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Now, TP-Link is doing even better and selling the Deco W7200 mesh router, a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 system that only costs $233 for a two-pack. Motorola's MG7700 checks all the right boxes when it comes to delivering the performance and features most users need in a cable modem/router. If you're looking for even broader coverage, then Netgear's Orbi CBK752 combines a top-rated Wi-Fi 6 mesh system with a fast (and future-ready) cable modem to let you take full advantage of the fastest internet plans in even the largest of homes.
Everything from surfing the web to streaming video was solid within an approximate 2,000-square-foot radius. In the basement and more distant locations of the house, the signal was weak, but that's to be expected. Lastly, remember that these numbers represent the combined speeds that are available to all of your connected devices across all of the bands the router offers. Don't let the numbers fool you into thinking that a tri-band AC5400 router is significantly faster than a dual-band AC3000 router, as both likely offer similar speeds on each band. Our expert reviewers and editors evaluate routers based on design, connectivity, performance, and features. We test their performance in both wired and wireless configurations, measure their effective range and bandwidth, and analyze their feature sets, including how well those features are implemented.
Netgear Nighthawk CAX80 DOCSIS 3.1 AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Cable Modem Router
While it was one of the original giants in networking equipment, it was eventually folded into Cisco and then sold to Belkin. Despite changing hands a few times, Linksys still has a reputation for rock solid hardware that doesn’t break the bank, and they make some of the best open source routers available. Most people need both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, because older devices only work with 2.4GHz, while newer devices can really benefit from the additional speed you get with a 5GHz signal. It's also important to keep in mind that 5GHz signals don't travel as far, so good 2.4GHz coverage is still important.
Not surprisingly, the two standouts here are our top two Wi-Fi 6E systems, the Netgear Orbi AXE11000 and the Eero Pro 6E. That's why we put every router we review through our own, independent speed tests in a real-world test environment. For much of the past few years of working from home, that test environment has been my house, but here in 2022, we've been working to relocate those tests to our test lab, where we can do more to control for variables in the environment. If $400 is a bit too much for your budget, know that there's a smaller version of this system called the Asus ZenWiFi AX Mini.
Best Advanced Router: Asus RT-AC3200
And with the in-app optimization, you can make sure that that signal is a wicked fast and optimizes your network for exactly what it needs. The multichannel signal utilizes radar-sensing hardware to hop on normally restricted channels to extend your network even further. And if you’d like to optimize how your signal is used, whether to prioritize gaming, streaming or voice, you can do that right from the Razer app. It’s not going to win any beauty pageants, but then when you’re this fast, you don’t need to worry about aesthetics. TP-Link’s Archer GX-90 is a powerful tri-band Wi-Fi 6 gaming router that delivers impressive performance and bristles with features like multi-gig connectivity, robust parental controls, network security software, and game optimization tools. Some lack USB jacks, and others limit you to only one or two spare Ethernet ports for wired connections to media streamers, smart home bridges and other common peripherals.
We also thought about the TP-Link Archer A5 and Archer A6, since both rank among the least expensive 802.11ac routers with a typical price tag under $50. However, both also lack band steering, which is available in enough inexpensive routers now that we consider the feature to be a must-have. What this graph shows is how many milliseconds it took to simulate loading a Web page during our multi-client tests. On the left side of the graph is the 50th-percentile result—the result in the middle of the range. We also took a sample at the 75th, 90th, 95th, and 100th percentile—the last being the worst results we got from each device. Keep in mind that while the laptop in this test was loading Web pages, three others were downloading a big file, streaming 4K video, and browsing a second website—this was a busy little network, at a busy time.
The best WiFi router
Our picks (the TP-Link Archer A20, Synology RT2600ac, and TP-Link Archer A7) will alert you to new firmware updates when you open the Web-based administration page, but you usually have to open that page regularly to check. If you're interested in some straightforward steps you can take to make your router more secure, we like this guide by SwiftOnSecurity. To access your router's Web-based configuration screen, don't use any domain names that your router's manufacturer may have provided as a shortcut—such domain names have been known to get hijacked and can open you up to attack. Instead, connect a desktop or laptop to the router , open a Web browser, and type in the router's IP address; here's how to find it. At long distance, half of the routers kept our garage client on the 5 GHz channel, and the other half switched it to the slower but longer-range 2.4 GHz channel.
If you’re looking for a router that can offer you the peace of knowing that your home network is safe against malware and other online threats, then Asus RT-AX88U has you covered. It’s a high-performance router with a wealth of advanced features, from online security and parental controls to the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology, plus enough range and power to cover a large and busy home. Nearly all routers include separate radios for those bands, which lets you connect to whichever band is best. Some routers will automatically steer your connection between the multiple bands available, but you can usually turn that off as well, making each band its own, separate Wi-Fi network.
Tenda Nova MW6 AC1200 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System 2-Pack ($63.
Even if you don’t have a lot of Wi-Fi 6 devices in your home yet, this router will make sure you’re ready when they do come along, and in the meantime it will deliver impressive performance for all your 802.11ac Wi-Fi 5 devices. Don’t let its appearance fool you, though, as this powerful Wi-Fi system can easily cover even the largest and busiest homes with more than enough performance for all of your streaming and video calling needs. A dedicated wireless channel runs between the main Orbi router and the satellite units to keep everything running quickly and smoothly, which means you’ll get consistent speeds, no matter which unit you’re closest to. If you've already got a budget router running your network and you're ready to upgrade to something more powerful, the Linksys Hydra Pro 6 belongs high on your list. With a dual-band, AX5400 build, full support for Wi-Fi 6, and 160MHz channel support for moving data more efficiently, it was an excellent performer in my speed tests, even managing to outperform flashier picks like the also great Asus RT-AX86U.
Out of the 10 routers we tested for this guide, the Archer A20 was the fastest and most consistent. If you're happy with your Wi-Fi, you don't need a new router—it's as simple as that. If you're having problems with range, speed, or reliability, though, it might be time for an upgrade. An older router that doesn't support 802.11ac (also known as Wi-Fi 5), has a weak CPU, or lacks Gigabit Ethernet ports can hold you back significantly. It's important to note that routers rarely, if ever, reach these "maximum speeds" in real-world applications, but if you're looking for performance, consider one of the high-speed routers .
In general, the 5GHz band is going to be your best bet for a reliable, high-speed connection at close and medium range, while the 2.4GHz band is great for devices at the far reaches of your Wi-Fi network, where the improved range is worth the speed tradeoff. You need to be connected to your modem in order to send and receive data from the web -- your router lets you do that without need for a wire. It's basically a big, fancy antenna for your modem that lets you connect with it wirelessly, over Wi-Fi. You can also use that local Wi-Fi network to connect with other devices at home, like printers or remote storage servers. Gaming routers promise high performance and low latency for die-hard gamers, and it isn't uncommon to find them selling for $300 or even $400.
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. Mesh routers use multiple devices to relay a better Wi-Fi signal throughout your home, with fewer dead zones. It's definitely the right approach if you live in a large, multi-story home, or if there are multiple spots in your home where you can't connect as reliably as you'd like. The old-fashioned way is to plug the thing in and connect it with your modem via Ethernet cable, then type its IP address into a browser's URL bar to begin the setup.
With multiple devices working together to spread a strong, usable connection across a larger space, a mesh router is usually better than a single, stand-alone router, especially in medium to large homes. In a home or apartment that's smaller than 1,500 square feet or so, a mesh router might be more hardware than you need. There are a number of other factors that we take into consideration whenever we test a mesh router. I run each of my speed tests to the same server, which gives me a good, comparative look at how quickly each one is able to send and receive data. Most of the mesh routers I'm testing these days do just fine, with average latency usually coming in between 15ms and 20ms per ping, but some systems will see latency spikes when they're routing your connection through a satellite extender. That means connecting to a mesh system at range might not be the best bet for gamers, or for anyone else particularly concerned with latency.
It depends on what you need and how many people and devices need to connect, but a small- to medium-sized home or apartment can probably get by with a well-tested dual-band router in the $100 range. If your home is larger, then it's probably worth spending more on a mesh system that can spread more consistent speeds from room to room. And if you're working from home, gaming online or sharing bandwidth with multiple housemates or family members, upgrading to something like a high-speed tri-band router is probably a good investment, too. The Archer A20 is a tri-band router, which means it offers two 5 GHz channels for speedy communication at shorter ranges and one 2.4 GHz channel for slower connections at longer range; most routers in this price range offer only one 5 GHz band.
Netgear Nighthawk C7800 DOCSIS 3.1 AC3200 Wi-Fi Cable Modem Router
PCMag supports Group Black and its mission to increase greater diversity in media voices and media ownerships. I wrote for the well-known tech site Tom's Hardware for three years before I joined PCMag in 2018. In that time, I've reviewed desktops, PC cases, and motherboards as a freelancer, while also producing deals content for the site and its sibling ExtremeTech. Now, as a full-time PCMag staffer, I'm focusing on reviewing processors and graphics cards while dabbling in all other things PC-related. If you buy something using a link on this page, Forbes may receive a small share of that sale.
It's also fully backward-compatible with previous-gen Google Wifi setups, which is a smart touch. Among dual-band mesh routers, I'd much rather have a top-of-the-line Wi-Fi 5 system than an entry-level Wi-Fi 6 system, and even among new competition, the Nest Wifi mesh router fits that bill. The best wireless routers deliver top-notch range and speed for households of all sizes—and all the devices and users in them. The best wireless routers aren’t just for power users, either—they’re easy and intuitive to set up thanks to accompanying smartphone apps, so anybody can get one up and running on their home network in no time at all. A feature called link aggregation lets you achieve Internet speeds up to 2 gigabits by using two connections at the same time. You can connect the main WAN port and LAN port 1 on the back of the router to a cable modem that also supports link aggregation, such as our upgrade pick, the Motorola MB8600.
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