Accessibility to the internet is necessary for every household and business, meaning everyone needs to have a wired or wireless router setup. Wired is the more traditional choice and is still a go-to choice for many homes and offices. In fact, BlueGadgetTooth put together a list of the best wired routers that you can get to meet your individual needs. But wireless routers are also coming more onto the scene, making it hard to know which the best choice is.
How Wired Routers Work
Wired routers use LAN Ethernet ports to connect to a modem and access the ISP, running a cable between a computer to the router then the router to the DSL or Ethernet port. Even though the line is connected to one central computer, the router easily allows sharing of the connection to any device that is connected to the network.
How Wireless Routers Work
Wireless routers utilize a Wi-Fi connection to communicate between the ISP to the router, then the wireless frequency to connect to any wireless devices that log onto it. This allows multiple users to access the network easily using a password, much like the wired connection.
Wired vs Wireless Performance
When you are looking at the performance between a wired and wireless router, wired routers provide the best performance possible. Most wired connections offer 10/100/1000 Mbps bandwidth, where a wireless router offers a theoretical bandwidth of much less. Wired routers have a consistent connection as well since they are literally plugged into the router, whereas wireless connections are distance sensitive, meaning the connection will degrade the further you get from the access point.
Security
In theory, the wired router is safer than the wireless router since wireless communication can be intercepted as it travels. Realistically, however, the wireless transmissions do not travel very far and are just about as secure as a wired connection. The security of your network has more to do with your firewall than it has to do with the router type. For the best security, you should make sure that your firewall has been properly configured and its users know how to be safe online.
Installation
To compare the wired to wireless routers, thinking about how they are setup and installed could be a factor in deciding the right choice for you. Wired routers use Ethernet cables to run connections from the computer to the router. This can mean a lot of cables running in between rooms. For wireless routers, you will need a wireless network card (WLAN) with an access point centrally located so all of your devices can connect to the wireless connection easily without interference.
Uses
When it comes down to it, whether you need a wired or wireless router depends on what you are doing with it. If you just have a simple home connection, a wireless router can work well for you. If you are running a business where you need a reliable connection, wired routers are a must. It all depends on the speed and connection that you need.