Why should you regularly update your wireless network?

Team Udayavani, Dec 7, 2022, 10:56 AM IST

Credit: iStock photo

We use wireless routers on a daily basis and while using the internet, we hardly think about our wireless network, whether it is properly secure and functional or not. Most of our focus is on accessing the internet and not on maintaining the router’s functionality or security which can put your family or business at risk.

One of the major reasons why we don’t put much heed to our wireless networks or wireless routers is that routers have been difficult to set up for an ordinary person. For an average person, setting up a new router or accessing the network update pages requires technical knowledge about your routers such as the router’s URL or default gateway address like 192.168.0.1 or sign-in credentials.

It used to be a hectic task to access the network update page but not anymore, as router manufacturers are making it easier to update your router’s software through the admin interface and mobile apps. Regardless of the method, regularly updating your wireless network or router’s software is very important to keep it functioning optimally and prevent any security or data breaches. If you are still looking for reasons to update your wireless network, then these reasons might convince you to regularly update your router’s firmware/network:

Improved Functionality

If you are running a business then it becomes more important than ever for you to regularly update your router’s wireless network. Even if you are using the router at your home, you can still enjoy improved functionality just by regularly updating your router.

The number of wireless devices in our homes and offices is increasing as everything is becoming dependent on the internet. For this reason, it is important to have an optimally functioning wireless network that can withstand traffic increases without malfunctioning, slowing down the network, or causing connection drops.

When you update or upgrade your router’s firmware or network regularly, you can improve your router’s functionality. With every update, router manufacturers add new features and try to improve the performance of the router so that it can support multiple devices at once without slowing down the speeds and responding quickly to requests. An optimally functioning wireless router makes it easier to access the internet as there are no connection drops, bottlenecks, or lag during processing user requests.

Better Security

The title of this paragraph speaks for itself. These days if you are not cautious about your digital security then you should even be on the internet. Although the internet has so many benefits, it has its own side effects too and one of the biggest side effects is that you can lose your personal information or sensitive data through a security breach. Even the most secure networks of huge organizations are getting hacked from time to time.

Although updating your router’s firmware or network doesn’t guarantee 100% protection against security breaches, it is better than having an insecure network that can totally get wrecked. On an insecure network, there is no stopping cyber criminals from attacking your network.

Therefore, you should regularly update your router’s firmware/network to get the latest security patches in which all of the old vulnerabilities and bugs are fixed. One of the main reasons why router manufacturers release regular network updates is because of security fixes and if you aren’t taking advantage of these updates by regularly deploying them, what’s the point of these updates then?

To ensure that your family’s information or business data remains secure and protected, you should regularly update the wireless network because it is one of the gates through which hackers can gain entry into your data.

Access To New Features

If improved functionality and better security weren’t enough to convince you, then this might help. Along with improving functionality and fixing security vulnerabilities, router manufacturers add new features to the router with every update that can help you in the future. By regularly updating your router, you are basically future-proofing your router because you are getting access to new features that you never knew existed but soon you will need in the future.

Manufacturers have even made the whole process of updating your router’s firmware so much easier and more convenient, as you can download and install the network update through your mobile phone with the help of dedicated router mobile apps. These mobile apps have eliminated the need of accessing the router’s admin interface through 192.168.1.1 and allow you to not only check the status of your router but also update your router, configure it, check the connected devices, etc.

So, to get new features, to improve your router’s functionality or security, you will have to regularly update your router’s network. Some might ask how regularly we should update. Well, updates don’t come every single day so you should check for firmware/network updates at least twice every month and install them as soon as you get them.