Your Wi-Fi network is working really hard these days, contributing to much more than just enabling you to play games and stream movies. This is the age of remote and hybrid work. Not only can home Wi-Fi routers connect an ever-expanding array of smart home gadgets, they have proven indispensable for both education and job advancement. Therefore, choosing wisely is more crucial than ever. the Gadgetex has been testing Wi-Fi equipment since the standard’s inception, so our experience can be of use. Here are our recommendations for the top Wi-Fi routers available for purchase. Each was chosen after extensive, impartial testing that assessed signal strength, range, and throughput rates. The TP-Link Archer AXE75 is our best overall choice for a Wi-Fi router for most customers, but we also stand by all the other routers recommended here too. Check out the pros and cons of each, plus a detailed guide to choosing the right one for you.
1.Asus Zen WiFi Ax Xt8 Router
You may not want to use the Asus ZenWifi AX (XT8) among others. However, this Asus router ought to be at the top of the list for anyone who can afford it and want a mesh network with the best performance, an equally amazing software, and some strong security measures.
For just those reasons, it comes in first in our list of the best routers. It can compete with the top six Wi-Fi routers on the market and is one of the greatest mesh router systems available. That’s no minor feat, given all the routers we’ve evaluated over the years.
Although the ZenWifi AX (XT8) cannot be purchased directly from Asus in Australia, it is available elsewhere. Furthermore, locating stock online is quite simple. Those in the UK who want to update to a router that supports Wi-Fi 6 can purchase a single unit for to cover an area of up to 2475sq.ft. Strangely, that single router option seems to only be available in the UK.
Even by the standards of the latest Wi-Fi 6 routers, the Asus ZenWiFi AX is pricey, but its remarkable feature and performance package makes it worth the money.
With a combined speed of 6600Mbps (6.6Gbps), the two routers enable tri-band Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) on the 2.4GHz and two 5.0GHz bands. That is far faster than the majority of 802.11ac routers in use today, and it is even quicker than many of the recently released Wi-Fi 6 routers.
You should have no trouble utilizing Wi-Fi 6 with your current PCs and mobile devices, though, as it is still compatible with millions of 802.11ac Wi-Fi devices.
Since few home broadband providers can match Wi-Fi 6’s speeds, Asus reserves one of the 5.0GHz bands to be used as a “backhaul,” creating a fast connection between the two mesh routers, leaving the other 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands free to send data to your computers and mobile devices.
Each router has three additional Gigabit Ethernet ports for devices that require a wired network connection, a USB 3.1 port for sharing a USB storage device on your network, and a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port for high-speed Internet connections in order to maximize the router’s performance.
Although the Asus Router app and setup process aren’t nearly as simple as those of other mesh systems, once everything is up and going, the app offers an amazing array of functions.
The majority of mesh systems begin with connecting the first mesh router to your current internet router via an Ethernet wire. After that, you position the additional mesh routers in various rooms of your house at a greater distance. You have to read the outdated printed handbook to learn how to get started because the Asus app doesn’t provide any instructions at all at this stage. Notably, both routers must be initially configured in the same room and plugged in together; ideally, they should be positioned three meters apart.
Top-of-the-range Wi-Fi speeds
Good parental controls
Cons
Expensive
2.Asus Rtax 55 Wi-Fi Router
If you’re searching for a reasonably priced router that will give your home Wi-Fi a decent Wi-Fi 6 update, the Asus RT-AX55 is a great option. Its 1.8Gbps maximum speed is not as fast as some of the more costly Wi-Fi 6 routers that are currently on the market. Even so, it will still be more than capable of handling the majority of home broadband services and provide dependable, quick wifi for online browsing, streaming media, and light gaming.
Along with its dual-band Wi-Fi 6, the Asus RT-AX55 has four Ethernet ports for wired connections. Beginners may get started with ease using an intuitive app, and more experienced users seeking more control over their network settings can utilize the online browser interface.
Additionally,if you need to extend your wi-fi even further in the future, the Asus RT-AX55 can be used as part of a mesh system with other Asus routers too.The sinister “Cylon attack ship” design found on Asus’ top-tier gaming routers is absent from the RT-AX55. On the other hand, its sleek design adds a little flair with its go-faster red stripes and streamlined black case. The router has dual-band Wi-Fi 6 in addition to one Gigabit Ethernet port for connecting to your current internet modem or router. Four more Ethernet ports are available in case a cable connection is needed.
To connect to a new network, all you have to do is scan the QR code located on the router’s base using the user-friendly Asus Router app. However, the network isn’t immediately password-secured, so you’ll need to move swiftly to the following phase, where you may set a password and additionally and also change the name of the network if you prefer.
Asus also provides some useful security tools, called AiProtection, which monitors your network to safeguard all your connected devices from malware and viruses. Additionally, you can make schedules to restrict each family member’s access to the Internet as needed and set up profiles for them individually.
The Asus RT-AX55, albeit inexpensive, is nonetheless a decent replacement for our office’s aging Wi-Fi router. With reported rates of 100Mbps in the Ookla speed test and 12.5MB/s for Steam downloads—the greatest speeds our workplace broadband connection can support—that ancient router may nevertheless deliver decent speeds for devices in the same room.
We have an office in the back of the building that our old router can barely reach, so we have to rely on PowerLine adaptors to give a more dependable cable connection. The Asus RT-AX55 just matches those speeds for nearby devices in the same room.
Pros
Affordable Wi-Fi 6
Easy-to-use app
Cons
Parental controls aren’t extensive
3.Asus Rog Rapture GT B98 Wi-Fi Router
With the official ratification of the Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) standard earlier this year, additional routers are gradually hitting the market. Although there were a few Wi-Fi 7 routers released in the previous year, the actual release date of the high-end routers is 2024.
With the release of the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro, Asus, a well-known brand in the high-end gaming router market, hopes to make an impression. Although the name sounds fancy, the router is crammed with functionality to meet all of your networking requirements. The router has seven LAN ports, four bands (including two 6GHz bands), customizable Aura RGB support, and a plethora of gaming-specific software capabilities in its user interface.
The ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro’s design is not subtle in the slightest. The majority of consumer-oriented mesh and general-purpose routers feature simplistic designs to better integrate into their surroundings; however, the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro boldly embraces a bold and brash design approach to appeal to gamers.
All eight of the poseable antennas surrounding the unit’s perimeter are black. This router is all straight lines and angles; it doesn’t have any curves. Dozens of individually programmable LEDs that make up the huge ROG logo on top of the router are lit up via the software interface. Also on top of the router is a pretty massive heatsink and a glass revealing extraneous design details to make the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro seem more “cool.” For example, a warning label under the window states, “Caution: Gaming Area — High levels of junk food and profanity beyond this point.”
The WPS and LED buttons are located close to the front of the router. Of course, the LED button can be programmed, but the purpose of the WPS button is to initiate Wi-Fi Protected Setup. It may be used to activate the Game Boost function, cycle among Aura RGB patterns, or switch the LEDs on and off.
All of the ports are located on the router’s “business end,” which is located on the rear. When viewed from the rear, the router has four ports: two USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, a power button, and a DC-in power plug. A reset button, four 2.5G LAN connections (one for WAN), and a 10G LAN port are located on the middle plane. There’s a on the right aircraft in the back.
One of two methods is available for configuring the Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro: using an online browser or the Asus Router mobile app. Initially, I configured the router by using a standard web browser. Using the SSID and password that are printed on the router’s bottom to establish a wireless connection was all that was required to do this. After connecting to the router, the setup program checked that I was online and asked if I wanted to make individual SSIDs for each of the four bands or group all the bands under one SSID and allow the router select the best band for each device. I went with option number two. At last, I received a request to generate a new administrator login.
Pros
Fast and consistent performance on the 6GHz band
Plethora of LAN ports, including two 10G connections
Cons
Expensive
4.Google Nest Wii Pro wifi Router
The newest mesh router from Google, the Nest Wifi Pro, is a Wi-Fi 6E router that supports future wireless technologies like the Thread and Matter standards for smart home devices. It operates in the comparatively free 6GHz radio band. It’s attractively designed and simple to install, just like previous Nest routers. However, we were surprised to learn that the 6GHz radio band lacks its own SSID. The router performed admirably in our performance tests, but our Editors’ Choice choice for Wi-Fi 6E mesh routers, the Eero Pro 6E, offers higher throughput, multi-gig networking, and direct access to the 6GHz band SSID.
For our review, Google sent a single Nest Wifi Pro router, which gives up to 2,200 square feet of coverage. You can get a two-pack or three-pack that covers 4,400 or 6,600 square feet, respectively, for larger households. Each router is 5.1 by 4.6 by 3.3 inches (HWD) and is meant to be seen, not concealed, in a corner or on the floor. Instead, it should be put out in the open on a table or bookshelf. Color possibilities include Snow (white), Linen (off-white), Lemongrass (yellow), and Fog (light green).
The router has no buttons, however it does include a small LED indicator on the front that lights blue during setup, white during starting, and yellow during a failed internet connection. (When fully linked, it is solid white.) Two 1Gbps Ethernet ports are located around back; one is utilized for WAN connectivity, while the other can be used for wired backhaul between nodes or as a LAN port. There are no multi-gig networking interfaces on the Nest Wifi Pro, in contrast to the Eero Pro 6E. Additionally, the Google router lacks USB connections for exchanging storage devices; nevertheless, it should be noted that low-profile mesh systems seldom provide USB connectivity.
The Nest Wifi Pro is a Wi-Fi 6E mesh router that operates in the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz radio bands. It is compatible with 160MHz channel broadcasts, WPA3 encryption, MU-MIMO simultaneous data streaming, direct-to-client signal beamforming, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) data transmissions. Additionally, it has built-in support for Matter, a networking standard intended to ensure brand-neutral compatibility among smart home products, and Thread, an emerging protocol for linking IoT devices like smart lights and thermostats.
A dual-core ARM CPU with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of flash memory powers the router. The AX5400 device has a maximum 2.4GHz band speed of 600Mbps and a maximum 5GHz or 6GHz band speed of 2,400Mbps. As previously indicated, it supports 6GHz radio broadcasts; however, there isn’t a specific SSID for directly connecting devices to the 6GHz band. Band selection is accomplished automatically utilizing band-steering technology.
The router may be accessed using the Google Home app and is located in a panel beneath the room it was designated for during setup. The Nest Wifi Pro’s status—online and connected or offline and disconnected—is displayed on a pop-up screen that appears when you press the panel, but it doesn’t indicate whether any clients are connected. A gear icon at the top right of the screen opens the Device Settings screen, and a Run Speed Test button near the bottom of the screen allows you to measure internet upload and download speeds.
There are restricted settings. Although the router can be optimized for gaming and video calling using the Preferred Activities menu, there are no options for allocating bandwidth priority to individual clients or applications. The only options for Wi-Fi settings are to enable WPA3 encryption and 160MHz channel transmissions. You do get some parental controls, dubbed Family Wi-Fi, that let you apply Restricted Access rules to groups of devices using Google’s SafeSearch filtering technology to automatically block access to websites containing adult content. However, you don’t get the age-based parental control filters and anti-malware software tools that you get with the TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro mesh system.
Pros
Wi-Fi 6E support
Easy to install
Cons
Lacks anti-malware software
5.Asus RTX 59u Wi-Fi
The current generation of Wi-Fi 6 routers is becoming less expensive, with devices like Asus’ new RT-AX59U Extendable router being among the most reasonably priced that I’ve seen so far. However, the finest routers that support the newest Wi-Fi 6E technology are still somewhat expensive.
A router that costs about $150 won’t give you top-tier performance, but the Asus RT-AX59U offers decent mid-range performance at a very affordable price. It is also now referred to as a “extendable” router, similar to all other recent Asus routers, which means that it may be used with any other Asus router that supports the company’s AiMesh technology in the future to build a mesh network that is more expansive.
Most Wi-Fi 6 routers are littered with antennae that are supposed to extend the spread of the Wi-Fi signal, but the Asus RT-AX59U has an extremely sleek design, consisting of a slim, upright tower that takes up very little room. It stands at 200mm 131mm wide and only 37.5mm thick and weighs a tiny 460g, so you can easily set it on any handy shelf while connecting it to your existing broadband modem or router.
Despite its slimline form, the RT-AX59U manages to pack in five internal antennae to assist carry the Wi-Fi signal far and wide. Because of its small size and light weight, the router is also suitable for wall mounting; the higher the wall, the stronger the signal.
With dual-band Wi-Fi 6 using the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequency bands and a maximum speed of 4.2Gbps (although, technically speaking, it’s 4.177Gbps), the Asus RT-AX59U is a decent mid-range router. Additionally, as previously indicated, it supports Asus’ AiMesh technology, which enables it to function with other Asus routers as a component of a larger mesh networking system in the event that you eventually need to upgrade your network.
Four Gigabit Ethernet connections are also included with the router; one is used to link it to your current internet modem or router, while the other three provide wired networking for gadgets like smart TVs and game consoles that might perform better over a connected connection. Additionally, there are two USB ports that will allow you to connect USB storage devices that you can share on your network – although it’s odd that only one of these uses USB 3.2, while the other opts for the aging USB 2.0.
Pros
Great price
Slim, compact design
Cons
Dual-band only
Buying Guide: The Best Wi-Fi Routers for 2024
It’s ideal to start your search for a new wireless router by taking into account the kinds of devices you’ll be connecting, the size of your coverage area, and the number of clients you need to service. The performance offered by the newest and greatest models is not necessary for everyone, and there is no need to pay for features that you will probably never use. See our selection of affordable routers if you’re more interested in a less expensive option than a large number of cutting-edge capabilities. However, if multiple family members are fighting for bandwidth to do things like play online PC games and stream Netflix videos, a new router with contemporary management features might be really helpful.