The best routers for the task, and the buck
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Upgrading to a new router can alleviate the pain of a
Picking a Wi-Fi router is difficult because you can’t judge a router by reading its box. Consumers can’t assume every new router is better than an old one: A solid old router could give a better signal at a longer range than a cheap, new router, for instance.
Splurging on a fancy new router isn’t the wisest solution, either. You may pay too much for something that is overkill for your needs; by the time you upgrade all your gadgets to be up to speed with your new router, you could buy something even better for less.
To make picking a router easier, The Wirecutter tested dozens of the devices for hundreds of hours and chose a handful for different living situations and budgets.
TP-Link Archer C7Price: $100 (Rs 6,482)
Best for: Most people. The Archer C7 is a fast 802.11ac router with incredible range. It’s better than many routers that are twice as expensive.
Special features: Price. The Archer C7 has an unbeatable price-performance ratio. Faster routers exist, but you’ll be spending more than it’s worth for the slight speed increase.
What you don’t get: A simple interface and useful features found in more expensive routers. It also does not have USB 3.0, an iTunes server, quality-of-service settings, remote access and a VPN server.
Apple AirPort Extreme Price: $199 (Rs 12,900)
Best for: Apple households. If the majority of your devices start with “i” or “Mac” and you value ease of use over everything else, the AirPort Extreme is a great choice.
Special features: AirPort Utility makes router setup and management supereasy on Apple devices. Other features include Time Machine backups via a USB 2.0 port, easy integration into an existing Apple network as a Wi-Fi extender and remote USB drive access via “Back to my Mac.” Prettier than most routers.
What you don’t get: Performance that justifies the price. It does not have an audio port for AirPlay streaming to speakers, a decent management app for Windows, parental controls and remote router management, and it has only three Ethernet LAN ports (most routers have four).
Netgear R6400 Price: $150 (Rs 9,723)
Best for: People who want a router that can also be used as a media server or virtual private network server or people who want something easier to use than the Archer C7 but just as fast.
Special features: This has great performance at long range. It also has Time Machine and ReadyShare backups, iTunes streaming, USB 3.0, parental controls, OpenVPN server for securing your public Wi-Fi browsing, remote access to connected storage and an access point mode for extending your existing wireless network.
What you don’t get: The ability to also use the router as a Wi-Fi extender or repeater. The setup is more complex than for an Apple AirPort Extreme.
TP-Link TL-WDR3600 Price: $60 (Rs 3,889)
Best for: People with one- or two-bedroom apartments or small homes who need just a simple wireless connection for their devices.
Special features: Decent last-generation 802.11n performance for a low cost. It also has four gigabit Ethernet ports; two USB 2.0 ports for file or printer sharing, built-in DLNA server for media streaming and guest Wi-Fi networks.
What you don’t get: There is no simple user interface, support for wireless-ac speeds, user-friendly parental controls, USB 3.0 ports, quality-of-service settings, iTunes server.
T-Mobile Personal Cellspot - Price: A deposit of up to $25 (Rs 1,620)
Best for: T-Mobile subscribers, who can get this router from a T-Mobile store for anywhere from nothing to a $25 (Rs 1,620) deposit. (Call ahead to check availability.)
Special features: It’s a modified version of an Asus RT-AC68U, a high-end 802.11ac router that doesn’t quite have the long-range performance of the Archer C7 but has an easier-to-use interface and better features, like a VPN server and the ability to act as a wireless extender. At its full price ($180 or Rs 11,668), the RT-AC68U isn’t a great deal, but for under $25 (Rs 1,620), it’s astonishingly good.
What you don’t get: A free router forever. If you leave T-Mobile, you’ll have to pay the carrier $99 (Rs 6,417) or return the router (still a great deal).
Splurging on a fancy new router isn’t the wisest solution, either. You may pay too much for something that is overkill for your needs; by the time you upgrade all your gadgets to be up to speed with your new router, you could buy something even better for less.
To make picking a router easier, The Wirecutter tested dozens of the devices for hundreds of hours and chose a handful for different living situations and budgets.
TP-Link Archer C7Price: $100 (Rs 6,482)
Best for: Most people. The Archer C7 is a fast 802.11ac router with incredible range. It’s better than many routers that are twice as expensive.
Special features: Price. The Archer C7 has an unbeatable price-performance ratio. Faster routers exist, but you’ll be spending more than it’s worth for the slight speed increase.
What you don’t get: A simple interface and useful features found in more expensive routers. It also does not have USB 3.0, an iTunes server, quality-of-service settings, remote access and a VPN server.
Apple AirPort Extreme Price: $199 (Rs 12,900)
Best for: Apple households. If the majority of your devices start with “i” or “Mac” and you value ease of use over everything else, the AirPort Extreme is a great choice.
Special features: AirPort Utility makes router setup and management supereasy on Apple devices. Other features include Time Machine backups via a USB 2.0 port, easy integration into an existing Apple network as a Wi-Fi extender and remote USB drive access via “Back to my Mac.” Prettier than most routers.
What you don’t get: Performance that justifies the price. It does not have an audio port for AirPlay streaming to speakers, a decent management app for Windows, parental controls and remote router management, and it has only three Ethernet LAN ports (most routers have four).
Netgear R6400 Price: $150 (Rs 9,723)
Best for: People who want a router that can also be used as a media server or virtual private network server or people who want something easier to use than the Archer C7 but just as fast.
Special features: This has great performance at long range. It also has Time Machine and ReadyShare backups, iTunes streaming, USB 3.0, parental controls, OpenVPN server for securing your public Wi-Fi browsing, remote access to connected storage and an access point mode for extending your existing wireless network.
What you don’t get: The ability to also use the router as a Wi-Fi extender or repeater. The setup is more complex than for an Apple AirPort Extreme.
TP-Link TL-WDR3600 Price: $60 (Rs 3,889)
Best for: People with one- or two-bedroom apartments or small homes who need just a simple wireless connection for their devices.
Special features: Decent last-generation 802.11n performance for a low cost. It also has four gigabit Ethernet ports; two USB 2.0 ports for file or printer sharing, built-in DLNA server for media streaming and guest Wi-Fi networks.
What you don’t get: There is no simple user interface, support for wireless-ac speeds, user-friendly parental controls, USB 3.0 ports, quality-of-service settings, iTunes server.
T-Mobile Personal Cellspot - Price: A deposit of up to $25 (Rs 1,620)
Best for: T-Mobile subscribers, who can get this router from a T-Mobile store for anywhere from nothing to a $25 (Rs 1,620) deposit. (Call ahead to check availability.)
Special features: It’s a modified version of an Asus RT-AC68U, a high-end 802.11ac router that doesn’t quite have the long-range performance of the Archer C7 but has an easier-to-use interface and better features, like a VPN server and the ability to act as a wireless extender. At its full price ($180 or Rs 11,668), the RT-AC68U isn’t a great deal, but for under $25 (Rs 1,620), it’s astonishingly good.
What you don’t get: A free router forever. If you leave T-Mobile, you’ll have to pay the carrier $99 (Rs 6,417) or return the router (still a great deal).