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Time to Upgrade

You've added more devices to your home WiFi and have started working from home full-time; it's time to upgrade your internet service to a gig speed. You'll want to ensure your equipment can deliver that speed. Let's check out some of the best routers in the market for gig speeds.

The Best Routers

The most advanced routers in the market are WiFi 6 and WiFi 6e routers. WiFi 6 and WiFi 6e routers offer faster performance, better battery life for your mobile devices, and less bandwidth congestion than WiFi 5 routers. Most WiFi 6 routers and all WiFi 6e routers offer WPA3, the latest version of WiFi security. The difference between the WiFi 6 and WiFi 6e routers is that the WiFi 6e routers support more channels resulting in less overlap between networks. Also, other radar devices and TV stations don't have access to the 6GHz band that WiFi 6e routers offer.

Some of the Best Routers

We’ve compiled a list of some of the best WiFi 6 and WiFi 6e routers on the market.

Infographic with a router, computer, calculator, and a document with a dollar sign

BEST FOR YOUR BUDGET

TP-Link Archer AX50

Over 8800 Amazon Reviews with 4.3 out of 5 Stars*

  • WiFi 6 Technology
  • 3 Gbps Speed (2402 Mbps on 5 GHz band and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz band)
  • Dual-Band
  • Connect 40+ devices
  • Easy Setup with the TP-Link Tether App
Learn More 
Infographic with a router, computer, and mobile device 

LATEST TECHNOLOGY

EERO Pro 6E

Over 1900 Amazon Reviews with 4.3 out of 5 Stars*

  • WiFi 6E Technology
  • Speeds up to 2.3 Gbps (a gigabit on wired and 1.6 Gbps on wireless)
  • Tri-Band
  • Connect 100+ devices
  • 2,000 sq. ft. coverage with 1-pack (up to 6,000 sq. ft. with 3-pack)
  • Access to the 6 GHz band (other radar devices and TV stations don’t have access to this band)
Learn More 

Infographic with a router and gaming devices

BEST FOR GAMING

TP-Link Archer AX11000

Over 830 Amazon Reviews with 4.4 out of 5 Stars*

  • WiFi 6 Technology
  • Speeds over 10 Gbps (4804 Mbps (5 GHz Gaming) + 4804 Mbps (5 GHz) + 1148 Mbps (2.4 GHz)
  • Tri-Band
  • Dedicated gaming band
  • Easy Setup with the TP-Link Tether App
  • Free lifetime subscription to antivirus protection
Learn More 

TP-Link Archer AX50

  • WiFi 6 Technology
  • 3 Gbps Speed (2402 Mbps on 5 GHz band and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz band)
  • Dual-Band
  • Connect 40+ devices
  • Easy Setup with the TP-Link Tether App
  • Backward Compatible: supports all previous 802.11 standards and all WiFi devices
  • MU-MIMO and OFDMA to efficiently allocate channels and communicate with multiple devices simultaneously
  • 1 Gigabit WAN Port and 4 Gigabit LAN Ports

View more details at https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/archer-ax50/

EERO PRO 6E

  • WiFi 6E Technology
  • Speeds up to 2.3 Gbps (a gigabit on wired and 1.6 Gbps on wireless)
  • Tri-Band
  • Connect 100+ devices
  • 2,000 sq. ft. coverage with 1-pack (up to 6,000 sq. ft. with 3-pack)
  • Access to the 6 GHz band (other radar devices and TV stations don’t have access to this band)
  • Mesh-capable
  • Works with Alexa
  • One auto-sensing 2.5 GbE and one auto-sensing Gigabit Ethernet port for WAN and/or LAN connectivity

View more details at https://eero.com/shop/eero-pro-6e

TP-Link Archer AX11000

  • WiFi 6 Technology
  • Speeds over 10 Gbps (4804 Mbps (5 GHz Gaming) + 4804 Mbps (5 GHz) + 1148 Mbps (2.4 GHz)
  • Tri-Band
  • Dedicated Gaming Band
  • Easy Setup with the TP-Link Tether App
  • Free lifetime subscription to antivirus protection
  • MU-MIMO and OFDMA to efficiently allocate channels and communicate with multiple devices simultaneously
  • OneMesh™ Supported
  • 2.5 Gbps WAN Ports and 8 Gigabit LAN Ports
  • 8 Detachable high-performance antennas

View more details at https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/archer-ax11000/

Although these are some of the best routers we’ve come across, it should be noted that there are other great routers on the market. Ultimately, you'll need to determine what is most important to you to decide which router to choose. For example, your budget might not align with the routers we've listed. You may also focus on finding a router that offers automatic band adjustment, so you don't have to decide which band to use. If you're looking to keep up with the latest technology, you'll likely want to go with a WiFi 6 or WiFi 6e router.

If you're ready to get started with your gig speed, you can check out Sparklight’s Internet Plans.

If you'd like to find out your current speed, you can run a speed test at sparklight.com/speedtest.

*Last reviewed 01/2023.

This website contains information regarding products manufactured and sold by third parties. Information contained herein regarding any manufacturer or product is informational only and does not constitute or imply an endorsement or recommendation of that manufacturer or product. No warranty of any kind, expressed, implied, or statutory, is made regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability, or usefulness of any information, either isolated or in the aggregate. All information is provided “as is.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a router do?
A router receives the Internet signal from your modem and wirelessly sends it to your other devices.
How much does a router cost?
If you are looking for a router that will support gig speeds, you can spend about $100 on the low end to over $400 on the higher end. You can expect higher prices if you have a larger home and need expanded coverage.
What do the different WiFi bands mean?
Your router sends out a signal through different bands. It uses 2.4, 5GHz airwaves, and 6GHz airwaves if it's a WiFi 6E router. Almost all routers have separate radios for those bands, which means you can connect to whichever band is best. Some routers will automatically assign you to the best band available, but others allow you to decide which one to use.
So how do you know which band to use?
The higher bands will be your best bet for a reliable, high-speed connection at close and medium ranges, but the 2.4GHz band works better for devices that are further away from your WiFi network. You'll have to decide if the improved capacity is worth the speed tradeoff. You won't need to guess if you have a router that automatically assigns the band. If you need to test each of them, you would likely want to start with the higher speeds, and then if you notice a loss in connection, you may want to switch over to the slower speeds.
What's the difference between WiFi6 and WiFi 6E technology?
The difference between the WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E routers is that the WiFi 6e routers support more channels resulting in less overlap between networks. Also, other radar devices and TV stations don't have access to the 6GHz band that WiFi 6E routers offer.
What is Mesh WiFi, and do I need it?
Mesh WiFi is a WiFi system that covers your entire home to avoid dead zones. A traditional router broadcasts the WiFi signal from one point, whereas mesh WiFi systems have multiple access points. If you have a large home, dead zones, or slow WiFi with your current setup, mesh WiFi may be something you can look into.