The telecom department allows each broadband user to share Internet access with two computers, which means users need to install a broadband router themselves. So, what kind of router should you buy that’s most suitable?
Many features of modern broadband routers are indeed very practical for average home users, and can significantly improve the performance of many network applications. Let’s discuss the features found in home routers, and point out which ones are truly useful and which ones matter less:
DHCP Function:
This is one of the essential basic features. It works through a server within the network providing corresponding network configuration services, offering temporary IP addresses, default gateways, DNS servers, and other network settings to terminal devices. This router feature is generally enabled by default. If not, it’s recommended to turn it on in the management interface. That way, computers connected to the router can use the automatic IP acquisition setting in their network configuration to get online, which is very convenient. Of course, DHCP technology also has its drawbacks:
IP Address Randomness: User IP addresses are randomly assigned and unpredictable.
Access Permission Changes: If user access permissions are divided based on IP addresses, permissions change as the IP address varies.
Cannot Be Accessed: IP addresses obtained via DHCP are uncertain, making users more difficult to access.
Application Discontinuity: If a user continuously uses the network across different WLAN segments, IP address changes can cause application interruptions.
Poor Security: External network users can pose security threats to the network itself.
UPNP Function:
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is a common peer-to-peer network architecture for PCs and smart devices (or instruments), especially in homes. Based on Internet standards and technologies (like TCP/IP, HTTP, and XML), UPnP enables such devices to automatically connect and cooperate with each other, thus making networking (especially home networking) possible for more people.
The scope of UPnP is broad because it targets home networks, proximity networks, and networks in small businesses and commercial-residential buildings. Under the management of a network control device, it supports data communication between any two devices. UPnP does not depend on a specific operating system, programming language, or physical medium.
This might not be very easy to understand, as explaining this technology clearly requires some additional knowledge about NAT and programming. So, we can simply understand that UPnP enables the following applications for intranet users:
Multiplayer online games (e.g., Warcraft and other multiplayer battle games)
Peer-to-peer connections (e.g., BT downloads and other P2P transfers)
Real-time communication (e.g., MSN voice and file transfer)
Remote Assistance (one of Windows XP’s features)
Firewall Function:
This feature is likely familiar to everyone. Actually, the firewall function on home routers is relatively simple, only capable of masking internal network IP addresses, freely setting IP address and communication port filtering, etc. Moreover, the filtering rules on home routers are just some basic data packet rejection rules, which cannot achieve excellent protection effects, but they can still handle general malicious network attacks.
Current router firewall functions mainly include IP address filtering, URL filtering, MAC address filtering, IP and MAC address binding, along with some anti-hacking capabilities and security logs. Through the router’s built-in firewall function, users can set different filtering rules to filter abnormal information packets from the external network.
It should also be noted that if the router’s firewall function is enabled or the filtering rules are set too strictly, it may cause errors in some normal network applications. However, in most cases, you can safely enable the firewall function.
Summary One:
The three features above are quite practical, especially UPnP. The latest generation of home routers from major brands now generally supports it. If the box does not state UPnP support, it might be a previous generation product, and purchasing it is not recommended.
NIC MAC Address Mapping:
This feature seems somewhat useless, but some friends on university networks might know that schools often manage internal networks quite strictly, using MAC-IP binding for restrictions. In such cases, the router cannot directly use the campus network. You need to enable the NIC MAC address mapping function, then map the MAC address of the bound network card to the router’s WAN port, so the monitoring system identifies this router as the bound network card, allowing normal router usage.
Website Filtering Function:
This feature allows users to input URLs of sites to be blocked. If intranet users try to access these addresses, the router will deny the request. This function is basically for preventing children from browsing unhealthy or unsafe websites.
Summary Two:
Not every home router supports these two features, but they can be quite practical at times.
Internet Access Restriction Function:
This feature is commonly used in enterprise and Internet cafe routers, but now it has started appearing on some branded home routers. It allows administrators to set which IP addresses have what kind of network access permissions.
Traffic Management and Monitoring Function:
This used to be a basic feature in Internet cafe routers as well. It allows administrators to set how the router limits the bandwidth each user occupies, and during which time periods access is open for which users. Some can even display a real-time traffic curve chart for all current users.
Print Server Function:
This feature essentially integrates a print server into the router, sharing a single printer with all LAN users via a dedicated print server chip and a USB port. The router assigns an IP address to the printer connected to the USB port, and then other LAN users can directly use this network printer via that IP address.
This function is generally only found on office routers because adding the chip makes the cost relatively high. Routers supporting the print server function are a few hundred yuan more expensive than similar products.
Summary Three:
These features are actually not very practical for home users; they can be seen as transplanted from routers designed for other professional uses. Especially the print server function, which significantly increases the router’s price, is not very economical鈥攖hough it might be okay for SOHO users.
Virtual Dial-Up Function:
This feature is essential for a broadband router; otherwise, it can’t be called a broadband router. ADSL broadband itself requires virtual dialing. Once the virtual dial-up is configured, the router will automatically dial using the user-entered account and password each time it starts up or reboots. That means, as long as the router is powered on and working, it remains online. Monthly subscription users using the virtual dial-up function can avoid the hassle