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The Best Wireless Router

Last updated on August 10, 2022

We looked at the top 14 Wireless Routers and dug through the reviews from 24 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Wireless Routers.

Best Wireless Router

Our Review Process

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If ever an electronic device could be considered the brains of an operation, it would be the purpose-driven processor known as a wireless router. A wireless router functions as both the air traffic controller and communications center for multiple devices equipped with wireless capability. Because of the wireless router’s incredible ability to multitask, one user can browse the Internet on a laptop while another streams a movie or has a conversation over Skype.

The technology that makes this all possible involves the sending and receiving of small packets of data. Wireless routers spend their days chopping up information from one device into smaller pieces before sending it out to another device that reassembles it. It also determines which device receives the requested data, so a cellphone conversation doesn’t end up being transmitted through a laptop computer.

The good news for more casual users is that the original wireless router or router/modem combination the technician from the Internet service provider installed is perfectly capable of meeting most basic wireless demands. Some older models using the 802.11b protocol can still connect users to the Internet or stream a movie. The need to upgrade generally starts with a noticeable slowdown in performance or reliability, or sometimes a compatibility issue with a newer wireless-enabled device.

This is why many consumers find themselves shopping for a newer wireless router. The old router may be reaching the end of its natural lifespan or may no longer be compatible with a new laptop or cellular phone. Sometimes a family’s growing wireless needs can outgrow the current router’s capacity.

One major consideration when shopping for a new wireless router is compatibility. When a new wireless-enabled device is released to the market, the manufacturers usually select the most recent wireless router standard. If the standards are not compatible, the device simply will not work. Currently, the most common wireless standard is 802.11g or 802.11n, although the 802.11ac is growing in popularity.

When it comes to an upgrade, the emphasis should be on reliability and compatibility, not necessarily speed. Some wireless routers offer an incredibly fast 1900 megabits per second speed, which is great for dedicated gamers or families with major streaming, surfing and home controller needs. A more affordable model can meet basic demands without sacrificing much in the way of processing speed.

Ease of use is also an important consideration, especially for those who are technologically challenged. While the customer support department or a friendly technician may be able to walk customers through the original installation process, they may not be able to help with consumer-purchased upgrades. The better wireless router models offer a very helpful setup wizard that will configure most settings automatically.

Perhaps the most important consideration of all is price versus service. The highest-end wireless routers on the market today offer an astounding array of options, including tri-band frequency options, Gigabit processing speeds and compatibility with all previous 802.11 protocols. However, there are few devices on the market designed for tri-band level performance, and many users simply do not need that much power to meet their modest bandwidth demands. Consumers should only invest in as much wireless routing capacity as they actually need, not how much they may feel they want. Only serious gamers and cutting-edge device owners live in the rarefied air of tri-band, Gigabit performance.

Our Picks For The Top Wireless Routers

View All Recommendations
Product Overview
Our Take
Pros
Cons
 Top Pick

Gryphon Bluetooth Seamless Wireless Router

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Gryphon

Bluetooth Seamless Wireless Router

Designed for larger homes, this wireless router is capable of covering a 6,000 square foot area. To use the unit, all you need to do is download the app, scan the QR code and then plug the router into your modem. Once set up, the router will provide a secure network for quickly connecting to the internet, whether for work or play.

Overall Take

Large Coverage AreaThis wireless router comes with parental controls for families with small children.

 Runner Up

Motorola MG7700 Cable Modem & Dual Band WiFi Wireless Router

Motorola

Cable Modem & Dual Band WiFi Wireless Router

You can't go wrong with this wireless router, which comes with a built-in high-speed router and four ethernet ports. The modem's vertical design is great for anyone who lacks desk space. You'll find the modem has a 1,000 megabits per second maximum cable speed and a 1,900 megabits per second maximum Wi-Fi speed.

Overall Take

Built-In RouterThis wireless router is equipped with four ethernet ports.

Pros
" Combination DOCIS 3.0 cable modem and wifi router. Easy instructions and setup. It features 4 ethernet ports, dual bands and firewall."
 We Also Like

TP-Link Archer A7 Integrated USB Wireless Router

Archer A7 Integrated USB Wireless Router

This powerful router is compatible with Amazon's Alexa. Its dual-band technology allows you to upgrade your Wi-Fi to 1750Mbps, which is ideal for streaming your favorite TV shows. Three external antennas extend the signal even further.

Overall Take

Budget PickThis wireless router has the brawn of a powerful router with the brains of Amazon's Alexa.

Pros
" TP-Link’s Archer A7 is great for smaller spaces; for about half the price of our main pick you get nearly as good performance..."
Cons
"Its long-range performance was spotty and its file transfer speeds were very slow, most likely due to the use of USB 2.0 technology."
 Strong Contender

Netgear R6700 Nighthawk Dual-Band Wireless Router

Netgear

Nighthawk Dual-Band Wireless Router

This wireless router performs nearly as well in most practical matters as its much more expensive competitors. The set-up wizard takes much of the sting out of the upgrading process.

Overall Take

Affordable and EffectiveThis wireless router is easy to set up and affordable.

Pros
" The Nighthawk R6700 is undoubtedly fast, and well worth considering if you’re looking for a router with the fastest possible performance in its class, without spending too much."
Don't just take for granted what one reviewer says. Along with our own experts, DWYM analyzes the top expert reviews of the leading products and generates a score you can actually trust.
21

Products Considered

We identified the majority of the wireless routers available to purchase.
14

Products Analyzed

We then selected the leading and most popular products for our team to review.

View All Product Rankings

24

Expert Reviews Included

In addition to our expert reviews, we also incorporate feedback and analysis of some of the most respected sources including: BestReviews, New York Times Wirecutter, PC Magazine, PCVerge, Tech Gear Lab.

202,240

User Opinions Analyzed

We also incorporate user reviews from the leading retailers including

Our experts reviewed the top 14 Wireless Routers and also dug through the reviews from 24 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Wireless Routers.

DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.

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Look for the DWYM seal for products that are the best in their category.

The Best Bang For Your Buck

Our Expert Score

6.9
4 expert reviews

User Summarized Score

8.4
483 user reviews

Our Take

This powerful router is compatible with Amazon's Alexa. Its dual-band technology allows you to upgrade your Wi-Fi to 1750Mbps, which is ideal for streaming your favorite TV shows. Three external antennas extend the signal even further.

What other experts liked

TP-Link’s Archer A7 is great for smaller spaces; for about half the price of our main pick you get nearly as good performance...
- New York Times Wirecutter
If you're looking to bring dual-band networking to a small dwelling without spending a lot of money, the TP-Link Archer A7 will fill the bill.
- PC Magazine
The TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router (Archer A7-V5) offers the fastest throughput speeds we’ve seen recently from a budget router.
- PCVerge
This router is fantastically easy to use and retails for much less than most of the competition, earning it a Best Buy award.
- Tech Gear Lab

What other experts didn't like

We also recommend you step up to one of our main picks if you want to use a VPN connection; the Archer A7 offers one, but its weak processor will make that connection frustratingly slow.
- New York Times Wirecutter
Its long-range performance was spotty and its file transfer speeds were very slow, most likely due to the use of USB 2.0 technology.
- PC Magazine
The A7’s interface would use an update to accompany the new version (V5), however, and its file-transfer could be better.
- PCVerge
The TP-Link Archer C7 undeniably failed to impress in our range or throughput testing and is noticeably sparse in terms of features
- Tech Gear Lab

What to Look For

  • Overheating is a common reason why older wireless routers fail. Single-band Wi-Fi transmitters operate in the 2GHz range, which means they can generate almost as much heat as a microwave (2.4 GHz). Proper ventilation is essential, and a model with external antennae is actually preferable to the 2-in-1 wireless router/modem units many Internet service providers install for new customers.
  • Wireless routers emit radio waves in a donut shape, so to increase overall coverage and performance, it often helps to orient one antenna vertically and another one horizontally.
  • A wireless router’s effective range can be affected by any number of physical obstacles, including water pipes and electrical wiring inside the walls. The ideal location is in a centralized location, free of any obvious obstructions.
  • The designation 802.11 is an industry standard, but it only tells half the story. The more important factor is the letters that follow. 802.11a and 802.11b routers are nearly obsolete, 802.11g routers are serviceable but increasingly limited, 802.11n models are the new standard, and 802.11ac is currently the most advanced. Some modern wireless devices are designed specifically for 802.11n or 802.11ac compatibility.
  • Improving reliability is often a more important consideration than increasing processing speed. Investing in Wi-Fi extenders will often increase the range of a wireless router, but not affect the processing speed. Adding a second or even third router will often improve processing speed.
  • While dual-band wireless routers do offer a faster 5GHz frequency, many common devices are currently not equipped for it.  Home users with limited wireless connectivity requirements are often satisfied with single-band 2 GHz models, so an upgrade is not strictly required.
  • Some microwave ovens can negatively affect the performance of wireless routers, which operate close to the same wavelength. This is more of an annoyance than an actual problem, however, similar to a vacuum cleaner creating static on a television set while in use.
  • The term Wi-Fi doesn’t actually stand for “wireless fidelity.” In truth, Wi-Fi doesn’t actually stand for anything at all. It was created by a marketing company to replace the more accurate (but somewhat stodgy) designation IEEE 802.11b. Other early names included DragonFly, FlankSpeed and WaveLAN.

Wireless Router Rankings

1. Gryphon Bluetooth Seamless Wireless Router

Overall Score: 9.8
Reviews Included: 1

Overall Score: 8.7
Reviews Included: 6

4. Netgear R6700 Nighthawk Dual-Band Wireless Router

Overall Score: 8.6
Reviews Included: 6

5. ARRIS SURFboard 3-In-1 Internet Wireless Router

Overall Score: 8.5
Reviews Included: 1

7. eero Standalone Alexa Compatible Wireless Router

Overall Score: 8.4
Reviews Included: 1

Overall Score: 8.3
Reviews Included: 1

9. NETGEAR AC1000 Ultra Fast 15-Device Wireless Router

Overall Score: 8.3
Reviews Included: 4

11. Linksys Velop AC2200 Tri-Band Voice Wireless Router

Overall Score: 8.0
Reviews Included: 8

12. ASUS Easy Setup AiProtection Wireless Router

Overall Score: 8.0
Reviews Included: 7

Overall Score: 7.6
Reviews Included: 1

14. NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 USB Connections Wireless Router

Overall Score: 7.4
Reviews Included: 6

More to Explore

The gray area practice of “piggybacking,” the unauthorized access of an open or unsecured wireless Wi-Fi account, can cost more than many people realize. While the temptation to log in to a neighbor’s unprotected account or tap into a hotel’s public hotspot can be strong, the law is not necessarily on the piggybacker’s side. Some jurisdictions have made the practice illegal, and violators can be heavily fined if caught. Many Internet service providers actually require new subscribers to create secure, password-protected Wi-Fi accounts in order to reduce the chances of piggybacking. The owner of an unsecured wireless router can be held liable for the actions of any authorized or unauthorized user.  Creating an unsecured wireless hotspot may seem like a neighborly thing to do, but it can prove to be very expensive in the long run.

More to explore