Optimise your router setup for sports streaming

Wi-Fi 7 vs. Wi-Fi 6

As I mentioned earlier, a Wi-Fi 6 router is actually up to the task of streaming 4K videos. And indeed, they will suffice if you are the lone user or you don’t have many other users or devices at home. But if you do, you might want to consider upgrading to a Wi-Fi 7 router.

In a nutshell, Wi-Fi 7 consists of technologies that aim to improve networking experiences by enhancing speeds and stability. To read on these technologies in detail, we urge you to check out our Wi-Fi 7 guide.

Apart from the improvements in technology, Wi-Fi 7 routers are also coming down in price. An entry-level one can now be had for around S$200. Furthermore, an increasing number of devices such as phones, tablets, and laptops now offer support for this new standard. In light of these developments, if you are looking to upgrade your router, you must get a Wi-Fi 7 router. 

Standalone routers vs Mesh systems

The decision to get a standalone router or a mesh network is a measure of balancing compromises. A mesh system is handy for blanketing an entire home with Wi-Fi. It helps get rid of Wi-Fi dead spots so that your entire home has Wi-Fi coverage. The downside, however, is that mesh systems often have less customisability than standalone routers. They also often have fewer ports, and this could be crucial, especially if you intend to connect it to devices like your TV, gaming console, PC, or even USB-C and Thunderbolt hubs.

Standalone routers, on the other hand, often have more customisability and better connectivity in the form of more Ethernet and USB ports. The higher-end models often have multiple multi-gig Ethernet ports, which can be handy if you have a high-speed fibre plan and devices that are capable of taking advantage of those speeds. The downside is that their coverage can be limited, which can be troublesome if you have a large home or one with an odd layout.

What’s the most important feature to look for in a router?

To ensure a fuss-free viewing experience, arguably the most important feature to keep an eye out for is the number of frequency bands that the router supports. The number of bands directly impacts the number of devices a router can support. This is critical if there are lots of users and devices at home. Too many users and devices connecting to a frequency band can negatively impact the networking experience. 

If you can, get a tri-band router that broadcasts two high-frequency 5GHz or 6GHz bands alongside the single 2.4GHz low-frequency band. This way, you can keep your critical streaming devices on one band and everything else on the other two, thereby ensuring maximum uninterrupted networking performance for your streaming devices (like your phone or laptop, for example).

How to maximise speed and coverage?

Here are more tips to use to maximise the performance of your router and get the best streaming experience during your games. 

• Consider a wired connection – Regardless of how fast your wireless connection is, a wired connection is always going to be more stable. And if your gear supports 10GbE speeds, even better.

• Set up a dedicated network – Remember how I mentioned you should get a router with more frequency bands? This way, you can set aside one of the bands just for the device that you are going to be streaming the game on. This ensures maximum wireless performance and prevents other devices from hogging airtime on the network.

• Ensure compatibility – If you have a Wi-Fi 7 router, ensure your devices, such as your phone and laptop, support Wi-Fi 7 as well. This will guarantee maximum performance and support for all of Wi-Fi 7’s enhancements.

• Router position – To get the best Wi-Fi coverage, ensure your router is placed in a central location in your home and away from obstructions like walls and bulky objects. This may necessitate in laying out a longer networking cable between your ONT device and the router, but this could very well be the most important point in helping you maximize network coverage within your home – especially if you’re relying on a single router.