When you sign up with a new Internet Service Provider (ISP) then you usually get a modem router by which you can start connecting to the WiFi network and access the Internet. At the start, this modem router provided by ISP is more than enough as it can cater to all the basic needs that you have at the start and you don’t have to buy a wireless router of your but with time you realize that you need a separate wireless router of your own because ISP’s router doesn’t have all the features that you were looking for.
So, why should you buy a separate wireless router of your own? Today, we will be having a look at some of the reasons why you should replace your ISP’s router with a store-bought one:
A Cheaper Option In The Long Run
Whenever you sign up with an ISP then you will get a modem router that will get you online in no time, however, most of the time this modem router is not free and it’s either a part of a package or you will be asked to rent the modem router. This will usually add cost to your monthly bill and if it’s rental then this will be included in the bill every month.
That’s why in the long run, it is a great move to buy a router of your own. If you already have a router then you won’t have to pay for the router or its rent. The upfront cost of buying a router is obviously more but in the long-term, it is a good move and it will save you money.
Store-Bought Routers Have Better Hardware
Some ISPs can produce very powerful routers that transmit signals that can cover your entire house, however, most of the ISPs have routers that have considerably weak signals and are not able to cover your household. This can be a big reason why you need to buy a WiFi router of your own.
The modem router that you will receive from your ISP will not be able to compete with the hardware of a store-bought router. This can impact the performance of your router and internet because a weaker router won’t be able to transmit signals to a long-range and also not be able to handle faster internet speeds. Your best choice in this scenario is to opt for a store-bought router.
Better Parental Control Options
If you want to have a router with stronger and better parental controls then buying a router on your is a good choice. Store-bought routers have better parental control options available. There is no denying that there are parental controls available on your ISP’s router too but you are not going to get as many options as you would if you buy a router on your own.
Let’s take the example of ASUS or NETGEAR routers. You can buy these routers from different stores and they have a lot of parental control options available. You can access these by logging into the admin interface of the router through 192.168.0.1 or you can directly access these controls from your phone through the dedicated router app.
Better Guest Network Tools
Along with parental controls, a router that you buy on your own from a store has better guest network tools. You can create a guest network with every modern-day router now and by doing so, you can give WiFi access to guests without letting them access your main network. This is a useful feature to keep people away from your network.
However, these guest network tools and options are available better on store-bought routers since they have additional security features and some extra controls that you don’t have with your ISP’s modem router and you can check them through the default gateway address, i.e 192.168.1.1. The guest network is a very useful and convenient feature and it is best that you choose a store-bought router for this feature rather than your ISP’s.
Better Bandwidth Prioritization
You also get better bandwidth prioritization with a store-bought router. You get features like Quality of Service (QoS) using which you distribute bandwidth among different apps or devices such as giving priority to Netflix for streaming.
With a store-bought router, you get more advanced options related to QoS and distributions of bandwidth among devices and applications. You can customize how traffic and bandwidth can be treated and distributed, although, QoS is more of a technical feature and you will need to first learn how you can use and configure QoS before actually using this feature.
These were some of the reasons why you need to buy a separate router and ditch the one by your ISP. There are several other benefits of a store-bought router such as more stability, more security, support for third-party firmware, etc. If you really don’t need all of the aforementioned features then sticking to your ISP’s router can be a wise decision but most of the time, it is better to opt for a new one.
