What are the best wireless routers?

Best wireless router recommendations for streaming, gaming or simple browsing

You already have your gaming PC or laptop; you know how they work and what to expect in terms of performance but… your games are still lagging, your internet is still slow. You changed, tinkered and improved but nothing worked. You might have not taken the router into consideration but it is time to do so. If you want to buy a new router or upgrade the old one, you’re in luck!
In this article, you’ll find out devices that came out on top, based on their design, performance, value proposition and supported features. As a bonus, a few honorable mentions were also included towards the end.
These wireless routers give a well-above-average networking experience and allow you to get the most out of your internet connection.
They deliver excellent network performance, lightning-fast speeds, strong wireless signal with extensive coverage and are backed by a fantastic sheet of hardware specifications like CPU, RAM and storage that have become more and more important nowadays to keep up the pace with current technologies.
In this article, you’ll find out devices that came out on top, based on their design, performance, value proposition and supported features. As a bonus, a few honorable mentions were also included towards the end.
what-are-the-best-wireless-routers

NETGEAR R7000 Nighthawk - AC 1900 Mpbs

This router from NETGEAR is consistently favored among VPN and custom firmware communities, making the top of router lists of many reputable outlets. One of the main reasons for this is the affordable price point compared to the value and performance it brings. At under two hundred bucks, it’s a 1900 Mbps wireless router that provides lots of features and bandwidth for the money.
It comes equipped with a 1GHz dual-core CPU, 256 MB RAM, 128 MB storage, an 802.11ac wireless dual-band capability with a combined bandwidth of 1900 Mbps coupled with a total of five 10/100/100 Mbps ethernet ports (1 WAN and 4 LAN) that provide great flexibility in connectivity when considering many different network setup scenarios. Also features two USB ports; one 2.0 port that is suitable for common printers or lower bandwidth devices; another 3.0 port that is excellent for a hard drive, SSD or flash drive to boost the already excellent internal capacity or creating your own home network file sharing solution.
The router’s incredible stable and powerful performance, with long-range coverage makes it a class-leading device.
As the device name suggests, it’s a true “nighthawk”, supported by both very popular DD-WRT and OpenWrt open source custom firmware. It offers a great degree of customization for various projects and purposes – for example, transforming your router into a Media Server or a VPN router with ShieldMe.
Feature Description
CPU
  • 1 GHz dual-core
RAM
  • 256 MB
Storage
  • 128 MB Flash
Wireless
  • Dual-Band - 2.4 Ghz & 5.0 Ghz
  • One (1) - 600 Mbps 2.4 Ghz
  • One (1) - 1300 Mbps 5.0 Ghz
Ethernet
  • Five (5) ports 10/100/1000 Mbps
  • 1 WAN & 4 LAN
USB Support
  • Two (2) total USB ports:
  • One (1) USB 3.0
  • One (1) USB 2.0
wireless-router-netgear-r7000
NETGEAR R7000 (Image credit: NETGEAR)

Asus RT-AC5300 - AC 5300 Mpbs

This is a high-end router from Asus , an extremely powerful, yet expensive device at around four hundred dollars. With lightning-fast speed of up to 5300 Mbps, it becomes the perfect choice for hardcore or competitive gaming, picture-perfect 4K streaming or really intensive data transfer usage.
It comes equipped with a 1.4GHz dual-core CPU, 512 MB RAM and 128 MB storage. It also features 8 antennas (4 transmitters, 4 receivers) for the 802.11ac wireless standard as a tri-band setup, with a total combined bandwidth of 5300 Mbps. It brings along a total of five 10/100/100 Mbps ethernet ports (1 WAN and 4 LAN) to suit all possible connectivity needs. The router has two USB ports; one 2.0 port for printers or compatibility with devices that are a little more dated; another 3.0 port for external or backup storage (be it hard drives, SSDs or flash drives).
This router is probably one of the best wireless routers that money can buy right now, in terms of performance and capabilities.
Further customization is available for this router via open source custom firmware DD-WRT. It would be a shame to not make the most out of this extremely capable device or leaving this “beast” of a router at the manufacturer’s defaults – for example, its technical specifications make it an ideal choice for a high-speed VPN router with ShieldMe.
Feature Description
CPU
  • 1.4 GHz dual-core
RAM
  • 512 MB
Storage
  • 128 MB Flash
Wireless
  • Tri-Band - 2.4 Ghz & 5.0 Ghz
  • One (1) - 1000 Mbps 2.4 Ghz
  • Two (2) - 2167 Mbps 5.0 Ghz
Ethernet
  • Five (5) ports 10/100/1000 Mbps
  • 1 WAN & 4 LAN
USB Support
  • Two (2) total USB ports:
  • One (1) USB 3.0
  • One (1) USB 2.0
wireless-router-asus-rt-ac5300
Asus RT-AC5300 (Image credit: Asus)

TP-Link Archer C9 - AC 1900 Mbps

This router is a well-balanced choice for home use, at the more affordable price point of around eighty dollars. TP-Link has made the Archer C9 a solid choice for the average user, even without shiny features or specifications to brag about, but with an attractive price for a 1900 Mbps wireless router.
Featuring 1GHz dual-core CPU, 128 MB RAM, 16 MB storage, an 802.11ac wireless dual-band capability with a combined bandwidth of 1900 Mbps coupled with a total of five 10/100/100 Mbps ethernet ports (1 WAN and 4 LAN), gives users an excellent bang for their bucks. The router also has two USB ports; one 2.0 port that is suitable for a print server; another 3.0 port to supplement the rather limited storage capacity by attaching a hard drive, SSD or flash drive.
The router is a great all-round, with a good area coverage making it one of the best wireless routers in terms of pricing.
It is, surprisingly, supported by both very popular DD-WRT and OpenWrt open source custom firmware that can turn this router into a great competitor for higher end devices – for example, coupled with a small flash drive, it can work well as a VPN router with ShieldMe.
Feature Description
CPU
  • 1 GHz dual-core
RAM
  • 128 MB
Storage
  • 16 MB Flash
Wireless
  • Dual-Band - 2.4 Ghz & 5.0 Ghz
  • One (1) - 600 Mbps 2.4 Ghz
  • One (1) - 1300 Mbps 5.0 Ghz
Ethernet
  • Five (5) ports 10/100/1000 Mbps
  • 1 WAN & 4 LAN
USB Support
  • Two (2) total USB ports:
  • One (1) USB 3.0
  • One (1) USB 2.0
wireless-router-tp-link-archer-c9
TP-Link Archer C9 (Image credit: TP-Link)

Linksys WRT3200ACM - AC 3200 Mbps

Although it was released at the end of 2016, this router from Linksys is probably one of the most popular devices in the custom firmware communities. Even today, the router still manages to be surprisingly capable, putting up a more than decent fight with top devices. At around two hundred bucks, it’s an impressive 3200 Mbps wireless router that provides a great range of customizations.
It comes equipped with a beefy 1.8GHz dual-core CPU, 512 MB RAM, an impressive 256 MB flash storage, an 802.11ac wireless dual-band capability with a combined bandwidth of 3200 Mbps coupled with a total of five 10/100/100 Mbps ethernet ports (1 WAN and 4 LAN). Includes two USB ports; an interesting eSATA/USB 2.0 port combo that works with printers or eSATA external drives; another 3.0 port for high performance hard drives, SSDs or flash drives for additional high-speed storage or file sharing.
Both the router’s specifications and fair price are compelling reasons to consider it one of the best wireless routers for more tech savvy or power users that love to customize their device.
It enjoys support by a wide range of different open source custom firmware, including the very popular DD-WRT and OpenWrt, therefore allowing the users to experiment with its strong capabilities and various configurations – for example: a Media Server, Network Attached Storage, a dedicated download machine or a VPN router with ShieldMe.
Feature Description
CPU
  • 1.8 GHz dual-core
RAM
  • 512 MB
Storage
  • 256 MB Flash
Wireless
  • Dual-Band - 2.4 Ghz & 5.0 Ghz
  • One (1) - 600 Mbps 2.4 Ghz
  • One (1) - 2600 Mbps 5.0 Ghz
Ethernet
  • Five (5) ports 10/100/1000 Mbps
  • 1 WAN & 4 LAN
USB Support
  • Two (2) total USB ports:
  • One (1) USB 3.0
  • One (1) combo eSATA/USB 2.0
wireless-router-linksys-wrt3200acm
Linksys WRT3200ACM (Image credit: Linksys)

NETGEAR X4S R7800 Nighthawk - AC 2600 Mpbs

NETGEAR makes another appearance in the list with this router. Although it is a little pricier, at about three hundred dollars, the increased price point can be justified, as it features better hardware specifications compared to similar priced alternative devices. It brings much better wireless signal coverage and stability over large homes, even with 40+ client devices connected at the same time, making it an ideal device for streaming at 4K resolution.
In terms of hardware specifications, it has a strong 1.7GHz dual-core CPU, a generous 512 MB RAM, 128 MB storage, an 802.11ac wireless dual-band capability with a combined bandwidth of 2600 Mbps and a total of five 10/100/100 Mbps ethernet ports (1 WAN and 4 LAN) – a strong choice for network connectivity and setup. It also features an eSATA port, along with two other high-speed USB 3.0 ports, allowing storage capacity extension via external hard drives, SSDs or flash drives.
The router is a strong choice for impeccable 4K streaming or for more demanding activities in terms of data bandwidth. A stable and powerful device, with very long-range coverage makes it a class-leading device.
For those interested to take customization to the next level, the router is supported by both DD-WRT and OpenWrt open source custom firmware. This means, for example, that it allows transforming your classic router into a VPN router with ShieldMe, among many other interesting projects and customizations.
Feature Description
CPU
  • 1.7 GHz dual-core
RAM
  • 512 MB
Storage
  • 128 MB Flash
Wireless
  • Dual-Band - 2.4 Ghz & 5.0 Ghz
  • One (1) - 800 Mbps 2.4 Ghz
  • One (1) - 1733 Mbps 5.0 Ghz
Ethernet
  • Five (5) ports 10/100/1000 Mbps
  • 1 WAN & 4 LAN
USB Support
  • Two (2) USB 3.0 ports
  • One (1) eSATA port
Wireless Router NETGEAR R7800
NETGEAR R7800 (Image credit: NETGEAR)

Honorable Mentions

There are some wireless routers out there that are still worth looking at, even if they didn’t make the best wireless routers list above.
The reason for not making the cut may have been anything ranging from specifications, pricing or value. That being said, these are still solid choices, depending on what you’re looking for when evaluating a device, so give these a look!

GL.iNet Slate GL-AR750S-Ext

This device from GL.iNet is meant for mobility or travel, so the small factor is important here, also reflected in the price: about forty dollars.
Hardware specifications are still surprising at this price, featuring a 775 Mhz CPU, 128 MB RAM with an interesting dual flash storage of 16MB Nor and 128MB Nand. Although it includes support for 802.11ac wireless dual-band, signal coverage is limited to a small area and the transmission rate is also limited to 300Mbps (2.4GHz) and 433Mbps (5GHz). In terms of ethernet ports, there are a total of three 10/100/100 Mbps ports that can be used either as WAN or LAN. There’s only a single USB 2.0 port, which is still perfect for connecting a 3G/4G USB mobile data modem stick. For additional storage options, it features a built-in MicroSD slot, supporting cards that are up to 128GB capacity. Another interesting fact is the minimal power consumption – less than 6W, via a Micro USB port, allowing it to be powered from a laptop’s USB port, a power bank or a mobile device that supports reverse charging.
A real pleasant surprise is customization. The manufacturer went with the popular open source firmware OpenWrt, a rare and interesting choice. Even if the device has some hardware limitations, it is easily customizable to run many different projects, from Media Server, Network Attached Storage or setting it up as a VPN router (although rather slow) with ShieldMe.
wireless-router-gl-inet-ar750s
GL.iNet Slate GL-AR750S-Ext (Image credit: GL.iNet)

NETGEAR MK63 - AX 1800 Mbps

While technically not a router, but a mesh system from NETGEAR, the MK63 is a great choice for extremely large coverage. With support for the more recent Wi-Fi 6 standard, the dual-band support is rated at a combined total of 1800 Mbps. This system is made out of a “central” router and 2 satelittes that can be arranged strategically in your home, for best coverage and performance. Price is rather steep for wireless mesh systems in general and this one is no exception, at around five hundred dollars.
Each device in this mesh system comes with a 1.5 Ghz CPU, 256 MB RAM, 128 MB storage and support for 802.11ax wireless dual-band capability, with a combined bandwidth of 1800 Mbps (600 Mbps 2.4Ghz and 1200 Mbps 5.0 Ghz). For ethernet, the main unit has two 10/100/100 Mbps ethernet ports (1 WAN and 1 LAN) and each satelitte features one 10/100/100 Mbps ethernet port. There is no USB support on any of the units in the package.
As this system is designed as an all-in-one solution, there is little customization available with no support from open source custom firmware currently. Network meshes are not new in concept, as this type of setup was possible even before these systems started being sold, by configuring multiple stand-alone routers to work together as a mesh. For the price of such a system, you could probably easily buy three solid routers instead and get more out of a mesh setup with custom firmware. For those who don’t want to get their hands dirty and provided they can bear the steeper price, this might still look like a great proposition. It just comes down to personal preference and budget.
wireless-router-netgear-mk63
NETGEAR MK63 (Image credit: NETGEAR)

TP-Link Archer C7 - AC 1750 Mbps

This router from TP-Link is rather old, originally released in 2013. Despite that, the device has gone through 5 revisions to this date, enjoying huge popularity due to the quality of the build. Its price is more than compelling, at well under a hundred dollars and even hitting the fifty dollars mark, based on region and availability.
For the quick run-down, it comes with a 775 Mhz CPU, 128 MB RAM, 16 MB storage, an 802.11ac wireless dual-band capability with a combined bandwidth of 1750 Mbps (450 Mbps 2.4 Ghz and 1300 Mbps 5.0 Ghz), together with a total of five 10/100/100 Mbps ethernet ports (1 WAN and 4 LAN). All of these specifications are actually a great value proposition, relative to the very affordable price point. The router also has two USB 2.0 ports to allow for a healthy storage extension or connecting other peripherals.
It used to be (maybe even still is) probably one of the most popular device in terms of customization, being supported by both DD-WRT and OpenWrt open source custom firmware, a very popular choice to turn into and run as a VPN router with ShieldMe.
wireless-router-tp-link-archer-c9
TP-Link Archer C7 (Image credit: TP-Link)
ShieldMe