Top budget routers

Aug 4, Share Equipment Guides. Read full disclaimer. Picking the best budget router was a hard choice.

This router created a speedy, responsive network throughout our test house. You have to spend a lot more on a router—or a mesh kit if you have a very large home—to get anything even a little better. This TP-Link model is relatively inexpensive but still performs better at close range than pricier routers. Our top picks support Wi-Fi 6, which can handle busy networks with a wide variety of connected devices. Wi-Fi 7 is too early in its life cycle to recommend for most people. We simulated a busy network on opposite ends of a real 2,square-foot home to find the fastest, most reliable routers.

Top budget routers

It supports wireless 5GHz speeds faster up to Mbps with four gigabit Ethernet ports for wired devices. This is a dual-band router with up to Mbps on the 5GHz band and Mbps at 2. On the back, you get four gigabit Ethernet ports for your wired devices and one for your incoming connections. If you want to connect through a VPN, this router has client support, so you can link up one of the best VPN services. AiProtection classic is also included which includes some security enhancements and basic parental with content filters and the ability to set schedules for family members. This router is a great choice for a family with up ton a gigabit internet connection. Since the majority of our devices use 5GHz, this extra bandwidth can go a long way to keep speeds high. This router also supports MHz connection meaning that some devices can connect at up to Mbps. There are also four antennas on the back that can be adjusted. This router also has a more powerful CPU to keep up with these extra features better under heavy load. Finally, AiMesh is included allowing users to increase their coverage by adding more routers. One thing to keep in mind about mesh networks is that they must share their wireless connection between the mesh link and connected device, so it makes sense to get one with some extra capacity like the RT-AX A second 5GHz band allows you to designate a gaming band and keep your connections separate.

The third laptop sat in the living room across the house, simulating a second browsing session.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. 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.

We've reviewed more than 80 routers, evaluating them using a number of benchmarks as well as real-world tests to bring you what we think are the best Wi-Fi routers available today. Whether you're looking for an inexpensive and compact router or a larger one with plenty of Ethernet ports, there's something here for every budget and home. Best overall. At the back you'll find a gigabit as well as a 2. Best budget router. It has a gigabit WAN port along with four gigabit LAN ports and a button on top that lets you create a mesh network with other Reyee devices. The RG-E5 has a foot range and it delivered Mbps at 15 feet in our tests. Best for gamers.

Top budget routers

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader.

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These are some other best budget routers that may also be right for your home or office. Show Comments. It was also relatively slow moving files locally. Throughput: 2. Still, its recorded long-range speed ranks second on this list. Area: Consider the area you are trying to power. We measure throughput using IXChariot , first at a 5-foot distance without obstructions, so that we can gauge the maximum amount of data that the router can move. Though our testing shows that Wi-Fi 7 is faster, most people are likely to be just as happy with Wi-Fi 6 devices. Simon Hill has been testing and writing about tech for more than 15 years. US Edition. It has great speeds at long range plus free access to a cloud management platform. Best Routers for Xfinity Feb 7, At this point, Wi-Fi 6 is well-entrenched as the de facto standard for the latest Wi-Fi gadgets, so it's worth getting a Wi-Fi 6 router if you're looking for something new. With a three-pack, the Orbi RBKSB can cover up to 8, square feet with a strong Wi-Fi signal but there's also a four-pack that covers 10, square feet — perfect for very large homes.

Aug 4, Share Equipment Guides.

With high-end performance and lifetime protection against hackers and malware, it can also secure your entire home network and does so over the long term without yet another subscription fee. Check out our methodology section for more information. Although all modern routers are at least dual band —offering one slower but longer-range 2. Our pick. On the back, you get four gigabit Ethernet ports for your wired devices and one for your incoming connections. We ran this test concurrently on two laptops while other laptops were downloading files and simulating a 4K video stream, further stressing the Wi-Fi network. It can be set up and managed with an app, comes with free security and parental control options, and even works with VPN connections. With a three-pack, the Orbi RBKSB can cover up to 8, square feet with a strong Wi-Fi signal but there's also a four-pack that covers 10, square feet — perfect for very large homes. It is a dual-band, four-stream router that provides Wi-Fi 6 for faster speeds and a more reliable connection. TP-Link Deco W Netgear RAX The best budget router for a smaller space. Read our Ethernet guide to learn more. If you want to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 without breaking the bank, this is the router to get.