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It scored only 8.2 overall, tied with Netgear—and that's down from 8.4 last year and 8.6 in 2014. But its tech support needs are astronomical—81 percent of users had to get help; 69 percent of Cisco users needed repairs. You better be ready to have a network admin on the phone a lot when using Cisco products. The AirPort Express Wireless Router from Apple makes it possible for as many as fifty users to connect to it. Even though just a single local area Ethernet port is available with this router, its competitors do not even come close to its attributes. For instance, Wi-Fi radio bands of 2.4GHz and 5GHz are supported by this router.
Asus scored pretty well across the board, tying with Cisco for reliability (8.6), getting the lowest number of users who required technical support, and the highest score in the likelihood to be recommended column (8.5). That translated directly into Net Promoter Score of 54 percent; the highest here, but not necessarily a barn-buster NPS. The only area in which Asus didn't best the rest was in the percentage of users who needed actual repairs; Netgear was on top here with a 24 percent, compared to Asus's 37 percent. There are lots of great mesh systems up for sale at this point, and prices have come down significantly in the last few years.
The best Wi-Fi routers in 2022
You can even find modem/router combo units that unite both of these functions into one device. Investing in your own router instead of renting one from your internet provider can increase your speed and keep you safe from potential hackers. I think most will find better value with something less expensive -- and you've got a growing number of solid options that fit the bill.
Keeping in mind the most integral features that matter when testing wireless Internet routers, the above are undoubtedly the top 10 best wireless routers in 2014. Wi-Fi speedA Wi-Fi router’s speed is measured in megabits per second or gigabits per second — 1Gbps equals 1,000Mbps. That metric denotes how fast the router can move incoming data — like an internet signal — from one computer to another . The FCC considers internet to be “high speed” as long as it has a minimum of 25Mbps download speed and 3Mbps upload speed — most modern Wi-Fi routers far exceed this. 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.
Cisco Linksys E1200
If you're looking for a lower price rather than a big bundle of bleeding-edge features, check out this list of budget routers. But if you have several family members vying for bandwidth for things like streaming Netflix video and playingPC gamesonline, a new router with modern management capabilities can make a world of difference and help keep the peace. 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. Best of all, when tested against other, similar routers from names like Asus and Netgear, the AX21 held its own with faster download speeds, better range, and low latency, too.
If you plan on hanging your router on a wall, and your router supports that, check to see if mounting hardware is included. If you can mount directly to studs, then you may need to pick up some wall anchors. If you have a small home with an uncomplicated layout, then you may do fine with an inexpensive single antenna router. Larger homes, multi-floor homes, and any situation that places a lot of obstructions between the router and your devices will benefit from a multi-antenna router. The construction of your home matters here as well, as concrete and metal will block signals more than wood and drywall.
TP-Link Archer AX50 (AX Dual Band Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Router
While the modem is the component that actually connects to the internet, the wireless router is really the linchpin of the entire system that connects everything together. Jeremy Laukkonen is an experienced tech journalist with a background in automotive repair. He specializes in VPNs, antivirus, and home electronics, including wireless routers. Keeping your kids safe from the darker corners of the internet can be a challenge, but fortunately, there are routers like Synology’s RT2600ac to give you a helping hand. The RT2600ac protects your kids from online threats right at the perimeter of your home network, so you don’t need to worry about installing parental control apps on each of their devices. With up to 2,500 square feet of coverage along with support for 160MHz-wide channels, this router will make sure you get the streaming, video calling, and gaming performance that you need.
Respondents were extremely pleased with every aspect of their devices, starting with very impressive reliability. Synology has won a PCMag Readers' Choice Award for network attached storage every year since 2012. It keeps that impressive streak going by delivering devices that handle all of its customers needs from backup to sharing files across the network and the Internet. Too few of our respondents are using the OnHub or Eero routers, so they're not included in our survey results. However, a couple of the established players, Apple and Asus, have been providing very satisfying home networking experiences for years.
You don’t get many extra features with the Reyee RG-E5, but for around $150 you get the latest Wi-Fi 6 technologies, solid throughput performance, and wide Wi-Fi signal coverage. The RG-E5 is easy to install and manage and gets you into a Wi-Fi 6 network without spending a bundle. If you require multi-gig ports and parental control software, be prepared to spend significantly more money for a router like the TP-Link Archer AX11000. Plus, today’s top-end models are blisteringly quick, thanks to a technology called NitroQAM.
This product is recommended for actual cable Internet service speeds up to 375 Mbps. A Broadcom cable modem chipset provides security from Denial of Service attacks. Compatibility with your wireless devices is key, because there’s no point in owning a wireless router if your devices can’t connect. In that same vein, speed is important, but only if your internet connection can handle it. Range is also important, but the degree of its importance is directly related to the size and configuration of your home.
If you like to stream movies in 4K, play video games, or just download large files, then the speed of your router is key. When you look at most modern routers, you’ll typically see a label like AC1700, AC3000, or AX6000. In some cases, the number will come before the AC or AX designation, which simply indicates whether it's using 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) or 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6). Respondents were asked to rate their router using multiple questions about their overall satisfaction with the solution, as well as experiences with technical support within the past 12 months. We had substantially fewer responses to the routers-for-work survey this year, which means a number of players didn't make the cut. That includes two-time winner Apple, and several vendors that in the past did not impress PCMag readers with what they had to offer.
For more information and our top recommendations, be sure to check out our full rundown of the best mesh Wi-Fi systems of the year. Originally hailing from Troy, Ohio, Ry Crist is a text-based adventure connoisseur, a lover of terrible movies and an enthusiastic yet mediocre cook. A CNET editor since 2013, Ry's beats include smart home tech, lighting, appliances, and home networking. And with still-excellent wireless performance and range, this older model can now be found for under £150 too. And AirPort Expressand the TimeCapsule, which is essentially an AirPort Extreme with a built-in hard drive acting as a NAS.
There's also still only one 2.4GHz band, so a tri-band router won't do anything at all to help your older 2.4GHz devices—they'll remain cluttered up together on the lone 2.4GHz band. Other features, like range, speed, and ports all impact the usability of a router and can have a huge effect on your overall experience and satisfaction. Select a router that doesn’t have enough bands to support all of the users and devices in your house, for example, and you’ll set yourself up for a disappointing experience. Featuring dual-band Wi-Fi, the A6 is an 802.11ac router with up to 1.2Gbps of bandwidth across its 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels, so you’ll have no problem streaming Netflix in 4K or keeping in touch with friends and family on Zoom or FaceTime.
The three-piece Eero 6 Plus is ideal for use in larger homes of up to 4,500 square feet. It uses low-profile nodes that are designed to blend in with any home décor while providing a strong Wi-Fi 6 signal to every corner of your house. In addition to eliminating dead zones, the Eero 6 Plus doubles as a home-automation hub that uses a Zigbee radio to control smart devices such as cameras, locks, lighting, and thermostats.
If you are on a budget and you want to use Wi-Fi in your home, then this N150 WiFi Router from On Networks is probably the most basic with plenty of features but still affordable enough. Moreover, if you are look for a router for an apartment or a dorm room and fancy features like the ability to create a guest network, or parent controls, are not required, then it will definitely work. IEEE 802.11b/g/n supported by this router at 2.4GHz, as well as 10/100Mbps Ethernet.
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