How Much Do You Know about Your Wi-Fi?

The Basics of Home Networking

Your home’s Wi-Fi is no longer a luxury but necessary to almost all aspects of your day. This is especially true if you have a home outfitted with many smart technologies all needing to connect to your wireless internet. However, many homeowners have a limited understanding of the networking terms and equipment. Taking time to understand how home networking works is the first step to Wi-Fi success. Then, you need to find a trusted installation partner to ensure a robust and secure network in your Miami, FL home. Continue reading to learn about the basics of Wi-Fi.

See Also: What to Ask Yourself Before Rebuilding or Remodeling

What Does This Do?

We start our tour of home networking with a look at some of the equipment necessary for a robust connection. You probably already have many of these tools in your home already, but do you understand their purpose and how they work? 

• Router: A wireless router, also known as an access point, connects to the network cable and converts it into a radio signal. That signal is picked up by network cards in your wireless devices in order to connect to the Wi-Fi. Not all routers are created equal. Smart home owners should look for dual-band routers. Also, routers need to be upgraded every so often on both the software and hardware level. Work with a professional network installer like Audio-One to find the right version for you.
• Antenna: The antenna is what transmits the radio signal coming from the router. Some routers will have an internal antenna while others will be external. Some antennas transmit in one direction while others transmit all around. Whether you have an internal or external antenna, you may need to replace (external) or supplement with an external add-on (internal) your antenna to get the best results.
• Mesh Network: If you have a large home or are experiencing any dead zones, a mesh network might work best for you. These are a collection of access points that extend your signal throughout your home. That way you can stream music on your whole home audio system anywhere with no interruption!

What Does This Mean?

How much of the terminology surrounding your home networking system do you understand? In order to have a conversation about your Wi-Fi, it can help to understand the following key terms.

• WEP, WPA, WPA2: Each one of these represents a type of encryption. You may have seen each of these as options when providing your password on your smartphone or tablet. Each scrambles your signal making it difficult for anyone to access your network who doesn’t have the password. Make sure that your router has some type of encryption. When it comes to selecting the right one, that can depend on several factors. Work with your professional network installer to find the right one.
• 802.11a/802.11b/802.11g: These numbers represent three of the most popular standards of Wi-Fi compliance that help your router communicate to your devices. Using each has its positives and negatives. For instance, 802.11g can reach the fastest speed, but has more potential for interference.

Wi-Fi is something that many homeowners set up quickly and forget about. However, it can drastically impact the quality of your home life and the performance of your smart home automation. Find an award-winning installer, like Audio One, to make your network more robust and secure. Contact us today.