The 10 best wireless routers of 2017

Just imagine: you’re sitting at home, watching your favorite show on Netflix, when all of a sudden everything just freezes and, after a few seconds, the dreaded buffering icon appears in the middle of the screen. It’s something we’ve all experienced, and it sucks every time. If this is something that happens to you all the time, it might just be time to pick up one of the best wireless routers. You could always upgrade your internet service, or pick up a bunch of the best wi-fi extenders, but honestly, the first thing you should be thinking about is upgrading to one of the top wireless routers. 

But, what are the best wireless routers? The first thing you’ll notice when you search for ‘wireless routers’ on Amazon is that there are literally dozens of the things from a myriad of different manufacturers – it’s genuinely difficult to pick out the best one. Luckily, the TechRadar editorial team has put together a list of the best wireless routers that we’ve personally tested and reviewed over the past year or so. So, regardless of what you actually need from a wireless router, we’re confident that we’ll have tested one that fits all of your needs reliably and affordably.

1. Google Wifi

The future of wireless networking gets affordable

Speed: 802.11ac 5GHz down: 101.41 Mbps, 2.4GHz down: 47.53 Mbps | Connectivity: 2 x Gigabit Ethernet ports per Wifi point (1 WAN and 1 LAN port each) | Features: AC1200 2 x 2 Wave 2 Wi-Fi, TX beamforming, Bluetooth Smart ready

Super simple setup

Great value

Limited hardware control

Lower AC rating

With Google Wifi, you can finally say goodbye to the days when the only way to achieve true wireless freedom throughout the house was with a bunch of outlet-bound range extenders. It’s become clear that Google Wifi, and systems like it, truly are the future of wireless routers. The premise of Google Wifi is simple – you buy a set of points and place them around your house. Then all you have to do is scan a QR code, and voilà! They’re all set up. 

Read the full review: Google Wifi

2. Netgear Orbi

Wireless coverage that’s high-end, almost to a fault

Speed: 802.11ac 5GHz down: 90.14 Mbps, 2.4GHz down: 93.69 Mbps | Connectivity: 4 x 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports (1 WAN + 3 LAN for Router, 4 LAN for Satellite), 1 x USB 2.0 port | Features: 4GB flash memory, 512MB RAM, AC3000, MU-MIMO ready

Excellent coverage

Easy setup

Mighty pricey

Finicky Wi-Fi band settings

Unlike Google Wi-Fi, the Netgear Orbi wireless mesh system ships with two units rather than three: a router and a satellite, much like a cell phone signal booster. It’s expensive, but once you get past the price, you’ll see that the price tag is justified. Its simple setup, requiring little more than being plugged into a modem and a spare wall adaptor, makes the Orbi accessible to say the least. Add that to its stately performance and you’ll see why we love it so much.

Read full review: Netgear Orbi

3. Billion BiPac 8900AX-2400

A highfalutin router that doubles as a modem

Speed: 802.11ac: 2,400Mbps 802.11n: 2,400Mbps | Connectivity: 1 x DSL port, 4 x 1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports, 1 x EWAN Ethernet port, 1 x USB 2.0 | Features: Built-in ADSL2+ modem, 1 x 2.4GHz; 1 x 5Ghz bands, LED status lights, reset button, power button

Good performance

ADSL2+ modem included

Clunky interface

Only USB 2.0

Billion is back at it again, this time with the fastest router it’s ever produced. Exhibiting a throughput of 2,400Mbps over both a 2.4GHz and 5GHz band, the BiPac 8900AX-2400 isn’t conventionally attractive by society’s standards, but it is immensely capable. In lieu of a shabby interface, this router dons a wide range of ports for added storage down the line in addition to integrating a state of the art ADSL2+ modem.

Read the full review:

• This product is only available in the UK as of this writing. US and AU readers: check out a comparable alternative in the .

4. Starry Station

Wi-Fi made easy (and attractive)

Speed: 802.11ac: 1,300Mbps 802.11n: 450Mbps | Connectivity: 2 x Gigabit LAN port | Features: Dual-band Wi-Fi technology, 3.8-inch LCD touchscreen, embedded speaker/microphone

Elegant, simple interface

Touchscreen offers info and control

May need to rewire source

Gets noticeably loud

For those of us clinging to (presumably leased) routers supplied to us by our ISPs, the Starry Station makes Wi-Fi easier without handing over your clean money month after month to a greedy conglomerate. Not only is it fast, bearing download speeds that are typically around the same as a Verizon FiOS stock router, but the Starry Station is stylish enough where you won’t have to tuck it away in a cabinet that will inevitably obstruct its signal. What’s more, it manages to avert those pesky numerical gateways that no one wants to memorize.

Read the full review: Starry Station

• This product is only available in the US as of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the .

5. Synology RT2600ac

NAS or router – why don’t we have both?

Speed: 802.11ac: 1,733Mbps 802.11n: 800Mbps | Connectivity: 4 x Gigabit WAN, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x SD card reader | Features: 512MB RAM, 1.7GHz dual-core ARM Qualcomm IPQ8065 processor, MU-MIMO, beam-forming, 4GB flash storage

Easy-to-use web interface

Great hardware extras

Pricier than other AC2600 routers

Not the fastest 802.11ac router

It’s not everyday you encounter a router that doubles as an NAS, or network-attached storage device – a type of server box that allows you to store and access files over your local internet connection. The Synology RT2600ac, on the other hand, combines the best of both worlds, going as far as to deliver third-party applications such as VPNs and DLNA media servers. There’s even Apple Time Machine support for over-the-air Mac backups.

Read the full review:

6. Linksys WRT 3200 ACM

Kickin’ it old school (and open-source)

Speed: 802.11ac: 3x 867 Mbps, 802.11n: 600 Mbps | Connectivity: 4x Gigabit Ethernet, 1x USB 3.0, 1 x ESATA/USB 2.0 | Features: Tri-Stream 160, 1.8GHz dual core CPU, 512MB RAM, 256MB flash memory

Open source firmware support

Excellent features

Coverage sometimes spotty

More suitable in an office than a home

The antithesis to wireless mesh systems, the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM doesn’t boast a particularly flashy design. However, by compromising in the looks department, Linksys was able to pull off a versatile wireless router aimed at traditional PC enthusiasts. Giving you boundless control over your wireless network connections, whether you want to toggle on and off guest connections or prioritize media devices, the WRT 3200 ACM has you covered.

Read the full review: Linksys WRT 3200 ACM

• This product is only available in the US and UK as of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the .

7. Zyxel Armor Z2 AC2600

An extraterrestrial gaming router that covers all bases

Speed: 802.11ac: 2,167Mbps, 802.11n: 800Mbps | Connectivity: 4 x Gigabit Ethernet, 1 x WAN, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0 | Features: MU-MIMO support, StreamBoost, dual-core 1.7GHz processor, 512GB RAM, Zyxel One Touch app-based setup

Good MU-MIMO wireless speeds

Excellent traffic analysis software

Few current devices use quad-stream 802.11ac

Average USB port speeds

Known for its NAS devices, extenders and powerline adaptors, it’s a wonder Zyxel would ever come out with a dual-band gaming router. Yet, although it’s not nearly as extravagant (or spider-like) in its outward appearances as the Asus RT-5300, the Armor Z2 AC2600 is a solid gaming router debut from Zyxel. Toting Dynamic QoS, otherwise referred to as StreamBoost, for the prioritization of more demanding connected hardware, a configuration app called Zyxel One Touch and MU-MIMO support, this router’s lofty price tag is damn near justified.

Read the full review: Zyxel Armor Z2 AC2600

8. Linksys Velop

Layman’s mesh Wi-Fi comes at a cost

Speed: 117.46 Mbps single node, short range; 74 Mbps two nodes, far range | Connectivity: 2 x Gigabit Ethernet per unit (1 WAN and 1 LAN each) | Features: App-based setup; dual-stream (2×2), 802.11ac networking; 716MHz quad-core ARM Cortex A7 processor, beamforming

Fully modular mesh network

Inconspicuous design

Pricey in comparison

Performance too dependent on position

Like Google Wifi and Netgear Orbi, Linksys is fighting the good fight to keep wireless routers simple. Although it costs a bit more to use than those aforementioned mesh systems, the Linksys Velop is easily configured in about five minutes, thanks to the companion app you can get via either the App Store or Google Play. It cuts out the middleman, i.e. Wi-Fi extenders, in favor of a seamless wireless internet that will cover the whole house without requiring you – the user – to constantly switch networks as you enter another room.

Read the full review: Linksys Velop

9. Asus RT-AC88U

4×4 and 1024-QAM deliver the best possible wireless performance

Speed: 802.11ac: 2167Mbps 802.11n: 1000 Mbps | Connectivity: 9x Gigabit Ethernet, 1x USB 2.0 1x USB 3.0 | Features: 1024-QAM, MU-MIMO, WTFast Gamers Private Network, Asus AiProtection, AsusWRT Software

Fastest wireless speeds

Comprehensive software UI

Expensive

Requires special hardware for fastest speeds

You might recognize the name from its ROG gaming hardware, but what you may not be aware of is that Asus has shaken up wireless networking as we know it with an evidently rigorous array of hardy wireless routers. The RT-AC88U is no exception. Outfitted with the top-of-the-line 802.11ac spec, Asus’s quad-antenna, whale of a router is made better only by its inclusion of NitroQAM technology, which is designed to allow for 4K video streaming and online gaming to take place simultaneously under the same roof.

10. Netgear Nighthawk X4S VDSL/ADSL Modem Router D7800

Built-in VDSL modem and 4×4 wireless speeds make this a great all-rounder

Speed: 802.11ac: 1733Mbps, 802.11n: 800 Mbps | Connectivity: 5x Gigabit Ethernet, 2x USB 3.0, 1x eSATA | Features: VDSL 2 modem

Great wireless performance

VDSL 2 modem

Lacks 1024-QAM

Requires special hardware for fastest speeds

If routers had a fashion contest, Netgear’s D7800 would be among the top contenders. Its solid black finish is complemented by a quartet of antennas. Plus it’s damn fast and bettered by its inclusion of a duo of USB ports paired with an eSATA connector. The real centerpiece, though, is the VDSL 2 modem built into the Nighthawk X4S D7800, negating the need to buy or lease one separately. The outfitted software isn’t too shoddy either; a simple Dynamic QOS system makes it a breeze to govern a multitude of devices on a single home network.

Joe Osborne and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article

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