Which wireless router

We delete comments that violate our policy , which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. CNET editors pick the products and services we write about. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Ry Crist. Jump to details. Best mesh router Nest Wifi.

Best mesh value Netgear Orbi dual-band, AC Best mesh performance Netgear Orbi 6 triband, AX Read more: Best internet providers for Best Wi-Fi 6 router. Best Wi-Fi 6 router on a budget. Best mesh router. Nest Wifi. Best mesh value. Netgear Orbi dual-band, AC Best mesh performance. Netgear Orbi 6 triband, AX Best Wi-Fi 6 mesh router.

Best gaming router. What does a Wi-Fi router do? How much should I spend on a router? The WPA3 rollout is already underway, but will take a couple of years to be common. This may be the same or different on each band — for example Mbps on each band or Mbps on one band and Mbps on the other, or even Mbps on each. Let you connect other devices to the router, such as a printer or external hard drive. This puts them on the network to share with all users.

Note that a USB port may be specific for a printer or an external drive, and not necessarily either. Check the specifications for your router model. Now that you know what kind of equipment you need, these steps should help you keep your network organised as you get it off the ground. The first step after plugging it all together assuming you have a separate modem and router is to identify the 'WAN' wide area network port on the router, which looks the same as the others but is intended only for your modem.

It's usually labelled and colour-coded differently too so it's easy to pick out. The other ports are for your wired devices which can generally be attached in any order. Skip to content Skip to footer navigation. Top of the content. Connecting to the internet. How to find the best wireless router, Wi-Fi mesh or wireless extender The right Wi-Fi router, mesh system or network extender can boost your home wireless network.

Steve Duncombe. Do all wireless routers include a modem? Can a new modem-router can replace your ISP-supplied modem? Can I add a third-party wireless router? Can my router affect Wi-Fi performance? Wi-Fi protocols quick reference guide. The newest wireless standard is called Wi-Fi 6 This is faster and able to handle more devices than its predecessor, Wi-Fi 5 Previous standards included These vary in their speed, range, signal penetration and compatibility with modern devices.

Usually, newer standards are backwards compatible with earlier ones, so for example you might see a router referred to as Why we've partnered with WhistleOut We've partnered with search engine WhistleOut to help you find and buy the right plan for you. Networking tools. LAN ports Provide extra local area network ports to connect other devices via wired ethernet. Quality of Service QoS This can help you nominate what types of network traffic are important and therefore get priority — streaming media, for example.

Security preset Uses security encryption to prevent the network accidentally being left open and thus vulnerable to unauthorised users. Speed This may be the same or different on each band — for example Mbps on each band or Mbps on one band and Mbps on the other, or even Mbps on each.

Reasons to avoid - Lacks advanced gaming features like geofencing and ping heat map. Peak Throughput: 1. Size: Reasons to avoid - Expensive - Throughput falls off quickly with distance. Nest WiFi. Specifications Wi-Fi Spec: Size: 4. Reasons to avoid - Short range - Minimal configuration options. Reasons to avoid - Big. TP-Link Archer C Size: 8. Reasons to avoid - Runs hot. Throughput: 2.

Reasons to avoid - Expensive - Throughput declines quickly with distance. Reasons to avoid - Short range - Not much to configure. TP-Link Archer A7. Size: 1. Reasons to avoid - Lacks deep customization options - Limited range. Reasons to avoid - Big - Can't aim antennas. Linksys EA Max Stream. Reasons to avoid - Short range. Brian Westover. Topics Computers. See all comments I am not sure at all what to buy for a 3, sqft really old home with plaster in the walls. We will be renting three guest rooms that will all need access to good wifi and a separate password.

I need very fast preferably wired and reliable internet for work that doesn't slow down when guests use the internet. I would really appreciate a recommendation with approx. However, a good system is a higher priority to price. Better than any on that list to be honest. If you want in depth reviews look at small netbuilder and CNET has some simpler reviews too but the R in pretty much most sites, tops other routers in 5GHz performance and range.

The R actually is more powerful CPU and WiFi chipset wise than the R, only advantage the R has is the extra 5Ghz band which I don't think will help you that much and will definitely not increase range by any means.

FYI compared to the 88U similar to R the 86U is actually more powerful and using newer gen hardware, only reason the 88U is higher priced is due to extra lan ports.

Thank you avtella, really appreciate it!!! I would avoid Netgear like the plague, I have had the worst support experiences with them. What a crock! I want to buy a new wifi router that has the functionality to allow geographically distant family to download selected photos and videos from a USB-attached external hard drive. There's smart assistant support here too, so you can, for example, turn the internet off with an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice command when it's time for the kids to go to bed.

In terms of both parental controls and Quality of Service management the D-Link DIR excels, making it an even more appealing proposition for your next router. If you can't quite stretch to the XR model we've mentioned above, then the Netgear Nighthawk XR is a very decent gaming router from the same series — not quite as much power or range, but with many of the same features that make the XR special.

It's definitely worth a look as one of the best wireless routers on the market at the moment. You get the same custom software for managing bandwidth and prioritising traffic as you do on the other Nighthawk models, while the router scores well in all the other areas that matter too: speed, latency, stability and more.

It's a little older now, but that also means you can pick this up for a very good price, and upgrade your router on a tighter budget. Don't be deceived by the looks of the Archer VR from TP-Link also known as the TP-Link AC : this may appear to be a very plain and unassuming router, but it packs in stacks of performance and functionality. There's the high-speed, dual-band Setting up the device is easy and from there the intuitive user interface lets you manage features such as parental control and individual access for devices.

The router performs strongly in terms of speeds and range too, which makes it well worth considering as an upgrade if you're weighing up the best wireless routers on the market in If you're after a router that supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 standards and looks like it just arrived from another planet, then perhaps the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 is the router you're looking for.

It's particularly good at keeping multiple devices connected at high speeds, and doesn't get ruffled by having to beam Wi-Fi across long distances inside a home. This really does raise the bar in terms of specs for a Wi-Fi router, from the way it manages data traffic between devices, to the number of connections it can keep going at once, and it's one of the most affordable ways of getting Wi-Fi 6 up and running in your dwelling.

There are five wired ports too, and you can use two of them together for increased speeds. Router manufacturers like to throw a lot of specs around, but when it comes to choosing the best wireless router, look at the maximum bandwidth — an indication of how well and how quickly multiple devices can be connected — and the latest supported Wi-Fi standard. The newest Wi-Fi 6, also known as The earlier You also need to look out for extra software features that might come in handy: traffic prioritisation for gamers, for example, or parental controls if you've got little ones and home and want to make sure they're staying safe online.

Dave has over 20 years' experience in the tech journalism industry, covering hardware and software across mobile, computing, smart home, home entertainment, wearables, gaming and the web — you can find his writing online, in print, and even in the occasional scientific paper, across major tech titles like T3, TechRadar, Gizmodo and Wired.

Outside of work, he enjoys long walks in the countryside, skiing down mountains, watching football matches as long as his team is winning and keeping up with the latest movies. You can score a solid inch TV to deck out your living room with these Black Friday deals. Get the latest info on the best Black Friday deals to expect this year, as well as handy tips and tricks. Extend your Wi-Fi across bigger rooms and dead zones with the top Wi-Fi range extenders.

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