Best Router Brand: NetGear vs. TP-Link vs. Linksys vs. Asus?
What are the best router brands?
If you are looking for a brand of wireless router that is durable, reasonably priced, and uses the latest Wi-Fi technology to provide extremely fast Internet speeds, then you have come to the right place.
The following are the most reliable brands of wireless routers with good value for money：
Netgear
TP-Link
Asus
Linksys
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1. Asus Router Reviews
Whether you lean towards the high end or the low end, Asus routers are some of the best on the market, especially if you have the budget to go for one of the higher-end models.
Asus is known for making highly versatile routers that punch well above their weight class when it comes to everything from range and performance to sophisticated features and versatility.
The best Asus routers offer up to 5,000 square feet of coverage and top-notch speeds, and the company has eagerly embraced technologies like tri-band Wi-Fi 6 and mesh wireless across its entire modern lineup.
Thanks to the inception of its Republic of Gamers (ROG) product line back in 2006, Asus also makes some of the best gaming routers on the market, packing in powerful multi-core CPUs that all but eliminate network latency, plus a wealth of other game optimization features.
This expertise spills over into all of its routers, however, since any company that can build a router to meet the demands of high-octane gamers can easily tackle things like streaming, video calling, and security.
The Asus RT-AC3200 is a solid option toward the lower-end of the router scale. It still packs a punch and will power the Wi-Fi requirements of most households, and comes with the same Trend Micro security guarantee.
Asus has a wide-ranging lineup of routers suitable for everyone from casual users to gamers who demand the best performance possible.
1.1. Best Asus Routers in 2024
#1. For the future:
ASUS RT-AX88U
( US$515.99, Get Up To 1% Cash Back with Newegg )
ASUS RT-AX88U is the best Wi-Fi 6 router. It is equipped with advanced functions and very powerful management software. Enjoy combined speeds up to 6,000Mbps across 2.4 and 5GHz bands.
It is a high-end product, if it is within your budget, if you are now ready to use Wi-Fi 6 and you want your wireless network to face the future, then RT-AX88U is the best choice.
#2. Ideal for average homes:
ASUS RT-AC68U
( US$160, Get Up To 1% Cash Back with Newegg )
For an average household, the ASUS RT-AC68U with AC1900 speed should be ideal.
This router offers AC1900 speeds across 2.4 and 5GHz bands, it has four LAN ports on the back for your wired devices, and there are two USB ports.
#3. Cheaper alternative:
ASUS RT-AC66U B1
( US$98, Get Up To 1% Cash Back with Newegg )
More technical and small business users including those wanting a true VPN server, robust IPv6, and granular control over the wireless signal will find the Asus RT-AC66U a delight.
This budget router offers speeds up to 450Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1,300Mbps on the 5GHz band. Four LAN and a USB-A port are included for wired devices.
2. Netgear Router Reviews
Netgear has long been a name associated with quality internet, it has been engineering routers for over two decades, and as a market leader, has always taken the lead in providing the most innovative and latest technology solutions to solve the WiFi connectivity problems in your home.
This company's routers cater to most budgets and requirements, and all its offerings, right from the most basic ones to the highly advanced models, offer great performance and features.
NETGEAR's routers focus on both speed and security. There are also gamer-centric router offerings to ensure smooth performance in multiplayer games.
Most models come with some sort of basic firewall protection and the ability to control the router from a smartphone. However, the software on the lower-end models might not offer a whole lot of customization options.
Most NETGEAR routers are compatible with OpenWRT or DD-WRT firmware and can be easily flashed if the user is comfortable with the process.
Some of the best Netgear routers also make up the list of the overall best Wi-Fi routers. The best Netgear routers give you a stable Wi-Fi connection, good range, and can help you connect multiple devices.
Netgear is a reputable manfacterer of routers and other networking device, with options ranging from the fairly standard dual-band routers, to gaming-oriented tri-band routers, and whole-home mesh networks.
Whether you are binging on the latest Netflix series, playing Overwatch with your friends online, or securing your home with Arlo security cameras.
2.1. Best Netgear Routers in 2024
#1. Great for most homes:
Netgear Nighthawk R6700 — AC1750
( US$89, Get Up To 1% Cash Back with Newegg )
If you're wondering exactly where to start, we suggest going with either the Nighthawk R6700 for the average household that doesn't need Wi-Fi 6 or advanced features. Compatible with 802.11ac, the Netgear Nighthawk R6700 provides speeds up to 450Mbps on the 2.4Ghz band and up to 1,300Mbps on the 5GHz band.
#2. Upgrade pick:
Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 Wi-Fi 6
( US$217.99, Get Up To 1% Cash Back with Best Buy )
The Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 is a solid option if you want to spend a little more on your router to get even faster speeds and Wi-Fi 6 capability. This router has four LAN ports, a 5GHz radio, two USB 3.0 connections, MU-MIMO technology, and six Wi-Fi streams for faster performance.
#3. Best for gaming:
Netgear Nighthawk XR500 gaming router
( US$235.99, Get Up To 1% Cash Back with Best Buy )
The Netgear Nighthawk RAX50 is a solid option if you want to spend a little more on your router to get even faster speeds and Wi-Fi 6 capability. This router has four LAN ports, a 5GHz radio, two USB 3.0 connections, MU-MIMO technology, and six Wi-Fi streams for faster performance.
3. TP-Link Router Reviews
TP-Link is a popular brand for network-related accessories from China, but this company produces devices with higher quality than you would expect. They are above average.
Not only that, TP-Link routers, more often than not, offer competitive specifications at great prices.
TP-Link is one of the industry's leaders when it comes to offering quality, affordable routers. It is a long-standing router brand that covers the entire spectrum of the market.
Its lineup includes everything from budget pieces suitable for one or two users in a small space all the way up to pricey high-end routers intended for gaming and 4K streaming in a large home or small office.
So, you'll find high-end gaming routers, like C5400 and its variants, but it also produces many budget router models, which makes it an easy router brand to recommend.
3.1. Best TP-Link Routers in 2024
#1. Best value:
TP-Link Archer A7
( US$46.8, Get Up To 1% Cash Back with Newegg )
The Archer A7 is a popular router thanks to a competitive price and performance that matches the needs of most people.
Still, with 450Mbps on the 2.4Ghz band and 1,300Mbps at 5Ghz, the Archer A7 is a great balance for a network that doesn't need a ton of performance.
There are four LAN ports on the back, and setup and management are easy enough for beginners to handle.
#2. Best performance:
TP-Link Archer C5400
( US$240, Get Up To 1% Cash Back with Newegg )
If you have many users connecting to one router, the Archer C5400 should be well worth the money. It has one 2.4 GHz band (1,000 Mbps) and two 5 GHz bands (both 2,167 Mbps) so that there's far less congestion, and it's MU -MIMO capable. Eight antennas provide excellent range, and a powerful CPU and co-CPUs handle Quality of Service (QoS) demands with ease.
#3. Best features for price:
TP-Link Archer C9
( US$69.99, Get Up To 1% Cash Back with Newegg )
If you're worried about range but don't want to spend big money, the Archer C9 features beamforming for its three external antennas to better find your devices. You get theoretical AC1900 speeds across the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands (600 Mbps and 1,300 Mbps) for smooth 4K streaming, and there's a built-in USB-A 3.0 port so that you can wirelessly share your media.
4. Linksys Router Reviews
Linksys remains a reputable router manufacturer, even if other hardware manufacturers have surpassed them in recent years.
Linksys is a known brand in the field of wireless routers for personal and commercial use, thanks to the wide variety of options on offer and good customer service.
Linksys has been a hit among the nontechnical crowd for years, mainly due to the equipment’s overall ease of use. Linksys’ administrative tools, which include everything from parental controls to port forwarding, are clearly explained in the tools themselves. Linksys routers are great for non-techies and even better for people who want to learn more about home networking.
The company offers routers catering to almost all budgets and feature requirements, and we must say that it has done an excellent job. Linksys has continued to innovate with its Velop series and began moving into Wi-Fi 6 for modern devices.
Compared to other router OEMs, Linksys offers a few features and enhancements that differentiate its products from the competition. For example, most Linksys routers offer good speed and great coverage along with MIMO capabilities. More importantly, these routers also feature user-friendly administrative controls along with data usage analytics that helps you get the most out of your ISP’s plan.
The MAX-STREAM MR7350 is the best Linksys router for most people with sufficient speed and mesh capabilities baked in, but there are other options as well.
Many of Linksys’ different models feature the same exterior design but have different internals. Pay close attention to the model numbers to differentiate among them.
4.1. Best Linksys Routers in 2024
#1. Best value Wi-Fi 6:
Linksys MR 7350
( US$99.99, Get Up To 1.5% Cash Back with B&H Photo Video )
The Linksys MAX-STREAM MR7350 router is an affordable Wi-Fi 6 router that also comes with mesh capabilities. The dual-band connection can deliver wireless speeds of AX1800 with 1,201Mbps at 5GHz and 574 at 2.4GHz.
Like all Wi-Fi 6 routers, it is backward compatible with 802.11ac/n/g/b/a and has four gigabit Ethernet ports so you can get your entire network connected. If you don't have Wi-Fi 6 devices yet, don't worry. Wi-Fi 6 routers like MR7350 work flawlessly with older Wi-Fi generations.
#2. Best Speed:
Linksys EA9500
( US$350, Get Up To 1.5% Cash Back with B&H Photo Video )
The granddaddy of all Linksys routers on the market today, offering powerful tri-band AC5400 performance. With a 1.4 GHz dual-core processor and support for MU-MIMO, each device can connect independently to the tri-band router and without affecting the bandwidth of the other devices for a total potential throughput of about 5.3 Gbps.
When it comes to overall performance and range, the EA9500 is hard to beat. Some of these concerns can be easily fixed by disabling MU-MIMO or IPv6, depending on the problem. Those who’d prefer fiddling with some of the advanced firewall options will be pleased to know that flashing DD-WRT on this router is possible.
#3. Best Security:
Linksys WRT3200ACM
( US$248, Get Up To 1.5% Cash Back with B&H Photo Video )
The Linksys WRT3200ACM delivers enough speed for most people at AC3200 with support for open source software for extra features.
The most exciting feature of this router is the ability to use custom software. OpenWRT, for example, can add in additional security features as well as continuing to get updates even after Linksys has stopped putting them out.
The speed is delivered at up to 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 2600Mbps on the 5GHz band. This will be more than enough speed for most standard browsing, streaming, and gaming on several devices, like the HP Pavilion Aero 13.
The comparison of Netgear, TP-Link, Asus, Linksys
Netgear Nighthawk X10 AD7200 | Asus RT-AC86U AC2900 | Linksys EA6350 AC1200+ | TP-Link Archer C7 AC1750 | Trendnet AC2600 | TP-Link AC2300 | Linksys WRT32X | |
| Top Theoretical Speed | 4600 Mbps on 60 GHz | 2167 Mbps on 5GHz | 867 Mbps on 5 GHz | 1300 Mbps on 5 GHz | 1733 Mbps on 5 GHz | 1625 Mbps on 5 GHz | 2600 Mbps on 5 GHz |
| LAN Ports | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Wireless Protocols | 802.11ac 802.11ad | 802.11ac | 802.11ac | 802.11ac | 802.11ac | 802.11ac | 802.11ac |
| Encryption | WEP WPA WPS WPA2-Ent | WEP WPA WPA2 WPS WPA2-Ent | WEP WPA WPS WPA2-Ent | WEP WPA WPA2 WPS WPA2-Ent | WEP WPA WPA2 WPA2-Ent | WEP WPA WPA2 WPS WPA2-Ent | WEP WPA WPA2 WPS |
| Antennas | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| MU-MIMO | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| QOS | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No |
Conclusion
Netgear, TP-Link, Asus, Linksys have been making routers for years and is known as some of the leading companies providing reliable hardware with solid features.
If you are a game lover, we recommend that you buy ASUS high-end routers. If you want affordable products, you can choose TP-Link, a trusted router brand. If you want to find a balance between technology and price, the most A good choice is Netgear. Although Linksys's multiple network connection interfaces sometimes drop, it is more popular than most brands in the market because it is a local brand. Finally, in addition to the brand, if you care about the model, you can refer to the recommended products above!
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