Just about any household with broadband internet will have a wireless
router supplied by the service provider – but there are plenty of good
reasons to buy a newer, more powerful model.
Your existing router
may be a bit long in the tooth, and that means it doesn't have the
latest hardware, or support all the modern wireless networking
standards, such as 802.11ac, which can deliver much better network
speeds and range thanks to directional beamforming, meaning faster
downloads and quicker web browsing.
Latest and greatest
The
majority of new laptops, tablets and smartphones now support 802.11ac,
so if you're still using a router from five years ago, you could be
missing out.
You may also be tempted by some of the other recent advances in
router technology. Most routers now have powerful software which makes
it much easier to manage a home network, for example to accomplish tasks
such as creating rules for parental controls, or simply carrying out
maintenance tasks. They also come with USB ports to share storage like a
NAS, or share printers to any computer in your house.
If you fancy upgrading, then here are the best 10 wireless routers you can purchase.
1 - Asus RT-AC87U
Router touts impressive Wi-Fi performance
Speed: 1733 Mbit/sec 802.11ac, 600 Mbit/sec 802.11n | Connectivity: 4 x gigabit Ethernet ports, 1 x gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x USB 2.0 port, DD-WRT compatible
Although it's not the most affordable router on the market, the Asus
RT-AC87U is one of the best, as it offers ultra-fast 4x4 802.11ac
wireless speeds, with the potential for record-breaking performance.
In
our tests we found it to be capable of some of the fastest speeds we'd
ever seen over a wireless connection, with additional support for up to
600 Mbit/sec 5GHz 802.11n speeds (although this depends on your client
adaptor, as with other routers).
But it's the software that really
makes the RT-AC87U stand out. It's easy to use, and packed with
features for both novices and users with advanced networking knowledge.
Among its many features are a comprehensive QoS (Quality of Service)
system and parental controls that are a doddle to set up, along with a
download manager and cloud file backup.
2 - Linksys XAC1900
Feature-packed router is nice... for a price
Speed: ADSL modem, 1300 Mbit/sec 802.11ac, 600 Mbit/sec 802.11n | Connectivity: 4 x gigabit Ethernet ports, 1 x gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x USB 2.0 port
The software in the Linksys XAC1900 is perhaps the most
straightforward to use of any router, with a really clear layout to take
you around its various functions. It allows you to control the router
remotely, so you can connect to your home network from any other
location, anywhere in the world.
The XAC1900 comes with a DSL
modem built into the power supply, keeping cables neatly out of the way.
Its wireless performance is adequate, with simultaneous dual-band
2.4GHz/5GHz wireless support for 1300 Mbit/sec 802.11ac and all other
standards, including 802.11n/g/b/a. There's also the usual four gigabit
Ethernet ports, with a USB 2.0 port and a USB 3.0 port.
3 - TP-Link Archer D9 ADSL modem router
Long-range router can hook up to your phone line
Speed: 1300 Mbit/sec 802.11ac, 600 Mbit/sec 802.11n | Connectivity: 4 x gigabit Ethernet ports, 1 x gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x USB 3.0 port, DD-WRT compatible
TP-Link's routers are usually some of the most affordable around,
providing a straightforward upgrade path to fast 802.11ac wireless
speeds. Although the Archer D9 isn't quite as affordable as its
predecessors, it adds a few extra features that make this model one of
TP-Link's flagship products.
The Archer D9 comes with a built-in
ADSL modem, which means you can connect it directly to your telephone
line, replacing whatever hardware your ISP provides. There's also a USB
3.0 port at the back for shared storage or printers, along with the
standard array of ports.
It supports 3x3 802.11ac wireless for
speeds of up to 1300 Mbit/sec and 600 Mbit/sec 802.11n, and it was a
great performer in our tests, especially at range. The software isn't
quite as polished as some of the efforts on the really high-end models
in this list, but it has plenty of features and is easy to use. Overall,
this is a router that works superbly well.
4 - Buffalo AirStation Extreme AC1900
Affordable router was king a few years ago
Speed: 1300 Mbit/sec 802.11ac, 600 Mbit/sec 802.11n | Connectivity: 4 x gigabit Ethernet ports, 1 x gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x USB 2.0 port, DD-WRT compatible
Buffalo's triple antenna AirStation Extreme AC1900 is capable of 1300
Mbit/sec 802.11ac speeds, with support for 600 Mbit/sec TurboQAM over
802.11n as well. It supports dual-frequency wireless with simultaneous
2.4GHz/5GHz. There's a USB 3.0 and a USB 2.0 port, joining the standard
four gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and single WAN port.
The software
is well featured too, with web filtering and parental controls fed with
data from anti-virus experts Symantec, and a Priority Control QoS
(Quality of Service) system.
5 - Trendnet TEW-818DRU
User-friendly model is also environment-friendly
Speed: 867 Mbit/sec 802.11ac, 300 Mbit/sec 802.11n | Connectivity: 4 x gigabit Ethernet ports, 1 x gigabit Ethernet WAN port, 1 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x USB 2.0 port, DD-WRT compatible
Trendnet's book-shaped TEW-818DRU offers excellent performance with
1300 Mbit/sec 3x3 802.11ac wireless and 600 Mbit/sec 802.11n TurboQAM.
It has the usual array of Ethernet ports, with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports
for shared storage, and a small master power button to cut energy
consumption when it's not in use.
It's a doddle to set up too,
with some fairly comprehensive software that includes parental controls,
QoS (Quality of Service) management and Dynamic DNS support. Although
if you don't like Trendnet's software, the TEW-818DRU is compatible with
the open-source DD-WRT firmware.
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