When you sign up with an Internet Service Provider you receive a free wireless router that is more than enough to suit all the basic needs you have. But if you realise that you need a separate wireless router of your own with additional features such as different parental controls, file sharing and printer sharing, there are many factors to take into consideration.
Most ISPs allow you to use your own router instead of the free one provided to you, but they don’t recommend it because it will make it more difficult for them to provide support if you encounter a fault.
The main advantage of sticking with the free router is that it is convenient. Your ISP will troubleshoot it for you and you won’t have to deal with any problems that can occur if the devices fail to communicate properly. But if you do decide to buy a third-party router, you’ll have to configure it on your own to work with your broadband connection and there are cases where you’ll still need to use your provider’s supplied router as a modem.
So, is a third-party router worth it? Let’s find out!
What advantages do they bring?
A shop bought wireless router can provide an improved range. While the free router from your ISP does its job adequately, you can buy routers with substantially more range. However, these are not cheap.
If you have IT knowledge or are into Tech, you may want to do certain things with your network. Using your own router will facilitate this, as the router from your ISP is configured automatically and you can’t mess with the configuration.
Although there are parental controls available on your ISP’s router, if you want alternative parental controls, then buying your own router may be a better option for you.
In addition, shop bought routers allow you to distribute bandwidth among different apps or devices such as giving priority to Netflix for streaming. This feature is called Quality of Service (QoS) and is more of a technical feature. So before actually using it, you will need to first learn how to use and configure it.
If you are concerned about your ISP-supplied router’s security features then by getting your own you’ll be able to download security updates quicker, install advanced firewalls and more.
What are the downsides to using a third-party router?
We’ve already established that there’s a bit of set-up to do and you need some IT knowledge if you’re going to use your own router rather than the one you receive from your broadband provider. Another disadvantage of buying your own router is the cost. And the cost depends on how much you want (and really need) the extra features.
Another important factor to consider is complexity. If you don’t know your way around the nitty-gritty of network configurations, a third-party router may be quite a hassle for you. Not to mention the fact that your ISP can’t do much if you encounter a fault.
The decision is ultimately up to you
Buying your own router has its own pros and cons, but the decision is all yours. Your own personal needs are the ones that will make the difference. At Everyday Communications, all our customers will receive 5G-enabled broadband routers providing greater speeds in alignment with physical Ethernet cables as the technology derives from the new WIFI 6 standard. Our support team pre-configures and tests all routers supplied by Everyday Communications.
Providing support for third-party routers can bring challenges, but we go the extra mile for our customers, providing support even in situations beyond our remit. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to resolve all issues that may arise from the use of third-party routers. If you would like to know more about our services, get in touch with our friendly team!
