9 Reasons Why You Should Replace Your ISP’s Router
When you sign up with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), they usually send you a modem and router. At first, it’s convenient that you don’t have to buy your own, but there are downsides to sticking with your ISP’s hardware.
So why should you get your own router and what are the benefits?
Buying a router can be cheaper in the long run
When you sign up for service from an ISP, they often provide you with a set of devices to get you online immediately. Sometimes the router is part of that package and there’s not much you can do about it.
However, sometimes the ISP will ask you if you want to rent their approved router. This rental becomes an additional cost on your monthly bill.
If you already have a router, you don’t need to rent an ISP model. While the initial cost of buying your own router is higher, the long-term cost of paying for an ISP router versus your own router will save you money in the long run.
Your ISP’s router may have a weak Wi-Fi signal
Don’t get us wrong; some ISPs produce powerful routers with a Wi-Fi signal that covers the entire household. However, some have weak Wi-Fi strength or download speeds that make using the Internet a difficult task.
Your best bet is to check your ISP’s router specifications and compare them to the speed of your internet plan. If the router can’t move that much data, you’ll benefit from a better device.
You can also use Wi-Fi signal measurement tools to check signal strength. If you have a weak signal and moving your router doesn’t fix it, you should try to get a more powerful router.
Some routers are also made to provide better Wi-Fi in difficult places. The Amplifi HD system, for example, uses high-density mesh points throughout the home to eliminate dead spots.
If you live in a house with lots of walls that stop the signal, something like this can provide a speed boost. Features like tri-band Wi-Fi can also maintain speeds when you’re using multiple devices.
You can opt for routers with better parental controls
Store-bought routers have great parental control options. While parental apps on a computer work, parental controls on a router are more effective and harder to crack. While some ISP routers support parental controls, you probably won’t get as many options as you would if you bought your own.
Netgear routers, for example, come with a free app that lets you adjust control settings right from your phone. You can also set specific times when some sites are blocked but others are allowed.
Most routers can create guest networks. With just one click, give guests access to Wi-Fi with their own password without revealing your private network’s password. This feature is useful to prevent people from getting into your network where all your files and devices are stored.
If you’re worried about hackers, you can also turn off the guest network when it’s not in use. Guest networks do not allow users to see what else is connected to the network, access other devices, and sometimes prevent guests from seeing each other.
Guest networks provide a lot of convenience and added security, but not all ISP routers support them. So if you’re considering an ISP router vs. store-bought routers, it is best to use the latter.
Routers purchased from a store have better bandwidth priority
Quality of Service (QoS) allows you to select applications or devices that receive priority bandwidth. For example, you can use these settings to ensure that Netflix gets priority for streaming on your Roku.
Some routers also give you more advanced options related to QoS, so you can customize how it handles different types of traffic. If you use several devices at the same time, you can make sure that your router makes the right decisions about data transfer.
You’ll probably need to do some research to figure out how best to configure QoS, but if you do it right, you can greatly improve the quality of your Wi-Fi.
Third party firmware works better
You probably don’t think much about router firmware. However, if you want to get the best performance out of your router, you can upgrade or even change the firmware. Installing DD-WRT, for example, can open up more options than your stock firmware.
Freedom in router settings allows you to fine-tune its performance. There are many ways to increase the speed of your router and checking its firmware will help you get the best out of your device.
You cannot choose the firmware on an ISP router. Even upgrading your router to the latest firmware is difficult when your ISP is slow with updates.
Routers purchased from a store are more secure and stable
When you buy a router directly from the manufacturer, it is controlled by the firmware and has no specific connection to a specific ISP. This means the company can keep your router secure through updates, and it should work with any ISP you choose.
This is not always the case for an ISP router. First, the ISP doesn’t have to make the router; they can delegate this task to another company. If there is a security flaw in your router, the ISP must contact the router manufacturer to fix it.
Likewise, a router is designed to work with its ISP and is not guaranteed to work well outside of its default settings. The Register reported how Sky customers had their routers bricked after a firmware update. It only affected those using a custom DNS server, which shows how users run into problems if they stray from the ISP’s intended path.
ISP-issued routers are usually built with cost-effectiveness in mind. This means that it has the basic features that people would expect from a router and nothing else.
If you’re not interested in complicated tools and just want something that can properly route your traffic, an ISP router should do the trick. However, those who want something extra can get a router that supports advanced features such as a traffic prioritization tool and a built-in VPN service that can route all traffic through a server of your choice – even for devices that cannot install a VPN. like a console.
You can upgrade with store-bought routers to match new network technologies
Network technologies are constantly being upgraded and changed. After all, we use it daily at home and at work, so companies are working hard to increase our speed and allow us to browse faster than ever before.
At the time of writing, we’re in the middle of a big rollout of Wi-Fi 7. The new devices you buy will likely come with Wi-Fi 7-compatible adapters, but if your router doesn’t support it, you won’t see faster speeds.
Because of this, there are plenty of good reasons to upgrade your router to Wi-Fi 7. However, if you stick with your ISP’s hardware, there’s a good chance your router won’t upgrade right away. Buying your own router allows you to adopt new technologies like Wi-Fi 7 without relying on your ISP to provide them.
ISPs are happy to provide you with a router to set you up, but they aren’t always your best choice. Now you know the advantages and disadvantages of an ISP router vs. aftermarket router and whether you should buy a router or not.