Computer Shopper - UK (2019-12)

56 DECEMBER 2019|COMPUTER SHOPPER|ISSUE 382

NETWORKS

BTComplete

Wi-Fi

★★★★★

£5 per month•www.bt.com

TP-LINKArcherC5400

★★★★★

£240•www.currys.co.uk

TP-LINK DecoM5

★★★★★

£160 (triple pack)•www.amzn.to/2L05qMi

D-LINKDIR-1960

★★★★★

£113•uk.insight.com

There are

better-featured

mesh systemsavailable,but the CompleteWi-Fi is

decently quick on both the 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands, and is well

worth itforBTP lus customers in particular.

Although this isn’t

the fastest £200-plus

router ,it’s still speedy,

and comes with an impressive arrayof

features, from parental controls and

filters to BT YouView support and smart home integration.

Provided you’re willing

to tinker withafew

settings, the Deco M5 is

the mostfeature-rich mesh Wi-Fi system around,

even if it’s not strictly thefastest. Get the triple

pack forthe best coverage throughout the house.

The DIR-1960 isasimple

yet speedy router that can

optionally be turned intoa

mesh system (provided you buy the additional

satellites,of course). Either way, you can also take

advantageof built-in Alexa and Google Assistant controls.

WI-FISTANDARD802.11ac•STATEDSPEED1,733Mbit/s(5GHz ),385Mbit/s(2.4GHz)•

USBPORTS (^1) • WALLMOUNTABLENo•WARRANTYUnderrent alcont ract•
PARTCO DEBTComple teWi-Fi•FULLREVIEWMar2019
MODEMGigabitEthernet•WI-FISTANDARD802.11ac•STATEDSPEED2x2,167Mbit/s(5GHz ),
2x1,000MBit/s (2.4GHz)•USBPORTS1xUSB2,1xUSB3•WALLMOUNTABLEYes•
WARRANTYOneyearRTB•PARTCO DEC5400•FULLREVIEWMay2018
MODEMGigabitEthernet•WI-FISTANDARD802.11ac•STATEDSPEED867Mbit/s(5GHz ),
400Mbit/s(2.4GHz)•USBPORTS (^0) • WALLMOUNTABLENo•WARRANTYThreeyearsRTB•
DETAILSwww.tp-link.com•PARTCO DE (^210380) • FULLREVIEWDec2017
MODEMGigabitEthernet•WI-FISTANDARD802.11ac•STATEDSPEED1,30 0Mbit/s(5GHz ),
600Mbit/s(2.4GHz)•USBPORTS1xUSB2•WALLMOUNTABLEYes•WARRANTYTwoyears
RTB•DETAILSwwww.d-link.com•PARTCO DEDIR-1960•FULLREVIEWNov2019
5qMi
around,
triple
he house

400

01

Wireless routers each useanumber

of Wi-Fi standards, so you shouldn’t

have any trouble connecting your computer

or phone wirelessly if you get an 802.11n or

802.11ac router.Nearly all routers support

802.11n, soeven acheap model should

provide decent performance.

Youcan expectatransfer speedof around

40Mbit/s atadistanceof 10m from any

modern 802.11n router.The very latest

routers use the 802.11ac standard, which

provides tremendouslyfast transfer

speeds. Some devices still don’t support

the 802.11ac standard, so check the

specifications before you buy.

02

If you subscribeto an ADSL

broadband service,you should buy

Choosinga... Wirelessrouter

awireless router that hasabuilt-in ADSL

modem. This will cost more than the

equivalent cable router,but it allows you

to connect your router directlyto your

broadband connection without havingto

use aseparatemodem.

03

Most 802.11n wireless routers use

the 2.4GHz frequency band. This has

good range but it can be proneto

interference if it’s positioned closeto alot

of other 2.4GHz devices, such as other

routers and babymonitors. If you have

trouble gettingaconsistent signal or you

want faster speedsforvideo streaming,for

example,it’s worth buyingadual-band

router that can use both the 2.4GHz and

5GHz bands.

Alternatively,ahigh-gain antenna can

boost signals and improve ranges and

throughputsto the entire house.You can

also addahigh-gain antennato aPC’s

network adaptor.Ifw ired network speeds

are apriority,you should lookforarouter

with aGigabit Ethernet connection.

04

Many routers come with built-in USB

ports that let you connectaUSB drive

and use the router asanetwork storage

device .Ify ou wantto share aUSB printer

over your network, lookforawireless router

that hasaUSB print server.

Finally,ify ou’re interested in making voice

calls over the internet, buyarouter with

built-inVoIP support (and phone sockets)

because this can save you money.

redredredred

ailabl but theClWi-Fi i

Like theYubiKey 4

before it, this USB stick

conveniently stores all the cryptographic

data you needto add two-factor authenticationto aPCor

laptop; and this time,there’s NFC, allowing youto use it with

mobile devices viaasingle tap.

USBTYPEType-A•OSSUPP ORTWind ows10,macOS, iOS11a ndla ter, Android•

WARRANTYOneyearRTB•DETAILSwww.yubico .com•PARTCODEYubiKey5NFC•

FULLREVIEWApr2019

NETGEAR OrbiOutdoorRBS50Y

★★★★★

£238•www.amzn.to/2MZg5YB

This weatherproofWi-Fi extender

is aperfect additionto mesh

systems that can’t quitecover a

garden. It has similar internal specficationsto the

brilliant Orbi RBK50, meaning high speeds and

reliable connections.

WI-FISTANDARD802.11ac•STATEDSPEED1x866Mbit/s(5GHz )1x1 ,733Mbi t/s(5GHz ),

1x400Mbit/s(2.4GHz)•USBPORTS (^0) • WALLMOUNTABLEYes•WARRANTYTwoyearsRTB•
DETAILSwww.netgear.co.uk•PARTCO DERBS50Y•FULLREVIEWJul2019
YUBICOYubiKey5NFC
★★★★★
£38•www.yubico.com

T

rentalco

ographic

NFC

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