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).
Console port
The presence of a
console port in the router. This connector is used to control the device settings from a separate computer, which plays the role of a control panel — a console. The advantage of this format of operation is that access to the functions of the router does not depend on the state of the network; in addition, special utilities can be used on the console that provide more extensive capabilities than a regular web interface or network protocols (see "Management"). An RS-232 connector is often used as a console port, but in modern routers this role can also be played by a separate Ethernet input (not used for any other purpose).
PoE outputs
The number of PoE-enabled outputs (see above) provided in the design of the router.
In theory, this number corresponds to the maximum number of network devices that can be powered via PoE. However, in practice, two more points should be taken into account. The first and foremost is the total power delivered by such ports; most often it is indicated in the item "Total PoE power", and for models with one output - in the item "Power per PoE output". In any case, if the power consumption of the connected equipment is higher than this value, at best, the power from the switch simply “does not start”, and at worst, overloads and equipment breakdowns are possible.
The second nuance concerns routers, which themselves can be powered using Power over Ethernet. Recall that the power of such a power supply is very limited, so when it is used, most of the power usually goes to the operation of the switch itself, and there is little (if any) left to supply the PoE outputs. So when a device is powered via PoE, its own PoE outputs, at best, greatly “sag” in terms of capabilities (maximum power decreases, the number of simultaneously powered devices decreases), and at worst, they completely turn into ordinary network ports, without additional power. So if you plan to fully use the PoE outputs, you should take care to connect the switch itself to the network; this is especially true for models where there is more than one such output.
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.
