If you have several computers at home, have a printer, a scanner, and also have devices with a wireless WiFi interface (cell phones, TVs, PDAs), then you will certainly want to create a local network out of them and access the Internet from any of them. To get this opportunity, you will need to purchase a device called a router or router. Its purpose is to receive and transmit data according to certain rules.
Instructions
Step 1
Decide on the amount you are willing to spend on a router. On sale you can find routers from various manufacturers: D-Link, Asus, Zyxel, Netgear, Edimax, Compex, Linksys and others. The cost of routers, depending on their technical capabilities, ranges from $ 30 to $ 200. Depending on the brand awareness, the price of similar devices will differ markedly.
Step 2
Decide how many and what devices will be on your local network. Computers are connected to the router by cable or via Wi-Fi interface. Typically, routers have four ports for connecting network devices with a cable, a port for connecting a cable from an Internet provider. Due to the widespread use of Wi-Fi devices, it is impractical to buy a router without a Wi-Fi module. The price difference between routers with and without Wi-Fi is negligible.
Step 3
Decide what additional router features you need. In addition to the standard set of functions, which include combining devices into a network and distributing the Internet to them, routers may have additional capabilities:
- the presence of a USB port, which can have various purposes: connecting a printer to use it as a print server (this makes it possible to use the printer from any computer in the local network), connecting an external hard drive or other storage devices (this allows you to download data from the Internet, not turning on the computer), as well as connecting a USB modem (it can be useful as a backup Internet channel in case of problems with communication with your provider), - the presence of a connector for a telephone set and a VOIP-module for using Internet telephony, - the ability to work with the local resources of the provider (ftp server) while simultaneously accessing the Internet.
Step 4
Based on the information collected, select a specific device model.
Step 5
Consult your ISP for the compatibility of your chosen router with the network parameters.
