2024-02-03 00:10:39
As with so many other products, we can turn to the second-hand market to buy all types of technological devices, including WiFi routers. Since new models can cost a lot of money, buying used can save us a lot of money. However, this device is much more delicate and could be a security risk.
Dangers of a second-hand router
We may think positively and that second hand router that we have found is from a normal user, someone who is not tech-savvy and who is only selling it because they have a new one and want to make quick money instead of letting it gather dust in a drawer somewhere. But can you put your hand in the fire because it is so?
You don’t have to be a cybersecurity expert to have some concern when using a router that has already had a previous owner. It is legitimate to think that connecting a second-hand router to your network can open a backdoor for hackers and connect remotely. After all, your router is nothing more than the access point between the modem provided by your Internet provider (the ISP) and your personal devices, so any compromise to the network could represent a serious security risk.
Although it is good that you worry, because that makes you a more cautious person, reality shows that routers really store little data, so the potential security damage that they could do to us would be quite slight. Despite this, our recommendation is that before connecting the network cables to the second-hand router you just bought, perform a factory reset to erase the preconfigured settings, such as the WiFi password and access point name ( SSID).
Most models have a dedicated reset button in a slot, which you will need to press and hold for 10 to 15 seconds with a thin item, such as a paper clip or toothpick. If you have a SIM card extractor for your mobile, it may be the best option.
Performance problems?
Another of the big concerns that may arise when buying a used router has to do with the degradation that may have occurred. As with any other technological device, we must verify that it works correctly so that the investment we have made, no matter how much savings it has compared to buying a new one, is not in vain.
In the case of routers, although their activity is practically 24/7 (very few people unplug them at night or when they leave home), deteriorates at a very slow rate, even after many years of daily use. A router is broadly speaking a microcomputer that is responsible for managing the Internet connection. Therefore, we can say that either they work, or they don’t, but as such their functionality does not reduce as the months go by.
This means that things like Internet bandwidth will be independent of the condition of the router as long as it is working. Of course, depending on how long the previous owner has not used it, the important firmware updates have not been carried out. This would have a solution, but not the fact that it has become obsolete.
That used router, depending on how old it is, hasn’t changed, while the rest of the other devices around it and your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) network have, evolving and improving. For example, the new Wi-Fi 7 standard is five times faster than Wi-Fi 6, uses the 6 GHz band, and has incredibly low latency. Also they Newer routers have improved security featuressuch as WPA3.
Therefore, due to how quickly things change in technology, it would only be advisable to buy a router that is not more than two years old. With more, we could consider it obsolete.
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