Wi-Fi routers have become a must-have in every home, but the one your internet service provider provided is most likely to blame for your poor Wi-Fi performance. Upgrading to the best wifi router can improve your internet.
I’ve compiled a list of recommendations to meet a variety of needs, places, and budgets. I tested all of these in my busy family house, which is filled with Netflix-addicted gamers.
Best Wifi Routers 2026
- NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
- Wavlink AX3000 WiFi 6
- Asus RT-AX86U Pro
- TP-Link Archer AX21
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S
The NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700S is a high‑performance Wi‑Fi 7 router that delivers blazing speeds up to 19 Gbps across multiple bands, making it ideal for gaming, 4K/8K streaming, and handling a large number of devices simultaneously. Its powerful processor and advanced antennas ensure strong, consistent coverage throughout your home.
With easy setup via the Nighthawk app and robust security features, including WPA3 and guest networks, the RS700S combines speed, reliability, and future-ready technology for users who demand top-tier wireless performance.
PROS:
- Extremely fast Wi‑Fi 7 speeds, ideal for gaming and 4K/8K streaming
- Supports many devices with wide, reliable coverage
- Easy setup and management via the Nighthawk app
- Strong security features (WPA3, guest networks)
- Future-proof with advanced connectivity options
CONS:
- Expensive compared to older Wi‑Fi routers
- Full Wi‑Fi 7 performance requires compatible devices
Wavlink AX3000 WiFi 6
The Wavlink AX3000 Wi‑Fi 6 router is an affordable dual‑band router that brings the advantages of Wi‑Fi 6 technology into everyday home networks, offering faster speeds, better capacity, and improved efficiency over older Wi‑Fi standards. With combined wireless speeds up to around 3000 Mbps, it’s well‑suited for activities like HD streaming, online gaming, and smooth video conferencing across multiple devices without significant performance drops. The router’s dual‑band design helps balance network traffic between the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands to reduce congestion and improve overall responsiveness.
In addition to enhanced speed, the AX3000 supports features like OFDMA and MU‑MIMO, which allow it to communicate with several devices simultaneously and reduce latency during peak usage. Its setup and basic management are typically straightforward using the companion app or web interface. While it may not have all the advanced features found in premium routers, the Wavlink AX3000 provides a solid balance of performance and value for mid‑sized homes and users who want reliable Wi‑Fi 6 performance without a high price tag.
Asus RT-AX86U Pro
Simple setup, silky performance, and serious speed make this Asus router a good choice for anyone prepared to spend more for smoother Wi-Fi. It sports an eye-catching red and black design with three rotatable antennas. This router had no issues covering my entire home and garden and was one of the top performers in my tests. It delivered consistently fast speeds everywhere and was stable, even with four people streaming and gaming simultaneously. There are some handy customization options for gamers and optimizations that ensure low latency. It also has plenty of ports, including a 2.5-Gbps port configurable as WAN or LAN, four gigabit Ethernet ports, one USB 3.2, and one USB 2.0 port.
It’s packed with options, making it very easy to tweak router settings, should you need to. It covers everything, from comprehensive parental controls to traffic prioritization and network security. That includes AiProtection Pro (powered by Trend Micro), which monitors your network for malicious activity, no subscription required. This router supports AiMesh, which means you can add any other AiMesh Asus router to create a mesh network and expand connectivity in your home. The original RT-AX86U has been discontinued, so we switched to the almost identical RT-AX86U Pro, which has a faster processor inside. It performed slightly better in my tests, but the difference is slight, so buy whichever one is cheaper.
TP-Link Archer AX21
This impressive Wi-Fi 6 router delivers reliable performance at a relatively low price and succeeds our previous pick (the AX20). Despite the demands of four people video streaming and gaming, I rarely noticed a difference in everyday performance between this and my top pick, the AX55. My tests revealed some limitations on the range, however, and the download speed when installing a new game was noticeably slower than with the rest of our picks. But for most day-to-day tasks over a week of testing, this router delivered sterling service. It matches the AX55 with four gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and one WAN but only has a USB 2.0.
The Tether app is straightforward and packed with all the basic options you need, including traffic prioritization, parental controls, and a guest network. There’s no Security+ or HomeShield with this router, but most people don’t need those extra services. If you don’t care about online gaming performance or have tons of smart home devices, and your home is 1,600 square feet or smaller, you likely don’t need to spend more than this.