What to Look For in a Router in 2022
We think Wi-Fi 6 is extremely important when picking a Wi-Fi router for 2022. While Wi-Fi 7 has been announced, the new protocol won’t be available until 2023, so Wi-Fi 6 and 6E are what you should look for in a router now.
If you’re buying a new router, you want it to be future-proof for a few years, and you can get very reasonably priced Wi-Fi 6 routers. Gigabit internet is becoming more common, too—and if you want the best router for gigabit internet, you want Wi-Fi 6.
However, we’ve also included a few router models that don’t have Wi-Fi 6, but they offer compelling features like a highly affordable price or best-in-class VPN configuration.
We don’t think there’s a best router for Xfinity, Spectrum, Verizon FIOS, or any other internet service provider. We recommend you pick whichever router fits your needs. The only thing that is ISP-specific is your modem, so this only matters if you’re choosing a combined router-modem unit. For most people, we recommend a separate router and modem, which will give you more choices.
Beyond that, it all comes down to how much money you want to spend, which features you’re looking for, and how much bleeding-edge technology you want in your wireless router.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a Wi-Fi Router?
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A router creates a local network, forwarding traffic between your local devices and the internet. A Wi-Fi router is a router that also functions as a wireless access point, letting you connect devices to the network over Wi-Fi. Without a router, you could only be able to connect a single device to your internet modem via an Ethernet cable. (However, modern modems provided by internet service providers often include built-in Wi-Fi routers.)
How Do You Reset a Wi-Fi Router?
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To reboot your Wi-Fi router, unplug its power cable, wait about ten seconds, and plug it back in. To reset a Wi-Fi router to factory default settings, look for a reset button on the router itself—you will often need to long-press it for ten seconds or so. Check your specific router’s documentation for more information.
How Do You Update Router Firmware?
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Your router’s web interface or the app you use to configure your router will have an option for updating its firmware, which is the software that runs on your router. You may have to manually download a firmware update file from your router manufacturer’s website. Consult your router’s documentation or your router manufacturer’s website for more specific details.
What Is the WPS Button on My Router?
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The Wi-Fi Protected Setup button lets you connect a device to Wi-Fi without typing your Wi-Fi password. Generally, you will first try connecting the device to your Wi-Fi network. When you’re prompted for a password, you may also see a message telling you that “you can also connect by pushing the button on your router.” You can then push your router’s WPS button to connect without typing the password. (This only works on some devices. For example, Android doesn’t support WPS.)
How Can I Best Place My Router for Widest Coverage?
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Place your router in a central location. In a two-level house, consider placing it near the floor of the second floor or the ceiling of the first floor. Avoid obstructions that can block Wi-Fi, including metal, large appliances, microwaves, and concrete walls (drywall isn’t a problem.) For the best coverage, consider a mesh Wi-Fi system.
How Does Router Price Affect Performance?
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More expensive routers tend to offer faster speeds and wider areas of strong coverage. They have hardware features lacking in less expensive routers. How much this matters depends on how many devices you’ll be connecting at once, what you’ll be doing on them, and how far away from your router those devices are.
How Can I Boost My Wi-Fi Signal?
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The most important tip is to position your router in a good location. You should also ensure you’re connected to the 5 GHz network. We’ve got more tips for boosting your Wi-Fi signal. If none of them works, consider buying a new router, switching to a mesh Wi-Fi system, or perhaps just adding a Wi-Fi extender.
Do Routers Make Noise?
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A router shouldn’t make much noise. Most home routers don’t have fans, but if the router has a cooling fan inside it, you may hear a quiet fan noise while it’s running—just like you would on a laptop. Like other electrics, a router might make a buzzing or humming noise while it’s running.
How Do You Tell if Wi-Fi Is 2.4GHz or 5GHz?
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While connected to the Wi-Fi network, you can go into your device’s Wi-Fi settings and look through the Wi-Fi network’s information to see if it says it’s using the “5 GHz” or “2.4 GHz” network band. (This information is not displayed on all devices.) Most routers use the same Wi-Fi network name for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz by default, and your device automatically connects to the best one at any given time. However, you can set most routers up to have separate network names for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks, so you’ll always know which your device is connected to.
How Does My Modem Affect My Router?
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Your modem is the device that connects to your internet service provider’s network: cable, fiber optic, DSL, or satellite. You connect your router to your modem via an Ethernet cable. Modern ISPs often provide combined modem-router units that include router hardware in the same box as the modem hardware. If you have one of these, you can configure your modem in “bridge mode” so that it will just function as a modem and let your router take over all routing duties. Consult your modem’s documentation for more information.
How Do You Find Wi-Fi Network Congestion?
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Congestion could occur when a device is using a lot of bandwidth on your network. Some routers may show the data usage of individual devices in their web interfaces or apps. However, in many cases, you will need to look at the information on each device itself to see which device is using the most data.
How Hot Do Routers Get?
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Like other electronics, a router produces heat as it operates. If you cover a router or block its vents, it will get too hot. Some router manufacturers say their routers are designed to operate at temperatures up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius.) How hot a router will get depends on the ambient temperature of the room, whether it has good airflow to cool itself, how much work it’s doing, and the model of router itself.
Best Wi-Fi Router: Asus AX6000 (RT-AX88U)
Pros
- ✓ Wi-Fi 6 and future-proof hardware
- ✓ Packed with features
- ✓ 6000 Mbps speeds
Cons
- ✗ No Tri-Band
- ✗ Not the fastest Wi-Fi 6 Router
- ✗ Not the cheapest Wi-Fi 6 router
If you’re looking for the best Wi-Fi router for a home, take a look at the Asus AX6000. It’s not the most expensive Wi-Fi 6 router you can buy—nowhere near it—but it’s not the cheapest, either.
This router comes with future-proof Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), WPA3 security, 6000 Mbps maximum speed, dual-band technology, built-in VPN support, QoS (quality of service) for prioritizing certain types of network traffic, free built-in parental controls, and security features for blocking malware. For example, it has built-in VPN client support for the OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP protocols, enabling the router to connect to a VPN and route all your internet traffic through that VPN.
Wi-Fi 6 isn’t just about speed. Thanks to OFDMA technology, this dual-band router is excellent for keeping a strong signal at longer ranges with Wi-Fi 6 services compared to the previous 802.11ac technology, also known as Wi-Fi 5.
On the back of the router, you’ll find a whopping eight gigabit Ethernet ports for connecting wired devices. It’s also compatible with Asus AiMesh, which helps you set up a mesh network by adding extra Asus routers—although we recommend a dedicated mesh system if you’re thinking about a mesh network.
Realistically, any solid router, including this one, is a good option for streaming from services like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. As long as your streaming devices have a strong Wi-Fi signal on a powerful Wi-Fi 6 router, you’re in business.
If you need coverage over a wider area, however, consider a mesh Wi-Fi system instead.
Best Wi-Fi Router Overall
Asus AX6000 (RT-AX88U)
Our favorite Wi-Fi 6 router offers 6000 Mbps speeds and is packed with features. It’s a good middle ground between a budget router and a more expensive model packed with bleeding-edge technologies.
Best Budget Router: TP-Link Archer AX3000 (AX50)
Pros
- ✓ Wi-Fi 6 on a budget
- ✓ Solid and reliable
Cons
- ✗ Only 3000 Mbps speeds
- ✗ No WPA3 security
- ✗ Fewer features
Not everyone needs an expensive router. Whether you only need to cover a small area with a few devices or you want to save some cash, we recommend the TP-Link Archer AX3000, also called the Archer AX50. This modern router comes with Wi-Fi 6, and it’s substantially cheaper than our pick for the best Wi-Fi router.
If you don’t want to splurge for our top pick, it is hard to go wrong with this router.
TP-Link’s AX3000 has to cut some technological corners, of course. While the Asus model we recommend tops out at 6000 Mbps throughput, this TP-Link model maxes out at 3000 Mbps. TP-Link has not included WPA3 security with this router. It also features only four gigabit LAN ports for wired Ethernet devices instead of eight.
Without a feature like AiMesh, you can’t add extra routers to create a seamless mesh network later, so that’s something to keep in mind. It has a built-in VPN server you can use to remotely connect to your home network from the internet, but it can’t function as a VPN client that routes all your internet traffic through a VPN.
If that all sounds fine to you, you’d be surprised how many high-end features you can get at this lower price point. Of course, the router features Wi-Fi 6 with OFDMA for boosting range when connecting to Wi-Fi 6 devices. You get dual-band technology and free built-in parental controls, too.
We don’t recommend spending less than this on a router if you can help it. With Wi-Fi 6 hardware this affordable, it’s an excellent opportunity to future-proof your network. If you spend less, you’ll either get a solid Wi-Fi 5 router or a particularly slow Wi-Fi 6 router.
Best Budget Router
TP-Link Archer AX3000 (AX50)
A rock-solid Wi-Fi 6 router at a very reasonable price, but it’s slower and omits some features.
Link Icon Review Geek’s Review Score: 8/10
Best Cheap Router Under $100: TP-Link Archer AC1900 (A8)
Pros
- ✓ A solid router at a very low price
Cons
- ✗ No Wi-Fi 6
- ✗ 1900 Mbps speeds
If you need a router that’s even cheaper than our top budget pick, the TP-Link Archer A8 will be a decent choice. This router doesn’t have Wi-Fi 6—only Wi-Fi 5, so it’s not as future-proof as many of the other options on this list. But, if you have a small area to cover and don’t have too many devices, you’ll likely be pretty pleased with this router. It’s an improved version of the Archer A7, our previous pick for a router under $100.
The Archer A8 offers speeds of up to 1900 Mbps, faster than the 1750 Mbps of the Archer A8. But compared to the 3000 Mbps for our top budget pick and 6000 Mbps for our overall top router, the A8 will still be on the slower side.
If you have Wi-Fi 6 devices, you can still connect them to the Archer A8 (or any Wi-Fi 5 router), but you’ll only get the slower Wi-Fi 5 speeds. Routers in this price range also tend to have their performance suffer when more devices are connected. But if you’re living in a small home or apartment and simply just need a router, the Archer A8 won’t hit your wallet too hard.
We don’t recommend spending less than this for a router—or even trying to get Wi-Fi 6 at this price range. For example, TP-Link itself offers a similarly priced router with Wi-Fi 6, the TP-Link Archer AX10. Despite that Wi-Fi 6 promise, the router is slower than this Wi-Fi 5 router, topping out at 1500 Mbps.
For now, if this is your price range, we recommend you stick with this reliable Wi-Fi 5 router.
Best Cheap Router
TP-Link Archer A8
A rock-solid router at a low price. However, it’s slower, and you don’t get Wi-Fi 6.
Best Gaming Router: Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
Pros
- ✓ 11000 Mbps speeds
- ✓ Tri-band Wi-Fi
- ✓ Packed with cutting-edge features
Cons
- ✗ It’s pricey
Gaming routers aren’t just for gaming. High-end routers with the latest features are generally branded “gaming routers.” If you want bleeding-edge technology, take a look at gaming routers—even if you never play games.
Gaming routers are a category of their own, promising impressive hardware packed with all the latest features. Our top router pick is also a gaming router, but if you’re looking for the best gaming router with the most features, you’ll want to spend a bit more.
The Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 is an absolute monster of a router with the latest cutting-edge technology. It’s an upgrade over Asus’s RT-AX88U with all of the previous model’s features, such as tri-band support with 11000 Mbps maximum speed. This Asus route has some seriously high-speed Wi-Fi.
That tri-band support means you can isolate your gaming devices—-PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, or anything else—on their own band of Wi-Fi, ensuring other devices in your home aren’t competing for wireless traffic on your gaming Wi-Fi network.
While the router has aggressive gamer styling, it’s not just about how the hardware looks. This router is gamer-themed right down to easy control over the router’s features in Asus’s ROG Gaming Center interface.
This router also features an innovative feature called VPN Fusion, which lets you manually assign specific devices to go through different connections at the router level. Using the router’s interface, you could have your laptop go through a work VPN, your personal computer go through a different VPN for privacy, and your gaming console connects directly to the internet and bypass the VPN.
Best Gaming Router
Asus GT-AX11000 Tri-Band Router
A monster of a router for gamers and anyone else who wants the fastest speed and more bleeding-edge features.
Best Mesh Router: Asus ZenWiFi AX6600 (XT8)
Pros
- ✓ Wi-Fi 6
- ✓ 5500 square feet of coverage
- ✓ QoS for traffic prioritization
Cons
- ✗ More expensive than mesh systems without Wi-Fi 6
- ✗ Not as simple to configure as Google Nest Wifi
A mesh Wi-Fi system combines a router with one or more extenders. You place these units throughout an area—for example, in different rooms throughout your home—and get a stronger signal throughout a much larger area than a single router unit could cover. They’re an excellent solution for coverage throughout large homes, pushing your signal out into the yard, or boosting coverage anywhere you have a weak signal or dead zones.
Compared to a traditional wireless range extender, a mesh network system is much more seamless. Range extenders generally create their own separate network with their own name, forcing your device to connect to the main router or the extended network.
A mesh networking system has a single Wi-Fi network name, and all the devices are aware of each other and can work together intelligently and seamlessly. It’s more simple to set up than configuring a traditional range extender, too.
We like the Asus ZenWiFi AX6600 (XT8) because, unlike many other mesh Wi-Fi systems, it supports Wi-Fi 6. It comes with two units and promises coverage for a total area of up to 5500 square feet. This is the best Wi-Fi 6 mesh router, thanks to features like QoS (quality of service) support for prioritizing traffic and optional anti-malware and parental control features.
Netgear’s Orbi 6 is also a strong contender, but it’s even more expensive than the Asus ZenWiFi hardware we recommend, and it lacks some of ZenWifi’s features.
Want more coverage? You can buy additional satellites separately and add them to your AiMesh network. The best router for a large house is a mesh system with however many satellites you need.
If you’re looking for the best long-range router, choose a mesh Wi-Fi system. It will give you robust and consistent coverage throughout your home or business. If you want to extend your Wi-Fi network out into the yard, consider placing one of the satellites at the edge of your home.
Best Mesh Wi-Fi Router
ASUS ZenWiFi AX6600 (XT8) (2 Pack)
A powerful mesh Wi-Fi system with Wi-Fi 6 and Quality of Service (QoS) traffic prioritization.
Best Budget Mesh Router: TP-Link Deco X20
Pros
- ✓ Low-budget Mesh networking
- ✓ Supports Wi-Fi 6 and earlier devices
- ✓ Easy to set up and configure
- ✓ Provides good network coverage
Cons
- ✗ Lacks a dedicated backhaul channel
- ✗ Network speed could be better
Mesh router systems are typically expensive, but you don’t need to pay an arm and a leg to try one out. The TP-Link Deco X20 provides good performance and features without costing a fortune.
The basic kit includes two nodes, which can provide coverage of up to 4,000 square feet, for $180. That should be more than enough for an average-sized home. If not, you can extend coverage to 5,800 square feet with a 3-node kit for around $199.
The nodes are fairly small and compact, and the main hub and the satellites look the same. Each node features two gigabit Ethernet ports, so you can connect devices with a physical cable to any of them if needed. However, there are no USB ports on any of the nodes, so any network-attached devices will also need to use a LAN port.
The Deco X20 supports devices that use Wi-Fi 6, as well as those that use earlier Wi-Fi versions. Wi-Fi 6 devices can use OFDMA technology to share bandwidth across multiple connections and take full advantage of the available 1800Mbps. Even without that option, the potential top speeds of 1201Mbps on the 5GHz frequency and 574Mbps on 2.4GHz are reasonable.
There is, however no dedicated backhaul channel for the mesh. That means the signal will degrade as it travels between nodes and result in slower speeds from the satellites than when connected to the hub.
But while the backhaul channel is nice to have, it does tend to cost more money. If this is something you want, the 3-pack does have Ethernet backhaul available, so it’ll be about $20 for the upgrade. The Deco X20 also supports beamforming and MU-MIMO, which can improve signal strength and should go some way towards making up for slower speeds.
If you are looking for a mesh router on a tight budget, the Deco X20 is hard to beat for the money. There are some compromises in terms of top speed and advanced features, but for the average family looking to extend network coverage to all corners of the house, it’s a great choice.
Best Budget Mesh Router
TP-Link Deco X20
TP-Link offers a true budget Mesh router that manages to provide good Wi-Fi 6 performance for the average home.
Best Modem Router Combo: NETGEAR Nighthawk CAX80
Pros
- ✓ Wi-Fi 6
- ✓ Gigabit-capable DOCSIS 3.1 modem
Cons
- ✗ Fewer features
- ✗ A combo unit is a worse value
Let’s be clear—you don’t need a combined modem router combo unit. You can buy any of the routers here and connect it to your ISP’s modem, or you can buy your own modem (like the Motorola MB8600, which is ready for gigabit internet) and connect any of the routers in this list to that. You have many more options when you pick a router and modem separately.
But some people want that combo unit. After all, it’s just one device instead of two—there’s a sleek simplicity in that.
If you’re looking for a modem router combo that works with Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity, we like the NETGEAR Nighthawk CAX80. It’s one of the few modem router combo units that supports Wi-Fi 6. It also features a built-in DOCSIS 3.1 modem, meaning it can work with gigabit internet connections.
Beyond the modem, you have a solid high-end Netgear Nighthawk dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router with 6000 Mbps maximum speeds and OFDMA for long-range Wi-Fi 6 connections.
Unfortunately, it can’t match all the features of our top picks: This router doesn’t support WPA3 security. There’s no QoS (quality of service) support for prioritizing traffic. You cannot configure the router as a VPN client to route all your internet traffic through the VPN, as you can with our top overall router and top gaming router picks from Asus.
While Asus and TP-Link offer free lifetime subscriptions to their router’s security services, NETGEAR only provides a free 30-day trial, after which you’ll have to pay for additional time if you want to use it.
Overall, we think it makes sense to get both a router and a modem separately. But, if you want a single unit, this is the one to buy.
Best Modem Router Combo
NETGEAR Nighthawk CAX80
A combo unit with a Wi-Fi 6 router and a gigabit-capable DOCSIS 3.1 modem.
Best VPN Router: Linksys WRT3200ACM
Pros
- ✓ Use a VPN for your entire network
- ✓ Custom router firmware from ExpressVPN for easy configuration
Cons
- ✗ No Wi-Fi 6
- ✗ 2600 Mbps speeds
Some routers come with built-in VPN support. The router connects to your VPN, and all devices on the network that connects through the router will automatically connect to the VPN. This is useful if you have to connect to a business network or if you want to route all your online traffic through a VPN for privacy.
If you’re looking for a router with a VPN client, consider looking at the Asus AX6000 (RT-AX88U), our top router pick overall. It includes built-in support for connecting to VPNs as well as modern Wi-Fi 6 technology. You can download OpenVPN configuration files and upload them to the router’s interface to configure the VPN client.
For even more control, take a look at the Asus GT-AX11000, our pick for the best gaming router, which has a “VPN Fusion” feature that lets you configure your network to send only traffic from specific devices over the VPN.
However, typical routers don’t offer the most user-friendly method of connecting to a VPN, especially if you want to change settings. Our pick for the best VPN router works very well with ExpressVPN, which is our favorite VPN. ExpressVPN offers a custom router firmware you can install on this router, which will give you a user-friendly interface for connecting to ExpressVPN and customizing the VPN settings on your router.
There’s just one downside: You can’t yet get a router that supports ExpressVPN’s custom router firmware (or OpenWrt and DD-WRT) and Wi-Fi 6. But, we think that if VPN support is your main concern, it could be worth holding off on Wi-Fi 6 for now.
Instead, we would recommend the Linksys WRT3200ACM open-source router, which is ExpressVPN’s recommendation for the most powerful router the company’s software supports. Yes, it’s just an 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) router, but it supports speeds of up to 2600 Mbps, and its MU-MIMO technology will provide better performance with multiple devices than the alternative models supported by ExpressVPN.
Best VPN Router
Linksys WRT3200ACM
With a custom router firmware created by ExpressVPN, you can easily configure a VPN for your entire network.
Best Travel Router: TP-Link AC750
Pros
- ✓ Turn any Ethernet port into a Wi-Fi hotspot
- ✓ Better than hotel Wi-Fi
- ✓ Inexpensive
Cons
- ✗ Slower than home routers (but faster than hotel Wi-Fi)
A travel router is a must-have for anyone who’s sick of dealing with hotel Wi-Fi. More than that, it’s a must-have for setting up your own solid little Wi-Fi network anywhere you have access to a wired Ethernet connection.
Hotel Wi-Fi is rough. The speeds are often very slow, and you may only be able to connect a few devices. You’ll have to manually connect to the network and type a password on each device you use. But, generally, there’s an Ethernet port right in your room.
A travel router is a small, portable device that you can connect to Ethernet ports like this. It will quickly create your own personal Wi-Fi bubble using that wired network. You can connect all your devices without typing a new password—they’ll remember your travel network credentials—and you won’t be dependent on the hotel’s slow Wi-Fi.
The TP-Link AC750 makes for an excellent travel router. It doesn’t have Wi-Fi 6, but let’s be honest: neither do most hotel Wi-Fi networks. It’s a wireless AC (Wi-Fi 5) router that can deliver speeds of up to 733 Mbps—a lot faster than what typical hotel Wi-Fi will provide—and it’s very inexpensive and compact.
This device is also created by TP-Link, a trusted manufacturer with an excellent reputation that makes our top budget and cheap router picks.
Beat Travel Router
TP-Link AC750
An inexpensive way to get better Wi-Fi in hotels (and elsewhere) while traveling.
Best Wi-Fi 6E Router: Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000
Pros
- ✓ Bleeding-edge Wi-Fi 6E
- ✓ Our top gaming router, upgraded
Cons
- ✗ Few devices have Wi-Fi 6E
- ✗ It’s pricey
Now that Wi-Fi 6 is standard on new devices, the industry has already moved on to hyping up Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi 6E is Wi-Fi 6, but it can also run on the 6GHz band instead of just the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands that Wi-Fi 6 and previous versions of Wi-Fi use. It could reduce wireless congestion and speed things up in areas where many devices are communicating wirelessly.
Wi-Fi 6E is the hot new thing router companies are pushing, even with Wi-Fi 7 on the (far) horizon. It’s certainly less crucial than Wi-Fi 6 and isn’t anywhere near as widespread yet, but more and more devices are now being released that support Wi-Fi 6E.
So if you have any Wi-Fi 6E devices or you want to be future-proof, you might want to get a router that supports Wi-FI 6E. This is a new, bleeding-edge technology, so routers that support it will be even more expensive than our other top picks.
If Wi-FI 6E is important to you, check out the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000. This is the same router as our top gaming router pick with an updated design and Wi-Fi 6E support. You get all of its powerful, bleeding-edge features—plus Wi-Fi 6E.
Consider it a step up for those who want the best, most future-proof hardware they can get their hands on.
Best Wi-Fi 6E Router
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000
All the powerful features in our top gaming router pick, plus Wi-Fi 6E.