10 Best Wi-Fi routers for apartments and houses

In the article, we tell you which wi-fi router to choose for an apartment and a house in 2020, so that the coverage radius was maximum and the wi-fi worked in any corner, and the data transfer speed was sufficient for simultaneous viewing of films in UHD quality and for surfing the Internet on several devices. For convenience, the article compiles a rating of the best routers from inexpensive to more advanced. Since we have selected devices with a margin of several years, in most cases this is dual band routers (modern life and a huge number of gadgets dictate their own rules). Budget models are distinguished by a smaller number of connected consumers, the presence of USB ports, the amount of RAM and processor frequency, and support for third-party services. Most of them have basic functionality that will be enough for a novice user.

There is one device in the household that the owners pay attention to only when the internet goes out of the house. These are Wi-Fi routers, or, as some still call them, routers. Consumers think about which model is preferable to choose when connecting to the Internet or when moving to a new place of residence. Each provider will definitely recommend installing a router of their company. It won't be easy to convince him that the house already has a good model in working order. More advanced models have appeared on the market today. When buying, it is advisable to pay attention to the innovations offered by manufacturers, and also decide whether they are needed in everyday life.

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Which router should you choose?

When choosing, it is important to take into account the speed of the WAN / LAN ports, the range of the wireless network, the availability of additional functions (USB, support for standards, the ability to expand the network, signal amplification, etc.). Also, new models with improved functionality have appeared on the market. In order not to get confused in the presented assortment, you need to know what to look for in the first place.

Dual-band routers - what they are and why. Dual band routers can create two networks. But not only that. They support higher speeds (up to 1 Gbps) over modern Wi-Fi standards. These include 802.11n for 2.4 GHz and 802.11 ac for 5 GHz. There are also more advanced models on the market that support the latest 802.11 ax standard (Wi-Fi-6). But it is expensive and there is no need to buy this system for home use yet. The advantage of the 5 GHz band is that there is virtually no interference at this frequency, which means a more stable connection and faster data transfer rates. The high speed is due to the fact that single-band devices have a Wi-Fi network standard: G, T, B and the speed of a wireless connection on them is no more than 54 Mbps (regardless of your tariff). In addition, at the increased frequency, the data transfer rate is up to 1 Gbit, against the usual 100 Mbit. But it all depends on your Internet tariff and provider.

WAN / LAN port speed. The standard port speed is 100 Mbps. If the Internet speed exceeds this indicator, then it is recommended to install more advanced routers capable of supporting speeds up to 1000 Mbps. Typically these models are installed to transfer large files over a network or when using NAS network drives.

LAN ports. Routers may have a different number of LAN ports that are required to connect devices via cable. Before buying, you should estimate how many ports will be busy during the daily operation of the router. Most routers have 3-4 LAN ports, but there are budget models with one LAN output.

Wi-Fi standard and wireless range. For home use, it is best to choose a dual-band router that supports the AC or N. In this case, you can guaranteed to distribute the Internet to all devices in the house: PCs, tablets, TVs. How many devices you need to connect, so many ports the router should have. For a large house or apartment, it is better to purchase a Wi-Fi Mesh system in order to expand your wireless network if necessary.

The presence of a USB port. USB is used to connect storage devices for backups, network storage, file sharing, FTP, or media server. The set of functions directly depends on the router model. Through the port you can connect a webcam, printer, 3G, 4G modems. USB will not be a hindrance anyway.

The number of antennas on the Wi-Fi router. This indicator only affects the data transfer rate over the wireless network, but the number of antennas does not affect the Wi-Fi range. Antenna power rating is affected. Manufacturers do not always indicate the coverage area in the device specifications. This is due to the fact that the power indicators of routers are regulated by the laws of the countries in which they are sold. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the dbi indicator. The higher it is, the more powerful the router is.

There are two types of antennas: directional, which transmit a signal in one direction, and omnidirectional, operating around the signal source. Omnidirectional antennas should be preferred if there are no special needs.

IPTV. Many internet service providers offer TV connection service along with home internet via Ethernet cable. At the same time, TV works using IPTV technology. To do this, a special IPTV set-top box is connected to the router via an Ethernet cable. If you need to connect a TV, when choosing a device, you should focus on the presence of this function. Some routers may not support IPTV of certain providers; before buying, you should contact the manufacturer's technical support.

The best routers for performance and internet speed

Not everyone may be interested in budget analogues. In this part of the rating, routers of the middle and expensive segments are presented, which provide high performance and quality of communication.

Attention! In the ratings, all routers are good, and if, for example, the model is in 5th place, this does not mean that it is bad. The rating is based on the principle of a good router for every budget. But everyone fulfills the main task. They differ from each other in the number of ports, data transfer rate, and the number of antennas.

The top model in the lineup fully meets the expectations of buyers. It has everything you need to flawlessly receive and distribute the Internet: a dual-core processor, gigabit network ports, USB 3.0. Fast Wi-Fi is guaranteed by default. For those who do not have enough five installed ports, they may well buy a switch. When it comes to embedded software, the manufacturer has raised the bar for all devices built for home use. You can work with several connections at once, for example, Policy based routing, VPN services, drives and cellular modems. The security functions installed on the basis of DNS, the cloud service of secure access to the router are implemented not at the formal level, but in a user-friendly format. And everything else is not satisfactory and meets the needs of customers.

Another Wi-Fi router from the Taiwanese company is confidently holding the second place.The previous model is more ergonomic in external design and more efficient in functionality. This one has a compact appearance, but no one can blame it for its poor performance. If the user does not need an optical interface and USB 3.0 (version 2.0 is installed here), then the device will fully satisfy the needs of the owner. There are no Wi-Fi amplifiers here, but in principle, the question of their need may arise. The version is constantly being updated. Updates and firmware will be available until 2022. Viva has no heirs and is not planned yet. The model will be the best option for connecting the Internet, receiving IP-TV, organizing a home network at a speed of up to 1 Gbps. The system operates in two ranges, the characteristics completely coincide with those declared by the manufacturer.

The manufacturer has equipped the model with a high-performance platform using the Qualcom chipset. With any type of connection, you can achieve speeds of 100 Mbps and higher. Built-in radio modules with support for two main Wi-Fi standards do an excellent job of their functions. By the way, the router does not really heat up even at high loads. Nice design and high-quality assembly are no less advantage than the internal equipment. The only thing that the manufacturer sins with is an excess of gloss on the surface, which will have to be constantly wiped off. Dust quickly collects on it and prints remain. The fastidious user might be confused by only one USB 2.0 port. The rest of the device has a lot of features: work with VPN, guest networks, control using mobile software.

The model did not become a discovery, but users received a reliable router with the usual features and characteristics. The radio modules work in parallel and support the major standards. One of the key features is the SFP port. An incoming stream can be connected to the router via fiber using GEPON technology. The processor does not quite match the capacity of the device, since it can easily handle a large amount of traffic. Instead of the declared USB 3.0 - USB 2.0. The manufacturer thus decided not to increase the cost of the model. In terms of performance, this device solves all the basic tasks of home Wi-Fi. Provides routing, wireless internet, VPN. The only thing that will not work out "from scratch" if the consumer is not familiar with similar models. To install and configure, you will have to connect a specialist.

This is one of the few models that can only be installed on a horizontal surface. The construction of the case completely excludes the installation of the router on a wall or other vertical. The design will appeal to users who do not try to get the wireless router out of sight. In addition, the manufacturer has specially developed a powerful device for fans of computer games. It is quite suitable for two-room apartments. With 100% coverage of the area, there will be no problems. The model does not support other modems and printers. But often this is not required. The router does an excellent job with a fast and stable Internet connection even under heavy loads, as well as with the distribution of priorities between connected gadgets.

Rating of the best inexpensive routers for an apartment

Based on all of the above, a ranking of the most popular Wi-Fi routers has been compiled.Each of them will fully satisfy the needs of the family and fully comply with the price-quality category.

Not a bad model for budget users. The manufacturer appeared on the market recently (in 2012), but has already managed to prove itself from the good side. Among the two range routers of the budget segment, this model has the highest speed qualities. The speed will be sufficient for viewing and transmitting HD video, "heavy" computer toys. Connecting and configuring the device will not be difficult, since the version is completely Russified. There is support for IPTV, gigabit interfaces, the ability to simultaneously work in two bands. The model lacks a USB port and DLNA server. By and large, they are not really needed. But the limited angle of rotation of the antennas will force you to select a place in the apartment where to install the router, so that the reception / transmission of data passes quickly, without problems.

What is the main characteristic of a good device? It is about connecting it, setting it up and remembering it during general cleaning in order to wipe the dust. This category includes a router from the Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi. It is aimed at simplicity and ease of use, however, like the entire line of the brand's products. Its operation and settings can be adjusted and updated from your smartphone. As with the above model, there is no USB port installed. In order to increase the number of LAN ports, you will have to buy a switch. But it is still one of the most reliable budget Wi-Fi router models on the market today.

Unlike the two previous models, this router has a multifunctional USB port. This expands the functionality of the device. It has a file upload system, support for common file systems, and the ability to work with MacOs. The user base, distribution between rights and the ability to connect 3G / 4G modems are far from all the functions that a device can perform. The model is suitable for users who want to use as many USB devices as possible, regardless of the data transfer speed. Keenetic Omni is not the fastest router, but it is quite attractive as an inexpensive budget option.

An inexpensive device from a Chinese manufacturer - the model is quite non-standard and original in design and characteristics. It combines good performance with a low price. One of the main features from the manufacturer is that the router can work with digital TV from different providers. The manufacturer initially positioned the device for installation in rooms, houses, apartments. Of course, the speed decreases slightly in remote rooms, but not as critical as in other analogs. Therefore, the coverage area can be called more or less uniform. With a relatively small radius (girth) of action, this is otherwise a stylish modern router.

It is impossible to pass by the classics of the genre - routers of the LINK line. The good reputation of the manufacturer has made its products in demand on the market for a long time.Baby TP-LINK Archer C6 easily covers the area of ​​an ordinary two-room apartment. Its speeds are enough to simultaneously watch video on a PC, play games on a tablet, and stream a picture to Apple TV from a laptop. The device has a nice design, four antennas, all the necessary functions for home use. No USB, but this shouldn't be a problem for users who just need an inexpensive, good Wi-Fi router.

Video: How to choose a good Wi-fi router