Wifi router for multiple devices
If you look around your house, you will notice that multiple devices work on your Wi-Fi connection. As the world gets more and more connected, this is becoming the reality of all present-day households. Apart from gadgets like smartphones, tablets, laptops, and game consoles, Wi-Fi is also required for modern washing machines, TVs, and other appliances.
When you plan to buy a router, you obviously consider the number of devices it can connect to. Additionally, you would also want to know about the additional features of the router. While several good-quality routers are available in the market, not all of them stand upon their claim. So, after examining and testing the best and most popular Wi-Fi routers, we have listed down the top five choices for you. These include Linksys Triband Router, NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart Router, D-Link Exo AC2600 MU-MIMO Router, Asus Dual-band Gigabit Gaming Router, and TP-LINK AC2600 Smart Router.
In this article, you will learn about the parameters to gauge in a Wi-Fi router, along with a brief overview of the best Wi-Fi routers.
What is the best wifi router for multiple devices?
The best wifi router for multiple devices is NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router. This high-quality router costs $150 and can get up to 2500 square feet wireless coverage with AC2600 speed.
We tested NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router for 50 users and it showed excellent results. However, NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router is recommended for up to 45 devices. NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart can be the best secondary wifi router that acts as an extender that takes your Wi-Fi signal and re-transmits it.
The Best Wireless Router for Multiple Devices in 2021 (list) is:
- NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart Wi-Fi Router
- ASUS Dual-Band Gigabit WiFi Gaming Router.
- TP-LINK AC2600 Smart WiFi Router
- Linksys Tri-Band WiFi Router for Home.
- D-Link Exo AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Router
Best Wi-Fi Routers for Multiple Devices: Top 5 Models
Glimpse through the prominent features of the best wireless routers along with their pros and cons:
ASUS Dual-band Gigabit Wi-Fi Router
If you seek a router that gives optimized performance for multiple gaming computers, Asus Dual-band Gigabit Wi-Fi Router is one great option to consider. Through 8 Gigabit LAN ports and a combined 3167 Mbps Wi-Fi speed, it ensures a smooth and lag-free optimized gaming experience even with multiple computers connected. The router utilizes NitroQAM technology that helps in enhancing latency for multiple gamers on one network. With its adaptive QOS, you can ensure that your gaming activities and packets are prioritized over other processes. You can also allocate a dedicated bandwidth for solo gaming.
Other useful features of this gaming router include the ASUS router app for intuitive router management and ASUS AiProtection with parental controls for security. Listed below are the plus and minus points of the ASUS Dual-band Gigabit Wi-Fi Router:
Pros:
- Sophisticated Customization Options for advanced users
- Supports AiMesh
- VPN Fusion lets one device go through a particular VPN via the router
Cons:
- No Instruction Manual is available in the packaging
D-Link Exo AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Router
With an awesome high-performance dual-core processor, D-Link Exo AC2600 MU-MIMO Router provides 4×4 data streams. The device decreases latency while you stream movies, play online games, and connect all your required devices to a high-speed network. Its great features like intelligent QOS, MU-MIMO, and band steering aid in fast connections. The router allows you to connect multiple devices simultaneously with the least amount of buffering or lag.
Further, its dual-band Wi-Fi prevents congestion, especially if you are residing in an apartment complex with several competing networks. The 4×4 data streams work to curb delays on getting connected, while DIR-882 takes your device to the less crowded band to maintain high speeds. Listed below are the positives and negatives of the D-Link Exo AC2600 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Router:
Pros:
- Intuitive Configuration Interface
- AC Smart Beam Technology to expand the range
- High-Performance Dual-Core Processor
Cons:
- Permits only reserved IP addresses for 24 devices.
Linksys Triband Wi-Fi Router
If you frequently watch streaming videos, you would want to have a router with a long-range. In this respect, Linksys Triband Wi-Fi Router is a great choice for you. The device delivers a high-speed connection to several devices simultaneously. So, you can play online games, browse the internet, and stream 4K media simultaneously without interruptions in performance. Besides, you can have a strong and seamless Wi-Fi signal in each corner of your home with a suitable Max Range Extender.
This Tri-band router has 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports that are ten times faster than a standard Ethernet. Another amazing feature of the router is Airtime Fairness. With this feature, the Wi-Fi signal is distributed effectively, and the lag generated by slow devices is reduced. Further, you can adjust your Wi-Fi settings from any place using the Linksys mobile app that works on Android and iOS phones. Listed below the benefits and limitations of Linksys Triband Wi-Fi Router:
Pros:
- Easy and quick to set up
- Set up alarms with Smart Wi-Fi
- Static IPs for devices like printers and cameras
Cons:
- Since WPA does not secure the guest network, it utilizes a captive portal like that of airports.
- Some users have faced issues with parental controls options.
TP-LINK AC2600 Smart Wi-Fi Router
If you want an affordable router with superior parental controls, TP-LINK AC2600 Smart Wi-Fi Router is the right one for you. It gives a premium performance at a reasonable price. The router’s ultra-fast dual-band Wi-Fi enables an amazing entertainment experience at exceptionally high speeds. Besides, its 4×4 data streams let you play online games, stream 4k videos, and use other internet-connected devices simultaneously.
Archer A10 makes the wireless networks more stable by focusing the signal strength on the connected devices. Besides, with MU-MIMO technology, you can connect several devices with your network at the same time. Other great features of the router are its IFTT and Alexa compatibility, parental controls to block out inappropriate and malicious websites, and convenient usability with the Tether app. Given below are the strengths and weaknesses of the TP-LINK AC2600 Smart Wi-Fi Router:
Pros:
- Excellent Range
- Very Easy to Configure
- Consistently Strong Signal
Cons:
- Requires a Power Cycle to operate for extended periods
- Weak customer support.
NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart Wi-Fi Router
Built to support up to 45 different devices simultaneously, NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart Router is perfect for people who need to connect many devices with their Wi-Fi. The router is specifically designed for heavy-duty streaming. It extends the network speed up to 2600 Mbps, which means you can comfortably enjoy multiplayer online gaming as well as 4k Ultra HD streaming. Besides, you never have to worry about your neighbors intruding into your network as it is equipped with high-level WPS/WPA2 wireless security. It also offers guest networks in such a way that your private data and the home network remain protected behind double firewalls.
Further, NETGEAR Smart Router intelligently switches between two bands to reduce interference and increase the speed. The router also has other good features like a mobile app to adjust configurations, four high-speed 1G connections, and parental controls. Listed below are the advantages and disadvantages of the NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart Wi-Fi Router:
Pros:
- Effortless Firmware Upgrades
- Excellent Wi-Fi signal Range and Strength across all bands
- Mobile app for convenient adjustments
- Very easy to set up, even for beginners.
Cons:
- Customer service is free only until the first 90 days
- It does not support Interface Monitoring that generally lets you see which devices are using the maximum bandwidth.
Top Router for Multiple Devices: Factors to Consider
Since Wi-Fi’s bandwidth is a limited resource, you will require a router that has a stable connection to every relevant device of your home. For a decent performance of the connected devices, you have to look for the following features in a Wi-Fi router:
· MU-MIMO
MU-MIMO (Multi-user, Multiple Input, Multiple Output) is a technology that lets you connect more than one device with the router at a time. It improves connections and enhances data throughput speed by cutting down the negative impact of the reflected Wi-Fi signals between two antennas.
· Dual-Band & Tri-Band
The routers that can allow devices to connect to more than one network are dual-band or tri-band. Generally, Dual-band ability is achieved by pairing a 5GHz network with a 2.4GHz network, while Tri-band requires the pairing of one 2.4GHz network and two 5GHz networks. Routers with such capabilities enable consistent connection and help in reducing bandwidth congestion.
· Wireless AC
Since 802.11aa Wi-Fi is several times faster than 802.11n Wi-Fi, you will often find the former in single-antenna gadgets like smartphones. This kind of Wi-Fi lets you transfer files with greater efficiency and enhances the devices’ battery life. So, if most of your family members stream HD videos on their devices from the same router, you will need 802.11ac Wi-Fi. However, remember that even a router with the fastest speed cannot improve the speed of your particular internet connection.
· Quality of Service (QoS)
Quality is one of the most important factors for a good user experience. Since the network starts getting congested because of multiple users, the network must have the ability to prioritize different types of traffic. For instance, services like gaming and video calling need a more consistent connection and will be allocated more bandwidth than services like downloads. This is one of the basic features of QOS, facilitated by a service called WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia).
· CPU & RAM
A router’s CPU and RAM help in improving throughput and decreasing network congestion. In other words, the average number of successful messages delivered through the network is relatively higher. RAM boosts user experience by providing smooth data transfers and uninterrupted service.
Tips to Remember
While using any of the above-listed routers, you must be aware of certain things to make the best use of your network. Given below are some important tips to remember while using a router for your internet connection:
- There is a significant chance of high wireless interference if many connected devices are located nearby.
- The greater number of devices you connect to one Wi-Fi connection, the weaker its performance will be. For this reason, most of the Linksys routers have a default limit of 50 devices that can be connected at one time, with a consumption of up to 20 megabytes per second.
- If you want to avail the maximum utility of your network, you may look for ways wherein an access point or a second router can assist in distributing the network load. However, adding a second router may make the network a little difficult to manage.
- If you already have additional routers and yet, do not see any improvement, you can contact your internet service provider (ISP) to raise your bandwidth.
- An alternative technique to enhance the network coverage is through mesh networks. These networks function so that the interlocking routers extend coverage over their corresponding areas, implying that you won’t lose connection at any part of your home.
- Another good way to widen the range of your internet connection is to use a Wi-Fi extender. This device rebroadcasts the signal wirelessly but delivers half the original performance. However, if you don’t want to compromise on performance, you can opt for a tri-band extender. A tri-band extender receives and sends the signal at the same frequency as the original router.
Undoubtedly, setting up a good Wi-Fi network is a complicated task. With plenty of information available regarding tricks to enhance the network, it is usually tough to choose the most suitable means. However, you can assuredly pick any of the above-listed products that fit your needs and preferences in the best way.
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