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You Should Budget for Periodic Wi-Fi Router Upgrades

March 21, 2023

Wireless access is a must these days. Every time you turn around, something needs to be connected to a network. Have a video doorbell? You need a Wi-Fi network. Want to install smart light bulbs? You need a Wi-Fi network. Have a smart thermostat? You need a Wi-Fi network. Have a smart TV? You may or may not need a Wi-Fi network. You get the idea. So much of our technology needs a network to operate. Many of us are still using the wireless routers that were provided by our internet service providers. Should we be upgrading those routers on a periodic basis? The short answer is yes!

How-To Geek has a post that walks you through the history and rationale for staying current with your wireless router. One of the main reasons to upgrade is security. Vendors only support the hardware with updates for a fixed period of time. Your old Wi-Fi router may no longer be getting updates and be vulnerable to attacks. Another reason is to take advantage of the latest wireless standards with increased speeds and capacity. Your current Wi-Fi router may not be able to handle the increasing number of wirelessly connected devices.

If you are not there now, you should be investigate installing a Wi-Fi 6 or 6E router. As the post states, a Wi-Fi 5 device is around 10 years old already. Bottom line…you should budget for a Wi-Fi router upgrade every 3-5 years.

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