The best Wi-Fi routers 2024: top wireless routers today (2024)

The best Wi-Fi routers will ensure that your network is in tip-top shape. By delivering reliable wireless connectivity and fast performance, these top-notch wireless routers help make congested networks a thing of the past.

These days, most of us are reliant on online connectivity for even our most basic needs like buying groceries and turning the lights on. That's on top of our gaming PCs, smart TVs, and laptops running tasks that demand a lot of bandwidth. Networks, therefore, are now expected to juggle multiple powerful devices and high data transfers. And, in order to keep up, we all need a powerful Wi-Fi router that can deliver a fast and smooth online experience.

Not all routers are built the same, however. Choosing the best Wi-Fi router for you hinges on your specific needs. If you have a bigger area of coverage, you might need one of the best mesh Wi-Fi router. If you need faster speeds and to future-proof your network, investing in the best Wi-Fi 6 router might be best. And, if you're a big gamer, you might find that the best gaming router is better equipped to see you through your online gaming demands.

We've put hundreds of hours testing and reviewing many excellent wireless routers so we can tell you exactly which ones are worthy of your money and (setup) time. Here are our top picks of the best wireless routers for different users with different needs and budget, including some of the best Asus routers. We guarantee that upgrading to one of these will give yousolid performance, great features, and excellent coverage.

The best wireless routers 2024

Asus has been rolling out some amazing Wi-Fi 6 routers recently, and it has been releasing them for just about every need and budget. With the Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8), it’s introducing Wi-Fi 6 technology to the latest cutting-edge tech in connectivity: mesh routers.

While it is among the more expensive options out there and limits you to two mesh routers, the Asus ZenWifi AX offers blazing fast speeds. During our tests, it pushed our 500Mbps Internet connection all the way, even squeezing it up to 570Mbps at one point, and maintain that speed even in less accessible parts of our space.

It also offers plenty of flexibility in its setup – such as the option to set up one or two networks using the 2.4 and 5GHz bands. With excellent security features to boot, this is a fantastic choice if you’re looking at mesh routers.

Read our full Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) review

Low-cost Wi-Fi 6 routers are hard to come by. Luckily, the Asus RT-AX55 is one of the very few options that doesn’t compromise on performance and features, making it the best choice if you’re looking for a budget router. It lets you upgrade to Wi-Fi 6, if you haven’t already, delivering a top speed of 1.8Gbps, which may be relatively modest compared to pricier options but is more than enough for most household Wi-Fi needs.

This is an excellent option if you just need a reliable router for web browsing, streaming music and video, and some casual gaming. During our tests, we found that it not only matched the fastest speeds supported by our office broadband connection, but also delivered a more expansive reach than our usual router, its 5.0GHz band maintaining top Wi-Fi speeds of 100Mbs with Ookla and 12.5MB/s for Steam downloads.

One thing to note though is that its 2.4GHz band was a little slower during our testing, dipping to 90Mbps with Ookla and 11MB/s with Steam. Plus, while the app is easy to use, the router itself doesn’t come with more extensive filters and other controls provided by some of Asus’ more expensive routers. But, when you’re going for a budget option, such concessions are to be expected.

Read our full Asus RT-AX55 review

The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 might be the mid-range offfering in Netgear's RAXE line, but this Wi-Fi router is still among the priciest we've tested. That isn't surprising, however; this is among the most future-proof routers we've seen this year. That's both in performance and design.

We found on test that this router provides impressive speed, along with multiple high-speed Ethernet ports for wired connections. And, its six optimally positioned antennas and uses three frequency bands – 2.4GHz, 50GHz, and 60GHz – allow it deliver a top speed of 7.8Gbps that should be fast enough to stream 8K video within its 2,500-square-foot area of coverage.

While on the outside, it might look like a router straight out of Blade Runner, it's actually very easy to setup. And, it comes with parental controls to keep the kids protected while they're online.

Read our full Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 review

Google kicks things up a notch in its Google Wifi line with its latest installment. Don’t get us wrong; the original Google Wifi is still among the best Wi-Fi routers today. However, if you’re all about the smart home life, then you’ll appreciate the pure genius of Google Nest Wifi.

The best and most affordable mesh router to buy in 2022, it takes everything beloved about the original Google Wifi, gives it the capabilities of Google Home, and wraps it all up in an even sleeker and more appealing package. In the Ookla Speed Test we performed, it proved to be marginally faster than the original model at 5GHz. Overall, we’re pleased with how the Nest Wifi performed during testing.

Plus, you’re paying for a mesh router and a smart speaker in one device. And, it all with the simplicity that Google Wifi is known for.

Read our full Google Nest Wifi review

Another excellent mid-range option, the Asus RT-AX59U gets all the basics right and is a terrific performer. It’s got an easy-to-use app with good parental controls and delivers a solid 4.2Gbps dual-band Wi-Fi 6 connection. It has proven during our time with it that it is more than capable of handling anything that our 150Mbps office broadband can throw at it. And, because it supports Asus’ AiMesh technology, it will work with other Asus routers to form a mesh network with wider coverage if you need it in the future.

The thing that sets this apart from the rest, however, is its compact and simple design. While most Wi-Fi 6 routers are festooned with antennae, the Asus RT-AX59U has an unusually svelte design that we found to be very compact and lightweight. You can easily fix it to a wall or tuck it in somewhere out of sight.

It does have its share of limitations – namely, it’s dual-band only and it doesn’t have 2.5G Ethernet connectivity on hand – but it’s more than enough for most households’ needs. In fact, if your budget is a little more flexible and you can pay a little more, we recommend getting this one over our budget choice.

Read our full Asus RT-AX59U review

There may be a few things you might not like about the fast and versatile TP-Link Archer GX90. It’s big, it’s bulky, and it’s expensive. However, those are easy to forgive when you realize that you’re getting a big bang for your buck.

This is among the best gaming routers out there, boasting a handful of features for hardcore gaming like a dedicated 5GHz ‘gaming band’ that lets you hog most of your household bandwidth when you need it. We tested all three of its Wi-Fi networks, and they all delivered strong performance, hitting 100Mbps download and 11Mbps upload.

Have younger gamers at home? It also provides good parental controls like content filters to block unsuitable material, with pre-set profiles for children of different ages. It’ll even let you create a schedule to limit Internet use on school nights.

Read our full TP-Link Archer GX90 review

UK consumers looking for a simple, great value Wi-Fi 6 wireless router will find a strong contender in the Linksys Hydra Pro 6, which is easy to set up and use. It might not be as feature-rich as other routers on this list, but it's got a simple yet effective app, plethora of ports, and good coverage.

Its performance is strong as well, allowing us to achieve the maximum 100Mbps available from our broadband service and 12.5MB/s downloads from Steam during testing. It was also able to reach and deliver the same level of performance in the most Wi-Fi inaccessble part of the office.

It may not have the fancy frills, but it'll give you solid, reliable connection throughout. This is among the best Wi-Fi routers for folks looking for an affordable option.

Read our full Linksys Hydra Pro 6 review

A terrific mid-range choice, the competitively-priced Asus TUF Gaming AX5400 delivers a strong Wi-Fi performance and good parental controls, which makes it a fantastic choice for families with gamers in the house. Though it is one of the more expensive TUF models, it still comes with an affordable price tag – and it’s a great value considering its top speed of 5.4Gbps. That’s more than fast enough for gaming at home. That’s especially because of its ‘link aggregation’ features that can handle super-fast fiber broadband connections.

If that isn’t enough, it supports Asus’ AiMesh technology, which allows it to work as a mesh router in conjunction with other Asus routers. This means that if you ever need to expand your network coverage, you can easily add a ‘node’ instead of replacing this existing router.

Of course, its performance is just as impressive as its features. It comfortably maintained the fastest speeds supported by our office broadband connection on both the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands during our tests. What’s more, it maintained those speeds in the area in our space that typically gets crappy coverage when using our regular router.

Read our full Asus TUF Gaming AX5400 review

First thing’s first: the Asus Rapture GT-AXE11000 is Asus’ highest-end router in its Republic Of Gamers (RoG) line. So if you’re looking for something affordable, you should probably look elsewhere – the Asus TUF Gaming AX5400, which is on this list, might be a better option for you.

It’s also overkill for most users, touting the newer Wi-Fi 6E technology that adds another frequency band. This allows the tri-band Rapture to transmit on the new 6.0GHz band, which is honestly something that only competitive gamers can take full advantage of.

However, far be it for us to stop you from getting the best of the best if you can afford it. It’s a worthwhile investment for anyone that’s serious about online gaming, offering a top speed of 11Gbps that officially makes it one of the fastest Wi-Fi routers we’ve ever seen. On test, it breezed through the most demanding tasks we threw at it on our broadband service’s maximum speed. It also provides a wide range of additional features designed to enhance gaming performance as well as frills like the obligatory lighting that tells everyone that you’re a serious gamer.

Read our full Asus Rapture GT-AXE11000 review

Thick walls and massive obstructions are no match for this powerline system from Devolo. The Magic 2 WiFi Mesh uses PowerLine to break through those obstacles, allowing you to enjoy robust and uninterrupted connectivity throughout your space. And, if you’ve got a large house or building and a number of rooms to cover, it utilizes mesh technology via plug-in adapters so that there aren’t any deadzones or weak areas.

And, it delivers the goods in the real world. During testing, it had no trouble breezing along at 110Mbps and delivering a rock-steady 12.5MB/s for Steam downloads. Yes, it offers relatively modest Wi-Fi speeds, but it’s more than enough for what most people need. We also appreciate that it’s got two Ethernet ports per device for an even more solid and faster connection, and it’s easy to set up and install.

Read our full Devolo Magic 2 Wi-Fi Mesh review

How to choose a wireless router

When picking out a Wi-Fi router, there are a few things to keep in mind. Upgrading your wireless network is not a one-size-fits-all situation.

The first thing to consider is the type of router you need. You’re generally picking from two form factors: a traditional single-unit router and mesh Wi-Fi systems that are made up of multiple units, often one that connects to the modem with two or three satellite units strategically placed around the home or office for wider coverage.

If you have a small home or office, a normal router will more than cover you, not to mention cost less. For larger homes and offices though, a mesh router will do a much better job of reaching every nook and cranny with a strong, continuous signal as they provide a much larger area of coverage. They’re also much better at eliminating or minimizing dead or weak spots.

However, if you do have a newer router that just doesn’t have the reach you need, you can save a little and invest in a wireless extender instead of getting a more expensive mesh Wi-Fi router.

Once you’ve settled on the type of router you need, make sure they’re fast enough for your needs. Most contemporary routers should at least have the Wi-Fi standard of 802.11ac aka Wi-Fi 5. If you get a router with a slower and older standard like 802.11n, it will act as a bottleneck to your network no matter how fast the connection is from your provider or what speeds your new laptop can support. There is a newer standard, Wi-Fi 6 also called 802.11ax, that’s slowly being adopted and is even faster. If you want to future-proof your network, look for a router with that standard. Just know that it will cost a little more.

Lastly, while most devices are wireless or support a wireless connection, you’ll want to use ports for some of them. Maybe someone in your household is a gamer and needs the fastest speeds possible. Being able to connect that PC or console directly via an ethernet port is going to be much more vital than for general internet use. And, if you have an older PC or printer, you’ll probably need to physically connect that to the router as well.

How we test Wi-Fi routers

We test every Wi-Fi router before we make our recommendations. We take a look at its design to ensure that they can blend in your space. We check its ease of initial setup and use, as well as its ports and features – like the ability to create a guest network and set up family controls.

Moving on to its performance, we check its range and strength of coverage. We find out how it performs in the Ookla speed test and our file download test, jotting down any information we collect. We also test it against our everyday network usage to give you a glimpse on its real-world performance. We then take everything we’ve learned and measure all that against its price to see if it’s a great value to consumers.