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The Best Wi-Fi Routers 2021
- Thread starter Julio Franco
- Start date
Ben Myers
Posts: 323 +124
Combo cable modem-routers from Comcast, Spectrum and others are the very cheap ones and they perform accordingly in all respects. Disable the Xfinity wifi and use your own wifi router.
Arbie
Posts: 528 +897
When I next buy a router I'm going to strongly consider this guy's advice:
https://routersecurity.org/index.php
https://routersecurity.org/SecureRouters.php
and a comprehensive security article which should be read anyway:
https://defensivecomputingchecklist.com
He's primarily concerned with security rather than features, but the Pepwave SOHO commercial router he has long recommended has wi-fi and at least the basics. Note his Oct 2020 warning that the latest firmware for that router is buggy.
https://routersecurity.org/index.php
https://routersecurity.org/SecureRouters.php
and a comprehensive security article which should be read anyway:
https://defensivecomputingchecklist.com
He's primarily concerned with security rather than features, but the Pepwave SOHO commercial router he has long recommended has wi-fi and at least the basics. Note his Oct 2020 warning that the latest firmware for that router is buggy.
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Trapped Nowhere
Posts: 188 +213
I agree fully. it was just one I'd never seen before since I didn't have a gigabit connection and I was just surprised at the noise
Burty117
Posts: 5,108 +3,689
Nice, does it support Port Aggregation as well? Always handy if you have a NAS that supports it.
Burty117
Posts: 5,108 +3,689
Even better, that's the sort of thing I like from a decent high end router. And another feature that's rarely mentioned in reviews.
brucek
Posts: 1,725 +2,694
Anyone have a guide or recommendation for cable modems (specifically just the modem part, I'll use it in bridge mode to my own router and from there to my network WiFi APs, etc.) I'm on Spectrum.
I've been using the Moto MG7550 which had been fine but has now entered a strange state twice where it starts dropping most IPv4 traffic until I do not just a power cycle, but a full factory reset followed by restoring my configs. I suspect some bug or incompatibility with something that changed upstream of me
I've been using the Moto MG7550 which had been fine but has now entered a strange state twice where it starts dropping most IPv4 traffic until I do not just a power cycle, but a full factory reset followed by restoring my configs. I suspect some bug or incompatibility with something that changed upstream of me
Plutoisaplanet
Posts: 1,083 +1,639
Not quite the topic, but my router modem has been chugging along great for 3 years now. I went from a 550 sq foot apartment to a 1250 sq foot apartment and it still covers it perfectly. I have the Netgear C3700, and while it’s a little outdated at this point (first sold on the market 6 years ago), we have never had one complaint about its speed. It supports at least two people downstreaming video at high quality perfectly. Even the coaxial cable died before this piece of crap did. It is the best $100 I ever spent.
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If you comfortable with commercial grade gear Ubiquiti's Unifi lineup of Wifi APs make for a more reliable and stable wifi environment. Especially when it comes to more of a mesh like network. My house for example is a 3000sqft single level ranch that is really wide, a single AP just doesn't do the job. Unifi allows me to have a AP on each wing of my house hard wired back to my network room in the basement. The unifi controller will manage moving clients back and forth between AP's. Unlike home house routers I have have multiple SSIDs dedicated to VLANs. All of my Kids devices are kept on a SSID that includes time management and restrictions.
They just work and I can't remember a time I needed to reboot the device.
The Unifi Gateways are more simplistic than I'd like, I use mine with Nat turned off and use a more powerful opensense machine for all the advanced stuff. But compared to most home routers the Unifi gateway fits in well.
I do think for home usage Asus is mostly the way to go, with the ability to add in a mesh unit somewhere else in the house. The base firmware is pretty feature packed for most homes that don't need feel the need for a more pro setup. But for someone like myself that having the ability to tie an ssid to a VLAN is a must, commercial grade is only option.
They just work and I can't remember a time I needed to reboot the device.
The Unifi Gateways are more simplistic than I'd like, I use mine with Nat turned off and use a more powerful opensense machine for all the advanced stuff. But compared to most home routers the Unifi gateway fits in well.
I do think for home usage Asus is mostly the way to go, with the ability to add in a mesh unit somewhere else in the house. The base firmware is pretty feature packed for most homes that don't need feel the need for a more pro setup. But for someone like myself that having the ability to tie an ssid to a VLAN is a must, commercial grade is only option.
amghwk
Posts: 1,549 +1,540
If the home is big and there are many devices connected, a mesh system makes more sense. I always had this unverified hunch that a mesh system (with multiple connected devices in a fairly large home) will reduce the workload burden of a single router, thereby reducing the heat and extend the longevity of the router.
theUnforgiven
Posts: 67 +12
I have an AC55U as I have ADSL2+, kind of, plus I have a TP-Link Wi-Fi extender just to spread the beam to the shed 
How many people have 2+ Gbps internet connections at home?
The numbers would be so small no point.
Depends. Models powered by coal and firewood can be noisy when the steam reaches working pressure.
Ok. Kind of uneducated when it comes to wifi and router. I have frontier internet and phone service. That is the only thing I can get in my area. It sucks LOL
I use the Arris NVG4xx router.
It was an upgrade to the Westell model A90-750045-07 rev d adsl2+ modem router.
Both given up with the frontier service.
I was wondering if I bought a different router would it improve my WiFi connection?
If I can, what router would be best. A good price. Can't get anything expensive.
I use the Arris NVG4xx router.
It was an upgrade to the Westell model A90-750045-07 rev d adsl2+ modem router.
Both given up with the frontier service.
I was wondering if I bought a different router would it improve my WiFi connection?
If I can, what router would be best. A good price. Can't get anything expensive.
You should try the best brands in Europe too: AVM FritzBox (en.avm.de), German brand of routers and ADSL modems with great features, VoIP, gigabit ports, latest WiFi, media server, home automation, many many features. And yet another thing about them is that during all those security issues that come out from time to time affecting many many router brands, they never had issues and remained secure.
I needThe need for a quality router has never been greater. Today every household is packed with phones, laptops, smart TVs, and more devices all fighting for bandwidth. If you want a router that offers better throughput, range, and features, check out our top picks.
