Choosing the right wireless modem gateway involves considering your budget and required features. The wireless standard, network functionality, and key features such as DHCP and firewall quality should also be taken into account. Upgradable antennas are important for improving range.
Choosing the best wireless modem gateway requires you to set a budget and then weigh it against the required features. Like any purchase, you’ll get more features the more you spend. It doesn’t make sense, however, to pay for something you don’t need, which is why you should only choose a wireless gateway modem that fits your specific needs.
The first and foremost consideration is the wireless standard. As of 2010, three primary wireless standards were in use: 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n. They provide a maximum wireless throughput of 11Mbps, 54Mbps and 300Mbps, respectively. They are typically sold in bundles, such as 802.11b/g, which supports both 802.11b and 802.11g standards, and 802.11b/g/n, which supports all three standards.
When deciding which type of wireless gateway modem to buy, you need to consider what standards your computers support and whether or not you plan to upgrade them in the near future. If your home or office computers only support 802.11b, there would be no point in purchasing an 802.11n gateway. However, if you plan to upgrade to 802.11g or 802.11n in the next few days, your best bet would be to choose an 802.11b/g/n gateway.
Another factor to consider is network functionality. Many devices are some form of wireless modem gateway, such as a cable or digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, network router, or voice over IP (VoIP) adapter. Each of them offers different features, however, based on their classification and overall quality. Suffice to say, some network gateways are better than others.
Key features to consider include whether or not your wireless modem gateway relies on Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), which automates connectivity; gateway switching and bridging capabilities for connecting multiple network segments; and the quality of the built-in firewall. DHCP is usually included, but it’s still a good idea to make sure the gateway you buy supports it. Otherwise, you will have to connect all computers on your network manually.
Other less important but still useful features to look out for when buying a wireless modem gateway include Power over Ethernet (PoE), automatic channel selection, and upgradeable antennas. PoE technology allows the gateway to draw power from its local area network (LAN) interface, which is useful in situations where the gateway is installed in a remote location. Automatic channel selection will be mandatory if you intend to install more than one wireless access point. The upgradeable antennas are the most important, as they allow you to upgrade the antennas in case you need to improve the range of your wireless modem gateway.
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