Welcome to the magical journey of figuring out which little blinking plastic box is responsible for your lag, dropped frames, and VR-induced rage.
If you’ve never once thought about your router, congratulations—you’re part of the problem. Let’s fix that.
🧱 Step 1: Find Your Router
You’re looking for a box with antennas. Or not. Sometimes it’s just a sad black brick hiding behind your couch like it owes you money.
- Look around your modem area. If it’s dusty and humming, you’ve found it.
- You might have TWO boxes: one’s a modem (from your ISP), the other’s the router.
- The router is the one you bought or should have bought.
Pro tip: If it says “Xfinity,” “Spectrum,” or “AT&T” on the front and you didn’t pay for it, it’s probably trash.
🔍 Step 2: Flip It Over Like a Pancake
Don’t be shy. Your router isn’t modest. It wants to show off its label.
Look on the bottom or back of the device. You’ll see a sticker that includes:
- Model number (e.g., AX1800, RT-AX55, AC1900)
- Serial number (ignore it unless you’re into product registration masochism)
- Default Wi-Fi name (probably something tragic like
NETGEAR32)
Write down the model number or take a photo so you can Google it like a civilized person.
🔍 Step 3: Decode the Model Number (aka: What Did You Buy?)
Here’s the cheat sheet you didn’t know you needed:
- If it starts with AX or AXE → Congrats, you have Wi-Fi 6 or 6E. You are slightly evolved.
- If it says AC → It’s Wi-Fi 5, which is fine but starting to collect dust.
- If it says N (like N600)? → That thing’s older than your sense of optimism. Upgrade yesterday.
🧠Step 4: Google It Like a Responsible Adult
Type the model into Google. Add the words “Wi-Fi 6” or “specs.” See if it’s something people still talk about, or if it’s been buried under Reddit threads since 2015.
Example: TP-Link AXE75 Wi-Fi 6E specs
If the product page looks modern and has words like “tri-band,” “6GHz,” or “OFDMA” (don’t worry, we pretend to know too), you’re golden.
If it looks like a Best Buy clearance relic, it’s time to move on.
📸 Optional: Add Pics (You Should)
We recommend uploading:
- A photo of the bottom label with the model number circled
- A photo of a modern router vs. ISP garbage side by side (for comparison and shaming)
- Maybe a zoom-in on a label showing “AXE” so people can see what to look for
Let us know if you want us to roast your current setup—we do it out of love. (And a little boredom.)
âś… Summary:
You now:
- Know what box you’re using
- Know what Wi-Fi version it supports
- Know whether to keep it, repurpose it as a doorstop, or hurl it off a balcony
Now head back to the VR Setup Guide and brag about your AXE model. Or hang your head in shame and read the Beginner’s Router Picks.