Almost every part of life today revolves around the internet. This makes it almost impossible to stay off the grid. The demands of today are more than just the internet; the Wi-Fi should be fast, secure, and reliable. To get the best quality connection, you must purchase the best wireless router.
How do you determine the best wireless router? The best way to purchase the best router is to consider the crucial features that will separate the wheat from the chaff to give you a reliable system. The more the options, the more confusing it gets hence the need for this buying guide to help you.
Best Wireless Routers Review:
1. Google Wifi system
You can now enjoy a strong, reliable signal in every room for all your devices at home with this wireless router. This new connection type replaces your regular outer and offers a seamless coverage throughout the home. Its advanced software works in the background to efficiently manage your network.
Network Assist selects the clearest channel and the fastest band to serve you beyond your expectations. You can share the network with your guests, prioritize the network for specific devices, and view the connections among other great features.
2. Google WiFi Router – OnHub AC1900
Enjoy excellent Wi-Fi speeds of up 1900 Mbps for smooth streaming, downloads, and gaming. It is designed to eliminate dead zones using the dual-band, Wi-Fi antenna, Bluetooth antenna and two Zigbee antenna. It will reliably cover most homes up to 2,500 square feet and supports over 100 connected devices efficiently.
Its Google On app makes it easy and convenient to manage the network from your Smartphone. Regular security updates will cover you. The guest network allows you to share your resources without sharing your secure password.
3. NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1750 Smart Dual Band WiFi Router
With this wireless router, you will always have a network no matter where you are in the home. Enjoy blazing fast Wi-Fi network that makes your gaming and video streaming experience very enjoyable. Work with minimal interference and a reliable connection.
It ensures your privacy across the network by preventing hacking, phishing, and spyware in addition to limiting access to kids and guests. At 130mbps, you will be fully covered no matter how intense your bandwidth resource needs. Experience lag-free gaming and surfing and prioritize bandwidth for whatever you want.
4. Linksys AC1750 Dual-Band Smart Wireless Router
With The Linksys Max-Stream AC1750, you can easily upgrade to AC Wi-Fi to cover the whole home. Its cutting-edge technology makes it possible to deliver high-speed internet simultaneously to multiple devices. These include tablets, streaming media players, 4K TVs, and game consoles.
The MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) technology efficiently handles simultaneous bandwidth-demanding connections. At its 2x speed of regular devices, you can efficiently manage many activities at the same time without experiencing any lag.
5. Medialink AC1200 Wireless Gigabit Router
You will love the 1,000mbps speed for a lag-free streaming experience. The Gigabit ports allow you to perform demanding activities like gaming and 4K video streaming without any delay of interference. The two high-powered antennas work concertedly to cover even a large home by directing the signal to your devices.
The guest network allows your guests to access the internet from a separate network from your main network. It also has a robust firewall to keep intruders at bay. You can restrict the access to specific hours to force the kids to sleep in time and not stay on the internet for long. If you have a device too far from the router, use a universal range extender to cover even a larger area.
6. TP-Link AC1750 Dual Band Gigabit WiFi Router
This router is perfect for just anyone. It is easy to setup and manage, and is powerful enough to cover every room. Its six powerful antennas coupled with advanced wireless technology will give you high-speed Wi-Fi to every corner of the home.
Pick any of the two bands to give your devices the maximum speed. It is not only the wireless connections that are fast; even the wired connections are excellent. It allows you to share a printer across the network using the dual USN ports.
7. ASUS AC1750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Wi-Fi Router
Experience the super-fast 1.75Gbps from the 5th generation 802.11ac chipset for the dual band. You can access the Asus AiCloud for sync and stream for on the go unlimited storage expansion. Its Gigabit ports offer fast and reliable internet connections while the AiRadar optimizes the wireless coverage using the detachable high-power antennas.
The dashboard makes it easy to set up the system, monitor signal strength and manage the network. You can also access the router-connected USB storage, share files, printer, and 3G. The wireless router is slim, sleek and powerful to cover the whole home.
8. Motorola 16×4 High-Speed Cable Gateway with WiFi
Once you experience what this router has to offer, you will never look for another model. With four Gigabit Ethernet ports of 10/100/1000 and a Broadcom modem chipset for better security against denial of service attacks. Get fast Wi-Fi speeds for all your devices without suffering any reduced or distorted speed.
It features wired connections for PC and Mac, game stations, HDTVs and other Ethernet cabled devices. Its vertical design saves your desk space and improves cooling for a longer product life.
9. Linksys Max-Stream AC4000 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Tri-Band Router
With a tri-band Wi-Fi router, you will enjoy blasting speeds at home. It suits homes with multiple digital entertainment devices. It delivers a combined speed of up to 4.0 Gbps, so you will not experience any lag while streaming.
It features MU-MIMO technology that makes it efficient at sharing the network among many devices simultaneously without any reduction in speed. You will feel as if each device has its own Wi-Fi network. It has a smart connect feature that selects the best band for an optimized Wi-Fi performance at any given time. It gets automatic firmware updates overnight to keep the device updated and secure.
10. ARRIS SURFboard SBG7400AC2 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem / AC2350 Wi-Fi Router
The Surfboard SBG7400AC2 is a dual-band Wi-Fi router with a 4-point Gigabit Ethernet in one compact device. As you surf, your security will not be a problem since it comes with the ARRIS Secure Home Internet by McAfee. This keeps all the devices on the network secure from malware and phishing threats. From the mobile app, you will conveniently control the network, set parental control and receive alerts if suspicious activities are detected. You can do all these from wherever you are.
Wireless Router Features to Look Out For
Routers have become an integral part of our lives, and we cannot do without them. Many of these devices come with plenty of features to facilitate easy synchronization with devices within the network. With so many models and different features, purchasing a new router becomes tasking. These features will help guide you to the right wireless router for your needs.
The Wireless Standards
The standard the hardware operates on determines the performance of the wifi router. There are the 802.11n, 802.11ac, and the 802.11g for instance. However, for clearer signals, consider the new and slightly expensive 802.11ac models.
Together with the 802.11n models, they operate at both 5GHz and 2GHz frequencies for a dual back router. The best option, however, is a tri-band wireless router for more freedom.
Smart Technologies
Current wifi routers have impressive inbuilt features known as the smart processes. The latest routers are designed to circumvent the dead-zones in the house to get you a signal everywhere. If your house has many physical barriers between the router and where you want to use the signal then consider such a router.
Quality of Service
This is crucial when you share the broadband internet among many users. This service allows you to split the bandwidth according to priority among the users. The user with a high priority needs like a conference call will get a higher bandwidth than the one who wants to stream some movie.
USB and Ethernet Ports
A router with five or more Ethernet ports gives more connection options without the need to purchase additional equipment. The best ones have USB ports for the printer and other devices. The more USB ports, the more functions it can perform. Every wireless router model has a unique number of ports and of various generations.
An excellent wireless router offers more connection options for your freedom. The new age routers have inbuilt print servers to make work easier. More LAN ports will leave you with a host of connection options and eliminates the need to buy a separate LAN hub.
Prices
You may want to stick to your budget, but at times, the features you desire are in a router that is outside your budget. Some compromise is necessary for such a situation. The more the inbuilt features, the higher the price.
But only go for the features you need, not just getting a product with many features for the sake of purchasing. The high-priced devices have security features to encrypt your transmission for better security against hackers.
Durable Products
Everyone wants a router that can last years without any disappointment or malfunction. A good product will ensure you get uninterrupted connections for the longest time possible before you have to purchase another. Consider the technology, since old technology will force you to buy another router very soon when it gets outdated.
Parental Lock
A wireless router with an inbuilt parental lock feature is very convenient for homes. It helps parents keep tabs on the sites the kids visit. You do not need to be close to monitor them, just restrict their access and keep them safe even when you are away.
Security Protocols
Today’s routers come with lots of inbuilt security features. This prevents unauthorized persons from accessing the network remotely. The most common protocol is the WPA/2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access). The modern devices come with an extra layer of security called RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In Use Service). The number of inbuilt security features will determine its price with the cheapest routers featuring the basic security measures.
There is always a risk of being attacked through your router, and the wireless devices are at an increased risk than the wired ones. The WPA or WPA/2 protocols will reduce this risk. It is recommended that you switch from IPV4 devices to the 128 bit protected IPV6 devices for better protection.
Wi-Fi Channels
Most Wi-Fi routers operate on a dual-band frequency at 2.4 and 5GHz. This facilitates a smooth flow of data for excellent performance. A single band router can get overwhelmed therefore ceasing to function as expected. A dual-band and tri-band device will make your work seamlessly smooth.
Range
The router should be positioned in a central location away from obstructions and other gadgets. When placed this way and on a raised shelf, your range gets better. This, however, does not save you from dead spots in the house.
Consider a product with a longer range before you have to buy additional adaptors to extend it. You may need to buy the affordable power-line adaptors to extend its reach to the far corners and the hard-to-reach places in your house.
Important Considerations
The Router Limits
Even a router with the highest speed won’t improve your transmission performance above the slowest connection. This may be the connection between your house and the ISP. But it is better to have a higher connection sped in the house to open your chances of a future network upgrade.
Gust access
If you frequently get house guests like Airbnb guests, consider a router that will not compel you to give your security password. It provides a second network for the guests without giving access to your primary network.
Conclusion
Shopping for a wireless router can at times be confusing, frustrating and outright time-consuming. Not everyone understands or has time for the myriads of tech jargon yet these are the basics to consider. Inexperienced shoppers have a higher risk of being duped into buying useless routers that will not serve their needs well. This buying guide, therefore, seeks to enlighten you and guide you to choosing the right product with all the features you need. Be prudent when considering the features to make the right purchasing decision.