So you need a new router. Or, you’ve heard that there are better routers out there than the one you’re using. Unless you’re the kind of person who geeks out about any and all technology, you’re probably asking yourself, does the type of router you choose really all that important?

Well, let’s break it down: how much time do you spend online? What about your partner? Your kids? How many people in your household are on their devices at once? What do you use the Internet for?

Let’s assume you follow the trends of the vast majority of Americans. 93% of people in the U.S. use the Internet for one reason or another. 76% of American adults access their bank account on mobile. In 2020, the average American household had more than ten devices connected to their home network. On average. If you have multiple children, chances are you have way more than that — phones, tablets, laptops, televisions, streaming devices, smart speakers, maybe even a smart fridge.

You work online, bank online, upload insurance claims online. Your children are on Instagram, Youtube, TikTok; they play Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox. They probably still go to school online. Sharing baby pictures, video calling grandparents, game night, movie night, date night — all of these things happen over the Internet, meaning even your closest relationships are inextricable from the Web and your devices.

Almost every aspect of your life is connected to the Internet. Why wouldn’t a router be important?

What does a router do?

A router provides all of your devices an access point to the Internet. (Your modem can only connect one device at a time.) Routers dictate your connection speed. A poor router can completely cancel out the money you spend on a high-speed Internet provider.

Because it is the access point for all your devices, routers are also a main line of defense against cyberattacks, and a good router will ensure your network security.

With the right router, you can even control who has access to the Internet at what times. Plus which sites certain devices get to visit, and even how much bandwidth a particular device gets to use! This lets you be in greater control of the devices in your home, and protects your children from the unsavory parts of the Internet.

Failing to invest in a router which excels in all of these areas puts you at risk of dropped calls, network attacks, viruses and more.

Let’s take a closer look at how your router can impact your quality of life.

Your router dictates your Wi-Fi speed

The average Internet download speed ranges from 12 to 25 mbps. This speed will work for you if you are a single-person household using your devices to check your email, read the news, take voice calls, and maybe stream a Netflix movie or use Zoom once in a while. But what if you work from home? What if you live in a household of two people, or three, or six?

The amount of time you spend on the Internet, the complexity your online activities, and the number of people in your house all exponentially impact your need for faster WiFi. With all of these factors compounded, you’ll want a router that can make the most of your Internet access.

As this article puts it, “Your internet is only as fast as the slowest part of your network, so if your router isn’t capable of handling your internet speed, it acts as a choke point for your whole home network. And if that’s the case, you need to replace your router ASAP. Otherwise, you’re paying for more internet bandwidth than you’re actually getting.”

In other words, if you’re paying your Internet provider for speeds of 500 mbps, but have a router which can only handle 300 mbps, you’re losing 200 mbps just by owning the wrong router.

The original Gryphon tower provides Internet speeds up to 1.3 Gbps. That’s 108x faster than the average speed of 12 mbps! And that means that you don’t have to worry about dropped calls or missed classes or video lag, or how many devices are currently connected to the network, or which kid is gaming while you’re trying to watch the new season of The Crown.

Your life is complicated. Why should you own a router which complicate things more?

Gryphon routers are some of the fastest on the market. You can even combine two or more to provide seamless mesh network coverage for your entire house. Plug in your Gryphon tower or Guardian — which provides speeds of up to 550 mbps for smaller households — and you’ll have faster WiFi on all your devices within minutes.

It's your first line of defense against security breaches

Dennis Devlin, our Consumer Security Advocate, has written this informative brief on why you should know what’s on your home network. Here are some of his key points:

Your home network is worth attacking because it’s an entry point to almost everything else: your place of work, your children’s school, your bank, your credit cards, your doctor, your merchants and more.

• A crime using your home network address covers the criminal’s tracks because it looks like you committed the crime.
• Every single device connected to your home is a computer that could potentially open an outbound connection through your router firewall. Then, hackers can upload and download information you never know anything about.
• Your router is your main point of access to the Internet. This means that the type of router you own is essential in protecting your network security.

Gryphon makes it easy for you to identify every device connected to your network. Gryphon also incorporates active malware protection using both signatures and machine learning to quickly detect and stop malicious behavior by any device connected to your network. It watches your network and household 24/7 — providing you with a comprehensive security system for one of the most complicated, most valuable assets in your home.

The right router can protect your family

A good router can keep your family safe from more than just network attacks.

This study from 2015 found that average, teens spent more than six and a half hours on screens. Tweens spent more than four and a half hours — and this was six years ago. Most children’s screen time doubled in 2020, making it no surprise that 46% of kids ages 12–16 feel they’re addicted to their smartphones.

56% of 11–16 year olds have seen explicit material online. Half of all children ages 10 to 18 have experienced some kind of cyberbullying.

Your kids are immersed in a digital world all day, often with completely free rein over what sites they visit and who they talk to. Don’t you want to make sure they’re as healthy and safe on the Internet as they are outside of it?

Gryphon routers have some of the most comprehensive parental controls on the market. The system is simple, no-fuss, and controlled via app. Once you set it, it will look over your kids’ shoulders so you don’t have to, saving you valuable time and energy and forcing your kids offline for at least part of their day.

Without the draw of their screens, your kids will move more, get more sunlight, develop more hobbies. They’ll be less prone to social media pressures and Internet addiction. You can prevent your young ones from seeing pornography, even accidentally, and block them from any sites that are unhealthy.

Here are some ideas for what your kids can do once they’re unplugged.

Your router matters. It’s a vital part of your household that keeps everything running smoothly. Like your own vital parts, you probably also don’t want to think about it that often. You want to plug it in beside a desk and forget about it, and not have to worry about data breaches or streaming lag or how many hours your kid spends on YouTube.

With Gryphon, you can do that, because you can be assured that you’re getting the best. So plug it in and rest easy.