A Guide to Business Broadband Routers

There’s nothing more frustrating in the workplace than being unable to get a reliable Wi-Fi signal, so choosing the right router is always an important decision for any business. Most business broadband providers will supply their own when setting you up, but you may find that you get added functionality from getting your own. It may even be necessary, should you want your operations to run seamlessly.

Key Considerations for Selecting a Business Broadband Router

Bandwidth Requirements

You’ll need a router that can handle the bandwidth your connection offers if you’re to get the most out of it. You might get a less advanced one if you have a slower copper ADSL connection of around 10Mbps with just a couple of people connected, but you might get a more advanced one if you opt for an ultrafast connection of 500Mbps+ with many people connected.

Security Features

Security should be at the top of your list of priorities when choosing a business router. Business Wi-Fi routers often include additional security features, which are grouped as UTM gateways or Unified Threat Management Gateways. These gateways can scan for viruses, block spam, and filter content to protect your business from threats and dangerous content. Many business Wi-Fi routers also have built-in firewalls that support security protocols such as WEP, WPA, and WPA2, providing an extra level of network security.

Scalability

All business routers support simultaneous access for multiple users, but if you want to future-proof your choice and you’re considering expanding your business, you’ll need to consider how many users it can support. You don’t want your entire network slowing to a crawl because too many people are connected to it at once.

Compatibility with Business Needs

You also need to consider how your connection integrates with the specific type of business that you do. Some will offer more sophisticated features, such as wireless guest access, which lets you share your internet connection via a separate wireless network name (SSID). This connection is virtually isolated from your main business Wi-Fi network, and different security settings apply. This means it is possible to provide visitors, the public, and contractors with internet access while keeping your own Wi-Fi network secure.

Alternatively, a business Wi-Fi router with two WAN (Wide Area Network) ports, or direct 4G support, can be a great option if your business relies heavily on a reliable internet connection. It will be possible to connect two lines from separate providers or plug in a 4G adapter, ensuring there is always a backup connection available. It is possible to increase bandwidth by load balancing across both connections simultaneously.

Reliability and Uptime

Of course, you can have the fanciest, most expensive Wi-Fi that money can buy, but this will count for little if you can’t depend on your router to work consistently. Reliability can vary from device to device, so you need to look out for a router that won’t keep flaking out on you.

Best Business Broadband Routers in the UK

BT Smart Hub 2

The BT Smart Hub 2 will already be very familiar to those who have one at home, but it can also be used in business settings. BT’s standard wireless router has built-in support for mesh networking through its BT Complete Wi-Fi service, which lets you extend your router's range using a combination of the Smart Hub 2 router and extra Wi-Fi Discs. But this comes with a couple of catches. It's only available to BT customers, and it’s the only one which you have to pay for on a subscription basis. The Wi-Fi discs work well, but they come at a cost.

Virgin Media Hub 5

If there’s one thing that Virgin Media’s broadband is renowned for, it’s speed. The company’s cable network has put it miles ahead of the pack in download speeds for many years, but with full-fibre competitors now more commonplace, that speed advantage is slowly eroding. And if you want the fastest router, you’ll have to request it at the point of ordering, or you may end up with a slower, outdated one.

That said, the Media Hub 5 in particular has much to recommend it. It comes with a 2.5Gbps Ethernet connection and the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology, making it one of the fastest around, and it has excellent security features. But Virgin are no longer the only option for superfast cable internet, and their contracts certainly start to get expensive once their introductory periods come to an end.

Sky’s Broadband Hub and Max Hub

Sky Broadband now offers two routers, the Sky Broadband Hub and the new Sky router; the Sky WiFi Max Hub. Both are modern routers that deliver good connectivity. The Sky Broadband Hub is the default dual-band router. It was introduced recently, replacing the Sky Q Hub. The Hub is much more than an entry-level router. It features more antennas, a wider Wi-Fi range, higher average speeds, and some smart features that make it a decent option for small businesses.

The Sky WiFi Max Hub is an optional, paid upgrade which was introduced in July 2023. It’s a Wi-Fi 6 router that uses smart features, allowing you to control Wi-Fi speed, device access and more from the MySky app. The Sky Wi-Fi Max Hub also supports Sky Max Pods. These are Wi-Fi extenders that connect to the Max Hub to improve wireless signal coverage throughout your premises. Both include a built-in firewall as standard.

TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub

With the TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub, TalkTalk is attempting to challenge the notion that for the best Wi-Fi speeds you need to use a third-party router by promising the improved Wi-Fi performance and features that you’d usually expect to see on more advanced routers, such as beamforming (which focuses the Wi-Fi signal to better reach your devices) and multiple Ethernet ports. And while the TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub is designed to deliver a performance boost for TalkTalk customers, it can also be bought separately and used regardless of your ISP. However, set-up can be a little more complex if you're not a TalkTalk customer.

Netgear Orbi Pro

We’re getting into the realms of third-party routers now, and while these will offer a wider range of features, the costs can start to accelerate, too. The Netgear Orbi Pro comes with a router-designated module and a single satellite-labelled part. As neither element contains a modem, any deployment will invariably require a separate cable or ADSL broadband connection.

There are two ways that these modules can be deployed, depending on the wired infrastructure available in the building. If Ethernet is available, the router can connect to the Satellite module over it to provide a high-speed backbone. If not, the two can establish a wireless corridor for data to flow without interfering with client connections. Set up is straightforward through the Netgear Insight app, but while this offers excellent performance and range, it is an expensive option.

Netgear Nighthawk X10

Strictly speaking, the Netgear Nighthawk X10 is a consumer router, but it does have many features which make it suitable for your business needs, including seven Gigabit LAN ports and powerful hardware. It supports 802.11ad, a short-range, high-speed connectivity technology that requires line of sight, and comes bundled with a six-month subscription to Amazon Cloud Drive.

Synology RT2600AC

Synology is best known for its network-attached storage (NAS) systems, and the RT2600AC combines one of these with the functionality of a business router. Attach an external hard drive to it or connect it to your Google Drive or other cloud server, and you’re good to go. The performance of these routers is fine, but their relatively limited range might only make them suitable for smaller businesses.

Cisco RV340

The Cisco RV340 is a wired router that helps you connect to fax machines, printers, etc. If you want a wireless signal, you will also need to purchase a wireless router. The best part about the Cisco RV340 is its reliability, security, and durability. You will get a high-speed, consistent and powerful signal for all the connected devices, and you can set up multiple VPNs through it.

Asus RT-AX88U

This router is priced at the lower end of those which support the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology and comes with eight LAN ports, which is double the number usually found on routers of this size. It comes with a companion mobile app and a sophisticated web app that displays connected clients, USB devices, and security status. There are also settings to adjust guest networking, analyse traffic, and tweak other options. The QoS offering is particularly strong. It’s highly robust and will help you understand which devices will receive priority internet service at different times of day.

Asus BRT-AC828

The Asus BRT-AC828 is expensive but comes bundled with a lot of features, including an M.2 slot to plug in an SSD to convert it into a mini-NAS. There’s a lot more here too, including RADIUS support, the ability to aggregate four 1Gb Ethernet ports into a virtual 4Gb one (it has eight Gigabit Ethernet ports in all), and even support for LTE as a backup connection to improve resilience - the router already has two 1Gbps WAN ports that can be aggregated or used independently. It offers theoretical speeds of up to 2.6Gbps with open-plan coverage up to 100m (albeit on the lower end of the 2.4GHz band), as well as a built-in security package called AIProtection. You won’t get better performance than this router, but it comes at a significant cost.

Netgear Orbi WiFi 6

So, let’s talk about Wi-Fi 6 for a moment. Operating in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands, Wi-Fi 6 delivers faster connections and much better performance than its predecessor. Upgrading to a Wi-Fi 6 router will therefore give your network a significant boost. Besides that uptick in speed, Wi-Fi 6 routers also offer better support for crowded environments. They are much better equipped to handle multi-device offices.

A Wi-Fi 6 router allows for larger amounts of data to be transferred at once without overwhelming your network or causing slowdowns. And even if your network isn’t congested with devices and traffic, it’s still a wise choice to buy a Wi-Fi 6 router. An increasing number of devices are coming out with Wi-Fi 6 support, and you’ll have to get one just to stay up to speed. The Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6 offers all of this and features mesh networking, making it excellent for home workers and small businesses that need to scale, but it comes at a price.

Wireless Routers vs. Wired Routers

There are some circumstances under which it makes more sense to use a wired router rather than a wireless one. Wired routers used to beat wireless ones for speed hands down, but this gap has significantly narrowed as wireless technology has developed, while wired technology, which is largely considered the old-fashioned way of doing things, has remained constant. But they’re still more secure - it’s considerably more challenging to hack into a wired network than a wireless one - and they’re certainly more stable.

But the obvious downsides of this are cost and convenience. Wired networks are expensive to install or reconfigure, while end users cannot instantly move a device from one location to another as they may want or need to, and they won’t be able to use them with smaller devices, such as mobile phones, at all. Under the right circumstances, a wired router could be just what you need. Still, the reasons for having one are steadily diminishing as wireless technology continues to become faster, more reliable and more secure.

Tips for Optimising Business Router Performance

Wi-Fi coverage starts with placing the central router. Two things determine the right spot for your router: range and interference. The first thing you want to do is find a central room that allows the router to reach the entire building. If you have multiple floors, the router needs to be in the middle. Standard business equipment will have a range between 100 and 200 feet. That’s a good rule of thumb for finding the best place to keep it.

Interference is often a bigger problem than simple range. Thick walls or ceilings can absorb much of the Wi-Fi signal. Any wall that isn’t hollow is going to be trouble. By that same philosophy, you want to avoid putting the router in cabinets or other obstructions that add to the effective thickness of material the signal needs to penetrate.

Even worse than thick obstacles are metals and electronics. Any sufficiently large metal container or siding can effectively act as a Faraday cage and ultimately kill the signal. Large electronic devices and heavy-current wires can also create large sources of interference. You want a location for your router that is as central as possible and clear of obstruction. The device should be surrounded by space for the best signal strength.

How Can I Ensure the Security of My Business Router?

Once you’re set up, you need a strong password and encryption to ensure unauthorised users are blocked from the network. If you allow guest access, you should use a completely different network. Many business routers will allow you to set up more than one. And make sure your router firmware is updated as it’s released, to ensure you get the best performance from it.

Can I Use a Residential Router for My Small Business?

When it comes to accessing the internet in our homes and businesses, the similarities are vast and the differences are small. That couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to networking.

None of your business activities will be at their best if you’re using a consumer-grade router. From limited protections and poor internal equipment to a warranty that won’t last nearly long enough, reliability and strength are core differences between home router and business router choices.

Are There Routers That Offer Seamless Scalability for Growing Businesses?

Businesses expecting growth should consider routers that offer scalability. These routers can easily integrate with additional network equipment, such as mesh nodes or extenders, allowing your network to grow with your business.

Are There Any Government Regulations or Standards for Business Routers in the UK?

Every home and business in the UK has the legal right to request a decent, affordable broadband connection. This is called the broadband universal service. If you can’t get a download speed of at least 10 Mbit/s and an upload speed of at least 1 Mbit/s, you can request an upgraded connection. You can make this request to BT (or to KCOM if you live in the Hull area), and you don't need to be an existing customer of BT or KCOM to apply.

A new law has also been introduced to protect smart devices. The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act lays out three new rules:

• Easy-to-guess default passwords preloaded on devices are banned. All products now need unique passwords that cannot be reset to factory default.

• Customers must be told when they buy a device the minimum time it will receive vital security updates and patches. If a product doesn't get either, that must also be disclosed.

• Security researchers will be given a public point of contact to point out flaws and bugs.

The new regime will be overseen by a regulator, who will be appointed once the Act comes into force. It will have the power to fine companies up to £10m or 4% of their global turnover, as well as up to £20,000 a day for ongoing contraventions.

With so many options at your disposal, it’s easy to see how businesses can get flummoxed by the terminology. However, a business router is key to ensuring that your business network runs as smoothly as possible. The extra functionality will protect your data, give you peace of mind, and could even prevent the sort of data breaches that can be ruinous to a business. With stability, speed and security all important in this interconnected age, your business could significantly benefit from this one single upgrade.