Many people install the Wi-Fi router supplied by their broadband provider and never think any more about it, but it’s possible to upgrade it for a model that will deliver a signal to more rooms in your home and faster Wi-Fi speeds. But before you take a look at the routers we recommend, there are two key things to know: 1 – Wi-Fi speed is not the same thing as internet speed. If your internet connection is slow, making the Wi-Fi in your home faster won’t change that: it will still be slow. Use a speed-testing tool online (such as www.speedtest.com) to see how fast your internet is. Preferably, do this from a laptop connected to your router via a network cable to ensure slow Wi-Fi isn’t a factor in the test. You can also test your Wi-Fi speed independently of your broadband so you can determine where any bottleneck is. 2 – Replacing your existing router isn’t the only option. That’s because you can now buy a mesh Wi-Fi system. This is essentially a kit of two or three wireless routers which work together to provide a strong signal even across the largest of homes. Your phone or other mobile device will switch seamlessly between these routers as you move around your home. Mesh systems aren’t as expensive as you might think and are very easy to install as they connect to your existing router. If you decide a mesh system isn’t for you and you still want to buy a new router, make sure you know which type you need. There are two: those with a modem built in and those without one. In the UK, ‘modem routers’ are common because most people still use ADSL or VDSL broadband, both of which require a modem. The other type is used for cable broadband, such as Virgin Media, or any other service that provides a separate box to which a Wi-Fi router would connect. The latest standard is Wi-Fi 6E, but the high price of these devices means most people will opt for Wi-Fi 6. It’s worth choosing a Wi-Fi 6 router even if you don’t yet have a phone, laptop or other device which has Wi-Fi 6, as they’re backwards compatible with older Wi-Fi standards. However, you might not need to spend any money at all: we’ve written a guide on how to improve Wi-Fi in your home, which includes some great tips on getting better speed and coverage from your existing router. They may work for you, but if you’ve already done everything we suggest, an upgrade is the answer. In fact, if your reason for reading this is because you need better Wi-Fi in just one room, you could be better off buying a set of powerline network adapters with built-in Wi-Fi. So, there are quite a few options open to you, but if you want to keep things simple and replace your old router with a new one, then here’s what we recommend you buy.
Best Wi-Fi routers reviews
Wi-Fi router buying advice
Should I buy a Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E router?
Wi-Fi 5 (also known as 802.11ac) is still the prevalent standard in most homes at the moment, but you should be looking at Wi-Fi 6 unless you’re on a tight budget.
Great price Good performance
No modem No USB port
There’s a lot that’s changed behind the scenes, though. For one thing, there’s Wi-Fi 6 support plus a great companion app that makes it a breeze to set up the router when you first get it. After that you can use it for checking what’s connected to the network and for basic parental controls, such as defining when Wi-Fi is available to certain devices. Built-in TrendMicro software scans for viruses right on the router, but this isn’t a substitute for running antivirus software on your PCs or Android phones. As it supports Asus AiMesh, you can use any compatible Asus routers alongside the RT-AX55 to form a mesh network. But it’s not cost-effective to buy the AX55 first, then add more nodes later. You’re better off buying a mesh system now and turning off the Wi-Fi on your old router. The AX55 isn’t the last word in performance, but at this price, it’s great value. Just remember there’s no built-in modem.
Great performance Supports mesh Wi-Fi
No modem Blocky and bulky design
And the Linksys Hydra Pro 6 does offer good performance. It also has a lot of useful features and, though more expensive than the AX55 above, still represents good value for money. That’s in the UK, at least, because it’s considerably more expensive in the US for reasons unknown to us. The option to expand the Hydra 6 Pro’s coverage using Linksys Velop mesh Wi-Fi units might appeal to some, especially those that can’t afford the upfront cost of such a system right now. However, there are plenty of affordable mesh systems that can replace your existing router’s Wi-Fi for not much more money than the Hydra Pro 6, and they are a better choice if your priority is huge Wi-Fi coverage but not outright speed. Like other modern routers, the Linksys has an app which makes it easy to set up and manage. Even the interface you see in a web browser is decent, but the app is handy for some settings, such as prioritising up to three devices on your network to get the best connection speeds.
Lots of features Fast speeds
No modem
One the many features is built-in TrendMicro antivirus software and another is the decent parental controls, though neither are good enough to completely replace dedicated apps. Talking of apps, TP-Link Tether runs on your phone and makes setting up the AX50 extremely simple. You can also use it to manage those parental controls, antivirus and other features such as quality of service (QoS). There’s even Alexa integration, allowing you to control certain router features with your voice although, admittedly, you’ll probably never do that. Performance, considering the price, is very good, with Wi-Fi 6 speeds of almost 1200Mbps in our tests. Unlike some Wi-Fi 6 routers, it supports 160MHz channels, which will improve speeds for compatible phones, laptops and other devices. The AX50 may not give you whole-home coverage like a mesh system, but it’s impressive value nonetheless.
Amazingly cheap Not ugly
No modem No USB port
The white design sets it apart from other routers and makes it more living-room friendly, despite those protruding antennae. When we first received a Router 3 for review, we couldn’t quite believe the price. But it’s not too good to be true: you really can get a decent Wi-Fi 6 router for this little money. There are some compromises: just three Gigabit LAN ports once you’ve used the fourth to connect up your existing modem or cable router, and there’s no USB port for adding a hard drive, or powering smart home hubs. Not so much a compromise (since more expensive routers also have this issue) but do note that there’s no built-in modem, so you’ll need to keep your current router, and just turn off its Wi-Fi and (ideally) put it in bridge mode, but the Router 3 can also be set to bridge mode and effectively be used as a Wi-Fi 6 access point. You can manage it via the nice-looking web interface, or use the Huawei SmartHome app for iPhone or AI Life for Android. Performance is better than Tenda’s AC10U but not a whole lot quicker than, say the Virgin Super Hub 3 (a UK ISP-supplied router). Where it earns its keep is in range: you’ll get a faster, stronger signal in those far-away rooms that ISP routers tend to be incapable of providing.
Very affordable USB port
Not the fastest or best coverage
Don’t expect it to match expensive routers for performance, though. Speed is fine but not the best you can get these days. If you can afford to spend more you can get better Wi-Fi speed and range from TP-Link’s Archer AX50, but for those on a very tight budget, this will do the trick.
Inexpensive Good speeds
Middling range No modem
It’s good to see D-Link hasn’t skimped on Ethernet ports – there are five in total, leaving four once you’ve hooked up your modem. There’s no USB port, though, which means no connecting a spare USB hard drive. The D-Link Wi-Fi app lets you manage the router from your phone, set Wi-Fi schedules and other features, but it’s much like its rivals: you can’t do everything and will need the web interface for more advanced settings. Performance is good, but coverage is not outstanding, making this a good choice for flats or smaller homes.
Works like a Synology NAS drive
Not Wi-Fi 6
Where some router manufacturers merely talk about security, flexibility and performance, the RT2600ac unequivocally delivers on all three counts. It’s also pretty handy if you don’t already own a NAS drive, as you can attach a hard drive to this router and it’ll basically become one.
Gamer-specific management features
No modem Not Wi-Fi 6
We’d like it to be cheaper, but that is so true of many of the most desirable devices. If you can afford it and aren’t bothered by the fact it’s Wi-Fi 5, you won’t be disappointed. It’s important to understand that Wi-Fi 6 isn’t automatically faster than Wi-Fi 5: you have to look at the specifications, and read reviews to find out how a router performs in the real world. Manufacturers use terminology such as AX1800 and AX5400 as a means of conveying overall performance and allowing buyers to compare, but it is a rather misleading number. That’s because it’s the total speed calculated by adding together the speeds possible using different frequencies, including 2.4GHz and 5GHz. But devices connect to only one frequency at at time. There are other factors, such as the number of data streams a router can broadcast at the same time, and this is further complicated by the number your phone, laptop or other device can handle, too. If you want ultimate speed you need to make sure your router and any devices match each other, and the fastest speeds are often possible only with relatively expensive routers and phones / laptops / tablets. The bottom line is this: Wi-Fi 6 has some extra features which improve your experience as a whole, but you’ll need Wi-Fi 6 in your phone, laptop and other devices to really benefit from them. Of course, Wi-Fi 6 isn’t the latest standard any more. But there’s little point in choosing a Wi-Fi 6E router because prices are so high and so few phones and others devices support it. You can read more about Wi-Fi 6E and how it uses the new 6GHz frequency. Amazingly, Wi-Fi 7 is coming and looks to be the one to go for – eventually.
What features should I look for in a router?
Once you’ve decided on the Wi-Fi standard and know whether you need a router with or without a modem, it’s a case of deciding how much to spend and the features you want. With many homes still finding a need for wired ethernet connections, it makes sense to have a good number of LAN ports – check out our guide to the best ethernet cables if you want to maximise speeds in a wired network. Look for Gigabit ports, as these run up to 10 times faster than the older 10/100 Ethernet ports. Don’t get too hung up about the number of ports, as these can be easily and cheaply extended using a hub such as the TP-Link SG1005D although that creates more wires and power supplies to hide away. Here are the best Ethernet hubs. If you want to share a hard drive without going the whole hog and buying a NAS drive, then get a router with a USB port which supports storage. Many also let you share a USB printer this way. Synology’s RT2600ac router combines the software from its NAS drives with router hardware, so you can simply add your own external storage. Most routers let you create a separate ‘guest’ network so friends get online without being able to access the computers and other gadgets on your home network. This won’t be high on your list of priorities, but it could be invaluable if you’re running a small business such as a B&B, or rent properties out on Airbnb. Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
