Today, the Internet is a massive chain of interconnected smart devices all over the world. The Internet is no longer considered a privilege, but rather a necessity. Hence, slow internet can bring about a lot of problems, from appearing late to your office or classes to missing out on a work deadline. Many argue that setting up a second router slowed down their internet speed. However, a lot of people are using two routers to speed up Internet performance. What’s the catch here? Before we find out whether adding extra routers boosts or slows down the internet, let’s see how some essential hardware works.
Router
A router is a media that creates traffic between a device and the internet. This magical hardware is preferred for its convenience over a wired connection. Personal computers, cellphones, printers, tablets, and smart TVs are typical products that require an internet connection. A router would cover all of these without the need for wires. Thus, it would enable the devices to access the internet, thereby creating a network.
The question is, how many routers can you have? You can install as many routers as you want to have. If you have more than one router, the configuration in terms of IP address is a bit complex. Assigning a unique IP address to each device you connect to the router is a protocol used by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. Usually, connecting a router to another router encourages a conflict between the two IP addresses. To tackle this problem, a static IP address would be effective to use. You can also switch the router to bridge mode in an attempt to fix the issue while connecting the routers.
Modem
A modem is a box that brings an internet connection to your desired network. Most modems have only two ports: one for connecting to the outside world and one for connecting to a computer or a router via Ethernet. Once they are linked with a router, modems provide internet access to your connected devices at home or office.
Switch
A switch connects multiple devices on a network at the same time. They connect home computers, cellphones, and a web server, allowing them to communicate and share information.
It comes with two kinds of switches: a. unmanageable switches, and b. manageable switches. There is no requirement for configuration with unmanageable switches. You just have to plug them in. However, the manageable switches do not work like this. Manageable switches always need to be configured since they offer additional functionality, improved security, and versatility.
WAP (Wireless Access Point)
A WAP is a Wireless Access Point. It is widely known as an access point or an AP. It connects with other wifi devices to a wired network. It constitutes a type of local area network (WLAN). The device connects to the internet without the need for any cable by using an access point.
Does Having Two Routers Affect Internet Speed?
Multiple routers will never affect the speed of your internet connection if they are correctly configured. Instead, having a second router may enhance your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) overall performance. It means that your router may work better to reach its utmost potential.
Does Placing the Two Routers Close Cause Signal Interference?
When two routers are both wireless and placed close to each other, they cause connections to drop and unusual network slowdowns. The majority of routers are programmed to automatically connect to the strongest wireless signal in the region. When two routers are placed next to each other, the network may attempt to switch between them indefinitely. It is known as “roaming,” which causes the signal to constantly drop. Therefore, this entire phenomenon is called Wi-Fi signal interference.
This problem has a very simple solution. A router can only use a certain number of channels. Many channels often overlap parts of other channels. You can easily tackle this problem between two routers by configuring the first router to use channel 1 or 6. Then set the second router to channel 11. Thereby, you can make sure that their bandwidth is not overlapping.
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Does Having Two Routers Slow Down the Internet?
Adding a second router will slow down your internet speed unless it is correctly configured. A very common fact about internet connections is that an Internet Service Provider (ISP) specific to your region provides them. Likewise, how fast or slow is your internet speed depends on the package and the bandwidth you subscribe to. If you have a good ISP with amazing packages, you should have an excellent internet connection with incredible speed. It is not supposed to rely on the number of routers you have in your home. However, there’s a catch. Two or more routers may slow down the internet unless they are correctly configured.
- Connect your first router to a modem or find one that is a modem router itself.
- The second router should be linked to the first router’s Ethernet port (gateway router).
Make sure you follow this process to ensure that your Internet speed is not affected in any way.
Connecting a router to a modem helps provide faster internet activity. If you connect your second router to the ethernet side of the gateway router, it can route at ethernet speed. Therefore, a second router can not slow down your internet connection. If it does, there could be some factors to consider to improve connectivity. Some of the very common issues affecting your internet connection could be,
1. Multiple Users or Devices
Multiple users to a single router in your house can slow down the internet. It is because all the users will be sharing information simultaneously at some point through the internet. It’s the same case with too many devices. If the number of users or devices crosses a router’s connectivity limit, it will cause network disruption.
2. Distortion of Wi-Fi Signals
As we previously discussed, experiencing signal disruption is a very common thing if you have two routers. Therefore, the placement of both routers is important so that their bandwidth do not overlap.
3. Wi-Fi Channels are Highly Congested
There are thousands of channels that surround a router. Likewise, the frequency bandwidth is not enough to link all of them. If you ever face such a problem, use a modem router. Modem routers are known for connecting with the strongest channel.
4. Devices Plugged With Other Wired Connection
If you have devices linked with other wired connections, unplug them. It might help you reach an internet connection.
5. Poor Server
Your internet packages use a domain name system (DNS). Its job is to translate the physical IP of a server. The system is unreliable and slow. To get better connectivity, change your DNS settings.
6. Usage of Powerline Adapters/ Wi-Fi Extenders
These extenders are used so that every corner of a house reaches the wifi connection. In reality, extenders can slow down your connection massively. Therefore, it is better to avoid them.
7. Broken Network Cables
The older a cable is, the slower your internet. To understand which are the old ones, look out for Cat number specifications. Here’s a small note for you, Cat 5e is used the most to get better coverage while Cat 6/6a is the newest and fastest one out there. The slowest would be Cat 5.
Do not forget to check your cables often as you may find some which have expired. Broken cables should be exchanged with new ones to regain connectivity. Addressing the above issues will help you optimize your router’s performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Having Two Routers Boost Internet Speed?
Is It Better to Have Two Routers?
Is It Possible to Run Two Routers With a Single Modem?
How Can I Link Two Distinct Networks Using a Single Modem and Two Routers?
Conclusion
We understand your problem! In this era of technology, it’s hard to deal with slow internet speed. If you are planning on installing two or multiple routers, go for it! We hope this article helped you to put your concerns about having two routers to rest.
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