Last Updated on March 6, 2024 by Nasir Hanif
According to one report, 65 percent of Americans have internet that’s fast enough for video calls.
If you don’t belong to this group, you may be interested in buying some network hardware so that you can improve things. Yet, if you don’t know much about networking, you might not know what to buy.
Keep reading, and you’ll learn about the best kinds of network hardware you should think about buying. Whether you want to improve your video calls or just your average browsing experience, the tips mentioned here should help.
Let’s begin!
Table of Contents
How Fast Is Your Connection?
Before you think about buying network hardware, you should first consider how fast your internet connection is.
After all, you can buy the best network hardware in the world, but it will count for very little if your actual internet connection is very slow.
You can measure the speed of your internet connection by using a speed testing website. If it’s less than 5MBs, you may want to think about upgrading your internet connection before you do anything else.
A Mesh System Can Ensure A Steady WiFi Signal
If your WiFi signal is very temperamental, you may want to invest in a ‘WiFi mesh system.’
A mesh system is essentially a collection of ‘nodes’ that you place throughout your property. These nodes will then spread the WiFi signal evenly across the area.
Throughout your home, devices will automatically connect to the nearest node. This then ensures that each device has a strong and stable connection.
Now, it’s worth noting that a mesh system can initially deliver spotty results. That’s because the success of a mesh system depends on the placement of the nodes, and this requires a bit of trial and error.
But, once you get over this initial issue, this network equipment should provide a strong and steady connection pretty much all the time.
A Network Switch Is Good For Wired Devices
If your network has a lot of ‘wired LAN’ connections, it might be a good idea to invest in some network switches.
A network switch acts as a hub for all your LAN connections. Having a hub like this makes it a lot easier for you to manage your connections, and it also allows to you add more devices to your network.
When investing in a network switch, you can choose an ‘unmanaged’ or a ‘managed’ switch. For most people, an unmanaged switch is the best option, since it doesn’t require a lot of technical expertise to set up.
If you’d like to dive deeper into the managed vs. unmanaged switches debate, you should check out this post.
Time To Buy Some Network Hardware?
This post has covered a few pieces of network hardware that can improve the performance of your network.
It’s worth noting that network hardware can often be quite expensive. Because of this, you may want to consider buying second-hand items.
If you want to find second-hand equipment, you should check out eBay. Alternatively, you might want to see if your local IT store sells refurbished equipment.
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