Your Guide to Common Home Network Installation Terms
Learn the Difference Between Routers, Repeaters, and Access Points
Home networks have come a long way in the past decade. According to a Deloitte survey, the average household has 22 connected devices. With so many devices to support, the old-school router from years past probably isn’t working as well as it should.
How can you tell if it’s time to upgrade your home network?
- Wi-Fi speeds slow down, and things take more time to load.
- The Wi-Fi connection drops frequently.
- Your router is hot to the touch.
- You have plans to add more connected devices to your network.
If any of these items are things you’ve experienced, then it’s time to consider an upgrade to your existing home network. An upgrade can significantly affect how much you enjoy using connected devices in your Charlotte, NC home.
Continue reading to learn some standard home network terms and how the team at The Integrated Home could assist in your next home network installation or upgrade.
SEE ALSO: 5 Tips to Protect Your Home Network from Cybersecurity Threats
Wireless Router
A wireless router is the hub of your home network. A modem delivers internet to your home and can be part of your router (a gateway), or the router can be a stand-alone unit. Once the modem supplies the internet signal, the router becomes the central access point for wireless devices, such as your laptop, smart TV, or tablet, to gain access to the internet.
To extend the Wi-Fi signal range from your router, you’ll need to install a wireless access point.
Wireless Access Point
A wireless access point (WAP) transmits the internet signal between connected devices and the router. It effectively extends the reach of your router. You can connect multiple access points throughout your home to create a mesh network that offers consistent Wi-Fi signal strength and reach on your property. You can connect a wireless access point to your router in two ways: wirelessly or hardwired back to your router. A hardwired WAP is much more reliable than a wireless WAP.
Wi-Fi Repeater
A Wi-Fi repeater is a unique wireless access point that can transmit a radio signal from the router to a connected device. A repeater differs from other wireless access points in that it cannot create a network signal but instead repeats the signal sent from the router. However, in doing this, the throughput (or signal strength) is halved. Repeaters are often used in homes to deliver a stronger Wi-Fi signal to specific devices. But in order to have a robust home network, it’s better to use hardwired WAPs to create a mesh network.
Network Design
A homeowner must be strategic when designing a home network layout because incorrectly planning the layout could cause continuous connection issues. You want to have a reliable and secure connection for your devices. If you need assistance planning a home network installation or upgrade in your Charlotte, NC home, please get in touch with our network experts at The Integrated Home.
