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The Reyee RG-E5 is a reasonably priced dual-band router that uses Wi-Fi 6 technology to deliver seriously fast 5GHz throughput speeds with wide-ranging wireless coverage. When a cable provider tests a modem and certifies it as compatible with their network, they also specify the maximum speed that they're willing to guarantee on their network. This number is usually lower than the maximum possible speed of a cable modem, and it's not always the same for each ISP. Think of it like the difference between how fast your car can actually go and the varying speed limits on your local highways. You might get better performance than the ISP's maximum rating, but don't count on it.
The overall size hasn't changed too much, but the added componentry results in a thicker case compared to the RT-N66U. It's a different story out back, however - because the RT-AC68U is meant to stand vertically, the ports have been shifted to the bottom of the case. The four Gigabit Ethernet ports remain, as do the pair of USB ports; one of these has the telltale blue connector of USB 3.0, making the RT-AC68U a more realistic option for attaching a networked hard drive. The $229.99 MSRP makes the R7800 one of the pricier routers among our recommendations, and is one of the only drawbacks we can find.
Amazon eero Pro mesh WiFi router For Smart Homes
To protect your whole online system from being held hostage by hackers, you must select a wireless router that supports WPA2 or WPA3 security authentication. That said, not all devices support WPA3, so you must check if your all devices are WPA3-compatible before setting up your network. You can also check for Wi-Fi routers with extra security measures like built-in antivirus software, extra encryption, firewalls, VPN services, the ability to block unwanted users, and many more.
However, it’s also the company’s firstmesh Wi-Fi system, so it’s not something you’re expected to hide somewhere in your basement. Chances are you actually will have one or more of these units in your living space, so looks are important here. Starting at $700 for the two-piece setup seen here, the AX6000 version of the Netgear Orbi is far more expensive than the dual-band version listed above, but it's also a lot more powerful.
The Best Wi-Fi Routers for 2022
No router will ever truly achieve the speeds shown on the box; as mentioned above, that number indicates a theoretical maximum. When selecting your wireless router, find out how many bands it can broadcast on. Entry-level routers tend to be restricted to a single 2.4 GHz radio, while premium routers simultaneously operate on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. 2.4 GHz tends to be more stable and will provide a usable signal through several walls, but 5 GHz is the band that will deliver blistering Wi-Fi throughput speeds. It can be frustrating to wade through the budget-friendly end of the router market. Too often, the affordably-priced routers demand major sacrifices in throughput speeds, wireless range, or reliability, and are often not a great long-term choice.
For example, if you hold a 150 Mbps internet plan, even a new modern router can’t make the speed go over 150 Mbps. ASUS RT-AC88U is the best stand-alone router for gaming enthusiasts and streamers for a single-floor ranch-style house. The understanding of one’s preferences and requirements is paramount in leading you to the right product. Grouping multiple requirements into packages, the recommendations target the most common demands of large households.
Netgear Nighthawk RAX80 8-Stream AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Router
If you find a NAS too intimidating or expensive but you want to take advantage of network-based storage anyway, the AX50 also has a USB 3.0 port for connecting a shared portable hard drive or SSD. This setup can’t replace a full-featured NAS, but it could help you back up your laptops regularly in the background. In contrast, less expensive routers are limited to much slower data transfers over USB 2.0 or lack USB connectivity entirely (the D-Link DIR-X1560, for instance). This TP-link archer has 8 Gigabit Ethernet ports and one 2.5 Gbps WAN port, and types A and Type C USB ports.
Below we guide you through choosing a router that will handle your current and future wireless networking needs, and offer our top picks to get you started. In our first round, we set up all of our contenders in a 2,000-square-foot house. Our two smartphones had no line of sight to one another, and were separated by multiple rooms and walls. The Samsung smartphone also had no line of sight to the router, but was only separated by two walls and one small room. If you’re spending the extra dough for a gigabit internet service plan, the Asus RT-AX88U is the router to make the most of the bandwidth you’re paying for.
You'll also want to avoid placing it next to other electronics, as their signals can interfere with one another; so avoid putting your router in the kitchen or your home theater. ZDNET independently tests and researches products to bring you our best recommendations and advice. Lowe is a lead editor, covering all things related to home improvement and good design. She previously worked in the decor and lifestyle spaces for digital publishers like Hunker and Ranker and has multiple years of experience creating design and DIY content. Just like floors, walls can absorb your Wi-Fi signal—which limits the signal where you really need it. A variety of satellites, including one that functions as a smart speaker, can be added.
The Tether app is straightforward and packed with all the basic options you need, including traffic prioritization, parental controls, and a guest network. There’s no HomeShield or HomeCare support with this router, but most people don't need those extra services. If you don’t care about online gaming performance or have tons of smart home devices, and your home is 1,600 square feet or smaller, you likely don’t need to spend more than this. It performs extremely well at the core things that are expected from a WiFi router, including fast connections and reliable throughput. That being said, if you are looking for something that is capable of more than simple routing, this may not be the right choice. While this particular router is cloud-enabled and features mobile apps, neither feature can be considered fully-baked at this point.
The comfort of the TP-Link interface, easy scalability, and price make this a suitable device for large homes. Its merged speed of 3Gbps translates to top speeds of 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz and 2402 Mbps on 5GHz. It gives the power to handle over 30 devices spread across a surface area of 3000 sq ft. The design finds the space to accommodate 6 collapsible external antennas, vital to its extended coverage. The combination of 4 LAN ports and a pair of USB ports opens up the possibility of wired connectivity and sharing printer/hard drives.
Contrary to its appearance, the router measuring 8.38 x 6.33 x 2.15 inches keeps itself in the lightweight category at 1.30 pounds. With three cores clocking at 1.5GHz, the router gets the ability to handle high graphic games like The Witcher, Red dead redemption from the memory duo of 512MB RAM and 256MB flash memory. Get your pictures off your phone and in front of your friends and family with these connected displays. Our How to Buy a Router guide answers a lot of questions on the terminology you'll come across when shopping for a router.
The WiFiman app can also help you test your Internet speeds, signal strength, and latency as you move around your home; it’s a great tool for diagnosing your home network. The AX21 has a single USB 2.0 port on the rear for network-accessible storage. Even if they do, USB 2.0 is old and slow compared to USB 3.0, which we typically find on new routers nowadays. When we moved the routers to a central location in our 2,000-square-foot test house, the AX21 outperformed AX50 on all of our upload and download tests across both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands — a clean sweep.
Most routers include everything you need to get started right there in the box. One notable exception is the Ethernet cable used to connect the router to your modem, as the included cables are almost always very short. Jeremy Laukkonen is an experienced tech journalist with a background in automotive repair. He specializes in VPNs, antivirus, and home electronics, including wireless routers.
Routers that support MU-MIMO are widely available, but the fact that consumers have been slow to understand exactly what the benefits of MU-MIMO are has kept the number of client devices somewhat scarce. If you want to take advantage of the faster connection speeds, decreased latency, and more efficient client battery life that you get with Wi-Fi 6, but you need to keep costs down, then the TP-Link Archer AX50 is an excellent choice. It’s easy to install and comes with TP-Link’s Homecare suite, which includes robust parental controls, anti-malware software, and several QoS presets that make it easy to provide application-based bandwidth priority when needed. If you have a busy network with numerous clients vying for bandwidth, a tri-band router is the way to go.
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