Almost all home broadband Internet providers provide their own router when setting up the Internet. But there are several reasons to buy a newer and more powerful model.
Your router may have been in a warehouse for a long time, or your providers intend to buy older equipment because it is cheaper. This means that it may not have the latest software or support the latest wireless networking standards such as 802.11ac, which can give higher data rates and wider reception range due to directional waveform transmission, which means faster downloads. files and browsing pages.
Most new laptops, tablets and smartphones now support 802.11ac, so if you're still using a five-year-old wifi router you're missing out on a huge opportunity to speed up your network connection.
You may also be interested in other recent advances in routers and routers. Most wifi routers come with powerful software that makes it much easier to manage your home network. For example, you can create parental control rules or simply perform network maintenance actions. They also come with USB ports for use as NAS storage, and allow you to share a printer with every device in your home.
If you are thinking about upgrading your router, this article has collected the best Wifi routers for home 2016. We will limit our list to ten points. You can already purchase each of these models.
1. AVM Fritz! Box 3490
Speed: ADSL / VDSL, 1300Mbps 802.11ac, 450Mbps 802.11n
Possibilities:
- 4 LAN ports Gigabit Ethernet
- 1 WAN port Gigabit Ethernet
- 2 USB 3.0 ports
Price: $150
Router Fritz! The Box 3490 from German company ABM is renowned for its power, reliability and superior software for setting up your network and connecting to the internet.
The 3490 supports cordless telephones and fixed lines. Unlike previous releases, this one is even more affordable and has even more performance and even more useful features.
The router has a built-in VDSL modem, so the router works with both Ethernet cable and DSL protocol. It also supports 802.11ac wireless protocol, with speeds up to 1300 Mbps. Using USB ports, you can make an excellent storage device out of the router with access to it from any device on the local network and control via NAS.
2. Asus RT-AC87U
Speed: 1733 Mbps 802.11ac, 600 Mbps 802.11n
Ports: 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x USB 3.0 and 1 x USB 2.0 port.
Price: $151
The second router on the list is the best wifi routers. While not the most affordable router on the market, it is one of the best because it offers a 4x4 implementation of the 802.11ac protocol that delivers the fastest wireless speeds with the potential for record performance.
In tests, it was one of the best wifi routers in terms of speed. It supports speeds up to 600 Mbps over 802.11c when operating at 5.0 GHz. Of course, it also depends on your client adapter.
But what makes the RT-AC87U really special is the software. It is easy to use and has enough features for both beginners and professionals with varying degrees of networking knowledge. Among the many functions, we can mention the QoS (quality of service) system, parental control, which are essentially a trifle next to the download manager and backup to the cloud. In addition, which is important for Linux, this router is compatible with DD-wrt firmware.
3. Linksys XAC1900
Speed: ADSL 1300Mbps 802.11ac, 600Mbps 802.11n
Ports: 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0 port
Price: $180
The Linksys XAC1900 has perhaps the simplest software and setup process of any router we reviewed. But still, it is full of interesting features. It is possible to control the router remotely, so you can connect to your home network from anywhere, anywhere in the world.
The XAC1900 comes with a DSL modem, built-in power supply. The performance of Wifi, as in other reviewed routers, is excellent. It is possible to work in two bands - 4.2 and 5.0 GHz at a speed of 1300 Mbps 802.11ac other, older standards are also supported: 802.11n / G / B / a. Ports, as usual, four Ethernet ports for LAN and one WAN port.
4. TP-Link Archer D9
Speed: 1300 Mbps 802.11ac, 600 Mbps 802.11n
Ports: 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x USB 3.0 ports
Peculiarities: DD-WRT support
Price: 159.89
The best TP-Link routers are the most affordable for the general population. They provide an easy upgrade path and good wifi speeds at a reasonable price. The Archer D9, unfortunately, is not as affordable as its predecessors, but in addition to ultra-fast Wifi using 802.11ac technology, several additional functions are supported that make this model one of the flagships of TP-Link.
Archer B9 comes with a built-in ADSL modem, which means you can connect it directly to the phone line, replacing any hardware supplied by your ISP. There is also a USB port on the rear panel for organizing NAS storage or connecting a printer.
It supports 3x3 802.11ac wireless communication at speeds up to 1300 Mbps and 600 Mbps for 802.11n. He showed himself excellently in tests, especially over long distances. This will be the best router for your home or summer cottage. The software could be better, but there are still enough features and DD-WRT support. Overall, this is a router that works just fine and stable.
5. Buffalo AirStation Extreme AC1900
Speed: 1300 Mbps 802.11ac, 600 Mbps 802.11n
Ports: 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0 port
Peculiarities: DD-wrt support
Price: 139,20
Buffalo AirStation with three antennas was the best wifi router a few years ago. It provides Wifi speed over 802.11ac and also has TurboQAM support. Both frequencies are supported with the possibility of simultaneous operation on the 2.4 and 5.0 GHz channel. There are USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, as well as four standard LAN ports and one WAN.
The software allows you to configure web filtering and parental controls, using data from Symantec antivirus experts and a quality of service (QoS) system.
6. Trendnet TEW-818DRU
Speed: 867Mbps 802.11ac, 300Mbps 802.11n
Ports: 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0 ports
Possibilities: dd-wrt support
Price: 148
Best wifi router TEW-818DRU in book shape, offers excellent WiFi performance. Slightly lower than the other 867 Mbps 802.11ac and 300 Mbps 802.11n, of course. There is the usual array of Ethernet ports and USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports and a button to turn off the power.
It is very easy to set up and install and has several advanced features. Among them are QoS, dynamic DNS configuration. Another advantage is that if you don't like the Trendnet software you can install the open source Linux based firmware dd-wrt.
7. Belkin AC1200DB Wi-Fi Dual-Band AC + Gigabit
Excellent ratio of affordability and performance
Speed: 867 Mbps 802.11ac, 300 Mbps 802.11n
Ports: 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 2 x USB 3.0 ports
If you are put off by the high prices of the best 802.11ac wifi routers, the AC1200DB more affordable router from Belkin may be just the right thing. It supports 2x2 MIMO 802.11ac wireless communication at a speed of 867 Mbps, currently most adapters in laptops and smartphones support this speed.
In all other respects, this is an excellent router, it supports well the old standards for operation at 2.4 and 5.0 802.11n / g / b / a. There are also a pair of USB ports on the back for data storage and printer sharing. Unless you're chasing the fastest networks, you are unlikely to be disappointed. This is the best Wi-Fi router for those who want maximum performance for little money.
8. Netgear R7500 Nighthawk X4
Speed: 1733 Mbps 802.11ac, 600 Mbps 802.11n
Ports: 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 2 x USB 3.0 ports, 1 x eSATA port
The stealth fighter-shaped router, the flagship of Nighthawk X4 Netgear, is one of the most powerful routers at the same time, it can be said to be the best router in 2016 in terms of wifi speed. Like the Asus RT-AC87U, it has 4 antennas, so it supports 1733 Mbps using 4x4 MIMO 802.11ac technology. This ensures maximum productivity. However, a compatible wireless adapter is required to use these speeds.
In addition, this router has support for external drives, there are not only two USB 3.0 ports, but also a port for connecting an eSATA hard drive. While the software doesn't look very modern like other routers, there are many useful features here. It is a solid networking product.
9.D-Link DIR-890-L Wireless AC3200
Speed: increased to 3200Mbps (600N at 2.4GHz + 1300Mbps + 1300Mbps at 5GHz
Possibilities:
- 4 x LAN ports for local area network
- 1 x WAN port
- 2 x USB 3.0 ports
- Dd-wrt support
Price: $192
Best Wi-Fi router DIR-890-L in the form of a shuttle with six antennas, possibly the best and odd router at the same time. Six antennas allow the use of up to three wireless networks simultaneously, two 5 GHz at 1300 Mbps using the 802.11ac standard and the third at 600 Mbps using the 802.11n standard. They are collected under one SSID using the SmartConnect function. This allows the router to roughly determine where the connected device is, and also give it the best speed depending on the distance.
D-Link recently revamped the software interface of its routers with a more intuitive design and additional features. It can be configured using a mobile app, without having to log into a computer. Remote monitoring via mydisk Cloud is also supported, as well as sharing media with any storage device.
10. Apple Airport Extreme
An excellent solution for Mac OS.
Speed: 1300 Mbps 802.11ac, 450 Mbps 802.11n
Ports: 3 x LAN Gigabit Ethernet, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x USB 2.0 port
Price: $152
Airport Extreme, apple's best home wifi router works great with both regular PCs and Macs. But it works best for OS X users, thanks to the included Mac software, Airport Utulity. Instead of configuring the router via the web interface, you can complete all the settings using this program. on Mac computers this works very well.
Plus, the AirPort Extreme has decent hardware. The latest model of the sixth generation, supports 1300Mbps for 802.11ac, and simultaneous operation of 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz antennas for 802.11n / g / b / a.
There are three ports for LAN, one WAN, and one USB 2.0 port for sharing a printer and external storage.
Apple also sells an option with a built-in hard drive for backing up the machines you want over the air. Model name AirPort Time Capsule, does it have all the same features as AirPort Extreme? but with the addition of a 2 or 3 terabyte hard drive, you can remotely back up or restore files from your Mac.
conclusions
This list contains the best routers according to techradar. Sure, most of them come with a high price tag, but that's okay considering their functionality. The rating of the best routers has come to an end. Which router do you think is the best? Write in the comments!
