A router is the heart of a local network. Each network needs one router, and preferably no more than one.
At a minimum, a router includes a WAN port to connect to an Internet source and a few LAN ports for connecting local wired devices. Technically, a router is a layer 3 network switch.
Nowadays, the term “router” is often used to refer to a “Wi-Fi router” — one that has a built-in Wi-Fi access point. Consequently, we use “non-Wi-Fi” to refer to a standard router that lacks built-in Wi-Fi capability.
Looking to access your home computer remotely without using a third-party service? You’re reading the right post. I’ll explain here in simple terms how to handle port numbers and port forwarding when configuring a router. When you’re through, you’ll have an idea about how to open a port to gain …
Dynamic DNS, or DDNS for short, is one of the most powerful features available in Wi-Fi routers. Though not router-exclusive, when coupled with port forwarding, DDNS is the basis for hosting many services within your home network. Examples of these services are VPN servers or remote desktop connections. At the …
“Is it time to replace my Wi-Fi router?” I receive questions like that regularly, especially from those who still use Wi-Fi 5. Since the introduction of Wi-Fi 7, folks have been worried about Wi-Fi router replacement, sometimes for the wrong reasons. They think that their router is “dated,” “out of …
The TL-WR3002X is TP-Link’s worthy upgrade to the previous TL-WR1502X that came out less than half a year ago. The new travel router shares the same design but has practically double the hardware specs. Here’s the bottom line: While not perfect, the TP-Link TL-WR3002X is an excellent router for connecting multiple …
Among popular networking vendors, Ubiquiti has a unique approach, UniFi, that suits users across all demographics, from novices to enterprises. If you’ve never heard of Ubiquiti before, you didn’t miss much. Coinciding with the official availability of Wi-Fi 7, UniFi has only recently (since early 2025) become exceptionally relevant to …
If you find NETGEAR’s Nighthawk RS200‘s $200 price tag a bit too high, the Nighthawk RS100 is a worthy alternative that costs $50 less. As the name suggests, this is the entry-level router. However, for those happy with dual-band Wi-Fi 7 who have modest bandwdith needs, it might be the …
Of Ubiquiti’s newly released gateway trio, the UniFi Express 7 (UX7) is the most modest. It’s the closest thing to a standard Wi-Fi router in Ubiquiti’s UniFi ecosystem of multiple hardware applications. However, that does not necessarily mean it’s “bad”. The UX7 is still much more advanced than most third-party …
