These are the best Wi-Fi routers for performance, range and overall value
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Adding one of the best Wi-Fi routers to your house is the easiest way to upgrade your home network and well worth doing now that we’re spending even more time online. Swapping out your existing router with a new, up-to-date one can make it seem like every laptop, smart TV, game console and doorbell camera is working a lot faster.
In addition to giving you a speedier Wi-Fi connection throughout your home, many of the latest routers ship with built-in network security software, mobile apps to configure their settings on the go and easy-to-use parental control software to help you limit the amount of time your kids spend online.
Whether you’re working from home, streaming content online or even gaming, there’s no substitute for the top-notch performance offered by one of the best Wi-Fi routers. Though it always helps to pair a top Wi-Fi router with the best home internet network quality.
In order to find the right models for a wide variety of needs and use cases, we thoroughly test each and every router we review. This way we can help you find one that works for you and fits your budget. These are the best Wi-Fi routers you can buy today. Also, with November right around the corner we’re already rounding up the best Black Friday deals and we expect to see many of our favorite Wi-Fi routers go on sale with steep discounts.
Best Wi-Fi routers right now
1. Asus RT-AX86U
Wi-Fi Spec: Wi-Fi 6/Dual-band
Number of Antennas/Removable: 3/Yes
Ports: 1 WAN/1 Multi-Gig WAN/ 4 LAN gigabit per second, 2 USB 3.0
Peak Throughput: 929.7Mbps
Size: 9.0 x 6.7 x 3.1 inches
- Excellent throughput and performance
- Security software with lifetime updates
- Multi-Gig input and port aggregation
- Lacks advanced gaming features like geofencing and ping heat map
The Asus RT-AX86U is a Wi-Fi 6 powerhouse that delivers great speeds and killer gaming features, as well as awesome customization options. With high-end performance and lifetime protection against intrusions and malware, it’s also a great option for securing your entire home network, providing long term protection without a subscription fee, and carrying a two-year warranty.
But the real draw of the Asus RT-AX86U is the performance, which in our testing approached the the magical 1Gbps mark to provide speedy and effortless connectivity for all of your devices. With excellent range and great performance — even through walls and between floors — the RT-AX86U is equal parts general-use router and elite gaming router, and the collection of features and ports it offers are a steal compared to some of the top-performing gaming gear. If you want the best Wi-Fi 6 router for the whole household, the Asus RT-AX86U is it.
2. Netgear Orbi WiFi 6E (RBKE963)
Wi-Fi spec: Wi-Fi 6e/Quad-band
Number of antennas/removable: 12/No
Ports: 1 WAN/4 LAN (base unit), 4 LAN (satellites)
Measured peak throughput: 1.009 Gbps
Size: 11.1 x 7.5 x 3.0 inches
- Best mesh performance ever
- Easy to set up and configure
- Optional security software, parental controls
- Costs $1,500 for router + 2 extenders
- Just 90 days of free tech support
Netgear’s Orbi WiFi 6E (model number RBKE963) is one of the best mesh Wi-Fi systems on the planet — and also one the most expensive. But if you have money to burn, a gigabit broadband connection from your ISP and an enormous house, then this is probably the mesh system for you.
The Orbi WiFi 6E can cover up to 9,000 square feet. Add a third satellite and you can go to 12,000 square feet. At a distance of 15 feet, the router’s 6-GHz channel delivered throughput of more than a gigabit per second, the first mesh router to do so in our tests.
Each unit has 12 antennas and four Ethernet ports (one rated at 2.5 Gbps), and the system creates channels on the 2.5, 5 and 6-Ghz bands, plus a fourth 5-Ghz one for backhaul between units.
Netgear offers trial subscriptions to its Armor security software, which includes Bitdefender antivirus, and parental controls. You’ll also have to pay for tech support after 90 days. But if you can afford to pay for this mesh system, you won’t mind.
3. Netgear Nighthawk AX8 (RAX80)
Wi-Fi Spec: Wi-Fi 6/Dual-band
Number of Antennas/Removable: 8/Yes
Ports: 1 WAN/5 LAN gigabit per second, 2 USB 3.0
Peak Throughput: 1.389 Gbps
Size: 12.0 x 8.0 x 6.3 inches
- High performance
- Includes malware apps
- Good configuration options
- Throughput falls off quickly with distance
With the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 (RAX80) Wi-Fi 6 router, top performance and enhanced security go hand in hand, combining throughput that smashes through the gigabit per second barrier with malware protection and Disney’s Circle app for blocking inappropriate content and managing family network use. And with excellent performance through walls and floors, the Nighthawk AX8 will work just as well in the real world as in the lab.
It may be expensive — most of the best Wi-Fi 6 routers are — but the RAX80 was easy for us to set up and lets you configure the router exactly the way you want it. It’s also got a 90-foot range, but we found it delivered better performance at distances of 50 feet, making it better suited to medium-sized homes. By almost any measure, the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 (RAX80) is the Wi-Fi-6 router to get if you don’t want to compromise on speed and safety.
4. Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
Wi-Fi Spec: 802.11ac/Tri-Band
Number of Antennas/Removable: 8/Yes
Ports: 1 WAN, 4 1-Gbps LAN, 1 2.5-Gbps LAN, 2 USB 3.0
Peak Throughput: 731.4 Mbps
Size: 9.4 x 9.4 x 2.8 inches
- First Wi-Fi 6 (802.11AX) router
- Performance improves with distance
- Plenty of customization
- Impressive 2.5Gbps wired connector
- Big
The first gaming router we tested that features Wi-Fi 6, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 is a gamer’s delight, with speed that improves over longer range, low latency and all the features that gamers expect. Add it all up and most other gaming routers are now second best.
The GT-AX11000 is large, with a gargantuan base, eight swiveling antennas, and massive 10.8Gbps maximum throughput. This wireless router has connectivity in droves, thanks to its tri-band design and four downstream Gigabit LAN ports, a single 2.5G Base T Ethernet connection, and two USB 3.0 ports.
Built-in customization and gaming-oriented optimizations provide plenty of control, and you can even pair it with other Asus routers for mesh networking to cover a larger home. At $450, it is expensive, but this is one of the best gaming routers for gamers wanting an edge online.
5. TP-Link Archer AX6000
Wi-Fi Spec: Wi-Fi 6/Dual-band
Number of Antennas/Removable: 8/Yes
Ports: 1 WAN/8 LAN gigabit per second, USB 3, USB C
Peak Throughput: 884.4Mbps
Size: 10.3 x 10.3 x 2.4 inches
- 8 LAN ports
- Extra security
- Limited configuration options in app
- Hard to remove Ethernet cables
Wi-Fi 6 routers aren’t cheap, but value is the name of the game for the TP-Link Archer AX6000 router, our favorite budget-friendly Wi-Fi 6 router. It may lag on performance and range but it offers Wi-Fi 6 speeds for less than competing Wi-Fi 6 models. Think of the Archer AX6000 as the affordable router for the first generation of Wi-Fi 6 devices.
With eight wired networking ports and the ability to pair two together to create a 2Gbps stream of data, TP-Link’s Archer AX6000 router leads the way for Wi-Fi 6 routers that are just as good with wired devices as they are at Wi-Fi. By adding in router-based security, the Archer AX6000 stands alone as one of the best routers you can get, at a price that’s hard to beat.