Wait till you see what your old router can do.
I know it’s common to always look at the newest technology with fond longing, or at least it is for me, but a home router can be just as powerful with the right settings. Even an older router can be used for many other tasks, and you might not know that some of these are possible, especially if you haven’t given it a second thought since the ISP set up your connection. And if you’re looking for a new Wi-Fi router, these powerful features are some of the things you should be keeping an eye out for, as they make your home network more versatile. 5
Connect with others for whole-home Wi-Fi
Many consumer routers can make mesh networks now
Many Wi-Fi routers nowadays come with firmware that are able to extend your Wi-Fi coverage by creating a mesh network with your existing hardware. Asus is one good example, whose AiMesh functionality was one of the first mesh networks aimed at the consumer market, after the enterprise had used the technology for a few years. It’s worth noting that AiMesh won’t automatically use Ethernet as the backhaul, even if physically connected that way, but there’s a setting in the firmware for Ethernet Backhaul Mode that will tell the device to use the wired connectivity instead of using up one of the Wi-Fi bands for the backhaul.
TP-Link also has mesh functionality in many of its Wi-Fi routers, with EasyMesh and OneMesh being common in the all-in-one units, and Deco Mesh in its mesh-focused devices. OneMesh links TP-Link routers, range extenders, and powerline adapters into a mesh system that works with your unique hardware requirements, while EasyMesh is an industry standard that a few manufacturers implemented and will work with any other EasyMesh system. Deco is proprietary, but if you already have some Deco nodes, it’s the only way to go. Or you could add Omada APs and set them up to do the wireless mesh instead of your router, if you prefer to go prosumer. 4
Control your smart home
Ditch the dongles and connect many smart home devices with inbuilt hubs
One of the new trends is Wi-Fi routers with inbuilt smart home hub functionality, whether that’s Thread, Zigbee, or Z-wave.
