Selecting Cisco Router That Best Fits Your Company’s Needs

In today's fast-paced world, businesses need high-performance networking equipment without breaking the bank. That's where refurbished routers come into play. Refurbished routers offer a cost-effective alternative to brand new models while delivering reliable performance and essential features. In this blog, we delve into the benefits, considerations, and misconceptions surrounding refurbished routers, empowering you to make an informed decision for your network infrastructure.

Cisco has long been a leading networking powerhouse, providing IT professionals with high-quality services, solutions, and products. Its expertise, reliability, and wide range of offerings have increased client trust and propelled it to the top of the list of networking solution providers.  Let’s find out more about choosing the right refurbished router for your network needs.

THE PROCESS OF CHOOSING A REFURBISHED ENTERPRISE ROUTER IS COMPLEX

Since its inception in the 1980s, Cisco has been one of the world's largest networking enterprises, evolving from a vendor of switches and routers to a provider of robust telecommunications, cybersecurity, and networking solutions. It continues to maintain the quality & value of its technology, and we anticipate that it will manage to stand out from the competition for many years to come.

Did you know that Cisco refurbished routers are a good mix of cost savings, reliability, and security? Let us look at the advantages of Cisco refurbished routers, and how your business can achieve top-tier networking capabilities while staying within budget.

1. Cost Savings: Cisco refurbished routers offer significant cost savings of between 40%-90% over OEM prices, allowing businesses to stretch their IT budgets further.
2. Quality Assurance: Supported by a rigorous refurbishment process, Cisco refurbished routers meet strict quality standards, providing reliable performance on par with new equipment.
3. Smooth Scalability: Cisco refurbished routers offer the same advanced features and capabilities as their new counterparts, allowing businesses to take advantage of the latest networking technologies.

However, when investing in a refurbished Cisco router, you must do extensive research, keep a few important pre-considerations in mind, and evaluate your business needs carefully. You may use this overview as a starting point. We want to assist you in determining which refurbished Cisco router is best for you, depending on your requirements and the network you are maintaining or expanding.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CHOOSING A REFURBISHED BUSINESS ROUTER

1. What should be the optimal speed for your refurbished Cisco router?

The speed of a refurbished Cisco router is primarily determined by its gigabits-per-second (or Gbps) rate. Gigabits and gigabytes are sometimes mistaken; however, they are not the same. In actuality, a gigabyte is made up of eight gigabits. Most small offices can get by with a router that runs at three to five gigabits per second; however, speedier devices are available. Nonetheless, businesses utilizing ADSL2+ will require a router capable of handling downloads at 20 Mbps, whereas those using Fiber-based Internet will need a router capable of handling downloads at 50 MBps. This makes it all the more important to assess which Cisco wireless refurbished router would be worth investing your money into.

2. How much money should you spend on a refurbished Cisco router?

Refurbished Cisco routers can range from less than $100 to $400 or more. Your IT budget and specific demands will determine the amount you should spend on a router. But you'll also want to be sure you're getting the necessary features to utilize your internet services fully. You'll most certainly pay more for a used router that supports faster speeds and technologies such as MU-MIMO and beamforming. Moreover, refurbished tri-band routers and those that support phone service will be more expensive.

3. How many users and devices can connect to a router?

A powerful refurbished router is useless if it can't accommodate several users. Bandwidth plays an essential role in determining the overall capacity of a router. For the uninitiated, bandwidth is similar to ‘highway width’—the more bandwidth a router offers, the more devices employees can connect to it without slowing it down. Bandwidth is measured in gigahertz (GHz), and most refurbished routers have many "bands" that vary in speed and spectrum efficiency. Most routers provide various bands, allowing managers to select the ideal configuration for the office environment. A few refurbished Cisco routers even let numerous bands operate simultaneously. 

4. Don’t forget about data security

How sensitive is the data in your company? Do you hardly share sensitive information across the office or is there not a day without anything significant shared across emails? Depending on your security needs, you'll need a refurbished router with several firewalls and possibly a virtual private network or VPN for maximum security. Firewalls are software applications that operate as border checkpoints, checking every internet traffic through your network. VPNs are far more difficult for malware to breach than firewalls, so look for one or both capabilities. You can also go for a small business wireless router with advanced encryption technologies, such as WPA2. In addition, if you're using the refurbished Cisco router for a small business, look for the ability to set up ‘guest access’ and various SSIDs to segregate your network into trustworthy and unauthorized users. It's also good to get one with dual-WAN connections if you require critical backup access. Don’t forget to ensure that your Cisco wireless refurbished router comes with all the data security your network needs- it is always better to read the specification and approach expert technical staff to help you out with the process.

5. Know the support you will be getting for the refurbished Cisco router

Refurbished Cisco routers come with varying levels of support based on the model you purchased and the router's price. Before making a purchase, it is critical to understand how much support your refurbished Cisco router will require and if your vendor will be providing your team the same assistance. 

CXTEC ADVANTAGE: UNLOCK OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE AND MAXIMUM ROI FROM YOUR REFURBISHED CISCO ROUTER

When deciding which refurbished Cisco router is best for your organization, the pointers listed above are an excellent place to start. At CXtec, we stock a large variety of high-quality, fully tested refurbished Cisco routers, all of which are available as part of equal2new®, our premier brand of certified pre-owned IT hardware. With our vast collection of Cisco wireless refurbished routers, you get access to a wide array of pre-owned Cisco routers including the 800, 1800, 1900, 2800, 2900, 3800, 3900, 7200, and more with extendedwarranty and advance replacement. As the largest used network hardware distributor in North America, CXtec has been a pioneer and proven partner for enterprises across various industries since 1978. To know more about CXtec equal2new, fill in the form below, and our expert will get in touch with you.