Best Wireless Routers 2017
NOTE TO CLIENT: I edited this and fixed typos. I also verified that the stat in question is incorrect. I changed it to reflect trouble at 100 feet. So sorry about that. Thanks so much! I’d love to work with you in the future, so please consider sending me a direct order!
Looking for a New Router at the Right Price? Don’t Miss These SEVEN Best Wireless Routers in 2017!
Do you work from home and need a reliable way to get online? Do you enjoy watching your favorite TV shows, movies and YouTube videos after work? Are there multiple people in your family — or in your home startup — that want to be online at once?
Do you need a fast and reliable Internet system that allows you and your family members or employees to do it all wirelessly — check email, view your favorite shows and network on your favorite social channels?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you know how important it is to get the best wireless routers that won’t let you down. The bad news is that — while fairly inexpensive — not all wireless routers are the same.
And, at the end of the day, if you need the best wireless routers, you need a game plan so you don’t end up with a throwaway, cheap wireless router. If you need a router that has the ability to handle high-volume activities — such as watching videos, playing games and streaming movies — you’re going to need to invest a few hundred dollars into your router. You need a router that is not only quick and dependable but that is easy to set up and that is easy to troubleshoot when it appears your Internet is chugging along slowly.
If you’re ready to find your best wifi router match, then read on to get our best wireless routers in 2017. These routers are designed to not only handle high-volume activities that require top speeds and wireless range, but they are designed to handle multiple people on different Internet channels.
With our guide, you won’t end up with a cheap wireless router that will disappoint you when time, money and entertainment for your family or employees really counts.
As we put this guide together, we reviewed each of these top seven choices thoroughly and accurately — paying attention to both the pros and cons as well as performance and price.
In the process, we’ve also ranked the best wireless routers in 2017 in special order — with our top choice first and other key categories, such as “Editor’s Pick” listed below. Throughout this guide, you’re sure to find several wifi routers that will work for your needs.
Get to the end of this guide — and you’ll have a short list of the best wireless routers on the market. Prioritize your top needs in a multi-user router and then see which of our seven recommended routers best fits you and your family.
Are you ready to narrow your choice? Read on to get these don’t-miss, seven wireless routers that won’t disappoint:
1. Asus RT-AC88U – Best Wireless Router to Buy in 2017
At just under $300, the Asus RT-AC88U makes the best wireless routers list not because of its price but because of its performance for multiple users.
Product Description
The Asus RT-AC88U is a high-end wireless router that does not disappoint a small home office or home of multiple users. With its multiple input/output technology, known as MU-MIMO for “Multiple User-Multiple Input, Multiple Output,” the Asus RT-AC88U router can keep many people running quickly online without giving up the typical bandwidth it would require otherwise.
The router itself measures 3.3 X 11.8 X 7.4 inches and is designed with a smooth, glossy black design that will fit into any home or small office. You’ll know the router is on via the LED lights on the front of the router. This LED light panel also indicates the router’s activity online — such as the Internet connectivity (WAN), the LAN connectivity, the USB port connectivity and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) connectivity. This is your go-to panel for confirming the router is turned on and functioning properly.
The router’s processor is a Broadcom 1.4 GHz dual-core machine that is as quick as they come by at this price. In addition, the router has four removable antennas for maximum wireless reach. Pair all of this with an app that makes it easy to control — and you’ve got a wireless router that is difficult to beat.
Installation, Configuration and Performance
Installing the Asus RT-AC88U router is extremely easy thanks to a setup wizard that walks you through it step by step. All you have to do is connect your router to both your computer and the Internet — and the web-based wizard begins its work of walking you through the steps.
Automatic Settings Make Setup Breezy
You don’t have to configure your router manually, which makes installing the router and getting online even easier. The web-based wizard that Asus provides for your computer will check your Internet connectivity to make sure it is configured properly and then automatically set up your router based upon the connection type you select. The only thing you really have to do is name the individual wireless bands and create encryption codes for each in the interface to keep your wireless channels safe and secure for multiple users who will be utilizing them.
The 2.4GHz band is lightening fast — and you can select specific bandwidths for specific wireless bands via an “Adaptive Quality of Service” feature. You also can boost certain channels if you are using it for an action requiring faster bandwidth — such as playing video games. The Asus RT-AC88U has a “Game Boost” feature where you can connect with a client/server channel to get an even bigger boost.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
2.4GHz bandwidth
Good for multiple users
Cons:
Pricey in the $300 range
On the large side at 3.3 X 11.8 X 7.4 inches
Speed varies when uploading multiple large files simultaneously
2. NETGEAR Nighthawk R7000 Dual-Band
The wireless range of the NETGEAR Nighthawk R7000 can be an issue, becoming spotty when the router is more than 100 feet away from the user. However, this router provides 5GHz speed that keeps your wifi signal strong if you have the right set up in your home or home office — and can accommodate multiple users engaging in substantive Internet activity.
Product Description
In the $200 range, the NETGEAR Nighthawk R7000 (also known as the AC 1900 WiFi Router) is an economical buy for customers needing to update their wireless network. The router measures 11.2 X 7.3 X 2.0 inches and features a large AC adapter, removable antennas and status LED lights to confirm connectivity across channels.
Installation, Configuration and Performance
Installing the router isn’t complicated, but it’s not as easy as some of the other routers listed in this guide because you have to download software assets mentioned in the included startup booklet.
All of that written, it takes about 10 minutes only to get started by creating a Wi-Fi network after plugging in the router and typing in the default IP address.
To configure this router, you’ll need to turn to the summary page in the startup booklet, which provides you with the settings and the passwords to manually set up your new router.
Performance is Above Average
The performance of the NETGEAR Nighthawk R7000 is above average because of its 5GHz speed and strong WiFi signal, but it can struggle with wireless range outside of 100 feet away from a user. The router has a 1GHz processor and can work along three different data channels for a total of 1.9 gigabits per second of bandwidth.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
Paper manual and downloadable software that helps you set-up and configure
Antennas are removable for storage
Economical
5GHz speed ensures great Wifi signal
Cons:
Wireless range capabilities are underwhelming at 100 feet away
AC adapter that plugs into wall is bulky
3. D-Link DIR 890L Tri-Band – Editor’s Pick
Looking like a cross between a race car and a space ship — the D-Link DIR 890L Tri-Band router is modern, fast, dependable and very easy to set up. However, it works best in a small home.
Product Description
In the $300 range, the D-Link DIR 890L Tri-Band router works well in a small home with multiple Wi-Fi devices and multiple users. It is 15.2 X 9.7 X 4.7 inches and has the most of antennas of all routers in this guide — a total of six. Unlike many of the routers in this guide, the D-Link DIR 890L Tri-Band router’s antenna’s are not detachable — so you won’t be able to replace them with third-party antennas, as some users are likely to do in order to gain greater range.
This router has a Broadcom dual-core 1GHz processor and the standard ports including:
4 Gigabit LAN ports
1 Gigabit WAN port
1 USB 2.0 port
1 USB 3.0 port
In addition, the D-Link DIR-890 has three different access points, known as APs:
(1) 2.4GHz AP, capping at 600 megabits per second
(2) 5GHz APs, capping at 1,300 megabits per second
Installation, Configuration and Performance
The D-Link DIR-890 is fairly easy to install. You plug the router into your computer and then type the default IP address provided with the packaging. Next, you follow the D-Link web wizard to configure your router and customize it.
Let the Web Wizard Guide You
The web wizard for the D-Link DIR-890 router is super easy to use has has four key buttons that will help you navigate customization — including “Management,” “Settings,” “Features” and “Home.” It’s also good to note that users have noted that the D-Link DIR-890 is a frustrating one for serious techs who really want control over customizing and configuring. You’re not going to get that with this router, unfortunately.
Now, the performance of the D-Link DIR-890 is quite good — but it really is recommended for a small home. On the 5GHz band, the D-Link DIR-890 router can reach 558 megabits per second — and up to 310 megabits per second up to 30 feet away!
This is a router that works best for a family of multiple users that doesn’t want to be involved in the settings process. It is speedy up to 30 feet, so it’s perfect for a small home and reaching multiple users in all rooms.
Pros:
6 external antennas
Flash memory 128 MB
512 MB RAM
1 USB 3.0 port
1 USB 2.0 port
4 Gigabit LAN port
1 Gigabit WAN port
2.4 Ghz and 5 GHz WiFi band
Cons:
The six antennas are fixed, so you can’t remove them to attach third-party antennas
Pricey in the $300 range
Best for a small home, as range can be an issue
4. NETGEAR Nighthawk R8000 Tri-Band
The NETGEAR Nighthawk R8000 Tri-Band router is a powerful router with superb data rates for Wifi when a user is utilizing the 5GHz band. As a bonus, the router can function as an NAS server when it is used alongside an external hard drive.
Product Description
In the $300 range, the NETGEAR Nighthawk R8000 Tri-Band router is pricey for what it can deliver. While it has both a 2.4 GHz and a 5.0 GHz band, the 2.4 GHz band does not add a lot of extra bandwidth and is a channel that is becoming obsolete among newly-developed routers.
It does have two access points for its 5 Ghz band — giving it the possibility of a 3,2000-megabit-per-second channel. However, the downside of this router feature is that a second access point for a 5 GHz band is rarely needed. That’s because the first access point can handle multiple users working simultaneously on Internet heavy-hitters like video games and streaming movies.
Installation, Configuration and Performance
When you open up your NETGEAR Nighthawk R8000 Tri-Band router and plug it in, it begins to work immediately because of a series of default Wi-Fi settings. You can go back later and customize them, but it’s convenient to know how easy it is to get online quickly.
Because the 5 Ghz band has two access points, you’ll need to manually choose a channel for each one. There isn’t an auto feature, unfortunately, which would make connecting correctly to the Internet a lot easier on this band. You also can’t assign channels for your access points according to your liking.
What You Should Know About This Router’s Channels
The first four channels are for the second access point and the last four channels are for the first access point. What does that mean for you and your router’s performance? It means that if you are in a neighborhood in which there are users who have dual-band routers close by and they are already using the upper channels, then you may experience a less-than-adequate result from your router.
The NETGEAR Nighthawk R8000 Tri-Band router is fast in the 15 feet range when using the 5 GHz, producing 482 megabits per second. You won’t have any trouble with multiple users at this range.
Like many of the routers in this guide, however, the farther you move away from the router, the more likely you’ll have a degradation in service performance. For example, if you move 100 feet away from this router, you’re likely to get 242 megabits per second — and that will slow you down.
When put to the test, this router performed less than expected. The 5.0 Ghz band has a tendency to disconnect and interrupt service, and that leads to frustration when trying to get work done. It’s something important to keep in mind when you have time and money to lose.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
One of the best routers from Netgear
2.4 Ghz band and 5.0 Ghz band
First tri-band router with bandwidth up to 3,200 megabits per second
6 collapsible antennas
Cons:
Pricey in the $300 range
Has a short WiFi range when compared to other routers in this guide
The 2.4 Ghz band can be a little buggy with the 5Ghz band doing most of the head
Lights on router can be too stark
5. Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band
Techies love the modern, blue Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band because of the myriad ways they can configure the settings. But this router also is a high-performer on speed and setup.
Product Description
The Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band is 9.7 X 7.6 X 2.0 inches — making it one of the largest routers in the guide. This is something for aesthetically-inclined people to consider, as a router does become part of your office scheme and furniture. In addition to the clunky design of the Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band router, the accessories are clunky as well. This router comes with a large, cumbersome AC adapter as well. But if you can get over the size of this router and accessories, you’ll be on your way to getting an economical and fast router.
Get Better Reach By Removing the Antennas
The Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band has four removable antennas, which is convenient for users who decide to replace them with higher-powered, farther-reaching antennas. This is a common attribute of many of the routers in this handy guide — and it’s a life-saver if you have a router that is not performing at top rate or if one of your four antennas goes bad at some point over the lifetime of the router. When your antennas go bad in a router without a removable antenna, then unfortunately, you usually have to replace the entire router.
The Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band router also has a convenience factor in that you can mount the device on a wall to get it out of the way. To do this, you can drill holes in the wall using a template that comes with the router.
In a world in which routers look modern, curious and sometimes like space ships — it’s great to have the flexibility of being able to get it out of the way. Also, when you mount a router on the wall, it’s likely that it has a better wireless range because it will be working unobstructed by tall items in the room. It’s something to consider as a convenience and performance factor.
The LED lighting panel on the Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band router isn’t flashy — just 11 white LED lights that indicate which ports are active and if you are connected to the Internet. One inconvenience of this router, as with most of the routers in this guide, is that you cannot turn off the LED lights.
Installation, Configuration and Performance
Setting up the Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band is easy, and you can configure it in a variety of ways. As a bonus, this Linksys router can be set up as the following:
A traditional router with wireless capabilities
An access point
A network extender
Getting Started Is Easy
All you need to do to get started is plug your router into a broadband modem, screw on the four antennas, turn on the system. The Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band router automatically configures and optimizes so you don’t have to worry about it. It literally takes just a few minutes to get set up — and then you’ll be online.
Now, you’ll want to configure and personalize as soon as possible. The default network name and encryption code you’ll use is found on the router on a label. The passcode and network name are randomized by Linksys for maximum security — but make sure you change them.
You can use the included CD to further customize your personal settings. You can also use the web interface or the Linksys app to future customize — from changing your network names to changing the security codes and the encryption categories.
In addition, you can set up the Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band router to run on either the 2.4 GHz or the 5 GHz bands — and you can use this as wired router too. And, for the techies out there, you can pick a channel width and assign a user or game/app priority over others so you can help to ensure the people in your house are getting the bandwidth they need to complete their tasks.
What’s great about the performance of this Linksys router is that it can manage four different channels of web traffic — all simultaneously. In the 2.4 GHz mode, it can move up to 600 megabits per second and in the 5 GHz mode it can handle a 1,300 megabits per second.
This router doesn’t have MU-MIMO capabilities, but that’s Okay for this router in particular because MU-MIMO requires all devices have this technology to take full advantage of the traffic management functions. What you’ll get with the Linksys WRT1900ACS DD-WRT Dual-Band router is a special “beaming technology” that will help you get all the megabytes you can out of the wireless signal.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
Easy and fast setup
Multiple USB ports
Monitoring and management apps
Removable antennas for replacing with third-party antennas with better range
Affordable in the $200 range
Cons:
Larger than some of the routers in this guide
Large, clunky AC adapter
Only four antennas
No MU-MIMO capabilities
6. D-Link DIR-880L Dual-Band
The D-Link DIR-880L Wireless AC1900 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router is a great find and the best among the D-Link routers for its speed, strong WiFi signal and remote monitoring features.
Product Description
The D-Link DIR-880L Wireless AC1900 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router comes out of the box ready to be hooked up because it is pre-set for Wi-Fi. This makes set up extremely easy — and best of all, you don’t have to really think about the details as a first-time user. You literally take it out of the box, hook it up and the default settings start to do their magic for you and all the Internet users in your home.
In addition, the D-Link DIR-880L Wireless AC1900 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router comes with many of the standard ports that you’ll need to make connections among several users including:
A 4 Gigabit LAN port
A 1 Gigabit WAN port
A reset button
A power port
An off/on button
A USB 3.0 port
A USB 2.0 port
Light It Up
You’ll know your D-Link DIR-880L Wireless AC1900 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router is up and running by the series of LED lights along the front panel. They’ll indicate the different connectivity points for wireless computing, and they’ll let you know when certain channels are not working. This is extremely helpful when trying to troubleshoot issues with your D-Link router.
In addition, the D-Link DIR-880L Wireless AC1900 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router also comes with a somewhat-friendly web application that helps guide you through the set up and troubleshooting of the router. It’s interface is not as easy as some other guides that come with the six other routers in this review — such as those that have accompanying apps — but it does the job and helps you get through connectivity troubleshooting and configuring questions.
Installation, Configuration and Performance
The information you need to install the D-Link router upon first use is on a label on the outside of the router. Because it is pre-configured for Wi-fi, all you need to do is plug the router into an electrical outlet and connect the WAN (Internet) port into a broadband modem. The auto-settings then kick in, and you’ll be online literally in minutes.
To customize the features for this router, including personalizing the Wi-Fi network channels, you’ll need to access the Web interface for the D-Link DIR-880L Wireless AC1900 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router. Go onto your computer that is connected to the Internet, enter the router’s IP default address and follow the router’s web wizard. This wizard will lead you step-by-step to configure the router.
Customize with Quality of Control Feature
What we like especially about the web interface is that it allows the user to access a “Quality of Control” feature. This function is something that is unique to the D-Link DIR-880L Wireless AC1900 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router — and it is especially useful for users who have multiple users utilizing games and movies.
What happens with the “Quality of Control” feature?
This feature allows the user to click on different users of the router’s channels and to drag and drop into categories for Internet priority — from Highest to High to Medium. This solution allows the user to quickly customize without manually having to configure the router settings. You can change these configurations at any time based upon the needs of your users — making this one of the easiest, most versatile and helpful customized attributes of the D-Link router.
The D-Link DIR-880L Wireless AC1900 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router is a dual-band, 802.11ac router in every sense of the word. Simultaneously, the router offers up to 1,300 megabits per second via the 5GHz frequency band and up to 600 megabits per second on the 2.4GHz frequency band. You’ll get speedy performance when you need it for multiple users over the course of time.
In addition, a bonus feature of the D-Link DIR-880L Wireless AC1900 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router is that it includes a cloud feature via D-Link, so you can manage and customize your home network via the My DLink portal.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
Compact
Excellent range
Competitive in the $200 range
The best of the D-Link routers
Cons:
Takes a long time for the router to recognize USB 3.0 port
Web guide for setting up the router can be challenging for some users
Three antennas on the back of the router are in same place as ports
7. Amped Wirelss RTA2600 Athena MU-MIMO
The Amped Wirelss RTA2600 Athena MU-MIMO is high power wi-fi router that is a solid performer in the $200 range.
Product Description
The Amped Wirelss RTA2600 Athena MU-MIMO is another multi-user, multi-input/output router that gives you the ability to run your smartphone, laptop, etc. all on the same router without sacrificing the power of the router for all of the users on multiple channels.
Installation, Configuration and Performance
This router is fairly easy to set up. As soon as you open the box, you’ll find the router already has the network cable attached to the WAN port. All you need to do is power up your computer and attach the other end of the cable to an Internet source, such as a broadband modem. Plug your router into an electrical outlet, and you’re ready to go.
Configuring the router will take a little more work — but it’s still fairly easy. You’ll need to connect your computer to the router’s IP address. The default login for connecting is the word “admin” for both the username and the password. You can make changes to the settings with a web-based menu included with the router — but you’ll need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Performance in This Price Range is Impressive
The performance is impressive with its MU-MIMO technology and four antennas. It has top speeds of 1,733 megabits per second for the 5GHz band and 800 megabits per second for the 2.4 GHz band.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
Compact
Dual-core 1.4 GHz processor
128 MB flash storage
512 MB router memory
4 Gigabit LAN ports, 1 Gigabit WAN (Internet) port
Cons:
Both your laptop and the devices you connect to it need to use MU-MIMO to use this router
Pricey in the $200 range
Are YOU Ready to Find Your Perfect Wireless Router Match?
In a world of competing technologies and products, it’s hard to sift through the many reviews of the best WiFi routers out there. It’s also easy to find any old
cheap wireless router.
But you don’t have to waste your time or your money anymore!
Our quick, expert guide of the top seven wireless routers on the market is your new pocket guide for buying in 2017. When you need a multi-user router that doesn’t comprise on speed and range — and is still economical, then you’ve got to do your research. You also have to be willing to make a little investment in a router, as you’re likely going to spend somewhere between $150 and $350 to get a router that fits your top needs.
Keep this “Best Wireless routers in 2017” guide handy as you make your choice — noting our detailed, informative sections on price, performance, quality — and the most important section of all, perhaps…the pros and cons of the best WiFi routers on the market today.
Your choice will depend on how many people will be using your router at a time — and the kinds of things they’ll be doing on the Internet.
For example, if you have a family of gamers or movie-watchers, then you may need the fastest and most dependable router to ensure that you can access the Internet at all times. For more business-oriented families, a slightly slower router may fit your needs perfectly.
The bottom line is that there is a WiFi router for everyone — and the most expensive one isn’t always the best product. Don’t fall prey to buying a cheap wireless router just to find a quick solution for multiple users in your family.
Take your time reviewing the specs of each of these seven best WiFi routers, and then try one out. You have only time and frustration to lose with your brand new WiFi router in 2017!
Plus: Did you buy a WiFi router on this list? Let us know what you would add to our reviews of these seven best WiFi routers. Was your experience similar or different. We’d love to know about your WiFi router experience — and to add your impressions to our guide in the future!