A Fast and Reliable Home Network Is Easier Than Ever
Setting up a great home network is no longer the hassle it once was. Making it seamless requires the right equipment to access the internet, share over social media and stream content on your favourite devices. No complicated setups or messy cables to worry about.
Gear to Keep You Plugged In
If networking comes off a little complex, it really doesn’t have to be. Best Buy carries a wide selection of routers, extenders, hubs and adapters from brands like D-Link, Linksys, Netgear, ASUS and AmpliFi. These all work with your internet service provider and help distribute the connection so you always have access.
Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi
When you need to cast a wider net to capture more of the internet in your home, Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi can come to the rescue. These systems utilize more than one router to communicate together and create a mesh that blankets a wider area. That eliminates the dead or weak zones you may have been frustrated with when trying to stay connected.
Using the same hardware and software, the connectivity is seamless, and your devices will always connect to whichever node is closest to it, removing any congestion going back to the main router. Visual LEDs or indicators give you a clear sign of how well the system is working, or whether there’s a problem you need to deal with.
Being the administrator isn’t hard when apps are able to help you manage everything. Know how well your mesh Wi-Fi system is functioning, and use the various controls, including for parents, to decide who can have access and when.
Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi systems offer the latest wireless technologies standalone routers do.
Routers
A wireless, or Wi-Fi, router creates the network within your home or office that your devices connect to so they can access the internet. These come in a variety of models, and vary in both performance and functionality. What they have in common is that they use Wireless-AC, the latest wireless protocol available to get the most robust signal and widest bandwidth throughput.
Some Wi-Fi routers may be dual-band or tri-band. Dual-band routers use both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies to support connected devices. Tri-band routers may split the 5GHz frequency in two to prioritize certain devices over others. When you have reliable Wi-Fi, you can enjoy streaming content with no buffering, while also wirelessly printing from anywhere in your home or office and accessing media servers and multimedia players.
A wired router allows you to plug your devices directly into a unit for a fast, solid connection to your network. Most routers offer at least one Ethernet port for wired connections, whereas others have several Ethernet ports, so you’ve got plenty of room for a variety of devices, like a game console, computer, laptop, TV and more. And just like a wireless model, a wired router offers advanced security features so you can feel totally safe downloading files and sharing information over your network.
Range Extenders and Powerline Adapters
Sometimes, a router just doesn’t reach far enough, and that’s where a range extender can strengthen signals and bring life to dead zones. These are standalone units that you can set up in optimal locations between your router and the weak or dead zones to boost the signal. These differ from Whole Home Wi-Fi Mesh systems in that they don’t create a mesh with the router — they only boost an existing signal, which usually requires a separate SSID and password upon setup.
Powerline adapters take advantage of a home’s electrical grid to pass through the internet connection. Plug one end into a wall outlet near the router and connect them with an Ethernet cable. Plug the other adapter into the wall wherever you want to connect a device, like a game console or streaming box, and link them with another Ethernet cable. Rather than a Wi-Fi connection, the devices will pull in bandwidth as if they were plugged into the router.
Modems and Switches
The modem is the device that brings in the internet connection from your provider. Often times, your provider gives you a modem to use, be it as a rental or purchase, but if you’re looking for another option, Best Buy has something for you.
When your router is really limited in how many Ethernet LAN ports are available to plug devices in, switches are your best bet. Switches are basically small units with additional Ethernet ports that you can leverage from the router. Just plug the switch into the router’s available LAN port and that’s it.
Wireless USB Adapters
Mobile internet sticks are designed for use with your laptop, letting you access your online world from wherever you roam. These handy and innovative devices plug directly into a USB port on your laptop to give you access to broadband connectivity through a service provider. Most are so easy to use, you simply plug it in and you’re good to surf, stream and share as you please on a solid, high speed connection that moves around with you.