USB ports
The number of
USB ports provided in the design of the router. USB is a universal interface used in computer technology to connect peripheral devices for various purposes. One of its uses is to connect a 3G modem (if provided, see “Data entry (WAN-port)”), but this is not limited to this: in fact, the options for using USB ports directly depend only on the capabilities specified in the router firmware. So, in some models, you can connect a flash drive or an external hard drive to this connector — to update the firmware or even organize an FTP server directly on the router. And for other peripherals — printers, cameras, etc. — USB connection can be used to work as network devices (however, such functions are rare in standard firmware).
CPU speed
The number of cycles per second that the processor produces in its normal operating mode. A clock is a single electrical impulse used to process data and synchronize the processor with the rest of the computer system. Different operations may require fractions of a clock or several clocks, but anyway, the clock frequency is one of the main parameters characterizing the performance and speed of the processor — all other things being equal, a processor with a higher clock frequency will work faster and better cope with significant loads.
PSU
—
Built -in. The built-in power supply does not take up space on the outside, but can significantly increase the size and weight of the entire router. Because of this, this option is quite rare — mainly among rack-mount models (see "Form factor"), where an external unit can create significant inconvenience, as well as among the most powerful desktop routers, for which dimensions and weight is not critical.
— External. Theoretically, the external placement of the power supply requires additional space, and therefore is not as convenient as the internal one. In fact, most blocks of this type are quite compact in size and are equipped with “plugs” for sockets right on the case — in other words, the block is installed on a socket, and from there the wire stretches to the router. And the absence of power circuits and transformers inside the routers has a positive effect on their compactness. Thanks to all this, this option is very popular among desktop models (see "Form factor"), primarily entry-level and mid-level.
Power consumption
Power consumed by network equipment during operation. Knowing the indicator of energy consumption, you can, for example, calculate the battery life of equipment from an uninterruptible power supply or choose a suitable “uninterruptible power supply”.
Operating temperature
The range of ambient air temperatures at which the router is guaranteed to maintain normal operation.
All such equipment normally tolerates temperatures typical for residential or office premises. Therefore, it makes sense to pay attention to this indicator mainly in cases where the router is installed in unheated rooms or outside. The main value in this case is the lower limit of the range: not every device is able to normally tolerate temperatures below zero. On the other hand, most cold-resistant routers can withstand temperatures
down to -20 ° inclusive, and some models can be used
at -40 °C and even lower.
As for the upper limit, it is usually about +50 °C — even in hot countries it is extremely rare to find such an air temperature. At the same time, under the action of sunlight, the body of the device can heat up to higher temperatures, so you should avoid installing the equipment in direct sunlight.
