Having a wireless router for your home means you are able to get impressive internet access to all your devices while sitting at home. It hardly takes time to set up a router and you can get a quick connection. A wireless router serves you in multiple ways. It allows you to get easy connectivity with different devices like your TV or different other devices in your home or in your offices. Routers are now available all over the marketplace. However, picking one is always a big task. You need to know how long does wireless router last. So before you pick any router and randomly use it, you must know when you need to change it.
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Factors Affecting the Lifespan of a Wireless Router
1. Update of Technology
Technology is evolving every day. It is allowing new updates that make our lives easier. However, it may be another reason why people are being forced to purchase new devices randomly. Since new technology is getting launched, the old model of routers will always become obsolete. This is the main reason why most people do get confused about choosing an old router. Most of them have automatic updates turned on which will eventually allow the router to stop working once it updates the OS platforms.
2. Hardware Issues
Another common factor on why the router is not working is mainly because of the problems that you have with the hardware of the product. The main component of the router is the wifi module and the bandwidth distribution. There are not many components that do move around. Still, the router may be facing a lot of issues because of the movement inside There could be some wear and tear which is causing such major problems within the router. You need to take care of these technical aspects as well.
3. Router Brand
The brand of the router plays a big factor when it comes to the use of this device. Purchasing routers just from any local brand won’t really be of much help. In fact, purchasing from a local router brand means that you will not be able to get a complete warranty and support from the manufacturer. Even if you face any technical glitch with this device, you won’t be able to find a repair store or a service center. Try to avoid local brands and go for reputable devices that are built to last longer.
4. Location for Installation
Another main reason why you are not finding good signal strength is mainly because of the location of the router. The location plays a big role when it comes to finding out good signal strength. If the router is placed in a particular location where the signal strength becomes a bit weak! This will directly affect the signal strength and also decrease the speed. To be specific, you need to know about the bandwidth it offers and also the coverage space of the router.
What Are The Signs you Need a New Router?
1. Loss of Power
Sometimes, you may face a situation when you find the router is not able to generate maximum power. It keeps fluctuating the power and may turn on and off without having stability. If you face such situations, you can assume that the device is no longer in a good condition. This will affect the overall status of the router and you won’t be able to use this router well enough. Loss of power surely indicates that the device is not running properly.
2. Connectivity Problems
Connectivity problems may be because of several issues. But when you face such problems, you can expect that the routers are not working fine at all. Sometimes, it may be because of poor configuration problems and sometimes, it may be just because of the configuration issues. However, if the configuration is decent and you are still facing this problem, you can always assume that the router is not running properly. It is important to choose a router that has easy configuration issues.
3. Reboots
Another reason why you may be facing these problems is just because of the reboots. Sometimes, the firewall seeks for updates to allow the router to configure easily and to eliminate threats. Whenever such updates take place in the router, it becomes difficult to get a stable connection. You can assume that the router is going through serious problems and may not be competent enough to deal with such situations. You may have to replace the router.
Way to Increase Lifespan of Router
If you wish to keep the wireless router running for a long, it is time that you must consider opting for a router that has better durability. Even if you purchase one, it should do well for 3-4 years. If you want the router to serve well, decent maintenance is always the key to gaining great results. You must always look to get a proper result that will help you to easily get a fast response. It is important to follow these tips to know about ways to increase the lifespan of the router.
1. Overworking the Router
One of the most common reasons why the router stops working is mainly because of the overuse of this. When you use the router for 15-20 hours a day, it will always take out the load. Also, the number of connections available for the router plays a big role in slowing this down. To keep it working well, you need to make sure that a single router is not taking the entire load. You can split the use of these routers to make sure that it goes well.
2. Turn it off
When we use a router for home or for office work, we do keep it turned on. Keeping it off and then connecting with the devices always takes up time. To avoid this time taking procedure, most of us do not wish to turn off the router. Here is the big mistake that most people do commit. They do not spend so much time when it comes to using the router. To keep the router healthy, it is important that you keep it turned off for some time. Giving a rest to the router will not overheat the router.
3. Installing location
Another important thing that you need to look forward to is the installation of the product and the location that you need to keep in touch with. Make sure that the installation location is decent and that it is closer to the connected devices. If the wifi has to cover a long-range, you will start losing more bandwidth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Will a new router make the Internet faster?
Ans: To be fair, a router has got nothing to do with the internet speed that you are obtaining. If you have high-speed internet connectivity, it should allow the router to work faster. This will completely depend on the internet speed from the provider and also the number of present connections that you have.
Q2. How do I test my router speed?
Ans: There are multiple online platforms that you can use to know the internet speed. The best way possible is to open up the router application. If you have purchased the router from a reliable brand, it should show you the current router speed and also the internet speed that you are using.
Q3. Is 300 Mbps fast?
Ans: This will completely depend on what your requirements are and what you are doing. For example, if you are watching an HD movie on your PC or your TV set, yes the speed is quite friendly for you. If you are connecting the router to a hub to play with multiple devices, you may face some latency issues.
Q4. What blocks WiFi signals?
Ans: If you are experiencing signal issues, this may not be because of the lack of internet service. Sometimes, the construction of your home may also not be able to support you to get the best wireless signal. The radiant signal may not be able to transfer through the concrete walls. You need to check this factor out.
Q5. Why is my router suddenly so slow?
Ans: This could be due to the upgrade in the firewall. If you have automatic updates turned on for the router, you need to make sure that it is compatible with the ISP or the devices that you are using. There could be a lot of reasons why you are facing such issues.