The 5 best Wi-Fi routers for a faster and more reliable internet connection

Best overall: TP-Link Archer AX73

• Wi-Fi standard: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
• Ethernet ports: 4x Gigabit LAN
• USB ports: 1x USB-A 3.0
• Mesh support: Yes, through TP-Link OneMesh

Pros: Excellent performance, simple setup process, attractive design, reasonable size, good value 

Cons: No support for faster wired Ethernet

The TP-Link Archer AX73 hits the sweet spot in today's competitive router market. It provides the features and performance you demand but keeps the price just below $200. 

My tests show the Archer AX73, which supports Wi-Fi 6 and quotes a maximum wireless bandwidth of 5,400 Megabits per second (Mbps), is nearly as fast as high-end routers, like the and Linksys EA9500, Netgear Nighthawk RAX200, and TP-Link AX6600. When near the router, I see sustained real-world speeds of up to 682Mbps, which drops to 106Mbps in a detached home office. The AX73 was no more than 20% slower than top performers across my tests. 

The AX73 comes with four Gigabit Ethernet ports, along with an inbound Gigabit Ethernet wide-area network (WAN) port, and has a single USB 3.0 port for connecting a storage device directly to the router. At this price, I would like support for faster WAN speeds, such as 2.5Gbps or 10Gbps Ethernet. This isn't a concern for most owners, however, as few people have access to internet service that exceeds Gigabit performance.

The AX73 is exceptionally easy to set up and use. The company's Tether app, which is used to set up and control most TP-Link routers, is among my favorites in the industry. The app is not required, however: TP-Link also offers a great web interface that can be accessed through a PC or Mac's web browser.

I like the look and size of the AX73. It's fairly conventional and, while larger than less expensive models, still reasonably easy to place on a shelf or desk. Other, faster routers take up more space and stick out more in a room.

Best budget: TP-Link Archer AX50

• Wi-Fi standard: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
• Ethernet ports: 4x Gigabit LAN
• USB ports: 1x USB-A 3.0
• Mesh support: Yes, through TP-Link OneMesh

Pros: Good performance at long range, simple setup process, attractive design, compact size

Cons: Maximum Wi-Fi speeds could be higher

The TP-Link Archer AX50 is an outstanding Wi-Fi router that effectively makes every other budget Wi-Fi router obsolete. You can buy a router for less, but the sacrifice you'll make in performance isn't worth the savings.

Performance is good, though not great, with a maximum real-world download speed of 485Mbps. That's very fast but a definite step down from the best.

However, the AX50's performance remains respectable at range. It handled our two most demanding test scenarios (a living room chair on the opposite side of the house and a detached office) just as well as the more expensive AX73. This budget router also beats budget mesh systems like Google's Nest Wi-Fi.

The AX50 connects to the same intuitive, approachable Tether app used to set up other TP-Link routers. Router setup takes less than five minutes. Power users can still rely on an in-depth web interface accessible through a PC or Mac's web browser. It also has four Gigabit Ethernet ports and a single inbound Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, which is typical of most modern Wi-Fi routers.

It's compact, too – approximately as large as a Nintendo Switch in its dock. This makes the AX50 easy to place out of sight on a desk or shelf.

Best Wi-Fi 6E: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500

• Wi-Fi standard: Wi-Fi 6E
• Ethernet ports: 1x 2.5 Gigabit LAN, 4x Gigabit LAN
• USB ports: 2x USB-A 3.0
• Mesh support: None

Pros: Supports Wi-Fi 6E, excellent Wi-Fi performance, performance holds up at range, as a 2.5 Gigabit LAN port 

Cons: Large, could use more Gigabit LAN ports for its size 

Netgear's Nighthawk RAXE500 is perfect for those seeking extreme performance from a conventional Wi-Fi router. It delivers incredible Wi-Fi speeds over the new Wi-Fi 6E wireless standard. 

I measured a maximum Wi-Fi 6E speed of 827Mbps and a maximum upload speed of 802Mbps. That sets a record in our testing. Wi-Fi 6 performance isn't far behind. A Wi-Fi 6 device connected to the 5GHz band measured a maximum download speed of 733Mbps and maximum upload speed of 632Mbps.

Performance holds up at range, as well. I saw speeds up to 100Mbps in a detached office 50 feet and many walls away from the router. That's not as quick as the Linksys Atlas 6E mesh router featured below, but high enough to feel fast and reliable. 

Like most routers, the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 is easy to set up through the company's Nighthawk mobile app. It includes the company's Armor security, which provides notifications when new devices are connected or suspicious network activity occurs. The Nighthawk app was easy to use and felt quick in my testing. You can also control the router through a web browser.

The RAXE500 is a very large router. You might have trouble finding a place to position it. Given it size, the router's inclusion of just four Gigabit LAN ports is surprising. There's room for more. The router also has a 2.5G LAN port and two USB-A 3.0 ports. 

Netgear's Nighthawk RAXE500 is expensive but justifies its price by providing a flagship experience. It's ideal for mid-sized homes that can place a router in a central location. At close range, it can deliver performance in league with the Linksys Atlas Max 6E mesh system at a lower price.

Best Wi-Fi 6E mesh: Linksys Atlas Max 6E

• Wi-Fi standard: Wi-Fi 6E
• Ethernet ports: 1x 5G WAN and 4x Gigabit LAN (per access point)
• USB ports: 1x USB-A (per access point)
• Mesh support: Standard

Pros: Top-tier performance, excellent range, plenty of wired connectivity, access points look attractive

Cons: Extremely expensive, large access points

Mesh systems often promise outstanding performance, but don't always deliver. Linksys's Atlas Max 6E is an exception. This mesh system demolished other routers to become the fastest mesh router I have ever used. 

Performance is outstanding while close to the primary access point, hitting an average of 753Mbps in our benchmark. What impresses me most, though, is the Atlas Max 6E's fast download and upload speeds across all test scenarios. There's even more performance available. This is a Wi-Fi 6E router, which means it has a 6GHz band available for even higher speeds on compatible devices.

Wired connectivity is strong as well. Each access point has one 5G Gigabit WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports, plus a USB-A port for attaching peripherals to the network. This means you can use any of the mesh system's access points as the primary router. The wired ports will not work on the additional access points, however. 

Setup is easy, though nothing to write home about. Linksys has an attractive app that will guide you through setup and provide a healthy variety of routing options once finished. There's also a web interface available, though Linksys makes some advanced settings hard to find. 

The real problem is the price: at least $800 for two routers or $1,200 for three. This is a high price for any router. However, it's in line with the price of competing routers with Wi-Fi 6E support.  

To be clear, most people don't need a system this fast or reliable. The Linksys Atlas Max 6E targets demanding owners in large homes connected to an internet service with Gigabit speeds.