Choosing the best internet routers is essential to get the best experience from your broadband. You need to take into account a number of factors such as price, connectivity speed, features, ease of use, and more. Here are the five top models you should consider.
TP-Link ARCHER A7
TP-Link's Archer A7 is a reliable, budget-friendly internet router. It offers dual-band networking for small homes. It's fast and easy to set up, and has a user-friendly interface. Its compact design is ideal for apartments and tiny houses. It has a two-year warranty and 90 days of tech support.
TP-Link's Archer A7 router has four Gigabit Ethernet ports, along with a USB 2.0 port. It's powered by a Qualcomm Atheros QCA9563 processor. The processor can clock up to 750MHz, which means it can handle high-quality 4K streaming.
The router has three non-removable, flexible antennas that are placed on the back of the device. It also has mounting cutouts underneath. The device's rear panel is covered with gloss black plastic. There are 10 green LED icons, indicating various aspects of the network, including signal strength, internet connection, and power on a 2.4-GHz channel.
The Archer A7's throughput is in the middle of the pack, and it's not very good at long-range performance. It's good enough for a small home with a couple of rooms, but it's not suitable for extensive gaming. It has no extra-wide 160-MHz channels, and it's not equipped with the latest wireless encryption standard, WPA3. It's also not configured with anti-malware or anti-virus software.
The Archer A7 supports 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. It's able to run IPTV and share media between devices. It can be configured to automatically turn on or off lights, and it has a guest network feature. It can be used as a WiFi extender, too.
ASUS RT-AC5300
Asus RT-AC5300 is a high-performance router designed to deliver ultra-wide area coverage and reliable wireless home internet connections. It features a 1.4GHz dual-core processor that brings computational capabilities to the next level. It also has eight external dual-band antennas that help boost signal strength and range. The device's tri-band Smart Connect intelligently assigns devices to the most suitable band for them. This feature eliminates the need for manually re-connecting, which can improve signal strength and range.
This router is compatible with several devices, including the PlayStation (r)3, Xbox One, Wii U, 3DS, and other consoles. It has a Gigabit LAN port, so it can support up to four Ethernet-compatible devices at the same time. It is also compatible with IP cameras, thermostats, and other smart devices.
The RT-AC5300's NitroQAM (1024-QAM) technology ensures smooth streaming, low latency, and fast data transfers. Its four-transmitter, four-receiver antenna design provides optimal signal stability and lag-free internet connectivity.
AiRadar beamforming technology helps to focus the Wi-Fi signal on the device, so that it is stronger and more stable. The router supports MU-MIMO, which means that each connected device gets its own full-speed Wi-Fi connection. It has a range of three wireless bands, so it can cover a wider area with faster data transfer rates. It also supports Link Aggregation, which combines two teaming LAN ports to deliver up to 2 Gbps of wired transmission.
The RT-AC5300's Game IPS feature prevents threats from entering the network. It also features AiProtection, which allows users to turn off unnecessary utilities. In addition, the router has advanced parental controls, which can limit the number of times young children can access the Internet.
Netgear Nighthawk X4S
NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S internet router offers 3.2Gbps combined WiFi speed to deliver smooth and reliable streaming, gaming and online connectivity. Its MU-MIMO technology supports multiple simultaneous transmissions of different Wi-Fi tiers to different Wi-Fi clients. This technology delivers a better and more efficient connection.
It also supports DOCSIS 3.1 mode, which enables you to enjoy lag-free WiFi while gaming. Its Dynamic QoS prioritizes devices and applications, so you get smoother streaming.
The NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S AC3200 WiFi DOCSIS 3.1 Ultra-High Speed Cable Modem Router is a perfect choice for households that use a lot of bandwidth. It has a dual-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Atheros IPQ8065 CPU. It is also equipped with 512 MB RAM, eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port and four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports. The router can support up to 10 active Wi-Fi clients. It is ideal for large homes that have several devices.
Its Beamforming+ technology improves range and reliability. It can handle up to 100Mbps Ethernet and supports up to six Wi-Fi streams. It is also equipped with a traffic meter, so you can see how much data is being transferred. It has a high level of security, which includes WPA2 wireless security protocol. It has best-in-class anti-virus and data protection.
It is compatible with Comcast, Spectrum and Cox Internet plans. It supports DHCP Fixed, Guest WiFi access and dynamic quality of service control.
The NETGEAR Nighthawk app allows users to manage their network from anywhere, from setting up a new Wi-Fi network to running speed tests. It also has a traffic meter, so you can check how fast your Internet is. Its best-in-class anti-virus protects you from malware and other online threats.
TP-Link TL-R600VPN
TP-Link TL-R600VPN is a high-performance, high-security Gigabit broadband internet router with advanced SPI Firewall and DoS Defense. It also supports PPTP, IPSec, and L2TP VPN. It can support up to 16 simultaneous PPTP VPN tunnels. It also supports 20 LAN-to-LAN IPsec VPN connections.
TL-R600VPN uses a Realtek RTL-8198-GR ASIC, which is a CPU that serves as an Ethernet controller. It can handle Gigabit Ethernet connections on both LAN and WAN ports. It also has an internal power supply, which eliminates the need for an external power brick. It has 8 MB of Flash and 64 MB of RAM. It also has LED status indicators for each port.
TL-R600VPN has a built-in SPI firewall function, which blocks ICP/TCP/UDP flooding, other online threats, and DoS attacks. It can also block intruders through IP/MAC/Domain name filtering. It also has a quick-start wizard. It has control rules for internet access, hosts, domains, and port-forwarding. It has an option to create a DMZ for a single-host system.
The TP-Link TL-R600VPN comes with a limited lifetime warranty. You can call TP-Link's customer service for toll-free technical support. The company offers a tutorial section on its website. There are also separate configuration screens in the System Tools menu.
TL-R600VPN supports up to 16 PPTP VPN tunnels. The product is ideal for home users and businesses concerned with environmental safety. It is equipped with professional lightning protection technology, which prevents lightning damage from up to 4KV.
MU-MIMO-enabled
MU-MIMO-enabled internet routers are designed to work with multiple wireless devices to improve wireless connectivity. They can be used to increase download and upload speeds, improve signal quality, and mitigate lag-time. MU-MIMO technology uses multipath propagation to create separate data streams for up to four devices in a single network.
This technology allows a single access point to connect to multiple endpoints, such as laptops, mobile phones, and tablets. In the past, older wireless routers only offered one simultaneous stream. However, MU-MIMO is able to handle a higher number of streams.
The main benefit of MU-MIMO is that it can help your wireless network run more efficiently. The device can fairly distribute bandwidth to each connected device, so that your internet speed doesn't degrade with the addition of new users. It also helps to solve congestion problems, which occur when an access point is serving multiple clients at once.
MU-MIMO's biggest drawback is that it doesn't solve a problem for most web users. The technology is still in its infancy, and it doesn't yet support many of the devices that you'll need to enjoy the full benefits.
It's hard to tell if MU-MIMO will be widely adopted, so you may want to wait a few years. Once more devices are Wi-Fi capable, congestion will likely become a problem, so it's best to be prepared. You'll want to avoid streaming video on your smartphone if you want to make the most of your new MU-MIMO-enabled router.
Parental controls
Using parental controls on your internet router can help keep your family safe online. You can monitor your child's activity and identify harmful content. The best routers allow you to set time limits for internet usage. Choosing the right one can be a bit complicated. Here are some tips to make the process a little easier.
The ASUS RT-AC88U is a top of the line router that provides advanced security and parental controls. It offers four LAN ports, AiMesh support, and Gigbit speeds. The router also has a powerful user interface, and you can diagnose connection issues with the handy diagnostic tool.
The Synology RT2600AC is a cloud-based file server that is also designed with parental controls. It supports Windows, Mac, and Linux devices and allows you to sync files between them. It also lets you backup and restore Mac and Windows devices, and offers a simple way to block inappropriate content.
The Meshforce M3 Mesh WiFi System is another option that has some cool features. It has a smart AI assistant that allows you to control other smart devices. You can use the app to control your router and manage your Internet access by time, device, and location. It has a great coverage area and offers some of the best internet speeds.
The Circle Home Plus is a lesser-known brand that has a few neat parental control features. You can lock your kids out of their devices, filter websites, and set time restrictions. This device also has some other nice features, like six internal tri-band antennas and 3Gbps bandwidth.