The best WiFi routers for increasing your wireless connectivity

If you enjoy 4K streaming, online gaming, or other high bandwidth activities, this router is an excellent choice. It offers good performance with dual band technology, and features embedded network protection to help keep you safe online. It includes four Gigabit LAN ports, a WAN port, a USB 2 port, a USB 3.1 port, power, WPS, WiFi On/Off, LED On/Off, and Reset buttons.

It boasts a futuristic design that can only be vertical-mounted, which can be polarizing, although it is a refreshing change from the basic horizontal black box styling of the majority of routers. It is both beamforming and multi-user multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO) capable.

Gamers will appreciate the ability to set up their own cloud server, and the adaptive QoS with manual and automatic bandwidth limiting and application-specific prioritization options. There’s also a Game Boost feature, which provides access to WTFast routing technology and the Gamers Private Network (GPN) to provide optimal bandwidth for WTFast-enabled games. Parental controls restrict access to adult and social media websites, with everything controlled through a robust web-based management console or mobile app. 

If you need a WiFi router that is both dependable and affordable, this one is just the ticket. It offers dual band connectivity and includes four LAN ports for hard-wired connections. The integrated malware protection and parental controls help to ensure safety while surfing online. Its textured console gives it an added touch of style when sitting on display. 

There are both USB 2.0 and 3.0 slots, as well as four Gigabit LAN ports, and a WAN port. The LED indicator lights on the front edge let you easily check on the status of the device. With its 1GHz dual-core CPU, 128MB of flash memory, and 256MB of RAM, it can reach maximum speeds of up to 450Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 1,300Mbps on the 5GHz band, and it supports beamforming.

Settings are easy to control thanks to the user-friendly web-based console or mobile app, and includes guest networking and USB applications. Keep tabs on client network usage by time and date with the traffic analyzer. The adaptive QoS lets you use assign network priority based on application and includes games, media streaming, and custom presets.

WiFi 6, the next generation wireless standard, is bringing with it the expectation of faster speeds, better connectivity, and a whole host of new devices. New technologies usually mean they're more expensive, but if you want to future proof your home network and not completely break the bank, you should consider the TP-Link Archer AX6000. This WiFi 6 router is one of the largest routers out there and it packs a lot of features and performance into its clean black housing. The router makes use of its size, sporting eight gigabit LAN ports, a 2.5Gbps WAN port, a USB 3.0 Type A and a USB 3.0 Type C port. It has a status LED light on top surrounded by eight antennas that fold but are not removable.

Inside, you’ll find a 1.8GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and 128MB of flash memory to power the new WiFi 6 technologies. 1024 QAM and Long OFDM Symbol boosts the speed for each connected device and pushes the maximum bandwidth to 160MHz, and OFDMA greatly increases the number of connected devices. The router also supports band-steering, downlink and uplink MU-MIMO, QoS presets to prioritize devices, parental controls, and anti-malware protection. Setup and managing the router settings can be done through web portal or mobile app. 

If you’re tired of the basic black box design of the vast majority of WiFi routers, ASUS Blue Cave is for you, with its unique and modern styling. The hollow ring in the center of the router glows blue when it is up and running and its four internal antenna will provide coverage for a large home. This router takes security seriously, and includes AiProtection powered by Trend Micro built into the router to help protect your data and provide secure wireless access for all connected devices, including IoT appliances. 

Its dual band design boasts a speed rating of AC2600, and with its 1.6GHz dual-core processor, 512MB RAM storage, and 128MB flash memory, it can handler device-heavy households and 4K streaming applications. It is compatible with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT, and includes one-year of Trend Micro Mobile Security for two devices and Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security for two PCs for added value and protection. Parental controls include time management, content filtering, blocking specific categories of apps and pause internet, and are easily accessed through the compatible app.

Create guest networks at the touch of a button, track and manage your network while on the go, and rest easy knowing that any smart devices in your home are secure with this stylish WiFi router. 

This router is boxy and large, but it also offers a large coverage area — ideal for all sizes of homes. It boasts some of the fastest 5GHz range performance on the market, and offers three LAN and one USB 3.0 ports for hard-wired connectivity. There are four internal antennas that provide just the right coverage area, and the backlit LED power button on the top lets users see the status of the device at any time.

One feature that sets this WiFi router apart is that it comes embedded with McAfee security tools and parental controls that will protect your network and connected devices. The router comes with five years of McAfee Secure Home Platform, and two years of McAfee LiveSafe. You manage the security tools through the D-Link D-Fend mobile app. sends automatic backups to Amazon Drive cloud-based storage. The D-Link AC2600 also supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control commands. Router settings are controlled through a web-based console or the D-Link mobile app, and include options such as guest networks, ethernet port forwarding, and Quality of Service controls.

Because of its wide coverage and robust embedded security and parental controls, it’s a smart choice for those who know that their home networks need to be secure. 

If you’re looking for a WiFi router than can handle a multi-device home or even a small office setup, the Linksys EA8300 Max-Stream is the one for you. It features plenty of power thanks to the tri-band technology, which allows for separate bands (two 5GHz radio bands and one 2.4GHz band) making sure your important devices have the necessary bandwidth. 

Setup is simple thanks to the companion app, which allows users to customize and monitor settings while on the go. The onboard 256MB Flash and 256MB of RAM Memory provides decent data transfer speeds, and helps to reduce any network lags.

Guest access, parental controls, Alexa support and device prioritization are just some of the great features of this WiFi router. There are four Gigabit LAN ports, and a USB 3.0 port. The router supports easy Quality of Service (QoS) settings, band steering, and boasts beamforming and multi-user multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO) capabilities.

For those who insist on the best, this unit delivers. While its monstrous size and hefty price tag might be off-putting for some, it more than makes up for it in terms of performance. This router features a tri-band design and offers both hardware- and software-based gaming acceleration and prioritization. There are also plenty of LAN ports, and integrated protection against malware and viruses, which is perfect for both serious gamers and homes with high-traffic networks. 

It’s big, but the design is kind of pretty. While the eight antennas might give an alien-like appearance to this router, they offer plenty of coverage customization, and can be removed if desired. The LED indicator lights on the front edge let you easily check on the router’s power, 2.4GHz activity, 5GHz activity, WAN and LAN connectivity, and WPS activity. 

Thanks to its 1024QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) technology, this router achieves maximum speeds of up to 1,000Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 2,167Mbps on each of the 5GHz bands. In addition, it supports all of the latest 802.11ac technologies, including multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) simultaneous data streaming and beamforming. There’s also native support for the Gamer's Private Network (GPN), as well as a VPN Fusion feature which allows the use of a VPN connection alongside an ordinary internet connection.

Amazon user Mark S. writes: 

“Dead zones in our 3 story house (with router in basement) are now gone. We can get wifi almost anywhere. My wife could not do some wifi tasks in our room in certain spots in our room--now all is good. For example the network speed on our phone in one of those dead spots is now 25 MB--phone wifi is not usually that great to begin with. Also, no line dropping/constantly reconnecting. It's constantly on and we don't think about it anymore. We've got wifi printers, RoKu, SmartTV, smart phones, laptops, desktops, etc. Absolutely no issues even legacy equipement.”

For those who are looking for a WiFi router solution that will blanket their whole home in signal, a mesh system is an excellent choice, and ZenWiFi AX (XT8) is the best model for the task. While the system is incredibly simple to install, it comes with a hefty price tag that might throw some consumers off considering this system. This WiFi 6 system offers very fast AX6600 speeds, supports Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) data transmissions, is multi-user multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO) capable for simultaneous data streaming, and includes plenty of management options. 

Because this system comes with two identical routers, it provides WiFi coverage to all corners of the home, without the need for an add-on WiFi extender. Its minimalist design might isn't as eye catching as some models, but it actually provides up to 5,500 square feet of wireless coverage. It uses a tri-band system to help keep communication speeds lightning fast. 

The units come in white or black and a status LED light is located on the front of each unit, which you can choose to turn off. The rear of each unit holds the three Gigabit LAN ports, a 2.5G WAN port, a USB 3.1 port, and power button. The web-based console provides basic and advanced settings for configuring your home network — including robust parental and security controls, and the ability to set up a guest network.