Christmas is sneaking up on us. Time to start thinking about what to get your loved ones. Got a tech junkie in your life? These gifts should fit the bill.
Your router and modem. They sit in the corner and do their job well. Usually, you only think about them when a hiccup occurs. But if you need more from your network, an upgrade will keep your shows streaming and your gamers gaming far into the future. Most people think they’re too mundane to give as gifts, but a techie will love a better connection.
Modems
Your cable modem, along with the speed you pay for, is the first make-or-break bit of home network technology. If you’re trying to give the gift of increased speed to yourself and your family, this is the place to start.
If your internet plan is 600mbs or under, the best modem for you is most likely to be a Motorola MB7621. This modem is Docsis 3.0, so it’s not bleeding edge, but it’s more than enough for most families.
If the techie in your life has already subscribed to gigabit and needs a modem to match, then this will be one of the gifts they remember. The MB 8600 is a much faster modem, useful for anyone who has more than six devices running on their network. If bandwidth is what you need, this modem and a gigabit connection have you covered.
Routers
The modem and the internet plan are in place, great! Now to get that amazing speed to all your devices! For that, you need a router. Which router you want will depend on many factors. Among those are what speed your network is, how many devices are on it, and what you use those devices for. Though routers aren’t traditional gifts, they really can make your techie happy.
The average home network has approximately 5-10 devices running at a time. Streaming media players, laptops, tablets, phones, even doorbells can all take their share of the network bandwidth. You want to make sure you have enough to keep everyone happy. For most families, even those who have up to 25 devices on their network, the Netgear Nighthawk is a solid choice.
Trying to give gifts to gamers who need even more speed than that? The best bang for your buck will be something they can keep a long time. High speed, stable, and able to cope with whatever you throw at it. For that we recommend the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000.
As always, if you need any help installing and configuring your lovely new tech, Cherry Tree Technology is here to help. Call us to help set up your new modem, router, network, or anything else. Because freeing up time to spend with your techie is worth more than any of the gifts you could buy.