Taken from PCWorld Magazine, September 2012 Edition

If you are in the market for a new router for your small business, you might be tempted by the features and low cost of consumer-oriented routers.  But can a consumer router deliver everything that your business needs?  What is the difference between a consumer router and a business router anyway?  Glad you asked.

Basic consumer routers are compatible with the 802.11n networking standard, usually have a 4-port wired switch, have wireless encryption, a built-in firewall and usually a 2×2 antenna array that can handle a total throughput of 300 megabits per second.  Sounds great, right?  Even the higher-end consumer routers have 3×3 antenna arrays and can handle gigabit speeds… some even have built-in USB ports, data traffic prioritization, virtual networks and even media server capabilities.  So why not use a consumer router for your business?

Business routers also use the 802.11n networking standard, have a 4-port switch, wireless encryption and a built-in firewall.  They also support data traffic prioritization, virtual networks and all the other features that a consumer router does.  The difference is in the quality of the hardware and the software.  Business routers are traditionally built with better components so that they will last longer, but where they really shine is in the security features.  They also deliver scalability, redundancy, and sometimes support for multiple internet connections.

If your business relies on the internet (and what business doesn’t these days), then you should consider upgrading your router to a business-class model.  We here at ICS can help you figure out what is the right option for you, and help you perform the switch-over with minimal downtime.