Wi-Fi routers have become a necessity nowadays as a fast internet connection is important for almost everything. It is high time to upgrade your home network by installing the most advanced and high-speed router that can efficiently meet all your requirements. Not only do the best routers come with a high-speed internet connection, but some of the most advanced routers also offer built-in network security software and mobile applications so that you can connect different devices as well as your home security system with them. Whether you work from home or love to play online games, here are some routers that can provide you with top-notch connectivity. Here we have listed the best routers of 2022 that you can buy now. First, let’s have a look at when you should upgrade your Wi-Fi router and how you can choose the best Wi-Fi routers that can meet all your requirements.
When can you consider upgrading your Wi-Fi router?
There can be several scenarios when you feel the need to upgrade your Wi-Fi router. Here, we have mentioned some of those:
- You are noticing that your current Wi-Fi coverage is getting slower with every passing day.
- If you are experiencing spotty receptions or latency in your Wi-Fi network connection, maybe it is time to go for an upgrade.
- If you have installed plenty of smart devices in your house, such as smart security systems or Alexa assistant, you will need a better router to connect all the devices and use them efficiently.
- If you are still using older hardware in your home that comes with outdated technology, you should definitely benefit from the most advanced technology.
- You can also consider an upgrade if more than two computers need high-quality internet in your house.
An upgrade will bring you several benefits and you can experience a fast internet connection without any latency. Now, let’s look at the points you should consider while choosing the best Wi-Fi routers for your home.
Things to consider while choosing the best Wi-Fi routers for your home
Here we have listed some important things that you should consider while choosing the best router for your home or your business. There are several options on the market to choose from, but when it comes to efficiency, you have to choose according to your requirements. Let’s have a look at how you can do that.
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Go for a router that can meet your preferences
Before choosing the perfect router for your home or business, you have to understand your preferences, such as what speed you need for your connection and what kind of coverage you need. It is best to choose the most efficient one depending on your requirements. If you live in an apartment, your coverage-related requirements would be different than if you are willing to purchase a router for your office. So, it is the first thing you should consider while choosing one.
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Speeds and standards
Make sure to know the internet speed the router can offer and whether it can meet all your preferences efficiently or not. For most people, the standard speed is 802.11 ac, and by using this speed, they can do all their activities properly. So, if you go for an average broadband speed of around 100mbps, it can do the job properly for most people.
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Technology
Don’t go for outdated technology; in this highly-advanced era, every piece of equipment is getting advanced with every passing year. Now, you don’t only need a router to access high-speed internet on your phone. You need an efficient router that can seamlessly suit all your households and the smart home devices you use in your house. The latest technology is called Wi-Fi 6 (aka 802.11ax), which can be perfect for every household requirement. You can also benefit from the more advanced standard, which is called Wi-Fi 6e.
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Coverage range
Coverage range is also a matter of concern when choosing the perfect Wi-Fi. A basic standalone router can offer something between 50-100feet of range that can properly cover most apartments and smaller houses. If you need an efficient router for a big house with more space or for your office, a mesh router can be the best choice for you as it is perfect for big houses and industries.
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Ports
When choosing Wi-Fi, the wireless connection is the basic thing that most people want, but it is also advised to think about wired connection ports for once, as Ethernet offers faster connectivity for different devices, such as gaming consoles and smart TVs. They offer more bandwidth and USB ports so that you can seamlessly connect your older printers or storage devices to the network.
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Price range
Price range is a matter of concern as we all want a Wi-Fi connection that is value for money. Usually, you can get an 802.11 ac router for less than $100. If you are looking for better coverage, it can go up to $300. If we talk about technology, Wi-Fi 6th standard routers can even cost something around $400. You’ll need to make sure that you are paying the right price depending on the functions of the Wi-Fi.
What are the best Wi-Fi routers?
The best Wi-Fi routers not only offer high-speed internet connection but also offer a nice coverage range and allow different smart home devices to get connected to the network. For example, Asus RT-AX86U is a Wi-Fi 6 powerhouse that can offer powerful connectivity and can also be the best match for your gaming consoles. If you are looking for a more expensive option, Netgear Nighthawk AX8 (RAX80) Wi-Fi 6 router can be a considerable choice as well. In this list, we will discuss the top 6 Wi-Fi routers that you can purchase in 2022. Let’s dig into the points.
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Asus RT-AX86U
It is one of the best routers available in the recent market and can offer amazing gaming performance as well.
Specifications
- 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
Reasons why you should buy this:
- It offers excellent connectivity and performance
- It comes with security software that offers lifetime updates
- It offers multi-gig input and port aggregation
Reasons why you should avoid this:
- It has fewer advanced gaming features such as geofencing and ping heat map
The Asus RT-AX86U is a Wi-Fi 6 router that offers amazing speed and some best-in-class gaming features for a satisfying experience. Not only does this router come with amazing customization options, but it also offers lifetime protection against intrusion and malware so that you can have a high-quality and safe experience. It is the best choice if you are willing to secure your home network with long-term protection without spending money on a subscription fee. It also comes with a 2-year warranty.
The best thing about this router is its speed which is 1Gbps which offers high-functional and effortless connectivity to all the smart devices of your house. It offers excellent coverage even through the walls and between floors. So, even if you are using this router for your entire house, it will not be a problem. If you compare the performance of this router with some top-performing gaming gears, it offers a superior gaming experience. It is the best router for your household.
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TP-Link Archer C2300
It is a router you should consider if you are looking for the best budget router.
Specifications
- Wi-Fi Spec: 802.11ac/Dual-Band
- Number of Antennas/Removable: 3/Yes
- Ports: Four 1-Gbps LAN, 1 WAN, 1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0
- Peak Throughput: 939.6 Mbps
- Size: 8.5 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches
Reasons why you should buy this:
- It offers an amazing performance
- It is a budget-friendly router
- It comes with a built-in antivirus protection
- It comes with 2 years warranty
Reasons why you should avoid this:
- It can run hot
The TP-Link Archer C2300 has a complex-free design that offers a powerful wireless connection. It offers a latency-free and high-speed internet connection and an amazing range that can cover your entire house without any issues. Regarding speed, it can offer nearly a gigabyte per second of data, and you can effortlessly get connected with this router through the walls and ceilings. It also does not occupy a huge space as it is a small and complex-free router full of several best-in-class features.
This high-end router comes with some built-in optimization tools such as an anti-virus, QoS, and parental control that you can usually find in expensive routers. You’ll be amazed to know that you can get this router for only $120. The price is way less considering it’s features. It also comes with a two years warranty, and it is undoubtedly the best budget router you can purchase in the recent market.
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Netgear Orbi WiFi 6E (RBKE963)
It offers a high-speed performance at an insane price.
Specifications
- 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
Why you should buy this:
- It offers the best mesh performance
- It is easy to set up and configure
- It comes with optional security software and parental controls
Why you should avoid this:
- It offers only 90 days of free technical support.
- It is expensive
Netgear’s Orbi Wi-Fi 6E (model number RBKE963) is one of the best mesh Wi-Fi routers you can buy in the recent market. It is no doubt the best choice if you have enough money to invest in a router. It is also one of the best Wi-Fi routers for big corporate offices. This single router can cover up to 9000 square feet; if you go for the third satellite, you can also cover almost 12000 square feet. If you stay at a distance of 15 feet from the router, you can experience an internet speed of more than a gigabyte per second. Each unit of this router has 12 antennas and 4 Ethernet ports. The system can create channels on the 2.5, 5, and 6-GHz bands, plus a fourth 5-GHz one for backhauling between units seamlessly. The company offers a trial subscription of the security software, which also comes with Bitdefender antivirus and parental controls. The only drawback this router has is that you will need to pay for the technical support after 90 days. So, if you can pay the price, it can be a good choice for you.
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Netgear Nighthawk AX8 (RAX80)
A great Wi-Fi router for household.
Specifications
- 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
Reasons why you should buy this:
- It offers a high-speed performance
- It comes with malware protection apps
- It offers good configuration options
Reasons why you should avoid this:
- The output can fall off quickly with distance.
Netgear Nighthawk AX8 (RAX80) Wi-Fi 6 router offers both top-notch performance and security together. It offers the speed of a gigabyte per second, along with applications for malware protection. In addition, it comes with Disney’s circle app for blocking any kind of inappropriate content and to manage family network issues. It also can offer an excellent performance through the walls and the floors for a certain distance. You can find it a bit expensive, but it is one of the best routers for households that is extremely easy to set up and configure so that you can use your router as you want. It offers amazing coverage for 90 feet, but we also need to mention that the performance is better at the distance of 50 feet from the machine. So, if you have an apartment or a medium-sized home, it can be your best choice.
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Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
The best gaming router for gamers.
Specifications
- 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
Why you should buy this:
- It is the first Wi-Fi 6 (802.11AX) router
- It offers improved performance in distance
- It offers a huge range of customization options
- An excellent 2.5Gbps wired connector
Reasons why you should avoid this?
- It is big in size
If you are into gaming, it is the best router on the market that you can get to satisfy your gaming experience. The speed of this router improves over a longer range and comes with low latency. In the short term, it has everything that a gamer needs for a quality gaming experience.
You should only consider the space to set up this router as GT-AX11000 is large and comes with a gargantuan base, eight swiveling antennas, and amazing 10.8Gbps maximum throughput. Because of it’s tri-band design, four downstream gigabytes LAN ports, a single 2.5G Base T Ethernet connection, and two USB 3.0 ports, the router has amazing connectivity.
With this router, you will have plenty of customization options, especially gaming-oriented optimization options. Also, you can connect it with other Asus routers for mesh networking to cover large homes. Though you can find it a little expensive ( $450), the features are worth the money.
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Nest Wi-Fi
An amazing mesh router with a built-in smart speaker.
Specifications
- Wi-Fi Spec: 802.11ac/dual band
- Number of Antennas/Removable: 4/No
- Ports: Two 1-Gbps LAN
- Peak Throughput: 653.2 Mbps
- Size: 4.3 x 4.3 x 3.6 inches
Reasons why you should buy this:
- It offers an amazing performance
- It has a built-in Google Assistant
- It is extremely easy to set up
Reasons why you should avoid this:
- It offers a short range
- It has only a few configuration options
It is one of the best mesh routers on the market that also comes with a smart home speaker so that you can enjoy the features of an amazing router and Google Assistant. Though it doesn’t have Wi-Fi 6, it comes with Bluetooth and 802.15.4 thread mesh network connection that can seamlessly connect with low-power smart home devices.
It has a speed of 653.2Mbps and an efficient little mesh router that you can get at a reasonable price.
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TP-Link Archer AX6000
One of the best routers in the price range.
Specifications
- 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
Reasons why you should buy this:
- It comes with 8 LAN ports
- It offers extra security
Reasons why you should avoid this:
- It comes with limited configuration options in the app.
- It can be a little hard to remove the Ethernet cables on your own.
It is one of the best budget-friendly routers for the first generation of Wi-Fi 6 devices. Though it is not as good as the routers we have mentioned above, it is a nice budget-friendly router that you can purchase in 2022.
It comes with 8 wired networking ports and can effortlessly pair two together to offer a 2Gbps stream of data. It comes with security features, and finding a better router in the same price range is impossible.
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Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500
The router with Wi-Fi 6E speed.
Specifications
- Wi-Fi Spec: Wi-Fi 6e/Tri-band
- Number of Antennas/Removable: 8/
- ports: 1 WAN/
- 4 LAN gigabit per second, 2 USB 3.0
- Throughput: 2.396Gbps
- Size: 12.0 x 8.6 x 3.3 inches
Why you should buy this:
- It offers the best speed with a 6GHz band
- It is easily customizable
- It comes with security software
Why you should avoid this:
- The speed reduces quickly with distance
The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 was the first Wi-Fi 6e router that was released to the market, and the performance of this router is also excellent. It comes with the impressive abilities of Wi-Fi 6 as well as the feature of category-leading performance. Though you can find it a bit expensive as the price of this router is something around $599, it is one of the best on the market.
It can efficiently deliver nearly 2.5Gbps of real-world data, which is mind-blowing. You can also customize this router as you want, as it comes with different customization options. Though you can say that it is one of the most expensive routers on the market, we will say that it is also one of the best Wi-Fi routers on the market that you can purchase.
Ending words
We’ve discussed the 8 best routers in the recent market in this article. Hope this article has helped you and you have successfully chosen the right one according to your requirements and preferences.
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