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Every family has an oldrouter. This is very common, because when we upgrade the network, we will replace some new equipment. For example, when switching from ADSL to fiber. For the above reasons, at least one router that we don't use is idle and retired. Many people even choose to discard it, because unless it is a powerful terminal, its economic value is actually not very high.
Now, we can just take that old router and put it to good use. We will cover that next in this article.
Today we see a closely connected society. For this we have a wide range of possibilities. In particular, the use of wireless networks has increased, for which it is essential to have a competent router that offers us good speed, quality and signal stability.
It should be noted that routers are an essential part of our daily work. We can connect computers via cables, or connect various devices via Wi-Fi.
Sometimes this device may not work. Perhaps because the device is old, the problem it gives us usually causes a weak signal, which leads toInternetSpeed drops. We already know that having a good wireless connection is something that users take very seriously.
This is enough to motivate users to replace their routers. We have all kinds of possibilities to replace our routers, some are even designed specifically for gaming. But of course, if we buy a new router, what should we do with the old one? We can give it a second life.
What to do with an old router?
An old router that can only use the network port and wireless repeater function, we choose to change it, it is still useful. We can provide some uses in daily work, as shown below.
There are some interesting features these old routers can have. The goal is to be able to take advantage of the router before throwing it away or selling it online for a very low price.
Repeater:
One of the most common and useful uses is to have a Wi-Fi repeater, even to connect devices by cable. As long as it is compatible with what we want to do, making use of an old router is undoubtedly a very interesting method.
If we have cables installed in our home, it is even better. We only need to connect the router to another location in the home, and although it is far away from the main router (the router that is actually connected to the Internet), we can provide connectivity to other locations in the house.
In this way we can connect via Wi-Fi through this secondary router. This is something very interesting if a room does not have proper coverage and the device cannot be connected via cable, such as a mobile phone.
But we can also connect the devices through a network cable. In this way we will better maintain the speed and stability of the connection. We can connect our TV, computer or any compatible device directly to the old router that we have turned into a repeater.
Use as a switch:
Our old router can be used as a switch without buying one. In this way, we can connect more devices via cables. Usually, a router has four available Ethernet ports. We may need to connect more devices and no longer have available ports.
The old router can be connected to the main router by cable, allowing the possibility of connecting three other devices to its three free ports. An economical switch and, in short, another utility that we can give to the router before discarding it.
Create a server:
Another highlight is the possibility of creating a NAS server with the help of an old router. As long as it has a USB port and we can connect a hard drive, we can do it. In this way we can access these files in a simple and fast way from anywhere.
Again, this is a way to save money. We don't need to buy a NAS server because we only need to have a hard drive that can be connected via a USB cable and then connected to the old router.
Guest Network:
Our routers allow you to create a guest network for other people to connect to. However, we can also achieve exactly that with other routers that we haven't used yet.
For example, we can use an old router to create an alternative network with a different name. This way we can use it for guests.
Alternative systems:
Do you want to install another OS on the router and perform tests? This is better than using an old router that we don't want, and then putting the host at risk and keeping it offline.
Basically, it is as if we had a computer with which we want to perform different tests without destroying the files, but in this case we are talking about a router. Of course, the interesting thing is that this device allows the use of alternative operating systems, since some are not compatible.
Compatibility with older devices:
Some older devices may not be able to connect to newer routers. This can undoubtedly put a damper on all those computers we want to use but can't connect to the Internet.
If we have an old router, we can use it so that those older devices can connect to the Internet and receive updates or simply enjoy its functions.
Create a VPN:
Another function that allows us to consider when we have an old router is the creation of a Virtual Private Network (VPN). We already know that this allows us to improve privacy and security when browsing the web. We can create one for the connection to go through this router.
Network Printer:
If we have a compatible printer, we can connect it to the router and thus have a network printer. An economical way to print from other devices connected to the network. In short, this is one of the functions that old routers allow us to use before they are discarded or sold.
We can therefore say that our old router has many functions. Before throwing away this device that we consider to be of no use, it is necessary to take into account some of the functions that we have indicated. In this way we will take advantage of a very useful device.
