How Do I Know Which Router to Buy?

Purchasing a wireless router that delivers good WiFi, in a dependable way, and which is easy to set up and use, is not a simple job. Especially not if you are a beginner. To make things harder, manufacturers describe their wireless routers using lots of acronyms and marketing terms that have little connection to the real-life experience you get. They extol Air Conditioner, bandwidth, weird things like MU-MIMO, QoS, Beamforming, Smart Connect and more. Here’s what matters when selecting your next wireless router:

Top 7 Routers on the Market in 2024

The Best Home Routers

We recommend you the best routers for your home network.

Type of Router	Why to choose it
1. Google Nest WiFi Router (2nd Generation) – 4×4 AC2200 Mesh Wi-Fi Router with 2200 Sq Ft Coverage	Each Nest Wi-Fi Router offers approximately 2200 square feet of quickly, dependable Wi-Fi protection for your home. Smartly works behind the scenes to make certain your Wi-Fi stays Quick; So you can stroll from room to room on a video call with an uninterrupted signal; And automatic updates help your network stay safe. Nest Wi-Fi is easy to set up in the Google home app; Connect and manage gadgets in your network; Plus stop briefly Wi-Fi to limit screen time for the kids. Nest Wi-Fi is a scalable and flexible Wi Fi system. If you need more protection, include nest Wi Fi points for an extra 1600 square feet of Wi-Fi and a wise speaker with the Google assistant. Nest Wi-Fi is likewise compatible with Google Wi-Fi.
2. TP-LINK TL-WR940N Wireless N300 Home Router, 450Mpbs, 3 External Antennas, IP QoS, WPS Button	It has a speed of 450 Mbps that is best for bandwidth-intensive jobs such as video streaming and video gaming. Its IP-based bandwidth helps users to identify just how much bandwidth must be allotted to each wifi-enabled device. The WPS button will be utilized for one-touch security encryption. It allows you to set limits on when and how devices can link to the web, hence helping keep kids safe with adult controls. TP Link loads it with a 2-year service warranty and 24/7 technical assistance.
3. Linksys Tri-Band WiFi Router for Home (Max-Stream AC2200 MU-MIMO Fast Wireless Router)	If you are preparing to buy a new wireless router or update your old home router, you need to consider this one. It is an ideal choice for any households with heavy wireless usage. It offers accelerate to 2.2 Gbps for lag totally free streaming or multiplayer online gaming and increase your home efficiency. Another fantastic feature is the ability of this router to upgrade its firmware immediately once the producer releases the new firmware, this make the router always safe and secure and up-to-date.
4. NETGEAR N750 Dual Band 4 Port Wi-Fi Gigabit Router (WNDR4300)	The N750 delivers a fast Wi-Fi speed of approximately 300 + 450 (up to 750 Mbps) and is best choice for medium to bigger houses. You can also gain access to and share wirelessly your USB drives or printer. This product has a safe, reliable connection and provides web filtering for all your gadgets, thanks to adult control function.
5. ASUS RT-N12 N300 WiFi Router 2T2R MIMO Technology, 4K HD Video Streaming, VoIP,Up to 300 Mbps,Black	It is a 3-in-1 device that can works as cordless access point, wifi router, and wifi variety extender. Additionally, its 4 SSIDs will allow you to manage access control and even bandwidth allowance to each device. The item has a speed of 300 Mbps and includes 2 5 dBi antennas that are detachable for more effective coverage.
6. Medialink AC1200 Wireless Gigabit Router – Gigabit (1000 Mbps) Wired Speed & AC 1200 Mbps Combined Wireless Speed (Part MLWR-AC1200R)	The AC1200 router has a speed of [email protected] and 867 Mbps@5GHz. It offers an exceptional wireless protection, for little or perhaps for big homes, thanks to simultaneous dual-band WiFi that can prevent cordless interference. It also has a 2.0 USB port as well as a 4 LAN ports. It comes with Beamforming technology that permit you to stream any online videos and browse on the internet faster. Its Automatic signal management feature will make your wireless-enabled gadgets receive best wifi signal.
7. Securifi Almond – (3 Minute Setup) Touchscreen Wireless Router/Range Extender	This item does not have an integrated DSL modem. It is a multifunction device where; the device can be utilized as a primary wireless router, a wifi range extender, a wifi access point, or a wireless bridge. It also offers parental control option where you can set up or manage online activities for your kids. It has a 1-year service warranty and unlimited technical support.
8. Linksys WRT AC1900 Open Source Dual-Band Gigabit WiFi Wireless Router (WRT1900ACS),Black	The device is powered by a 1.6 GHz dual-core processor and integrated with 512MB of RAM that allow the router run faster and information transfer speeds end up being quicker and allowing multiple users to video game online and stream motion pictures at the very same time. The device also has Smart Wi-Fi application with Network Map software application to makes it easier when managing home wi-fi network at anytime and anywhere. It has a synchronised dual-band speed of 600 Mbps (2.4 GHz) and 1300 Mbps (5 GHz). Its effective CPU promotes simultaneous high-speed processing, permitting multiple users to game online and stream movies at the very same time. You can also share content by means of an external storage device with ultra-fast data transfer speeds. Parental control over material can likewise be acquired.

How to Choose a Right Router for You in 2024?

1. AC naming conventions don’t matter. Nevertheless, don’t go listed below AC1200!

Wireless routers extol their overall maximum bandwidth in their name. You have AC1200, AC1900 and even AC5400 routers. This naming convention is useless in real-life, and it does not tell you the real speed you obtain from a wireless router. We have explained why, in this article: What does AC1200, AC1900, AC3200 or more, indicate and what’s the difference?

However, DO NOT BUY A ROUTER BELOW AC1200. If you see a router with AC750, AC900 or anything lower than AC1200, it means that you are handling an old router, with dated technology and you need to not purchase it. That router is not an excellent option for a modern-day smart home where you require speed, stability, and security, for an increasing number of linked devices.

Useful article: Best Wi-Fi Extenders in 2024

2. Your wireless router needs to be dual-band or more

You need to buy a wireless router that it is at least dual-band. What does this indicate? It indicates that the router broadcasts the wireless signal on two frequencies (if it is dual-band) or more (if it is tri-band or more). As an outcome, you will see two or more wireless networks in your home or office space, with various names and, if you desire, various passwords.

Among these frequencies is constantly the 2.4 GHz frequency which works just with old wireless standards like 802.11 n. The advantage of this band is that it is compatible with old networking devices and that it has a large protection area. Nevertheless, it is also slow, and congestion is constantly a problem, especially in blocks of flats and office buildings, where everyone has WiFi on the 2.4 GHz band.

Dual-band or tri-band routers also produce their wireless signal on the 5GHz frequency, which is a lot faster and benefits from using modern requirements like 802.11 air conditioner or 802.11 air conditioner Wave 2 (an improved version of the preliminary 802.11 ac requirement). Congestion tends to be less of a problem since this frequency is used less than the 2.4 GHz frequency and the protection area is a bit much shorter. If you desire a modern smart home with a fast wireless network for Full HD or 4K streaming, you must get a dual-band or tri-band wireless router. Single-band routers are stuck in the past and can not use fast and steady WiFi for numerous wireless clients.

3. Assistance for MU-MIMO or 802.11 a/c Wave 2 is a need to

MU-MIMO, Multi-User MIMO or Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output is the ability to transfer to several wireless clients simultaneously or to transfer data to a network customer using several information streams simultaneously. With this transfer technique, a wireless router can “talk” to more than one customer at a time on a single wireless radio channel or to one client utilizing multiple information streams on the same channel.

MU-MIMO belongs to the 802.11 air conditioner Wave 2 requirement, which was released by the Wi-Fi Alliance in the summer season of 2015. When you buy your next wireless router, you should ensure that it provides MU-MIMO or support for 802.11 a/c Wave 2, depending on what the producer chooses to brag about.

This choice guarantees that your router can supply faster WiFi to your existing devices and that it can deal with more wireless customers at the very same time. Choosing a wireless router with MU-MIMO is among the best options you can make.

4. Quick processor and a lot of RAM

Manufacturers of wireless routers do not inform you this, but the hardware inside your router matters a lot, especially the processor and the amount of RAM. Smart homes have many devices that require wireless connectivity. Now we do a great deal of video streaming, online gaming and other activities during which great deals of data is transferred through the network. To handle whatever, wireless routers need a lot more processing power than they used to.

When choosing a wireless router, you need to understand whether it has a single-core, dual-core, or quad-core processor and its operating frequency. Naturally, a dual-core processor can handle more data and more customers than a single-core processor. Likewise, a processor performing at 900 MHz is less effective than one at 1.2 GHz. The exact same rules apply as holds true with computer systems, smartphones, and other computing devices.

When buying a wireless router, the processor ought to not be lower than a single-core running at 800MHz. For modern requirements, this is the minimum required to deal with the load you get in a small smart-home. If you could manage to buy a router with a dual-core or quad-core (generally booked for costly routers) processor, the much better.

Likewise, your router must not have less than 128MB of RAM. This is to make certain that it can process everything as fast as possible. If loan is not a big issue, you must seek for a wireless router with 256MB of RAM or more.

5. USB (preferably USB 3.0)

Having at least one USB port available is a should in modern-day houses. We have all sort of USB devices that we need to link to our wireless router: external hard disks, printers, USB modems, etc. Your freshly acquired router ought to have at least one USB port, preferably one that it is USB 3.0.

6. Your router needs to have a smartphone app (ideally one that you can use when you are not near the router)

Convenience is more crucial than ever. A number of years ago, individuals could handle their wireless routers just by accessing their firmware through a web internet browser, on a computer that was linked to the router. Lots of people are daunted by such user interfaces, and they want something that is much easier to use. As a result, lots of producers have actually just recently established smartphone apps that people can use to set their wireless routers.

If you desire benefit, you should examine that the router you are buying has a smartphone app. You ought to have the ability to use it to view the working state of the router and handle the main features, when you require to.

Sadly, router makers have various methods when it concerns mobile apps: some deal fundamental apps where you can set only easy things like the WiFi password, while others use sophisticated apps where you can set up most functions. You must confirm the approach used by the manufacturer of the model that intrigues you.

Another essential element is that the majority of mobile apps for wireless routers work just when the smartphone is linked to the WiFi that is broadcast by the router. This means that you can use the mobile app only when you are not near the router. If remote management from anywhere on the internet is very important to you, you ought to check whether it exists for the router you are considering buying. As a rule of thumb, remote management from the web is used on mid-range and exceptional routers. Low-end routers do not usually get this feature.

7. Real-life speed

When reading the specifications of a wireless router, you are not told the real-life speed you get when using it. You are revealed theoretical numbers that are determined in specialized laboratories that are very different from your office or home. That’s why you need to check out evaluations: user evaluations and evaluations made by experts, like our team at Digital Citizen. Try to find evaluations where individuals use real-life computers and devices to make measurements, not “lab-like” equipment. For instance, some publications use other routers to determine the speed provided by the routers that they are checking. They do this since producers desire this, to look excellent in item evaluations. You wish to check out publications that use daily computer systems and gizmos, like those you will have in your network. This is the only method to understand what you get when buying a wireless router or another, concerning real-life speed.

8. Debunking “innovative” features like QoS, Smart Connect, and Beamforming

When explaining their wireless routers, manufacturers use great deals of acronyms for “innovative” features. In some cases they don’t even use the exact same terms as the remainder of the market and they invent their own version of a term. However, a few of them do not matter since they are worthless. For example, all modern routers feature QoS or Quality of Service. However, on most routers, this feature is pointless, due to the fact that it is a manual tool to set guidelines regarding how much bandwidth you give to each device in your network. Average users will never configure this function. It’s excessive work; they do not understand the principles included and the results they get are poor. It’s just a method to frustrate yourself.

However, some wireless routers have Adaptive QoS, or Intelligent QoS or Dynamic QoS. The method manufacturers call it does not matter much. What is necessary is that it is not plain QoS. These more advanced forms of QoS work since they manage how the bandwidth is split automatically, based upon smart algorithms, with little to no user participation. Likewise, the outcomes you get from them are great, specifically when dealing with lots of large network transfers at once. Advanced QoS services are a positive function that you desire on your router.

Smart Connect is another feature that, in theory, can be useful to you. It allows you to use the same network name on all bands. Instead of having a different network name for the 2.4 GHz frequency and the 5 GHz frequency, you have the very same network name for both. What Smart Connect does is to immediately assign each device to “the best band” that it can working with. Typically, Smart Connect depends on an algorithm that automatically figures out which frequency is best for each device, and also continuously keeps track of the total status of each device to determine if and when a particular device would gain from being automatically reassigned to a various frequency. The theory sounds perfect for this feature. However, many users complain that Smart Connect does a bad job at spotting the abilities of each device and tends to link fast devices to the slower 2.4 GHz frequency, rather of the fast 5GHz one. For that reason, the majority of users end up disabling Smart Connect and by hand select the best wireless frequency for each of their devices.

Beamforming is consisted of on all contemporary dual-band (or more) wireless routers. It is part of the 802.11 a/c standard, and it allows the router to focus the wireless signal to the area( s) where devices are, rather of relaying it in all instructions. Focusing the wireless signal where your devices are positioned, tends to improve the stability and the speed you get on your wireless devices. Beamforming is something that you desire on your wireless router.

What matters to you, when buying a wireless router?

Now that you know the requirements that we believe are the most essential when buying a wireless router share your opinion with us. How do you choose a wireless router? What is very important to you, when purchasing one? Use the comments form below and let’s start a conversation.

Questions and Answers

Is it worth buying a router (or keep renting from your ISP)?

Quick, have a look at your cable costs. Are you paying about $10, and even more, monthly simply to rent a router from your cable company? Well, you can really buy your own device instead, saving some money over the long run. However there are a couple of things to think about before diving in.

Will a better router increase internet speed?

You won’t know if a better router will improve your web speed unless you do some testing. You might simply go out and buy a new router, plug it in, and hope whatever improves. You might link your computer system directly to your router with a network cable television to see if there is an efficiency problem associated to your Wi-Fi (linking straight will bypass your Wi-Fi). Or you might bypass your router entirely — in some cases, you can plug a computer system directly in to your modem to test.

How do you know if your router is going bad?

Routers are fairly robust devices, but like any other piece of electronic devices they undergo slower performance or even breakdowns in time. Numerous standard concerns can be fixed by a simple reset; either turning the device off for 60 seconds and rebooting it, or in more extreme cases resetting the device to initial settings. The reset button is typically found on the back of the device. On some brand names you’ll need to insert a pin or other small tool into a hole on the back panel. If all of your standard troubleshooting methods don’t produce the required results, it’s time to get a new router. Changing an older model can typically assure better performance and performance.

How do you know if you need a new router?

Here are 3 main symptoms that you need to think about buying a new router:

1. You can’t appear to get anything done without your connection dropping off and reconnecting after a brief hold-up. These interruptions are more frequent and annoying than you remember them ever being previously.
2. You understand you’re utilizing all four ports on the router, however no lights show that a connection exists. All the lights on the front could also be strong and brightened.
3. You had Internet access yesterday, but you can’t go to today. Your router’s lights may all be lit up, or they may be dark. Windows informs you that you have “Limited Connectivity” or, worse, it states nothing at all.

Do I need a router for WIFI?

You do not require to have a router to utilize Wi-Fi as long as you’re not attempting to share an Internet connection. The typical consumer Wi-Fi router is really a combination device that includes a network switch, a network router and a Wi-Fi access point. All three parts of the consumer-level Wi-Fi router likewise exist in independent form and are used in massive networks, where the mix device can’t adequately deal with all of the network traffic. You can use Wi-Fi without a router, but in a lot of cases it is unwise and can cost more than with.

How often should you upgrade your router?

Many people even in 2024 barely pay any attention to them unless there is a big malfunction, and individuals may rule out updating them anymore than they consider updating their cleaning machine.

Unfortunately, this leads to a circumstance where the important-but-ignored router winds up providing abject internet connection quality and a decreased user experience for everyone on your network. Updating to a present generation router is a low-cost and efficient method to enhance your home network in every method: much better Wi-Fi range, more powerful signal, and better handling of demands contemporary users put on their network.

Generally, we suggest you update to a new router every 3 to four years. That accounts for how typically people usually update gadgets like smartphones (every 2 years) and computers (every three to four years).