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The 5 Best High Performance Wi-Fi Routers of 2023
From baby monitors to smart home systems, the heart of all of your connected devices is undoubtedly the Wi-Fi router. The best Wi-Fi routers offer a variety of features and performance benefits that can make your home network faster, more reliable, and more secure. If you’re looking for a new router, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind, such as the size of your home, the number of devices you have, and your budget. To help you narrow down the shortlist of options best suited for you, we put together our list of the 5 best high performance Wi-Fi routers of 2023.
The 5 Best High Performance Wi-Fi Routers – Table of Contents
The 5 Best High Performance Wi-Fi Routers – The Shortlist
Asus RT-AX86U Pro
The Asus RT-AX86U Pro is a great option for those looking for a Wi-Fi router that offers excellent performance and features. It supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard and is a great choice for gamers and power users.
TP-Link Archer AX55
The TP-Link Archer AX55 is a great all-around Wi-Fi router that offers excellent performance and features at a reasonable price. It supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard, which means it can deliver faster speeds and better range than older Wi-Fi routers.
Netgear Nighthawk RAX70
The Netgear Nighthawk RAX70 is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 router that offers excellent performance and features. It is a great choice for homes with a lot of devices, as it can easily handle multiple simultaneous streams of data, but it comes at a higher price.
Google Nest Wifi
The Google Nest Wifi is a mesh Wi-Fi system that offers a simple and easy-to-use way to get great Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home. It consists of a main router and two satellite nodes. The Nest Wifi is also a great choice for those who want a Wi-Fi system that is easy to manage and secure.
Eero Pro 6
The Eero Pro 6 is another great mesh Wi-Fi system that offers excellent performance and features. It consists of a main router and two satellite nodes, which you can place around your home to create a seamless Wi-Fi network.
The 5 Best High Performance Wi-Fi Routers – In Depth
1. Asus RT-AX86U Pro
The Asus RT-AX86U Pro is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router that offers excellent performance and features at a great price. It is a great choice for homes with a moderate number of devices, as it can easily handle multiple simultaneous streams of data. The RT-AX86U Pro also supports a variety of advanced features, such as port forwarding, MU-MIMO, OFDMA, and beamforming. These features help to improve the overall performance of the network, especially in congested areas.
Most importantly for us, we found the range of the RT-AX86U Pro to be excellent. We had a solid and lightning fast connection all through the home and even outside, both on 2G and 5G bands. This router is a great choice for a medium to large sized home.
Also, the RT-AX86U Pro is very easy to set up and use. The Asus Router app makes it simple to get started, and the router’s web interface is very user-friendly. The RT-AX86U Pro also offers a variety of parental controls and security features, so you can keep your home network safe.
Overall, the Asus RT-AX86U Pro is a great choice for homes with a moderate number of devices. It offers excellent performance, a variety of features, and easy setup and use. If you are looking for a budget-friendly Wi-Fi 6 router that can handle multiple simultaneous streams of data, the RT-AX86U Pro is a great option.
2. TP-Link Archer AX55
The TP-Link Archer AX55 is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router that offers a maximum theoretical speed of up to 3 Gbps. It is designed to provide fast and reliable Wi-Fi coverage for a small to medium-sized home. The Archer AX55 has four Gigabit Ethernet ports, a USB 2.0 port, and a USB 3.0 port. It also supports MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology for improved performance with multiple devices connected to the network.
Also, the Archer AX55 is easy to set up and use. The TP-Link Tether app makes it simple to connect to the router and manage its settings. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices.
Overall, the Archer AX55 has received positive reviews from critics. It has been praised for its fast speeds, reliable performance, and easy setup. The router is also relatively affordable, making it a good value for the price. If you’re looking for an excellent option at a lower budget with minimal compromises, this is the router for you.
3. Netgear Nighthawk RAX70
The Netgear Nighthawk RAX70 is an 8-stream tri-band Wi-Fi 6 router that offers a maximum theoretical speed of up to 6.6 Gbps. It is designed to provide fast and reliable Wi-Fi coverage for a large home or small office. The RAX70 has six high-performance antennas and supports MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology for improved performance with multiple devices connected to the network.
Also, like other options on our list, the RAX70 is easy to set up and use. The Netgear Genie app makes it simple to connect to the router and manage its settings. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices.
Overall, the Netgear Nighthawk RAX70 is a great choice for homes with a lot of devices. It offers excellent performance, a variety of features, and easy setup and use. If you are looking for a high-end Wi-Fi router that can handle multiple simultaneous streams of data, the RAX70 is a great option.
4. Google Nest WiFi
UPDATE 5/23/2023: If you’re looking for an even faster mesh router than the Nest WiFi, you can now get the Nest WiFi Pro. We’ve added it to the list, but it is quite a bit more expensive than the original version.
Google Nest Wifi is our pick for the best mesh Wi-Fi system on the market. It is designed to provide fast and reliable Wi-Fi coverage for a large home or small office. The Nest Wifi system consists of a router and one or more points. The router is the main unit that connects to your modem, and the points are satellite units that extend the Wi-Fi signal throughout your home.
The Nest Wifi router is a small, cylindrical device that is about the size of a can of soup. It has a white finish and a fabric exterior. The router has four Gigabit Ethernet ports and a USB 2.0 port. It also has a built-in speaker that can be used for Google Assistant voice commands.
The Nest Wifi access points are also small, cylindrical devices that are about the size of a coffee mug. They have a white finish and a fabric exterior. The points have two Gigabit Ethernet ports and a built-in speaker that can be used for Google Assistant voice commands.
Also, the Nest Wifi system is easy to set up. The router and points are pre-paired, so you just need to connect them to your modem and power them on. The Google Home app will walk you through the rest of the setup process.
Most importantly, the Nest Wifi system offers fast and reliable Wi-Fi coverage. I tested the system in a large home with thick walls, and I was able to get strong Wi-Fi signal in every room. The Nest Wifi system also handles multiple devices streaming video and music without any problems.
Furthermore, another great thing about the Nest Wifi system is its integration with Google Assistant. You can use Google Assistant to control your Wi-Fi network, get status updates, and troubleshoot problems. You can also use Google Assistant to play music, set alarms, and control other smart home devices.
Overall, the Google Nest Wifi is a great choice for anyone looking for a fast, reliable, and stylish Wi-Fi system. It is easy to set up, it offers great coverage, and it integrates seamlessly with Google Assistant. If you are looking for a Wi-Fi system that can provide fast and reliable coverage for your home or office, the Google Nest Wifi is a great option.
5. Eero Pro 6
The Eero Pro 6 is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 mesh system that offers fast and reliable coverage for large homes and offices. It is the latest and greatest offering from Eero, and it is packed with features that make it a great choice for anyone looking for a top-of-the-line Wi-Fi system.
The Eero Pro 6 system consists of a router and two satellites. The router is the main unit that connects to your modem, and the satellites extend the Wi-Fi signal throughout your home. Set up couldn’t be any easier. Eero app walks you through the setup process, and it also gives you control over your Wi-Fi network.
The Eero Pro 6 system offers fast and reliable Wi-Fi coverage. I tested the system in a large home with thick walls, and I was able to get strong Wi-Fi signal in every room. The Eero Pro 6 system also handles multiple devices streaming video and music without any problems.
One of the best things about the Eero Pro 6 system is its security features. The Eero Pro 6 system uses a variety of security features to protect your network from hackers and malware. These features include WPA3 encryption, DoS protection, and parental controls.
Another great thing about the Eero Pro 6 system is its support for Alexa. You can use Alexa to control your Wi-Fi network, get status updates, and troubleshoot problems. You can also use Alexa to play music, set alarms, and control other smart home devices.
Overall, the Eero Pro 6 is a great choice for anyone looking for a fast, reliable, and secure Wi-Fi system. It is easy to set up and use, it offers great coverage, and it is packed with security features. If you are looking for a Wi-Fi system that can provide fast and reliable coverage for your home or office, the Eero Pro 6 is a great option.
Which Wi-Fi Router is Right for You?
There are a few factors you’ll want to consider when choosing a Wi-Fi router, such as:
- The size of your home: If you have a large home, you’ll need a router with a strong signal that can reach all corners of your space. For very large homes, you’ll need either a high end router or a mesh system for maximum coverage.
- The number of devices you have: If you have a lot of devices that use Wi-Fi, you’ll need a router that can handle the traffic. This is where high end routers with faster processors come into play.
- Your budget: Wi-Fi routers range in price from around $50 to $500. Choose a router that fits your budget without sacrificing performance.
How to Set Up a Wi-Fi Router
Setting up a Wi-Fi router is relatively easy. Here are the basic steps:
- Find a location for your router. It should be placed in a central location in your home where it can reach all corners of your space.
- Connect your router to your modem.
- Follow the instructions on your router’s manual to create a Wi-Fi network.
- Once your Wi-Fi network is up and running, you can connect your devices to it.
How to Secure Your Wi-Fi Network
It’s important to secure your Wi-Fi network to protect your devices and data from unauthorized access. Here are a few tips for securing your Wi-Fi network:
- Use a strong password. Your Wi-Fi password should be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Enable Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA2). WPA2 is a security protocol that helps to protect your Wi-Fi network from unauthorized access.
- Disable remote administration. Remote administration allows you to access your router from outside of your home network. If you don’t need this feature, disable it.
- Keep your router’s firmware up to date. Router manufacturers regularly release firmware updates that include security patches. Be sure to install these updates as soon as they’re available.
By following these tips, you can help to keep your Wi-Fi network secure.