade as you need.

James48

(4,592 posts)

3. A single router should be enough

Reply to AndyS (Original post)

Tue Oct 11, 2022, 07:29 PM

Oct 2022

For that space. Get a dual-band router, you will be fine.

Hugh_Lebowski

(33,643 posts)

4. Typically if it's a $15/month rental it's not just for the router

Reply to AndyS (Original post)

Tue Oct 11, 2022, 07:30 PM

Oct 2022

It's for an internet modem/wifi router combo.

So if you want nothing on rental, you'll have to buy both pieces.

That's what I did with my cable internet, and I'm very happy with the setup. Bought the modem on Craigslist for $15 and a friend gave me his mesh wi-fi setup when he upgraded, for free. Worked out awesome and it's WAY better than using the crap modem/router that Cox Cable wanted to charge me 10-something a month for.

You can almost surely buy the cheapest options available given what you describe as your use case. Guessing you're not getting like gigabit service, correct?

AndyS

(14,559 posts)

6. I'm currently operating on 15 mbps and upgrading to

Reply to Hugh_Lebowski (Reply #4)

Tue Oct 11, 2022, 08:03 PM

Oct 2022

100 mbps. I don't need that speed but it's the least available. My current bill is $83/month and the new bill will be the same with the rental. I'll talk to the installer about exactly what I'm renting and see if I need to buy a modem as well.

Hugh_Lebowski

(33,643 posts)

8. There you go! Or if they're giving you the modem (certainly possible) just take that

Reply to AndyS (Reply #6)

Tue Oct 11, 2022, 09:02 PM

Oct 2022

and get the wi-fi router of your own as you planned, obvs. With 100mb/s and a small place and just a handful of connections, you can pretty well get the cheapest wifi router no problem, it will not be a limiting factor.

sprinkleeninow

(20,540 posts)

5. Eero at Amazon. I bought my own instead of renting.

Reply to AndyS (Original post)

Tue Oct 11, 2022, 07:30 PM

Oct 2022

CloudWatcher

(1,922 posts)

7. Cable modem? DSL modem?

Reply to AndyS (Original post)

Tue Oct 11, 2022, 08:19 PM

Oct 2022

Note a WiFi router is often just Ethernet-to-and-from-WiFi. I'm guessing you're looking for a cable-modem + WiFi or a DSL modem + WiFi. In which case you need to be careful your new box is compatible with your ISP.

AndyS

(14,559 posts)

10. DSL to the home. nt

Reply to CloudWatcher (Reply #7)

Tue Oct 11, 2022, 09:06 PM

Oct 2022

Lithos

(26,449 posts)

9. Unless you have a lot of wood or metal which would block, get the single dual band router.

Reply to AndyS (Original post)

Tue Oct 11, 2022, 09:03 PM

Oct 2022

Metal as in water heater or air conditioner, wood as in a heavy beam. Change the password and keep it updated.

bucolic_frolic

(46,731 posts)

11. I'm terrified of changing my router setup

Reply to AndyS (Original post)

Sun Oct 16, 2022, 04:08 PM

Oct 2022

I tried to configure the printer on the router, epic fail. That was about 2 years ago.

I want to go with cable router, but I think the liability is $500 or something like that. I have Verizon ISP. It's barely adequate. But cable would be 20x faster, and no more landline required.

Also with the cable, you have to setup your own router or network. Can I use the router I have?

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