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9 Best Wi-Fi Routers (2023): Budget, Gaming Routers, Large Homes, Mesh

Posted on February 2, 2023

9 Best Wi-Fi Routers (2023): Budget, Gaming Routers, Large Homes, Mesh

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Best Overall

TP-Link Archer AX55

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$130 at Amazon

Upgrade Pick

Asus RT-AX86U

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$250 at Amazon

Best Budget Router

TP-Link Archer AX21

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$80 at Amazon

Best Gaming Router

Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000

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$280 at Amazon
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The humble Wi-Fi router has become an essential fixture in every home, but the one your internet service provider sent is likely the reason your Wi-Fi sucks. There are various ways to improve your Wi-Fi, but few are as effective as upgrading your router. Benefits will extend to everything from streaming movies and online gaming to video calls. Most people can get by just fine with a single Wi-Fi router, and I’ve collected recommendations to suit different needs, spaces, and budgets. I tested all of these in a busy family home full of Netflix-addicted gamers.

There’s a mesh Wi-Fi option here too, but check out our Best Mesh Wi-Fi Routers guide for larger homes. If you're confused about terminology, our How to Buy a Router guide can help. Whatever you choose, make sure you secure your router.

Updated January 2023: We added the Aircove ExpressVPN Router, Linksys Hydra Pro 6E, Linksys Hydra 6, updated tips, and refreshed prices.

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  • Photograph: TP-Link

    Best Overall

    TP-Link Archer AX55

    This affordable Wi-Fi 6 router is what I think most people should go for. The slick black finish is attractive, and there are four antennas to direct Wi-Fi to every corner. (It's worth tweaking and testing different positions.) Performance was solid throughout my two-floor, 1,600-square-foot home but dropped off slightly in the back garden. Stability was excellent over a couple of weeks of testing, hitting the upper mid-end in my speed and range tests. This router also ticks off all the feature boxes you want (MU-MIMO, beamforming, WPA3—we explain many of these terms in our How to Buy a Router guide). It has four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, a single Gigabit WAN port, and a USB 3.0 port on the back, which is enough for most people.

    I’m a fan of TP-Link’s Tether app, where you can review traffic, split bands, create a guest network, schedule reboots, set automatic updates, and even tell the LED to turn off at night. TP-Link’s basic free HomeShield tier offers network scanning, QoS (Quality of Service) for device prioritization, and basic parental controls so you can filter and blacklist websites. If you want more perks, like time limits for apps, downtime, and real-time security protection, you'll need to upgrade to HomeShield Pro ($6 per month or $55 for the year).

    ★ Another alternative: The TP-Link Archer AX50 ($110) is very similar to the AX55 but may be prone to overheating. The AX50 also lacks OneMesh support, which allows you to add extenders to create a mesh network with the AX55. On the other hand, the AX50 has HomeCare, a service that launched before HomeShield that includes superior parental controls without a subscription.

    $130 at Amazon
    $130 at B&H

  • Photograph: Asus

    Upgrade Pick

    Asus RT-AX86U

    Simple setup, silky performance, and serious speed make this Asus router a good choice for anyone prepared to spend more for smoother Wi-Fi. It sports an eye-catching red and black design with three rotatable antennas. This router had no issues covering my entire home and garden and was one of the top performers in my tests. It delivered consistently fast speeds everywhere and was stable, even with four people streaming and gaming at once. There are some handy customization options for gamers and optimizations that ensure low latency. It also has plenty of ports, including a 2.5-Gbps port configurable as WAN or LAN and two USB 3.2 ports.

    The Asus app is packed with options, making it very easy to tweak router settings, should you need to. Everything is covered, from comprehensive parental controls to traffic prioritization and network security. That includes AiProtection Pro (powered by Trend Micro), which monitors your network for malicious activity, no subscription required. This router supports AiMesh, which means you can add any other AiMesh Asus router to create a mesh network and expand connectivity in your home.

    $250 at Amazon
    $251 at Walmart
    $280 at Best Buy

  • Photograph: TP-Link

    Best Budget Router

    TP-Link Archer AX21

    This impressive Wi-Fi 6 router delivers reliable performance at a relatively low price and succeeds our previous pick (the AX20). Despite the demands of four people video streaming and gaming, I rarely noticed a difference in everyday performance between this and my top pick, the AX55. However, my tests revealed some limitations on the range, and the download speed when installing a new game was noticeably slower than with the rest of our picks. But for most day-to-day tasks over a week of testing, this router delivered sterling service. It matches the AX55 with four gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and one WAN but only has a USB 2.0.

    The Tether app is straightforward and packed with all the basic options you need, including traffic prioritization, parental controls, and a guest network. There’s no HomeShield or HomeCare support with this router, but most people don't need those extra services. If you don’t care about online gaming performance or have tons of smart home devices, and your home is 1,600 square feet or smaller, you likely don’t need to spend more than this.

    $80 at Amazon

  • Photograph: Asus

    Best Gaming Router

    Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000

    My time with the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 was refreshingly free of issues. It’s a big, loud design with four antennas and RGB lighting that screams gamer. Still, it served up speedy, unbroken Wi-Fi throughout my home and garden and didn’t flinch at four simultaneous online gaming sessions. It’s easy to prioritize gaming devices or activity, and there’s a mobile game mode, simple port forwarding, and a dedicated gaming port. Speaking of which, you get two 2.5-Gbps ports (one WAN/LAN and a LAN), four gigabit LANs, one USB 3.2 Gen 1, and a USB 2.0.

    Like the rest of the Asus range, the mobile app is excellent and boasts all the features you need, including guest network support, band splitting, parental controls, and anti-malware. The AiProtection Pro and parental controls are free for the device's lifetime so you don't have to make any monthly payments. Asus also offers Instant Guard free with this router, enabling it to secure your public Wi-Fi connections when you are out by running a VPN (virtual private network) server on your router at home (which also means you don’t have to share data with a VPN provider).

    ★ Alternative: The Asus AX6000 RT-AX88U ($250) is an excellent cheaper option that offers almost the same features. It has a slightly slower processor, lacks features like Inter-VLAN routing, and only has a gigabit WAN port (though there are eight gigabit LAN ports). If you don’t know or care what any of that means, good! Save yourself some cash and go for this model.

    $280 at Amazon
    $329 at B&H

  • Photograph: Netgear

    Best Gaming Router With Wi-Fi 6E

    Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300

    If you’re ready to turn things up to 11, this is the fastest router I have tested. The curvy spaceship design in matte black is a little more stealthy than your average gaming gear, but those wings contain several antennas for a strong signal throughout your home. The Nighthawk RAXE300 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a tri-band router with Wi-Fi 6E support, covering the 2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, and 6-GHz bands. It served seamless speedy Wi-Fi during two weeks of testing, with zero issues while handling a revolving mix of four simultaneous gaming and video streaming streams. I downloaded a 30-GB game in less than 10 minutes. A single 2.5-Gbps WAN/LAN port, five Gigabit LAN ports, and a USB-C 3.0 port will be enough for most folks.

    The Nighthawk app is excellent and offers band splitting, guest network options, and a host of analytical tools. While both the Premium Smart Parental Controls ($8/month or $70/year) and Netgear Armor ($100/year) are comprehensive and slick, the extra expense is hard to swallow when many competitors offer cheaper or free alternatives with similar features. That said, Netgear Armor does include Bitdefender Security for your devices and Bitdefender VPN for use outside the home. Don’t even think about spending more than this unless your internet connection exceeds 1 Gbps, and even then you can expect diminishing returns.

    $400 at Amazon

  • Photograph: TP-Link

    Best Budget Gaming Router

    TP-Link Archer GX90 AX6600

    If the picks above are too expensive, the slightly more affordable TP-Link Archer GX90 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) might tempt you. It looks like a Sith spider, with a square design and eight antennas, but this gaming-focused behemoth is feature-packed. It's easy to set up and configure, and it bathed my whole home in fast Wi-Fi. There’s a game accelerator feature and prioritization, making it easy to reserve bandwidth for gaming. We had no issues with multiple simultaneous gaming sessions. It has a 2.5-Gbps WAN/LAN port, a Gigabit WAN/LAN port, three Gigabit LAN ports, and two USB ports (a 3.0 and a 2.0).

    TP-Link’s Tether app is very accessible and makes it easy to track traffic, set up guest networks, use parental controls, and prioritize different activities. Confusingly TP-Link offers HomeShield (powered by Avira) on some routers and HomeCare (powered by Trend Micro) on others, including this one. HomeCare includes comprehensive parental controls, a malicious-content filter, intrusion prevention, and infected-device quarantine. More importantly, it is free (no subscription necessary).

    $225 at Amazon
    $250 at B&H

  • Photograph: Asus

    Best for Large Homes

    Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8 (2-Pack)

    Consistently delivering a stable high-speed Wi-Fi connection, the Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8 mesh system tops our Best Mesh Wi-Fi Routers guide and is ideal for large homes or houses with dead spots. I like the classy, unobtrusive design in black or white. This system performed well in tests, offering great coverage and close to maximum speeds at close-, mid-, and long-range. I encountered a slight issue during setup that was resolved with a factory reset and firmware update. Over the months since, I have continued using this system hassle-free. Each versatile unit is a full router with three gigabit LAN ports, a 2.5-Gbps WAN/LAN, and a USB 3.1.

    Part of the appeal of Asus routers is the excellent app, packed with features for tinkerers but easy enough for anyone to navigate. All the options you need are here, from band splitting to guest networks to prioritization for specific activities like gaming or video streaming. You also get comprehensive parental controls and anti-malware protection free for the lifetime of the router. The XT8 two-pack can cover a home up to 5,500 square feet, and it supports AiMesh, meaning it's easy to add more AiMesh routers to expand your network.

    $350 at Amazon
    $350 at B&H Photo
Most Popular

  • Photograph: Synology

    Best for NAS

    Synology RT6600ax

    The Synology RT6600ax boasts solid performance and familiar hardware design, but the software makes this tri-band Wi-Fi 6 router interesting. Speeds were consistently high in my tests on both 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands, with solid coverage throughout my house, marking this as a high mid-table performer. There’s a 2.5-Gbps WAN/LAN port, one Gigabit WAN/LAN, three Gigabit LAN ports, and a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port. But Synology’s expertise is in NAS (network attached storage), so this router can double as a fully-fledged NAS server for backups or file sharing.

    The DS Router mobile app is easy to use and allows you to configure your network, parental controls, and set up a VPN service, though it occasionally crashed on me. It also provides Wi-Fi analysis and network security at no extra cost, but there’s no QoS. If you want to dig deeper, the Linux-based Synology Router Manager operating system is comprehensive, with enough options to satisfy advanced folks and loads of potentially useful packages you can add (including Download Station, Media Server, and VPN Plus Server).

    $300 at Amazon

  • Photograph: Amazon

    Built-in VPN

    Aircove ExpressVPN Router

    This router has a built-in Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, allowing you to shield your network traffic from prying eyes. You do have to buy a subscription to ExpressVPN separately (it’s $13 per month, or just over $8 if you pay annually). But setup is simple, and having a VPN at router level is much easier than having to install it on each device. The intuitive web dashboard makes it easy to group devices and choose default servers. For example, you can set TVs to one country and game consoles to another.

    It’s worth noting that ExpressVPN doesn’t make our best VPNs guide because it was sold to a parent company that has a less-than-sterling reputation; that might matter to you if you’re the kind of person who wants a VPN. And while this is a dual-band Aircove router that offers coverage of up to 1,600 feet, the hardware is somewhat limited. Speeds topped out at around 400 Mbps during my tests, and were typically limited to 100 Mbps through a VPN server. There are no advanced features like parental controls yet, though ExpressVPN plans to keep building on the platform. And I did run into some irritating problems: Netflix sometimes refused to work, as it detected I was using an unblocker or proxy (there is an ongoing battle between VPNs and streaming services). I also found I got repeated captcha requests on Chrome when using the VPN. However, installing a VPN on a router is quite technical, so something that works out of the box will be tempting for folks prioritizing VPN service.

    $190 at Amazon
  • Photograph: Linksys

    Honorable Mentions

    Other Routers

    We have tested some other routers we like and have several more in the queue. These aren't as great as the picks above but could be worth considering for some folks. 

    Linksys Hydra Pro 6E for $290: One of the first Wi-Fi 6E tri-band routers (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) to hit the market, the price has dropped significantly since release. It proved easy to set up, and has a very straightforward app, though it was often slow to load. It has a 5 Gbps WAN port and four Gbit ports. Performance proved reliable, and it’s possible to get lightning fast speeds at close range if you have a device that supports Wi-Fi 6E. Coverage and speeds at mid and long range were average. There are free basic parental controls enabling you to block sites and schedule downtime, but only on a per device basis (no profile creation or age restrictions filters). You can split bands if you want to, and prioritize three devices. There’s also a guest network option and easy Wi-Fi share. Another positive is that this router works with any other Linksys Intelligent Mesh router (including the Velop mesh range).

    Linksys Hydra 6 for $177: Specs-wise, this compact router is similar to our top pick (TP-Link Archer AX55). It’s a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router with a Gbit WAN and four Gbit LAN ports. Setup was easy, and it uses the same Linksys app as the Pro 6E above, so you get free parental controls, guest network, prioritization, and band splitting. It proved speedy at close range and not bad at mid-range, but if your home is larger than 1,600 square feet, it may struggle. However, as an Intelligent Mesh router, it can mix and match with other Linksys routers or its Velop mesh system. Linksys suggests a limit of 25 connected devices. Although it managed more than 40 without issues in my testing, busy households will likely want something more powerful.

    Firewalla Purple for $329: This quirky portable device (8/10, WIRED recommends) is perfect for people who worry about security and privacy. It offers comprehensive tools for monitoring all traffic in and out of your house, robust and detailed parental controls, ad-blocking, and enhanced security with a built-in firewall and VPN option. It serves as a router, but you will want to pair another router in access point mode for Wi-Fi in your home. It’s expensive and may prove intimidating for inexperienced folks, but it offers deep insight into your network and an impressive depth of security features without an additional subscription.

    Reyee RG-E5 for $150: Based purely on performance, this dual-band, Wi-Fi 6 router impressed me. It offered great coverage, very fast speeds on the 5-GHz band, and solid stability. It can also form a mesh with other Reyee routers, and the app boasts free parental controls. On the downside, security is lacking (no WPA3, no 2FA, no anti-malware), you have to create a Ruijie Cloud account (Ruijie is the Chinese parent company), and the poorly translated app is slightly confusing.

Most Popular
  • Photograph: 10'000 Hours/Getty Images

    What to Look for

    Shopping for Routers

    Our How to Buy a Router guide answers a lot of questions on the terminology you'll come across when shopping for a router. Still, here are a few other considerations.

    • Make sure the router supports Wi-Fi 6. All of our picks above support it, and it’s the minimum we recommend.
    • Support for Wi-Fi 6E, an even newer standard, is still limited. We have tested a few, but the extra bandwidth and speed afforded by the 6-GHz band is unlikely to make much of an impact right now, as your phones and laptops will need to support Wi-Fi 6E too. It is also short-range compared to the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands. They are coming down in price, though, with Wi-Fi 7 on the horizon. 
    • Your maximum internet speed is set by your ISP and will likely fluctuate depending on the time of day. While your router can’t provide an internet connection that exceeds that speed, it can potentially go faster when you stream from a server in your home or move files from one device on your local network to another.
    • It’s worth checking a prospective router’s coverage and speed, but understand that your mileage may vary. Construction materials in your home, your neighbors’ activity and Wi-Fi networks, your devices, and the position of your router are just a few of the factors that will impact your Wi-Fi performance.
    • Ethernet ports offer stable connections and are essential for some smart home setups that require a hub for lights or security cameras. Some network-attached storage for backups or media will plug into your main router via USB. Ensure the router you are considering has all the ports you need.
    • Many router manufacturers allow you to create a mesh network by adding more routers or devices like range extenders, but check what is supported before you buy. For example, Asus AiMesh enables you to link multiple routers, while TP-Link’s OneMesh only allows you to add powerline adapters or range extenders.

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