7 best wifi routers to boost your work-from-home connectivity indy100 indy100 Indy100 logoNewsletter sign upRegister/Sign inTop 100NewsViralPoliticsCelebritiesScience & TechVideoWishlistWishlistBooksFashion & BeautyFood & DrinkHome & GardenKidsSports & FitnessTechTravel & OutdoorsMoreScience & techVideoConversationsSportIdentitiesLifestyleShowbizTVSearchxWishlistwifi
7 best wifi routers to boost your work-from-home connectivity
Kelsey ChapmanNov 12, 2020 Getty Images/iStockphoto There are plenty of things to consider when searching for a new wireless router to keep up with the increased demands of working from home. We researched and compiled the top-rated models from popular stores, and these are the top picks we found. Ranging from just under $40 to over $200, there are plenty of options to handle just about every wifi need you can drum up so this streamlined list will give you a better idea of which direction to take if your mind is reeling from the endless array out there. Be sure to check out our similar roundup of the best USB dongles available to further help strengthen your internet connection, and we also rounded up great antivirus software for the best online protection for your family here. You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn a commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing, expert advice and our own research. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Eero AC Tri-band Mesh Wi-Fi System
This is the top-rated router on Best Buy that uses TrueMesh technology that makes it “not only fast and resilient but also intelligently adapts to your home” according to the company's product description. Thousands of reviewers agree and cite easy setup, great connection quality, and impeccable speed among its upsides. As one reviewer raves: “I have recommended the Eero system to other friends and family, due to the fact that it hasn’t failed me during my whole experience and pretty much guarantees that if I have an issue (red light on the Eero pod) that it would be my internet provider and not the Eero equipment.” Eero $199.00 Buy Now Netgear Nighthawk Dual-Band AC1900 Router
A 4.7 rating out of 5 when averaged across well over 8,000 reviews is pretty impressive, so we took a look at what folks were saying about the Nighthawk that makes it a top pick for buyers. “Before this modem we had given up hope on our internet,” one very happy customer writes of their experience since investing in the product. “Our ping was none existent (usually 20 or less) and our download speed never went higher than 8 although we pay over $100 for 50 mbps download. So after a year of fighting with Shentel we decided to bite the bullet and purchase our own. Best decision ever.” Others left similar reviews, many focusing on how many people and devices were able to stream at once, with “speed” and “signal quality” topping thousands of users’ lists of pros.
NETGEAR $189.99 Buy Now Motorola Dual-Band AC1900 Router
Also among the biggest hits on Best Buy’s website is this Motorola model that looks more like something from Blade Runner and would thus suit a household attempting to keep things dark and sleek in the name of form AND function. It’s made so you can connect up to 10 devices in your network, and double SPI, NAT firewall protection and DoS (denial-of-service) technology helps prevent cyber attacks and keeps you secure. Reviewers laud the speed, set up, and signal quality, “It was very easy to set up and has been working flawlessly,” says ones user, who continues, “I have 250 gb service and have reached speeds of over 280 gb wirelessly through this wifi router with 5G.” Motorola $149.99 Buy Now Gryphon Guardian Advanced Parental Control System & WiFi Security Router
In addition to its cool pyramid structure and 1800 square foot reach, the Gryphon Guardian offers user friendly parental controls so you can manage what your little ones are viewing online and get great area coverage if the 28 five-star reviews are to be believed. “The app is easy to use and allows us to give individual time limits and content filters for our seven children,” says one busy buyer. “Malware protection built in allows me to uninstall anti-malware apps that used to slow down all my PCs.” Several comments crop up elsewhere also praising the customer service, including one by admittedly “not tech-savvy” users who had an easy time setting up the unit once they called the Gryphon support line. They say: “Within minutes, the engineer had figured out our problem and we were getting awesome streaming in our living room.” Gryphon $99.00 Buy Now Netgear Dual Band Smart Wi-Fi Router
The most budget-friendly option on this list goes to the classic but modern Netgear Dual Band Smart router. It's low cost and bare-bones charm probably won't get you a ton of coverage if your dwelling is more sprawling than the average city-dweller's apartment, but what it lacks in bells and whistles it makes up for in reliability. Like the machine itself, many reviews are a terse peek into the type of folks who go for this unit. "Straight forward simple setup. Good performance," states one happy customer plainly, while another notes, "Great product for a reasonable price," and says the setup was a breeze. NETGEAR $59.99 Buy Now TP-Link N450 WiFi Router - Wireless Internet Router for Home TL-WR940N
If you're looking for the ultimate budget model, check out this popular TP-Link available on Amazon for under $25. Wireless speeds reach up to 450Mbps, which the company claims is "ideal for bandwidth-intensive tasks like HD video streaming, VoIP, and online gaming." Users mostly appreciate the signal strength and tech support available with this purchase, and many point out that this is best for someone with a small home or just a home office that needs a signal boost–larger spaces will require a heavier investment. TP-LINK $24.99 Buy Now TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Router Archer A5 - Dual Band Wireless Internet Router 4 x 10 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet Ports Supports Guest WiFi Access Point Mode IPv6 and Parental Controls
Buyers love this budget product for its ease of setup, tech support options, strong signal, and user friendliness. “I did a research and this one was less pricy with moderate reviews. I was reluctant because I wasn’t sure if this would work,” one buyer writes, “But for my surprise, it just worked without much configurations. I didn’t need to do anything in my old ARIS. Just connect this and follow quick set up and worked just fantastic. It’s advisable to download the tether app and configure your WiFi credentials in advance as per your preference. The tether app even provides lot of cool features such as sharing WiFi, Guest WiFi, QR code generation, LED control ( have you ever felt that your router LEDs disturb you in midnight).” TP-Link $29.00 Buy Nowwifi Latest
Holiday fashion guide Stay party-ready with a festive new look
dressesholidaysdresses12h Gifts for the beauty guru who already has it all tested and approved
beautygiftsbeautyOct 19, 2022 Clinical Skin review Will this luxury skincare brand work for you
skincarebeautyskincareOct 19, 2022 8 last-minute things we' re grabbing before Prime Day ends at midnight
amazon prime daygiftsamazon prime dayOct 12, 2022 Shopping for a robot vacuum Check out this Amazon lightning deal
amazon prime dayvacuum cleaneramazon prime dayOct 12, 2022 Ultra-stylish furniture you won' t believe is on sale at Amazon today
amazon prime dayfurnitureamazon prime dayOct 12, 2022 Stock up on cheap kids' holiday gifts during Amazon' s Prime sale today
amazon prime daytoyskidskids toysamazon prime dayOct 11, 2022 Look impossibly chic with these women' s fashion must-haves on sale now
women's fashionamazon prime daywomen's fashionOct 11, 2022 Trending home essentials to nab now during the Prime Early Access sale
amazon prime dayOct 11, 2022 Pelotons are finally on sale with Amazon Prime' s Early Access event
amazon primeOct 11, 2022 Insta360' s Prime Early Access sale on top-selling cameras is on now
amazon primeOct 11, 2022 Christmas decor sure to light up your 2022 holiday season
christmasOct 10, 2022 Amazon' s best TV deals to buy right now during Prime Day
amazon prime dayOct 10, 2022 12 Prime Early Access beauty deals to grab now before they sell out
amazon primeOct 07, 2022 Top-selling men' s clothes we' re buying during October' s Prime Day
amazon primeOct 05, 2022 Gadgets for gifting Amazon' s best personal tech products on sale now
techSep 29, 2022 The 95 best online clothing stores in the US
usSep 28, 2022 Amazon announces October 2022 Prime Day
amazon primeSep 27, 2022 Embrace the postmodern interior design trend with one of these pieces
designSep 26, 2022 Halloween sex toys to thrill you all season long
halloweenSep 26, 2022The Conversation (0)