Best Wireless Routers Update 12/2024

A wireless router is required to create a Wi-Fi network in the home. There are countless router models available, each with its own unique set of capabilities, making it difficult to choose the best one. Use this buying guide to pick the most cost-effective wireless router for your needs.

What Is a Wireless Router?

A wireless router, or Wi-Fi router, is a computer network appliance that rebroadcasts your modem’s internet signal so that other devices can connect to the internet wirelessly. If your modem doesn’t have a built-in router, you can use a separate router to get online wirelessly.

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Top 5 Things to Consider When Buying a Wireless Router

Remember that your ISP has stipulations regarding the speed at which your router and modem can operate. To get the most out of your high-end router, you need a similarly high-quality internet connection.

There are countless router models available from dozens of manufacturers, but the following are the most important criteria to look for:

• Price
• Speed
• WiFi Signal Strength
• Usability
• Brand

Make sure it can connect to the internet at speeds greater than 25 Mbps and supports the latest Wi-Fi standard (802.11ac). Think about what you’ll be using it for (online video and gaming, for example) and compare that to the hardware designs of the various major models. Consider a long-range router or a Wi-Fi range extender if your router needs to reach multiple rooms on different floors.

How Much Should You Spend on a Wi-Fi Router?

Shopping for a router at the best price requires diligence and patience. The differences between Router A and Router B, which can cost twice as much, can be crucial to some people and irrelevant to others.

The price of a consumer broadband router is primarily influenced by:

• Wi-Fi generation: 802.11ac routers are more expensive than their 802.11n predecessors.
• Routers that advertise higher data rates typically cost more than those that advertise lower rates, all else being equal. For instance, the retail price of an 802.11n router with a throughput of 600 Mbps will be greater than that of an identical model set to transmit at 300 Mbps.
• Traditional home routers were essentially rectangular boxes with antennas protruding from the top or sides. In an effort to set themselves apart from competitors and charge higher prices, sellers have begun to experiment with new forms, such as rounded corners and a wider range of color and material options.
• There are a wide variety of consumer-grade router manufacturers. Depending on the credibility of the seller, more well-known brands may cost more.
• Similar to sales on other types of consumer electronics, routers are sometimes offered at reduced prices. Buying a router during a major sale is a good way to save money.

How Fast Does a Wi-Fi Router Need to Be?

Various wireless routers will boast different Mbps speeds. Starting at 11 Mbps for the first consumer Wi-Fi models, moving up through 54 Mbps for 802.11g, 150 Mbps to 600 Mbps for 802.11n, and now over 1 Gbps for 802.11ac.

Don’t just go for the fastest router on the market. In most cases, you won’t be able to get anywhere near the maximum performance claimed by the manufacturer.

Physical interferences that degrade the wireless signal, the distance between the connected device and the router, and other factors all contribute to the actual router speed.

A slow internet connection cannot be made faster by using a high-speed router. An ISP providing 25 Mbps service, for instance, would render useless a router capable of speeds in excess of 1 Gbps.

In a network, the maximum speed is limited by the router and the Internet service provider (ISP), whichever is lower. If a router advertises extremely fast speeds but your Internet service provider (ISP) only provides a meager amount of bandwidth, the router will only deliver the meager amount. If you have fast bandwidth but a slow router, you will still experience slow speeds.

If you want the fastest possible wireless network, you should get a router that can match or exceed the speeds provided by your Internet service provider (ISP).

How Far Does the Wi-Fi Range Extend?

Do you need wireless connectivity in just a few rooms on one floor, or do you have a three-story house with an attached garage? The power of the router you’ll need is dependent on this parameter.

Depending on the size of the home and the strength of the router, some standalone routers that come with a single unit may or may not be able to provide Wi-Fi throughout the entire home. However, if you need to cover a sizable area, a Wi-Fi repeater/range extender, a mesh network consisting of multiple routers, or a long-range router are all viable options to explore.

Large, multi-story homes, or those who wish to extend Wi-Fi to the backyard, may also benefit from installing a second router.

Do You Need a Smart Router?

If you’re not tech-savvy and this is your first time setting up a network, look for a router with a user interface designed for non-techies. How to figure out what sort of router you need

• In order to change the settings on a traditional router, you would need to open a web browser and enter the router’s IP address. To make changes to the network (like changing the Wi-Fi password and other settings), you’ll need to be at home and remember the password, making it a challenging method for novices to manage a network.
• Even when you’re not at home, you can control your smart router with an app on your smartphone that establishes a direct connection to the network. Initial configuration of these routers takes only a few minutes to complete.

If you’re on a tight budget, the first type of wireless router is the way to go. The convenience of the second type is what drives up its price. Furthermore, mesh Wi-Fi network systems typically utilize a mobile app as opposed to routers that rely on the IP address method, which are typically only seen in standalone devices.

Take review scores and ratings about routers with a grain of salt, even though it’s always helpful to get advice from consumers. People often have complaints about technology when the technology was poorly suited to their needs.

What Brand Should You Choose?

In the past, external network adapters were frequently bought alongside routers. When compared brand for brand, the products of some networking manufacturers benefit from proprietary add-ons that boost performance slightly. Compatibility with the vendor’s hardware can also be rigorously tested.

Brand-matching your Wi-Fi router with the rest of your consumer electronics might make sense. Otherwise, investigate the various brands out there and settle on one you can trust. ​

Who Should Buy a Wireless Router?

Since routers are essential to the operation of any network, they must be owned by anyone who requires Wi-Fi.

• WiFi users at home. In order to use the internet, watch videos online, or play online games, you need a router that is compatible with all of your wireless devices.
• Offices. Wi-fi and high-speed Internet access have become necessities in today’s offices.
• Businesses. Wi-Fi is essential for running a business, and you may also want to offer it to your customers for free.
• In the open. You can find free Wi-Fi at places like libraries, churches, and community centers.

What to Do After You Buy

After purchasing a router, the next step is to configure it.

• Join the modem to the router. To connect your modem and router, first plug in the router end of the Ethernet cable.
• Load up the Wi-Fi. Connect your wireless device to the network and enter the password. This data is either displayed on the router itself or included in the user manual.
• Get into the router’s control panel. Changing the Wi-Fi password, configuring security settings, blocking websites, etc. can all be done from the administrative console.

What to Look For in a Router in 2022

When selecting a Wi-Fi router for use in 2022, we believe Wi-Fi 6 to be crucial. Although Wi-Fi 7 has been announced, the new protocol won’t be available until 2023; until then, a router supporting Wi-Fi 6 or 6E is what you should be looking for.

You want a new router to last you a few years into the future, and you can find Wi-Fi 6 routers for a reasonable price. The use of gigabit internet connections is also on the rise, and the best router for such connections is Wi-Fi 6.

We’ve also included a few router models that don’t support Wi-Fi 6, but have other attractive qualities, such as an exceptionally low price or an industry-leading VPN setup.

We cannot recommend a single router that works optimally with Xfinity, Spectrum, Verizon FIOS, or any other ISP. We suggest that you choose a router based on your specific requirements. Choosing a combined router-modem unit is important because the modem is the only device that is ISP-specific. Most people would benefit from having a router and modem that are physically separate from one another.

After that, your decision will come down to how much you want to spend, what kind of features you need, and how cutting-edge you want your wireless router to be.

Best Wi-Fi Router: Asus AX6000 (RT-AX88U)

Pros

• Wi-Fi 6 and forward-compatible devices
• Full of useful functions
• 6000 Mbps Transfer Rates

Cons

• It’s a No-Tri-Band Zone
• Wi-Fi 6 Router, but not the quickest
• This Wi-Fi 6 router isn’t the cheapest option.

The Asus AX6000 is highly recommended if you’re in the market for a home Wi-Fi router. It’s not the priciest Wi-Fi 6 router on the market by a long shot, but neither is it the cheapest.

This router has QoS (quality of service) for prioritizing certain types of network traffic, free built-in parental controls, security features for blocking malware, and future-proof Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with a maximum speed of 6000 Mbps, dual-band technology, and built-in VPN support. For instance, the router can connect to a virtual private network (VPN) and redirect all your internet traffic through that VPN because it supports the OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP VPN client protocols.

It’s not all about speed with Wi-Fi 6. This dual-band router is great for maintaining a robust signal at greater distances with Wi-Fi 6 services than the previous 802.11ac technology (also known as Wi-Fi 5), thanks to OFDMA technology.

There are eight gigabit Ethernet ports on the back of the router for wired devices. Although we advise a dedicated mesh system if you’re considering a mesh network, it is also compatible with Asus AiMesh, which allows you to set up a mesh network by adding additional Asus routers.

Streaming media from services like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube is possible with just about any reliable router, including this one. Assuming your streaming devices can connect to a strong Wi-Fi signal on a robust Wi-Fi 6 router, you should be good to go.

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However, if you require coverage over a larger area, you should look into a mesh Wi-Fi system.

Best Budget Router: TP-Link Archer AX3000 (AX50)

Pros

• Saving money with Wi-Fi 6
• Trustworthy and unwavering

Cons

• Speeds are capped at 3000 Mbps
• No WPA3 encryption
• Less functionality

A high-priced router is unnecessary for some people. If you’re looking to save money or just need to cover a small area with a handful of devices, the TP-Link Archer AX3000 (also known as the Archer AX50) is an excellent choice. This cutting-edge router has Wi-Fi 6 and is much less expensive than our top pick for Wi-Fi routers.

If you don’t want to spend as much as we did on our recommended router, this one is a safe bet.

The AX3000 from TP-Link naturally has some technological shortcomings. This TP-Link model’s maximum throughput is only 3000 Mbps, whereas the Asus model we recommend has a cap of 6000 Mbps. Unfortunately, TP-Link has omitted WPA3 encryption from this model of router. In addition, there are only four, rather than eight, gigabit LAN ports for use with wired Ethernet devices.

Keep in mind that a seamless mesh network cannot be expanded with additional routers without a feature like AiMesh. It can function as a VPN server, allowing you to connect to your local network from anywhere in the world over the internet, but it cannot act as a VPN client, redirecting all of your internet traffic through a secure tunnel.

You might be surprised at how many premium options are available at this price range if that all sounds good to you. Naturally, the router supports Wi-Fi 6 with OFDMA, which increases range when linked to other Wi-Fi 6 devices. Free built-in parental controls and dual-band technology are included.

If you can avoid it, spend at least this much on a router. Now is a great time to invest in Wi-Fi 6 hardware, as it is relatively inexpensive. You can get a good Wi-Fi 5 router for less money, or a slow Wi-Fi 6 router.

Best Cheap Router Under $100: TP-Link Archer AC1900 (A8)

Pros

• A high-quality router that won’t break the bank.

Cons

• There is no Internet access 6
• Speeds of up to 1900 Mbps

The TP-Link Archer A8 is an affordable alternative to our recommended budget router. Because it lacks support for Wi-Fi 6, this router isn’t as future-proof as some of the others on this list. However, if you don’t need to cover a large area with your network and you don’t have a lot of devices, you’ll probably be satisfied with this router. It’s an upgrade from the Archer A7, our previous top pick for a sub-$100 router.

In comparison to the Archer A8, which tops out at 1750 Mbps, the Archer A8 can reach speeds of up to 1900 Mbps. However, the A8 will still fall short of our top budget pick’s 3000 Mbps and the top overall router’s 6000 Mbps.

The Archer A8 (and any other Wi-Fi 5 router) will still work with Wi-Fi 6 devices, but they will only be able to connect at Wi-Fi 5 speeds. When more devices are connected to a router in this price range, the performance usually decreases. The Archer A8 isn’t cheap, but it’s a good option for those who have a modest home or apartment and require only a router.

We advise against going any lower than this if you’re looking for a router, and especially if you want Wi-Fi 6. For instance, TP-Link’s own Archer AX10 router, which features Wi-Fi 6, is available for a comparable price. The router’s top speed of only 1500 Mbps means it’s slower than this Wi-Fi 5 router, despite its supposed support for Wi-Fi 6.

Stay with this trustworthy Wi-Fi 5 router for the time being if that’s all you can afford.

Best Gaming Router: Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000

Pros

• Speeds of up to 11000 Mbps
• Three-Band Wi-Fi
• Loaded with state-of-the-art capabilities

Cons

• It’s very expensive.

These routers aren’t limited to their gaming uses. Gaming routers are high-end models that include the latest innovations in networking technology. Even if you never play games, gaming routers are worth checking out if you’re interested in cutting edge technology.

The best gaming routers offer cutting-edge functionality and cutting-edge hardware. While the router we recommend overall is suitable for gaming, if you want the very best gaming router with all the bells and whistles, you’ll need to shell out a little more cash.

Extremely powerful and equipped with state-of-the-art features, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 router is a true beast. It improves upon the Asus RT-AX88U in every respect, including its tri-band support and 11000 Mbps top speed. The Wi-Fi on this Asus router is lightning fast.

Thanks to the router’s tri-band support, you can create a separate Wi-Fi network just for your gaming devices, whether they’re personal computers, consoles, handhelds, or anything else.

Although the router’s design is meant to appeal to gamers, aesthetics aren’t the only thing that matter. This router is designed with gamers in mind, down to the streamlined interface provided by Asus’s ROG Gaming Center.

VPN Fusion is a novel addition to this router that allows you to manually assign devices to use different connections on the router’s end. With the router’s user interface, you can set up three different virtual private networks (VPNs) for your devices: one for work, one for privacy, and one for gaming.

Best Mesh Router: Asus ZenWiFi AX6600 (XT8)

Pros

• ✓ Wi-Fi 6
• 5500 Sq. Ft. of Protection
• Quality of Service (QoS) for Traffic Prioritization

Cons

• Costs more than Wi-Fi-free mesh networks with 6
• Not as user-friendly as the Google Nest Wifi system

A router and one or more extenders work together to form a mesh Wi-Fi network. By strategically placing multiple of these units throughout a given space, like different rooms in a house, a network’s signal can be amplified and spread over a much wider area than a single router ever could. They are a great way to improve coverage in areas with low signal strength or dead spots, such as larger homes, yards, and other outdoor areas.

A mesh network system is more seamless than a conventional wireless range extender. In most cases, range extenders will create a new network under a different name, requiring your device to join either the original network or the extended network.

In a mesh network, all of the connected devices are aware of one another and can communicate and collaborate in a seamless and intelligent manner, despite sharing only a single Wi-Fi network name. It’s easier to configure than a standard range booster, too.

Unlike many other mesh Wi-Fi systems, the Asus ZenWiFi AX6600 (XT8) actually supports Wi-Fi 6. Two separate units are included, with a combined coverage area of up to 5500 square feet being claimed. Quality of Service (QoS) support for prioritizing traffic and optional anti-malware and parental control features make this the best Wi-Fi 6 mesh router.

Although Netgear’s Orbi 6 is a worthy alternative, it costs even more than the Asus ZenWiFi hardware we recommend and doesn’t have as many bells and whistles.

Need more media attention? Extra satellites for your AiMesh system can be purchased independently. A mesh system with as many satellites as you need is the ideal router for a large home.

Choose a mesh Wi-Fi system if you want the best long-range router. It will provide extensive, uniform coverage for your house or office. One of the satellites could be placed at the property line if you want to use your wireless network in the yard.

Best Budget Mesh Router: TP-Link Deco X20

Pros

• Mesh networking on a shoestring budget
• Backwards compatible with Wi-Fi versions 4-6
• Simple installation and configuration.
• Provides strong cell phone signal coverage

Cons

• Does not have a dependable backhaul connection.
• Speed of the network could be improved.

While mesh router systems can be costly, testing one out isn’t going to break the bank. The TP-Link Deco X20 has excellent functionality and speed without breaking the bank.

For $180, you can get the starter kit that has two nodes and covers up to 4,000 square feet. For a typical family home, that should be plenty. If that’s the case, a 3-node kit that costs around $199 will allow you to increase coverage to 5,800 square feet.

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The hub and the satellites are visually identical, and the nodes themselves are small and compact. You can connect devices to any of the nodes via cable, as they each have two gigabit Ethernet ports. However, all of the nodes are lacking USB ports, so a LAN connection is required for any networked gadgets.

The Deco X20 is compatible with both Wi-Fi 6 and older Wi-Fi standards. Using OFDMA technology, Wi-Fi 6 devices can pool data from multiple streams to make use of the maximum possible throughput of 1800Mbps. However, even without it, the maximum speeds of 1201Mbps on the 5GHz frequency and 574Mbps on the 2.4GHz frequency are still quite respectable.

However, the mesh does not have its own dedicated backhaul channel. As a result, the satellites’ speeds will be lower than they would be if they were directly connected to the hub, because the quality of the signal will degrade as it travels between nodes.

While having a backhaul channel is convenient, it usually comes at an additional cost. The 3-pack does come with Ethernet backhaul, so if you’re interested it’ll cost you around $20 to upgrade. Deco X20 users will also benefit from beamforming and MU-MIMO’s ability to boost signal strength, which should help make up for the slower transfer rates.

If you need a mesh router but have a limited budget, the Deco X20 is your best bet. The average family looking to extend network coverage to all corners of the house will find that the trade-offs in top speed and advanced features are well worth it.

Best Modem Router Combo: NETGEAR Nighthawk CAX80

Pros

• ✓ Wi-Fi 6
• A DOCSIS 3.1 modem with gigabit speeds

Cons

• Fewer options
• The value of a combo unit is lower.

Let’s get one thing straight: a modem-router hybrid is unnecessary. Any of these routers can be used with an existing modem from your internet service provider (ISP), or a new modem can be purchased (like the Motorola MB8600, which is prepared for gigabit internet) and used with any of the routers on this list. When you shop for a router and modem independently, you have a lot more flexibility.

The combo unit, however, is desired by some. After all, there’s only one gadget to carry around instead of two.

We recommend the NETGEAR Nighthawk CAX80 as the best modem router combo for use with Cox, Spectrum, or Xfinity. It’s one of the few combined modem/router devices that works with Wi-Fi 6. In addition, a DOCSIS 3.1 modem is integrated into the device for use with gigabit speeds.

A high-quality Netgear Nighthawk dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router is provided in addition to the modem, and it can achieve speeds of up to 6000 Mbps and utilize OFDMA for extended range over Wi-Fi 6 connections.

Unfortunately, it lacks some of the functionality of our top picks: WPA3 security is not supported by this router. No quality of service (QoS) features are available to prioritize data transmission. When compared to our top overall router and top gaming router picks, both of which are made by Asus, this one lacks a feature that would make it a true VPN client and force all internet traffic to go through the VPN.

While Asus and TP-Link’s router security services are free for life, NETGEAR’s are only free for 30 days before you have to pay for more time if you want to keep using them.

We conclude that it is more practical to acquire a router and a modem independently. However, this is the one to get if you only need a single unit.

Best VPN Router: Linksys WRT3200ACM

Pros

• Consider implementing a virtual private network across your entire system.
• ExpressVPN’s proprietary router firmware makes setup a breeze.

Cons

• Wi-Fi Disconnects 6
• A speed of 2600 Mbps

VPN functionality is built into some routers by default. All devices on your network that access the internet via your router will be automatically connected to your VPN once it has been set up. This is helpful if you need to access a restricted business network, or if you just prefer to use a virtual private network (VPN) for all of your internet connections.

The Asus AX6000 (RT-AX88U) is our top recommendation if you want a router with a VPN client. It has the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology and built-in VPN connection support. The VPN client can be set up by downloading OpenVPN configuration files and then importing them into the router’s user interface.

Our top choice for a gaming router is the Asus GT-AX11000 because of its “VPN Fusion” feature, which allows you to restrict VPN access to only certain devices on your network.

When it comes to connecting to a VPN, however, most standard routers don’t provide the most intuitive interface. The best VPN router, which we recommend, is compatible with ExpressVPN. You can connect to ExpressVPN and modify your router’s VPN settings with the help of ExpressVPN’s specialized firmware, which can be installed on this router.

However, there is currently no router available that is compatible with ExpressVPN’s custom router firmware (or OpenWrt or DD-WRT) and Wi-Fi 6. If VPN support is your top priority, however, we recommend delaying the upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 for the time being.

On the other hand, the Linksys WRT3200ACM open-source router is ExpressVPN’s top pick for the most powerful router the service is compatible with. Even though it’s just an 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) router, ExpressVPN recommends it because it offers faster speeds (up to 2600 Mbps) and better performance when connecting multiple devices at once than older models.

Best Travel Router: TP-Link AC750

Pros

• Create a wireless network out of any ethernet port.
• Superior to hotel Wi-Fi
• Value for money

Cons

• Less fast than personal wireless networks (but quicker than hotel hotspots)

If you’re tired of struggling with sluggish hotel Wi-Fi, you need a travel router. And if you have access to an Ethernet cable, it’s essential for creating your own secure Wi-Fi hotspot anywhere you go.

Poor quality Wi-Fi in hotels. The speeds are typically very low, and you may be limited in the number of devices you can connect. Every device you use will require a manual network connection and password. However, an Ethernet connection is typically installed in the bathroom.

A travel router is a compact, transportable device that can be linked to this kind of Ethernet port. In a short amount of time, it will turn that wired network into a private Wi-Fi zone for you. You won’t have to deal with the slow hotel Wi-Fi when you connect all of your devices to the travel network because they will remember your credentials.

The TP-Link AC750 is a great choice for those in need of a portable router. Not only does it not support Wi-Fi 6, but neither do the vast majority of hotel Wi-Fi networks. It’s a cheap and compact wireless AC (Wi-Fi 5) router that can reach speeds of up to 733 Mbps, which is much faster than the Wi-Fi in most hotels.

TP-Link, the maker of many of the best cheap and budget routers available, is also responsible for this device.

Best Wi-Fi 6E Router: Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000

Pros

• State-of-the-art Wi-Fi 6E
• Our best gaming router just got better

Cons

• Very few gadgets support Wi-Fi 6E.
• It costs a lot of money.

Wi-Fi 6 is now ubiquitous in consumer electronics, and the market has already moved on to Wi-Fi 6E. The main difference between Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E is that the latter supports the 6GHz band in addition to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands used by the former. It has the potential to alleviate wireless congestion and speed up operations in places where a large number of devices are using wireless communication.

Even though Wi-Fi 7 is on the (very) distant horizon, the latest and greatest thing being promoted by router manufacturers is Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi 6E is less critical and less common than Wi-Fi 6, but more and more devices are being released with 6E support.

Therefore, you may want to get a router that supports Wi-Fi 6E if you have any Wi-Fi 6E devices or if you want to prepare for the future. Routers that are compatible with this cutting-edge technology will be more expensive than the ones we’ve already recommended.

The Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 is a great option if Wi-Fi 6E is a priority for you. With a new look and support for Wi-Fi 6E, this router is identical to our top pick for gaming routers. All of its cutting-edge power and functionality are yours, along with Wi-Fi 6E.

If you’re looking for the best, most reliable equipment available, this is it.

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