Best Wireless Routers 2022 – Buyer’s Guide

I hope you’ll agree with me when I say:

Life is not possible today without a good Wireless Router. Or is it?

Well, there is only ONE problem. Finding a “Good” router isn’t an easy job.

That is why we have created a list of Best Wireless Routers of 2019. After researching online and spending hours in testing these Wi-Fi routers, I have shortlisted the top 10 routers which you can buy right now.

Best Wireless Routers 2019

Several of these routers are not for everyone because some carry a hefty price-tag.

However, these wireless routers are good enough to make it to our list of the top 10 best WiFi Routers 2019.

1. TP-Link Talon AD7200 – Latest Technology

The TP-Link Talon AD7200 Wi-Fi Router holds the credential of being the first 802.11ad router in the market.

However, that is not the only trick up its sleeve. The router packs in many cutting-edge features to ensure ultimate performance.

Although it’s not inexpensive, this router offers a few impressive features for the price! In this review, we will go into every aspect of this router and find out whether it’s worth your money.

2. Google WiFi – Best Range covering Wifi System

The Google Wifi is unlike any router you may have seen before. In fact, it would be wrong to call it a router.

It’s a Wi-Fi system and possibly the best one in the market today.

In this comprehensive review, we will cover all the major features of this unique Wi-Fi system and provide an in-depth understanding of how the three Google Wifi units function together to provide superior wireless connectivity.

3. Asus RT-AC88U – The Gamers Choice

Most of the computer enthusiasts or users know of the company Asus because of their top of the line gaming hardware. However, Asus is also at the helm for creating several high ends, top of the line routers. The device we are talking about is the RT-AC88U. This router costs under $300, and it happens to be one of the best wireless routers someone can buy right now.

The wireless router offers a stylish, sleek look. If someone has used an Asus product in the past, they will find this design familiar. The router is aesthetically pleasing with its complete black construction with red accents along the antennas; it looks straight out of a gaming lineup by Asus.

The RT-AC88U is an AC3100 router which comes with a total of 8 Gigabit LAN ports. Do keep in mind though that these ports are capable of delivering high-speed internet without suffering from any performance issues. Also, don’t forget that it is a dual-band router that can act as a NAS as well. With that said, Asus has paid a significant amount of attention to detail even when designing the web interface as it happens to be super intuitive and easy to use. The WiFi performance of the router on both 2.4 gigahertz and the five gigahertz bands stayed faster than ever without any performance decreases.

Installation, Configuration, and Performance

The installation process of RT-AC88U is a piece of cake, thanks to the fantastic web interface. When you connect it to the PC and the internet for the first time, the Asus Web Interface will automatically launch and give you two options to configure the router after you power up the PC. You can then continue with the wizard or set it manually.

The Quick Internet Setup wizard will check your internet connection and configure your router as a Dynamic IP, Static IP or PPPoE, depending on your connection type selection. After that, it allows you to set a name for each SSID, and then create a network encryption key for each band. With that complete, it’s setup.

When it comes to performance, the Asus RT-AC88U provides multi-client MU-MIMO data streaming, works extremely fast on both bands (2.4 Gigahertz and 5 Gigahertz) plus file reading/writing and transfers were great.

4. NETGEAR Nighthawk R7000 – AC1900 Dual-Band Router (best inexpensive option)

The next up is another dual-band router. Although, the offer is from none other than the famous Netgear. For those who don’t know, the company is known for creating a plethora of top of the line wireless routers that have become increasingly famous over time. Netgear is a company that has dedicated itself towards providing top of the line, unparalleled networking hardware, including their brilliant wireless routers.

The product that we are bringing you today is called the Netgear Nighthawk R7000. As the name suggests, the router looks nothing less of a stealth fighter jet. The Nighthawk R7000 is AC1900, with 1,300 Mbps speed in the five gigahertz band and 600 Mbps speed on the 2.4 gigahertz band.

I like R7000 more than R8000 because it’s affordable and much easier to install.
During our testing, it became apparent that the R7000 may be the best Netgear wireless router we have used till date. Curious yet? Let’s find out.

5. D-Link DIR 890L – Best Range Wireless Router

The next up on our list is one of the top tier wireless routers from D-Link. For those who don’t know, the company has a long history of providing some of the best networking products and the AC3200 Ultra Wi-Fi DIR-890 isn’t here to tell a different story. It’s perhaps one of the most stylish looking wireless routers we have encountered. Where the Nighthawk resembled a stealth jet, the DIR-890 looks like race car enthusiasts built it. But looks aren’t everything, right? Let’s find out how this router fairs in things that matter.

The DIR-890 is a fantastic router regarding speed and functionality.

Testing revealed that the router is fast, easy to setup and use. It also has a good speed/range when using this device for Wi-Fi. Another great thing about this router is that it comes with the ability to be doubled up as a NAS by adding an external hard drive.

6. NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 – Expensive yet Powerful

The NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 AD7200 Smart Wi-Fi Router is for those looking to have the best VR gaming and 4K video streaming experience. It doesn’t come cheap though. This behemoth of a router will make your pockets lighter by over $400!

In all fairness, this router does offer an awful lot for the price! In addition to supporting three Wi-Fi bands (2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz, and 60 GHz), it has 7 Gigabit Ethernet ports (6 LAN, 1 WAN) along with a 10 Gigabit SPF LAN port. On top of that, it features Multi-User Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) data streaming, and 160 MHz Wi-Fi technology which doubles the Wi-Fi speeds to mobile devices.

In this comprehensive review, we will explore all these stellar features and find out whether the Nighthawk X10’s high price is justified.

7. Amped Wirelss RTA2600 Athena

Next on the list is the Amped Wireless RTA2600 Athena router. As long as you don’t confuse it with the Greek goddess Athena, the router will not disappoint you. Although not expensive, the router is for network enthusiasts. It might not have the bling of the other routers that we have reviewed, but it comes with plenty of features that should be enough for both the average consumer and people who are looking to have some more.

The router managed to fare pretty well in almost all the testing we did. Although, the router doesn’t have an awful lot of features like some of the other ones. However, the ones it has are properly polished and don’t require you to spend countless hours trying to figure out what is what. The router control panel is incredibly responsive, and very easy when it comes to setting up.

The router also comes with powerful hardware that should keep it afloat without giving any performance issues. One thing we love about this router is how nicely everything fits into a compact design. Yes, unlike some other routers, this isn’t an absolute behemoth. With that said, the performance on all fronts was respectable enough, and there were no disconnections during our test run. You can even connect multiple devices via Wi-Fi, and the performance will remain stellar. Perhaps, that is one of the major selling points of the RTA2600 Athena.

Conclusion

8. Linksys WRT1900 AC – Best DD-WRT WiFi Router

The next up on our list is a dual-band wireless router from Linksys. This router comes with the support for the AC1900 standard support. That means the five gigahertz band has a speed of 1,300 megahertz and the 2.5 gigahertz band has a speed of 600 megahertz. But is this router capable enough of holding against most of the top tier routers that we have already listed? Let’s find out.

As soon as you set your eyes on this router, you will remember the classic design and color scheme that has been gracing the routers from Linksys for quite some time. If you are thinking about putting this router on a work desk, you may have to clear some space as this is probably one of the largest routers we have seen in a while.

The router has four antennas and the firmware it ships with can be replaced by a completely custom firmware from a user. As soon as you take the router out of the box, you will experience that the router happens to be one of the fastest routers available in the market. It’s easy to set up and loaded with features. Linksys was also kind enough to add a full capability of doubling up this router as a NAS. However, that’s not the greatest thing about this device. The best thing about this router is that the NAS performance is unsurpassed when compared to all the other wireless routers we have been testing. Not to mention that it also supports UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) and DLNA. Last, the performance on both bands is incredible. This router performs without any hiccups.

Even the Experts are in love with this wireless router. You can read the article by Samara Lynn on PCMag. It’s rated as excellent and got a 4.5 rating.

Conclusion

9. TP-Link Archer C7 – Best Budget Wireless Router 2019 (Under 100 Bucks)

TP-LINK Archer C7 AC1750 is the best budget wifi router out there (Under $100).

The router is perfect for people who want to enjoy internet gaming and streaming because it has a combined speed of 1.75 Gbps.

The router is stylish and performs incredibly at every task thrown at it. For those who are looking at the perfect price and performance ratio, this router is a fabulous choice.

Moving on to the thing that matters, keep in mind that it happens to be a dual-band router. The router has a total of 6 antennas, and 3 of them are external while the remaining ones are internal. The increased number of antennas are perfect for giving you a respectable amount of Wi-Fi range, and the speed happens to be acceptable enough. The router also comes with average NAS capability.

10. Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station – Elegant and Unique in Looks

The last in our list is all the way from Apple.

For those who are wondering if this router made it here by accident, it didn’t. Apple has a wireless router, and it’s decent. The router is unconventionally named AirPort Extreme Base Station. So, how does this router fair against other routers in the list? Well, let’s find out.

Let’s start off by how this router looks. Why? Because this is something coming out of Apple’s very own helm, and you should know that the router looks exactly like something made by Apple. Looks apart, the router is very capable and performs well. Do keep in mind that it’s a dual band router and supports the latest Wi-Fi standards as well. The router performed incredibly fast with all the tests thrown at it. Another great thing about this router is the amount of Wi-Fi stability and speed it provides. To be honest, Apple truly outdid themselves with this router as it has everything in the right spot.

As for the downsides of this router, there are none that will make you reconsider your decision of buying this router. The only complaint we have is that the router could have been a decent upgrade over its predecessors. Although it’s fast and fantastic, the upgrades seem subjective.

Final Verdict

Wireless Router Buyer’s Guide

For those who don’t know, wireless routers come with several things you need to consider before you spend hard earned money. They have different available speeds as well as different WiFi standards and support for multiple bands.

What is the technology behind a wireless Router?

A wireless router is a device that allows you connect to your modem and the gadgets you have at the home, office, or outdoors through wireless connections to the Internet at the same time.

A wireless router serves you more benefits than just connecting your many gadgets to the web all at once. You need up-to-date information about wireless router just before getting one because there are additional features you need to consider.

Below is complete information about the standard features of your wireless router and how they are of advantage to you.

To make things easier for you, below is the list of “Factors” you will encounter in the market along with their brief descriptions.

What to do now?

Now you have all the facts. Here is a quick review of what to look out for before getting that router.

• Make sure your router has a comprehensive coverage. A minimum range of 4572cm (150ft) for indoor use is good enough.
• Ensure your router has a dual band (broadband).
• Your router should be able to broadcast 802.11n as well as older versions.
• The router should be WAP2 secure.
• Should have a USB functionality as well as wired port.
• A suitable antenna type is a requirement. Preferably, an external antenna.
• Must support IPv6.

Final Words – Wrapping it up

Considerably, the market of wireless routers has a lot of saturation, and finding the perfect wireless router is not easy. That’s when lists like these come into play. This top 10 list of routers kept in mind things such as the needs of a customer and how much they are willing to spend on a wireless router.

We hope the list helps you pick the best wireless router according to your budget. Keep in mind, there’s no such thing as a “perfect” component, which is why each router is built for the needs of different consumers. Within the list, there are routers for budget oriented consumers and for networking elites.

Top Rated WiFi Routers