ElectronicsNetworkingRouters

What are the best wireless routers?

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NETGEAR Nighthawk AC2300 (R7000P) vs Asus RT-AC3200 vs TP-LINK Archer C7 (V2)

 vs AmpliFi HD vs Eero Home WiFi System vs Google Wifi vs Netgear Orbi vs Norton Core vs Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 (R7000) vs TP-LINK Archer C5 vs TP-Link Talon AD7200 vs Google OnHub vs Asus RT-AC5300 vs Turris Omnia vs AirPort Extreme vs Plume WiFi vs Linksys AC3200 vs Linksys EA6350 vs Linksys WRT1900ACS vs Asus rog rapture GT AX11000 vs Google WiFi vs BriteHub

Specs

For gaming

Yes

For a large home

Yes

For an apartment

No

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

256 MiB

SoC

Broadcom BCM4709A0

Released

December 19, 2014

Wireless radios

Broadcom BCM43602 x3

USB 2.0 ports

1

Serial Interface

Internal JTAG (populated 4-pin header, 3.3V)

USB 3.0 ports

1

Discontinued

Yes

CPU Speed

1 Ghz

CPU Cores

2

Wi-Fi Speed Class

AC3200

Flash Memory

128 MiB

External antenna connections

RP-SMA

LAN ports

4 (Gigabit RJ45)

WAN ports

1 (Gigabit RJ45)

WiFi Standards

802.11n (2.4 Ghz/WiFi 4) + 802.11ac (5 Ghz/WiFi 5)

External antennas

6

MIMO

3x3x3 MU-MIMO TurboQAM (256-QAM)

Internal antenna connections

U.FL

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

256 MiB

SoC

Broadcom BCM4709A0

Released

August 7, 2013

Wireless radios

Broadcom BCM4360 x2

USB 2.0 ports

1

Serial Interface

Internal JTAG (4-pin header, 3.3V TTL)

USB 3.0 ports

1

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

Yes

For a large home

yes

For an apartment

yes

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

For gaming

-

For a large home

-

For an apartment

-

RAM

-

SoC

-

Released

-

Wireless radios

-

USB 2.0 ports

-

Serial Interface

-

USB 3.0 ports

-

Discontinued

-

CPU Speed

-

CPU Cores

-

Wi-Fi Speed Class

-

Flash Memory

-

External antenna connections

-

LAN ports

-

WAN ports

-

WiFi Standards

-

External antennas

-

MIMO

-

Internal antenna connections

-

Pros + Cons

Pro
 Great performance even for busy networks

The R7000P truly shines under busy network conditions. The load-balancing band steering automatically shifts the devices around to give work to both radios. What this means is that users will have a pleasant experience even when the network is busy.
Comment

Pro
 You can specify the amount of bandwidth you wish to dedicate to gaming or video

Nighthawk offers two different types of traffic prioritization tools. Traffic that is sent out by the user can be prioritized for gaming, while incoming traffic can be prioritized for improved video streaming.
Comment

Pro
 Several custom firmwares readily available

To make greater use of the powerful component hardware, owners can easily flash any of the popular third-party firmwares like TomatoUSB, DD-WRT, AsusWRT and more using the existing upgrade page in the stock web-based control panel.
Comment

Con
 Might be a bit problematic to use in crowded dorms or apartment buildings

The R7000P does not have a third band, which is something that's usually available for routers around this price range. This is not a big problem if the router is being used in a suburban home, but it can be a bit problematic if used in a crowded apartment complex or dorm where there are a lot of neighboring networks interfering.
Comment

Pro
 Excellent USB performance

The Nighthawk achieves file transfer rates of 231.2 Mbps over USB 3.0 and 224 Mbps over USB 2.0. This means that you can connect an external hard disk drive to this router and share a 2 GB file over a Wi-Fi network in just over a minute.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to configure

Uses a full-featured Web interface for configuration that's easy to use for both beginners and advanced users alike.
Comment

Con
 You can't block non-HTTP sites

Even though you can block websites by domain name or keyword, you can only do so for websites that don't use HTTPS.
Comment

Pro
 Great performance

The RT-AC3200 is theoretically capable of 3.2 Gbps throughput over its three bands. In real life testing at a close range of 15 feet the RT-AC3200 averages around 510 Mbps. At a distance of 100 feet it averages around 290 Mbps.
Comment

Con
 Expensive

At $220 the RT-AC3200 is an expensive router. Unless you have a lot of devices performing demanding tasks, this router might be overkill.
Comment

Pro
 Uses security software for safer browsing

The RT-AC3200 uses state-of-the-art built-in security software called AiProtection. It detects infected devices and prevents any information getting stolen from those devices. It also blocks malicious websites and provides constant security check-ups.
Comment

Pro
 Great for an office space

You can create up to nine simultaneous guest WiFi networks so visitors of your office can browse the internet without being able to access your files and printers.
Comment

Pro
 Two simultaneous internet service provider connections for redundancy and load-balancing

You can turn one of routers LAN ports into a second WAN port and have two separate internet service provider connections. You can use the second connection for redundancy, or if you’re using up all of bandwidth, it can be divided between both connections.
Comment

Pro
 Can be used as cloud storage

You can connect a flash drive or a hard disk drive to this router and access its files from your phone using Asus AiCloud app or via web browser.
Comment

Con
 There’s no app for remote management

The only way to access router settings and customization features is through a web browser. When compared to other routers in this price range you would get an app for easier network management.
Comment

Con
 Hard to configure for most people

Even though it's one of the most customizable routers on the market, or maybe because of this fact, it's also quite hard to configure even for normal use.
Comment

Pro
 Best performance for the price for both large and small houses

The TP-Link Archer V2 offers great value for the money for most people who are looking to buy a wireless router. It is faster and covers the same area faster than routers that cost twice or three times as much, While it's not the best performant router under all circumstances, the jump in price to get the best router for a certain scenario would not be proportional to the added performance. At short range (around 11 ft) it provides 200Mbps-160Mbps depending on the line of vision, thickness of walls, etc. While on long range (around 43 ft) it provides 175Mbps-72Mbps depending on the line of vision, thickness of walls, materials the walls are made, etc.
Comment

Con
 Is missing some more advanced features found in other routers

It does not have some advanced features such as Quality of Service controls, iTunes server, jumbo frames or VPN server.
Comment

Pro
 Great for appartments with lots of WiFi interference from neightbours

The Archer C7 allows you to access both 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi bands, which has the benefit of improving performance but also makes it easier to escape any interference from any neighbours' WiFi.
Comment

Pro
 Provides a good assortment of basic features

It has four Gigabit ethernet ports, supports USB file sharing and media streaming through two USB 2.0 ports, has parental controls for an increased degree of control, and has support for guest networks.
Comment

Pro
 Good degree of control over the guest network

The Archer C7 allows you to use one guest network per WiFi band. You can choose when these guest networks are activated and you can also configure the maximum amount of bandwidth that guests can use.
Comment

Con
 Parental controls might be somewhat confusing

For those who are less tech-savvy, setting up parental controls may be tricky, since they use the MAC addresses of the network's computers (both those use by adults and children).
Comment

Pro
 Excellent coverage

The Amplifi HD provides industry leading wireless connectivity coverage of up to 20,000 square feet. The included router and two extenders are best suited for large homes.
Comment

Pro
 Great throughput

The Amplifi HD averages around 705 Mbps of throughput at a close distance of 5 feet. At 140 feet, that throughput drops to 177.5 Mbps — more than enough to share a 100 Mbps broadband connection, which is the top speed that majority of computers, phones or tablets can handle.
Comment

Pro
 Better performance through walls than any other mesh network solution

AmpliFi HD uses 3x3 MIMO which allows it to perform better and more consistently in houses with lots of thick/plaster walls than any other mesh network solution.
Comment

Pro
 A snap to set up

To set up the router you just need to download the app and follow the step-by-step guide. The whole process takes a few minutes.
Comment

Pro
 Looks cool

The AmpliFi HD router has a unique design. It is a small white cube, with a round 1.6-inch touchscreen, that can show date, time or your upload and download speeds.
Comment

Con
 Mesh access points don't look as appealing as the router itself

The two mesh access points looks like antennas that you would put on the roof of your home. They are 9.6 inches tall and can take up much space on your outlets.
Comment

Pro
 App is intuitive to use

Comment

Pro
 Easy network management through a companion app

It has an intuitive companion app that enables instant setup, includes powerful reporting metrics, and provides easy guest access. If there’s a network problem, you can resolve it via your app. There’s also constant reporting on network security.
Comment

Con
 Mesh networks can be overkill in many instances

Mesh networks are a very good choice for bigger homes but they can be overkill in many instances. If you're living in an apartment or smaller home, the Amplifi HD system won't be the best solution.
Comment

Con
 Lacks ability to place device in DMZ

Users may need the ability to specify an IP that needs zero port restrictions and needs to be placed in the DMZ. This isn't an available option on the router; therefore, as a work around you must use port forwarding to open ports 1-65535 for a specific IP address. Hopefully this becomes an option in the future...
Comment

Pro
 A small or midsize home can be covered with just the router

AmpliFi router on its own has a range of 90 feet, which should be more than enough for a small or midsize home.
Comment

Con
 Currently lacks MU-MIMO for efficient network management

In situations where two people would try to start video streams at the same exact time on different devices, one of them would be prioritized over the other and it would have to wait until the first had buffered a few bits of data for itself. But usually, you won’t notice a slowdown. This technology will be implemented with AmpliFi HD in the nearest future.
Comment

Pro
 Good performance with a single unit

Eero can deliver theoretical throughput speeds of 1 Gbps. In real life testing, as a single router, at 10 feet eero averages 447 Mbps. At 75 feet away it averages 182 Mbps.
Comment

Pro
 Voice controlled features for owners of Amazon’s Alexa-controlled Echo speaker

If you own an Echo, eero’s custom Alexa feature lets you tell eero that it’s dinner time and you need to pause someones internet. Or it can find your phone, based on the eero that it’s connected to.
Comment

Pro
 Intelligent mesh networking software that adapts to your home network

Eero uses a mesh networking software called TrueMesh. It learns information about your network – modem, eeros, and connected devices. It determines how to pass traffic with the best efficiency, notices if there are any changes in your network, and automatically optimizes ways to transmit data.
Comment

Pro
 Good coverage

With three units, it can cover about 4,000 square feet with an average speed between units of 100 Mbps or higher. You can make them cover a larger area, up to 6,000 square feet, but the real-world WiFi speed will be reduced to less than 50 Mbps.
Comment

Con
 Lacks performance with multiple units

With a second Eero unit on the network, the connection is much slower, at close range, it averages 180 Mbps. When the distance is increased, the speed is 150 Mbps. With three units it averages just 70 Mbps at close range and 25 Mbps at a distance. To get the best performance, you need to place satellite units around the main router.
Comment

Con
 Can get expensive for bigger homes

Eero WiFi System is available for just under $400. It includes three access points which will cover 4,000 square feet. However if this isn’t enough for you and you need better coverage with decent WiFi speeds, you can get more devices for an extra $199 each. This makes it at least a total of $600, depending on the size of your home.
Comment

Pro
 Smart features prevent congestion and manage complex settings

Google WiFi uses built in software, called Network Assist technology, that works behind the scenes to deliver the best possible WiFi connection. When you're walking around the house, Network Assist seamlessly transitions your device to the closest WiFi point for faster connection. It also automatically connects your device to the fastest available band based on your location.
Comment

Pro
 Easy to setup through the Google Wifi app

The Google WiFi app makes setup very simple. Once you've downloaded the app, you'll have to scan the QR code on the bottom of the WiFi point, which creates a secure connection between the device and your phone. After that all you have to do is to enter the name and password and the app will do everything else in the background.
Comment

Pro
 Highly reliable in urban apartments with crowded Wi-Fi bandwidth

Comment

Pro
 App helps you monitor and control your home Wi-Fi

The Google Wifi app for Android and iOS allows complete monitoring and control of your network in a user friendly app. You can see which devices are connected and how much bandwidth each is using. You can prioritize devices for faster speeds when it matters most, even pause your kids' internet for dinner time.
Comment

Con
 Wireless signal extension causes loss of signal

Each time you extend the signal wirelessly, signal loss will occur, which basically means slower speeds. You can mitigate this by placing the satellite units around the first router unit, but it will also mean worse coverage.
Comment

Con
 Doesn't get through walls well

Despite claims, my real world tests showed Google Wifi is slow and loses its 5Ghz signal almost completely through thick/plaster walls, defeating its entire purpose.
Comment

Pro
 Up to 4,500 sq. ft. of coverage

Each hardware unit is called a WiFi point and you can have up to three units. One unit will cover 1,500 square feet, and three units will cover 4,500 square feet. So depending on the size of your home you can choose how many WiFi points you need and place them where they are needed the most.
Comment

Con
 Limited management app

Doesn't support even basic features like changing your local network's IP range, and you'll be hunting around the app wondering if it lacks a feature, or if you just can't find it in the app.
Comment

Con
 No web-based interface

The WiFi system can only be set up and controlled via the Google WiFi mobile app. A Google account and a mobile device are required for setup and management.
Comment

Con
 App Requires you to share network data with Google

Your local network is now Google's Business. Not at all necessary for the product to work, but it's Google, so your data is now their data.
Comment

Pro
 Great performance

This tri-band AC3000 device can deliver theoretical throughput speeds of 1,266Mbps (400Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 866Mbps on the 5GHz band). Third 5GHz band can reach maximum speeds of 1,733Mbps. In real life testing the Orbi router turns in a score of 480Mbps, and the satellite delivers 470Mbps. At a distance of 30 feet, the Orbi router scores 223Mbps, and the satellite scores 220Mbps. To maximize routers performance Orbi uses a separate 5GHz band that’s used only for communications between the router and the satellite. In comparison, other Wi-Fi extenders use the same bands to extend signal, which results in a 50% signal loss each time the signal is wirelessly extended.
Comment

Pro
 Good covarage

The Netgear Orbi WiFi system can cover up to 6,000 square feet home. The router itself can cover 2,000 square feet and one satellite unit covers additional 2,000 square feet. It’s possible to add a second extender for a total coverage of 6,000 square feet. The idea is that you would put the main router near your ISP's modem and then just add the extender where it’s needed the most.
Comment

Pro
 Simple setup

Setting up the Orbi is very easy. All you need to do is to turn on the main router, download the Orbi app, and follow few simple steps. Then you need to find a place for satellite where you can get best possible coverage. Connection between main router and satellite will be done automatically.
Comment

Con
 Expensive to buy 1 individual satellite

If you find out that a pair of two is not sufficient, you will be paying a lot more for 1 extra satellite.
Comment

Con
 Expensive for bigger homes

Orbi Home WiFi System is available for just under $400. It includes a router and an extender which will cover 4,000 square feet. However if this isn’t enough for you and you need better coverage, you can get a third device for an extra $250, which makes it a total of $650.
Comment

Pro
 Great performance and range

The Core is capable of achieving maximum throughput speeds of 2.5 Gbps and can cover a home of somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 square feet. It has a powerful 1.7 GHz Dual Core processor and performance-enhancing features, such as 4x4 MU-MIMO and beamforming. 4x4 MU-MIMO means that router can handle simultaneous transmission with up to three devices and beamforming allows router to focus Wi-Fi signal specifically on a device.
Comment

Pro
 Great design

The Norton Core has a very unique design, instead of a clunky box, it's a geodesic dome. It is available in two colors, Titanium Gold or Granite Gray, so you can match the router with your interior.
Comment

Pro
 State of the art security for safer browsing

The Norton Core is a combination of powerful router and an antivirus . It's able to defend you from spyware, malware, viruses, hackers and any other online threats. It checks every data packet for any suspicious activity and if Core notices anything strange about it, the packet gets denied.
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Pro
 Provides network security for Internet of Things devices

The Norton Core will protect any internet-connected smart devices that you are using at your home. So if your fridge is connected to the internet, the Norton Core will protect it from hackers.
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Con
 Protection is limited to 20 devices

The Norton Core can protect only up to 20 PCs, smartphones and tablets. While this might be enough for home network, this probably won't be enough for an office space.
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Pro
 Great performance

This AC1900 router tops out at a theoretical 1.9 Gbps of throughput. In real life testing at 5 feet the router’s throughput is 616.8Mbps over the 5 GHz band and 121.6Mbps over the 2.4GHz band. At 140 feet it maintains combined throughput of 252.4 Mbps. To achieve this result, it uses beamforming technology, which means that the router determines where the device is located and focuses a better signal towards that specific device.
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Pro
 Several custom firmwares readily available

To make greater use of the powerful component hardware, owners can easily flash any of the popular third-party firmwares like TomatoUSB, DD-WRT, AsusWRT and more using the existing upgrade page in the stock web-based control panel.
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Con
 Good only for smaller homes

Does not work for a 2900 sq ft home with Nighthawk on one side of the house and trying to getting a signal on the other side of the house.
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Pro
 Excellent USB performance

The Nighthawk achieves file transfer rates of 231.2 Mbps over USB 3.0 and 224 Mbps over USB 2.0. This means that you can connect an external hard disk drive to this router and share a 2 GB file over a Wi-Fi network in just over a minute.
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Pro
 You can specify the amount of bandwidth you wish to dedicate to gaming or video

Nighthawk offers two different types of traffic prioritization tools. Traffic that is sent out by the user can be prioritized for gaming, while incoming traffic can be prioritized for improved video streaming.
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Pro
 Intuitive mobile interface via its Tether app

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Pro
 Two USB 2.0 ports for file sharing and storage

The two USB 2.0 ports makes it easier for you to share printers, files, and media with other devices trough your home network or via the ftp server while away from home.
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Pro
 Four Gigabit Ethernet ports for faster network

With one Gigabit WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports, you can connect up to four devices with Ethernet cables for the fastest network speed possible.
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Pro
 Good performance

This dual-band router has a combined throughput of up to 1.2 Gbps over its both bands. Realistically, its average throughput at short distance is 315 Mbps. So you’ll have enough throughput to stream HD movies, as well as play online games and browse websites without any problems.
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Pro
 Smooth performance with powerful CPU

This router uses a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, which is more than enough to manage all the processing needs of this device. This ensures users will feel no network hiccups.
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Pro
 Extremely fast speeds

The AD7200 is a tri-band router, with a maximum theoretical speed of up to 7.2 Gbps over its three bands. In real life testing, The Talon manages an average download speed of 867.6Mbps. That throughput is possible mainly because of the router’s use of the new 802.11ad Wi-Fi standard.
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Pro
 Easy to setup

Configuring this router is very simple: just plug it to a power outlet and then just access it via ethernet or its default wireless network.
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Pro
 Intuitive mobile interface via its Tether app

Tether is an app for this router. It has a easy to use layout that allows you to setup the router and access WiFi settings such as guest access and parental controls.
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Con
 Few/any currently available wireless ad adapters

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Con
 Expensive

Even if the Talon AD7200 is a good product, unless you have 802.11ad clients, it's not worth the price it costs.
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Con
 Poor range

The range of new 802.11ad WiFi standard is 10 times lower when compared to the more commonly used 802.11ac. And it can't penetrate walls, making its use very limited for most households.
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Pro
 Beautiful designs that blend in with any decor

The OnHub router is one of the more good looking network devices. It’s a cylindrical device that has several customized shells to choose from, so it can fit with your decor.
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Pro
 Great coverage

With a range of up to 2,500 square feet, the OneHub is superb for modest-sized or larger homes.
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Pro
 First-class performance

The OnHub can provide a maximum theoretical throughput of up to 1.9Gbps across its both bands. Up to 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 1.3 Gbps on the 5GHz band. Realistically, at a close range of 15 feet (about 4.6 m), the router registers a throughput of 308Mbps. When the distance is increased to about 100 feet (30m), the throughput drops to 179Mbps.
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Pro
 Incredibly easy to set up

Setting up the OnHub es very simple, you just need to turn it on, download the app, and follow few simple steps.
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Con
 Very few advanced functions

The OnHub is a very simple router, there are no additional customization features for more advanced users. It also lacks many standard router-management features, including parental controls and support for VPN services.
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Pro
 Less congestion with multiple Wi-Fi bands

With the RT-AC5300 you get three separate WiFi bands, one 2.4 GHz and two 5 GHz bands. The additional 5 GHz band helps to lower congestion, because both 5 GHz bands can split the load between each other.
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Pro
 Excellent performance

It's a device that delivers theoretical throughput speeds of up to 3.1 Gbps across both bands. It's capable of moving up to 1 Gbps in the 2.4 GHz band and 2.1 Gbps on 5 GHz bands. In real life testing at close range of 3 feet, RT-AC5300 delivers throughput of 661.6 Mbps. To maximize the router's speed it uses 1024-QAM which boosts the routers performance by 25% when compared to the more commonly used 256-QAM modulation scheme.
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Pro
 You’ll be able to play games or stream 4K videos without a hitch

This router offers game-enhancement options such as Multi-User Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MU-MIMO), 4X4 data transmissions, and a wealth of management settings. MU-MIMO offers simultaneous rather than sequential streaming and 4x4 data transmission gives four individual streams to deliver and receive data.
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Con
 Bulky design

This router is large, thanks in no small measure to its bulky antennas. Without them, it measure 9.6 x 9.6 x 2.6 inches. Including the antennas increases them to 9.6 x 11 x 6 inches.
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Pro
 Supports MU-MIMO for effective network management

If you have multiple devices using a lot of traffic at the same time, the ASUS RT-AC5300 can handle all of them simultaneously without sacrificing performance.
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Con
 Overkill for an average user

Unless you have a large house or an office with plenty of Wi-Fi devices that play games or stream media, using the Asus RT-AC5300 is overkill especially considering its price tag.
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Pro
 Router speed optimization

This router uses 1024-QAM, which is an extension of the 256-QAM technology. This technology allows to optimise router speed.
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Pro
 Open Source

Open hardware running free operating system based on OpenWrt
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Pro
 Performance

High power dual-core ARM CPU at 1.6 GHz with PC-like performance
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Pro
 Security

Secure default configuration, easy setup and automatic updates
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Con
 Windows users have to download additional software

There is no web browser control for the Extreme, so users must download the AirPort Utility for Windows to configure and manage settings.
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Con
 Trails other AC routers in speed

This dual-band router has a theoretical peak performance of 1.75 Gbps. In real life testing at 5 feet, it hits just 209.6 Mbps and 201.6 Mbps at 50 feet. It holds its performance at distance, but it's still slower than other AC routers.
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Pro
 Easy setup for iOS and OS X

The AirPort Extreme is very easy to configure. You just need to plug it in and the follow the instructions provided by the setup assistant that's built into iOS or in the AirPort Utility for OS X.
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Con
 Lacks additional customization options

AirPort Extreme offers only the most common features, such as guest networking and port forwarding, but lacks options like parental controls and traffic prioritization. It doesn't even have a web filtering option, for blocking specific websites.
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Pro
 Compact design

Plume WiFi system consists of hexagonal pods. Compared to most routers, Plume pods are very tiny and one can easily fit in the palm of a hand. They're just 2.5 inches across and 1.5 inches deep.
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Pro
 Self improving, adaptive network

Plume WiFi uses cloud-based technology to figure out how you’re using the internet. It checks for interference from other devices and what devices are connected to each pod. It uses this information and over time optimizes its network to achieve the best possible performance.
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Con
 Poor range

With six pods, the system can cover a home of 1,800 square feet. Range of a single pod, with clear line of sight, is about 20 to 30 feet. If there are any obstacles, range decreases to about 15 feet. Beyond 15 feet you might lose connectivity. You’ll need a separate pod for every room and for each pod you'll need a separate outlet. If you have a bigger living room, you might even need two pods.
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Con
 Lacking performance

Plume WiFi is capable of a theoretical combined throughput of 1.2 Gbps. Realistically at a close range of 5 feet and a clear line of sight, the router registers throughput of 230 Mbps. When the distance is increased and there is no clear line of sight, throughput drops to 60 Mbps.
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Con
 Lacks additional features

The Plume Pods lack additional features that are common in other WiFi systems, such as manual bandwidth prioritisation, manually assigning a device to a pod, or measuring the bandwidth usage of Ethernet devices.
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Pro
 Fits in with a variety of decors

Pods are available in three colors - champagne, silver, and onyx. This gives you the option to match routers with your interior.
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Pro
 Great performance using tri-band technology

This AC3200 router utilizes three simultaneous WiFi bands for maximum theoretical throughput of 3.2 Gbps. In real life testing at a close range of 15 feet it clocks in close to 600 Mbps. When distance is increased to about 100 feet, the speed drops to 240 Mbps.
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Pro
 Can be remotely managed with a companion app

There’s an easy to use app for your smartphone or tablet. You can use it to access your router's settings and customization options.
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Pro
 Easy to set up

Setting up this router is very similar to installing a game on your computer. Once you’ve powered it up and connected it to your modem, just open the browser and go to 192.168.1.1. This will open Linksys Smart WiFi setup wizard, where you'll have to click "Next" few times and write in the name and password of your network.
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Pro
 You can prioritize bandwidth for devices and some specific applications of those devices

For example you can give Skype a higher priority, so the quality of your video calls wouldn't be affected because someone else is streaming a movie and using up all of bandwidth . You can also give higher priority to some online games for better latency.
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Con
 Lacks advanced customization features

You can’t set up a VPN server or have multiple internet service provider connections to your router. With a VPN server you can be traveling around the world and browsing the internet, but your smartphone or laptop would think that it’s connected to your home network. And multiple internet service provider connections could be used for redundancy or load-balancing.
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Con
 Expensive

At $300 this router is more expensive when compared to other tri-band routers.
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Con
 Most devices don’t support three simultanious WiFi bands

Most consumer devices are built to support two simultaneous WiFi bands, not three. Before upgrading your network with a tri-band router, you should make sure that your computer and/or smartphone supports this technology. Otherwise you won't be able to use this router to its full potential.
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Pro
 Allows sharing files using USB Port

A USB 3.0 port allows you to share files with other devices connected to the network. It makes for easier media streaming and data sharing. You can plug an HDD or flash storage drive into the back of your router and share that data with any device on the network.
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Pro
 Network can be managed remotely

This router comes with software that allows network managers to access the network remotely, form any device with an internet connection.
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Pro
 Good performance

With its single-core 800MHz CPU, it can achieve (theoretical) throughput of total 1.2 Gbps. In real life testing at a close distance, this router averages 430 Mbps.
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Con
 Non-removable antennae

If one or both of them breaks, you might need to replace the unit entirely.
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Pro
 Customization is possible using OpenWRT

This router has extensive customization options (enhanced QoS settings, WiFi optimization and traffic shaping, among other things). This is thanks to the use of OpenWRT, which is an open-source, Linux-based OS.
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Con
 Lacks MU-MIMO for efficient network management

This can become an issue when you're streaming video or gaming online with multiple devices. With MU-MIMO the router would be able to stream multiple lanes of traffic simultaneously. Routers without MU-MIMO have to send data to each device in turn.
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Pro
 Remote management via app

This router comes with a monitoring/management companion app for smartphones and tablets. This enables network managers to take actions remotely if needed, such as content blocking or device banning.
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Pro
 Impressive hardware

This router had a 1.6 GHz dual-core CPU and it comes with 512MB of RAM. Its dual-band electronics make it capable of handling four independent lanes of data traffic.
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Pro
 Great for office spaces

You can create a separate, password-protected WiFi network for up to 50 people and easily share the password. This means that you can have a more secure network at your office space. And if some of your guests are eating up all of your traffic, you can prioritize devices that need the most speed.
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Pro
 Quick and easy setup

Once you have successfully connected your PC to the router, open any browser and go to 192.168.1.1. Everything else from there is self-explanatory.
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Pro
 Excellent performance

This router's performance is very good: it has a peak performance of 1.9 Gbps on both bands (theoretical). It can move up to 600 Mbps in 2.4-GHz mode and up to 1,300 Mbps in 5-GHz mode. In real life testing at a close range the WRT1900ACS delivers a total throughput of 515 Mbps across its both bands.
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Con
 High price

While the router has blazingly fast download and upload speeds, at $229 it could be slightly pricey for average home networking customers.
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Con
 Hefty design

This router's dimensions are 9.7 x 7.6 x 2.0 inches, which make it quite big when compared to competitors.
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Pro
 Up to 4,500 sq. ft. of coverage

Each hardware unit is called a WiFi point and you can have up to three units. One unit will cover 1,500 square feet, and three units will cover 4,500 square feet. So depending on the size of your home you can choose how many WiFi points you need and place them where they are needed the most.
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Con
 No web-based interface

The WiFi system can only be set up and controlled via the Google WiFi mobile app. A Google account and a mobile device are required for setup and management.
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