Thanks to a device such as a wireless router you can create an Internet or computer network without any form of cabling. Most routers in the wireless category have LAN ports and a WAN port for the connection to a wide area network. This port helps the user filter all the routing functions. The wireless router sends signals that are decoded by the other wireless devices connected to the network. This means that the wireless router depends on radio waves for functioning.
It is a lot more convenient to connect devices without cables, not to mention that wireless technology tends to become cheaper too. The local traffic can be directed on the network using the wireless router alone, but for Internet access, a modem is required as well. The modem is usually pre-configured by the cable or DSL (digital subscriber line) Internet service provider. Your network will thus get connected to the world wide web through the wireless router.
One other type of Internet connection is possible if the wireless router also incorporates a modem. The connection of the appliances thus gets simpler when there are not so many devices to connect. The wireless router with built-in modem should support any type of Internet connection, cable or DSL. There may be just one type of Internet access available with some devices, consequently, you should check to make sure that there is a clear match.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) regulates the broadcasting standards necessary for the functioning of any wireless router. You’ll find them expressed as the 802.11 standards. There is always a letter such as b, a, g, n and several others that follows this designation, and this letter stands for the protocol. The protocols differ depending on the signal strength and speed, thus, the stronger the signal, the better your network will function. With a quality wireless router, you won’t get performance drops or data errors when you move your laptop away from the router.
The best standards you should look for are 802.11g and 802.11n that operate at very high speeds. Also keep in mind that this protocol of the wireless router needs a match with that of every external portable wifi device or internal wireless card in the network computers.