Based on our in-depth testing and reviews of more than 15 routers, the Linksys WRT1900ACS ($180) is the best overall choice, thanks to its high throughput and extensive monitoring tools. If you're on a budget, you should also consider Netgear's R6220 ($80), which offers welcome features like parental controls alongside solid performance in a reasonably priced router.
There's a traffic jam in your home, with a wide array of connected devices — from smartphones and tablets to laptops and media streamers — competing for a share of your wireless network. According to market research firm IDC, the average home has more than eight connected devices. Make sure your home network can handle today's networking needs by getting up to speed on the latest wireless routers.
Latest News and Updates (April 2018)
- If you want to fill a small home or apartment with high-speed internet, the Linksys EA8300 Max Stream is an affordable way to do it. The router is an excellent performer, especially for gaming, and it offers a level of customization rarely seen on routers in the $199 price range.
- Are you ready for the next big thing in high-speed internet? Read up on gigabit speed internet and whether it's available in your area.
- Don't throw out your old Asus routers. The company has just announced that an upcoming firmware update will allow existing Asus routers to be combined for mesh networking using the company's AiMesh software. By combining multiple routers into a single Wi-Fi network, you can cover large homes and eliminate dead spots without buying multiple satellite units.
- Netgear's Orbi is expanding its mesh networking to the backyard with the Orbi Outdoor Satellite, a weather resistant satellite unit that works with all Orbi mesh networking gear. The ruggedized unit resists moisture, temperature extremes and has a built in ambient nightlight.
See our latest reviews, like the Samsung Connect Home Pro and Connect Home mesh system.
Types of Routers: Standalone and Mesh
Routers that support the latest wireless standard, called 802.11ac, help alleviate traffic issues by providing more than four times the throughput of 802.11n hardware. Plus, by using a more efficient process, newer routers can help save battery life on your mobile devices. But not all 802.11ac routers are created equal.
*The AmpliFi and Netgear Orbi routers were tested at 150 feet.
If there's a router you'd like us to review or if you have any questions about what to buy, drop us a note in the comments. You may also want to check out our recommendations of cable modems and Wi-Fi extenders.
How Much Do Routers Cost?
Current 802.11ac routers often sell for under $100 for basic, dual-band models. Many models will sell for more, but deliver better coverage, and range up to $300. You can also buy mesh routers for whole-house coverage, security routers that protect your network, and gaming routers that deliver performance optimized for online gaming, but all of these options come at a premium.
How We Evaluated
We tested all routers in our office using IxChariot to measure throughput at distances from 5 feet to 140 feet. (In some tests, the latter distance was 150 feet.) We then measured real-world performance in an older house with thick walls, to test both range and how they handle simultaneous streams from multiple devices. Other factors used in evaluating the routers include ease of setup and use, software features and available ports.
Here are our top Wi-Fi router picks across several categories.
Whether you enjoy rolling up your sleeves and really digging into a router's settings or just want a router that can move a lot of data to your devices, the Linksys WRT1900ACS has you covered. It blew away other dual-band routers in our testing, thanks to its use of beamforming technology to better direct wireless signals. The WRT1900ACS offers good range and plenty of ports for connecting printers and external hard drives. If you like to tinker, you can dive into the WRT1900ACS's settings and give priority to specific devices and apps or use the monitoring tools to see how your network performs. But even ordinary users can take advantage of the WRT1900AC's fast setup to get the data flowing across their Wi-Fi network.
Editor's choice
Linksys WRT1900ACS
Best Overall
You get a surprising number of features from Netgear's R6220, without a corresponding jump in price. This budget router features a USB 2.0 port for connecting peripherals, a switch for turning off wireless transmissions when you're on vacation and parental controls that filter out objectionable websites. You'll also get good performance for the money, with the R6220 pushing through more data than most of the comparably priced routers we've tested.
Editor's choice
Netgear R6220
Best Value
The Linksys WRT 32X is made for gamers, with low-latency and increased throughput. The real draw, however, is the Killer Prioritization Engine, which lets you hog all the bandwidth you need for lag-free gaming.
Linksys WRT 32X
Best for Gaming
Netgear scores a home run with its initial foray into the mesh-router world. A single Orbi unit is one of the most powerful routers we've seen; add an Orbi satellite, and the system easily covers a 5,000-square foot home. The secret weapon is a dedicated backchannel that handles traffic among the Orbi units, without interference from client devices. We wish the devices were a little smaller and a little cheaper, but for the moment, the Orbi is the mesh router to beat.
Netgear Orbi
Best Mesh Router System
Netgear’s triband router sports a big price tag, but power users will find it worth every penny. The router features six wired LAN ports for delivering gigabit traffic, and you can aggregate two of those for top-speed data transfers. You’ll find a slew of customization options, and the X8’s support for open-source DD-WRT firmware lets you add features at will. The Nighthawk X8 is also able to figure out which devices or data hogs via Dynamic QoS (Quality of Service), so that you can create a priority list to re-apportion bandwidth. Throw in impressive performance, and this is a router that more than earns its keep.
Editor's choice
Netgear Nighthawk X8 R8500
Best for Power Users
The best way to extend wireless connectivity throughout your home is through a mesh network, and the best coverage we've seen so far comes from the AmpliFi HD, which includes a router and a pair of included extenders (or mesh points, as Ubiquiti calls them). The HD version isn't cheap, but it will bathe a mid- to large-sized home in Wi-Fi. It covered a 3,500-square foot home (and more) in our testing, and setting up the entire network took us about 15 minutes. Ubiquiti offers less expensive versions with less range, but AmpliFi HD's excellent coverage area makes it hard to top when you've got a lot of real estate to cover.
AmpliFi HD
Best for a Large Home
| Related Buying Guides: |
| Best Modems |
| Best Wi-Fi Extenders |
| Best Wireless Printers |
About the author
Broadcom based routers from Netgear/Linksys (Marvell based units as well)/Asus can cause performance degradation with MU enabled, as Broadcom's implementation sucks. The Asus 86U is also close to the R7800 WiFi wise but its Broadcom based, though using an improved WIFi chip compared to older Broadcom units. FYI compared to the 88U (similar to R8500) the 86U is actually more powerful and using newer gen hardware, only reason the 88U is higher priced is due to extra lan ports.