When you’ve made the decision to introduce a wireless home stereo system in your household, the most important decision you’ll have to make is how you want your device to connect to the Internet.

There are several options on the market today. To make sure you choose the right wireless home speakers for you, here is a list of all the ways you can connect and stream music.

Bluetooth

Though some people still equate the term ‘Bluetooth’ with small headsets and earpieces, the term is now more frequently used to describe one of the most popular wireless connections available. What makes this option so favored is that it does not require a network to connect, which means you can carry it to the park, beach or a friend’s house without needing to access a network. While Bluetooth was once considered to have poor audio performance the technology has improved significantly and many people find it convenient because of its ease of use and fast connection time.

Wi-Fi

Another popular method, Wi-Fi connection, is credited with having superior audio quality and the ability to access audio from various sources, like storage devices or media servers. It also features a stronger signal, which means you’ll have a larger range to work with. Audiophiles and people who want to play high-resolution files may find that Wi-Fi is the perfect option for their wireless home speakers.

NFC

NFC, or Near Field Communication has been in the news a lot lately thanks to Apple Pay. In the instance of wireless home stereo systems, it’s really only useful when paired with a Bluetooth connection, which happens with NFC’s signature ‘tapping’ of two devices. While that may be a cool way to do it, it isn’t the most beneficial, as NFC has a very limited range and doesn’t work at all with iPhones.

DLNA

The Digital Living Network Alliance is an open organization that’s used for transmitting music, pictures and video through Wi-Fi. While DLNA is readily available in a lot of technology, it’s also got a huge Achilles heal in the form of a slower connection.

Airplay

If you’re an Apple fan, you may have already heard of Airplay. A huge amount of wireless home speakers are preprogrammed with the technology, and all iPads and iPhones have Airplay integrated, which makes it really easy to wirelessly play your music. A big downside to this connection option is that it will only work with Apple and it is quite pricey in comparison to other methods.

Wirelessly streaming music in your home is as simple as choosing the right technology for you, then purchasing a wireless home stereo system that uses that connection. If you’re interested in using NFC, for example, consider the Braven BRV-X. If Wi-Fi sounds like the way to go, consider HEOS by Denon. Take your time familiarizing yourself with this guide, then go make a purchase you’re confidant about and get ready to enjoy some music!