The present-day reality involves multiple devices and their connectivity with each other. We live in a globally connected world, in which, the wireless network has become an essential part of our life. Making a call, streaming TV, watching shows online and other facilities require a strong Wi-Fi network.

For that, you need a high-quality Wi-Fi router. But there are many options out there to choose from. This article will help you pick a good Wi-Fi router for your wireless network.

Read Also: Best Routers For Business 2019

So, let’s begin!

1. Find out the top internet speed you get

You need to contact your ISP or Internet Service Provider to find out the top internet speed. Or, you can check your service account details to find out this information.

The speed of the internet is measured using Mbps or megabits/second. This measurement allows you to know the minimum speed your router should be able to handle.

Anayse productivity with wifi attendance ad banner

For instance, if you get 100 Mbps of maximum speed, you will require a router that can easily manage a minimum of 100 Mbps speed.

It is tempting to think about the best possible router for your network. But why waste a lot of money for no reason?! A person living in a single-room apartment won’t require the most expensive Wi-Fi router, especially if the maximum internet speed is only 50Mbps.

The eight antennas of a big router won’t help such a person receive a higher speed. Which is why understanding your internet speed matters before you even think about looking at any Wi-Fi router.

2. Determine the total area you desire to cover

When you live in a big house, it becomes a concerning factor in terms of router select and Wi-Fi network. Small homes and apartments only need one router.

You can attach a router with high-quality antennas and it does the job. But that is not possible when you have a large area to cover.

Which is why you should think about testing stuff before paying a lot of money for a device. There are online reviews available for almost every brand and model of router these days.

You can also ask your friends or relatives who are already using a router in a similar area you want to cover. If your area is too large, you can also look and find out about Wi-Fi extenders that enhance the range and speed of routers.

Also, you can ensure a powerful coverage of the whole area by using Wi-Fi kits. Unlike a single-piece router, these ones work together to cover huge indoor areas.

3. Count devices that need connectivity to the network

If you have a laptop, a smartphone, and TV streaming gadget, these devices are easily connected to one router. So, no need to worry! However, it is important to understand that the strength of your network and the speed decrease as you add more devices. This happens when you connect multiple devices together to the network.

Suppose you get yourself a router with a bandwidth of 2.4 GHz. Generally, this router can give a top speed of 300 Mbps. If you connect 10 devices together, each device would receive about 30 Mbps from the network.

This is the reason why you need a dual band and high-end router to cover the connectivity requirements of your home or office. If online video streaming is required all day long, you should consider a router with tri-band.

You should keep in mind the number of Ethernet ports available in a router. This way, you can create a wired connection with as many devices as possible.

4. Understand multi-user MIMO

Further complications come from the MIMO technology which you find in routers these days. The MU-MIMO is also called multi-user of multiple-input and multiple-output. Earlier technologies included single-user MIMO, which allowed data delivery to a single device in a moment.

The SU-MIMO tech rotates the data transfer to cover each device in a sequence. On the other hand, an MU-MIMO tech can deliver data to multiple devices simultaneously.

For most requirements, you can rely on the SU-MIMO tech. The rotation of data delivery doesn’t take too much time. In fact, you won’t even realize it. But, if you have multiple users connected to one network and they want to stream video and play online games at once, you need MU-MIMO.

With multi-user tech, data transfer gets smoother, which doesn’t interrupt with the simultaneous use of the network.

The tech of MU-MIMO works of the modern devices that have this capacity. So, you need to find those capabilities before picking a router with MU-MIMO.

5. Evaluate security and software features

Some people like to know everything that a router is being used for. If you are that person, you would want to get a router with modern firmware.

This will come with firewall technology and other features to help you control the network usage. You can find routers that support third-party firmware, which will further enhance the control features.

Read Also: 6 Best Modem-Router Combos of 2019

When you live with children, internet exposure becomes a concerning factor. You don’t want your kids to find inappropriate content online. You can find a solution to this problem as well with the right router selection.

There are routers available with parental control features built into them. Such routers allow you to give a fixed time slot of internet usage for kids. Also, you can restrict websites and other sources depending on the content they provide.

6. Understand router range and router speed

Understanding the router speed and router range is important to make the selection. The range and speed are not as easy as they sound. A router’s speed and range features can differ in various aspects:

Advertised speed

This is the speed you see in a brand advertisement and on product packages. The router manufacturing companies combine the band speeds of all their routers and create a rounded value.

This is the number you see while reading the product description of a router brand. But most devices don’t connect with multiple bands together. Which is why this advertised speed means nothing when you are actually using a router.

This is the speed you see in a brand advertisement and on product packages. The router manufacturing companies combine the band speeds of all their routers and create a rounded value.

This is the number you see while reading the product description of a router brand. But most devices don’t connect with multiple bands together. Which is why this advertised speed means nothing when you are actually using a router.

Ceiling speed

This speed is related to the capacity of your devices. This value shows the maximum speed a device can handle when connected to a wireless network. So, for instance, if your device is capable of 500 Mbps speed as its ceiling speed, you can’t benefit it in any way by adding a router with 800 Mbps speed.

The router can’t enhance the speed because the device can’t cross the ceiling speed of 500 Mbps. So, you should understand the ceiling speed of your devices beforehand.

Router range

The range of a router is the maximum distance away from a router where you can catch the signal. The range of routers differs, depending on the number and quality of antennas they have. So, you need to understand the range and match it with the area you want to cover.

7. Choose the AC category

There are two categories in routers with respect to connection quality. You can get an “AC” category or “N” category. The N category of routers provides low-quality connection, which is why you pay a cheap price to get such routers.

These routers waste your high-quality connection speed provided by an ISP. On the other hand, the AC category ensures proper connection and easily extends the quality of network speed to the devices you use. This category is available in dual as well as tri-band routers.

There are other designations such as A, B or G. But they are considered totally obsolete.

8. Ensure WPA2 encryption support

WPA2 encryption is the latest security type you can acquire in routers these days. So, make sure your router contains this feature. Every router in the AC category is required to support this encryption.

There are outdated encryption types available such as WPA and WEP. You need to avoid them and look for the WPA2 certification while reading the product features.

9. Search for the right router

After following all the above-mentioned steps, you can begin your search for a specific type of router. This is the time when you can go through reviews, check models and talk to your ISP provider for suggestions. You have to be thorough about the evaluations you make.

A few good reviews aren’t enough to make a decision. You should find contact details and call customer service to understand more about the technology of a router model.

Read Also: Top 10 WiFi Range Extender To Use In 2019

Depending on the features you select, create a decent budget you are ready to spend. No need to pick the most-expensive router without knowing how usable its features are for you.

At the same time, you can’t go too low in terms of prices. It will not let you have the features you want. Go through multiple router options to understand a budget range you should create.

Follow every step one-by-one and you will find a good Wi-Fi router for your purpose.

Given the advances in digital technology, it is important that we take a closer look at some of the best router of 2019.

Routers are essential for good connectivity which is why it is important that we take a closer look at some of the top options for this year.

The problem is that there are so many to pick from, that deciding one from the many can seem like an overwhelming task. That’s why we have collated some of the best routers for 2019 for easy convenience.

Read Also: Top 20 Parental Control Routers to Use in 2019

1. TP-LINK TL-WR940N Wireless-N450

Let’s start off right away by stating that as far as wireless routers go, this is an inexpensive one but one that’s exceptional as well. It comes with a speed of 450Mbps which makes it perfect especially if you are planning to use a good amount of bandwidth as in gaming.

This router with its high bandwidth speed should enable you to stream videos, games etc. Furthermore, this IP based device can help regulate the bandwidth allocated to each device connected to your Wi-Fi.

It also comes with secure encryption so you know that your information remains secure at all times. And the parental controls can help you keep regulate content for your kids as well. Some of the specs associated with this product are as follows –

  • It utilizes 11n technology which is faster and covers more area
  • It is powered by a single core processor
  • Not compatible with phone line internet
  • It also comes with 3X antennas for better connectivity and coverage
Anayse productivity with wifi attendance ad banner

2. Netgear WNDR4300 N750

This is one of the most popular routers for the simple reason that it can be really fast, it comes with the speed of 300 Mbps, 400+Mbps as well as 750 Mbps.

It helps to provide you with the required coverage you need for your Wi-Fi network. You can sync your USB drives wirelessly to this device and even transfer data between the both.

This product is built to be robust and provides you with a secure platform through which can synchronize and connect with several devices. It also comes with parental control as well.

One of the remarkable features of this product is its QOS feature with the help of which you can prioritize your online traffic.  Some of the main specs of this product are –

  • It comes with dual-band feature which should help limit interference
  • It also comes with 2 USB ports
  • You can easily set up a separate entrance for your guests.

3. Linksys Max-Stream AC2200

This is an intelligent tri-band route that works with Amazon Alexa encryption and provides you with a secure connection. This tri-band router is slightly expensive but if you want a secure router, one that is capable of delivering extremely high speeds, then this tri-band wireless and the smart router are as good as it gets.

You would definitely need this router if you have a lot of wireless compatible devices since you can connect them to Linksys. It comes with speed of 2.2Gbps for lag-free streaming or gaming.

But what makes this router worth it is the fact that it auto-updates its firmware and therefore, it provides you with the best speeds as well as encryption that you require. These are some of the main specs of this product

  • It supports multiple wireless connections at the same time
  • It is powered by the quad-core processor at 716 MHz
  • It also comes with USB and Ethernet ports
  • You can use it to regulate the bandwidth between your various devices.

Read Also: Top 10 WiFi Range Extender To Use In 2019

4. ASUS 3-In-1 Wireless Router (RT-N12)

This is a three in one Wi-Fi router that you can use to stream high-speed content to your whole residence. This device is cheap and yet, it comes loaded with key functions which you can find on some of the premium routers out there.

The device comes with the wireless access point, Wi-Fi router, as well as a Wi-Fi range extender, and with it, you should be able to access the net from any part of your residence.

It also comes with 4SSIDs with which you can manage control, allocate bandwidth to each connected device and even regulate access to network connectivity.

Incidentally, it comes with a speed of 300 Mbps and comes with two antennas which can be detached and repositioned easily. It also comes with the following specs as well –

  • This device comes with the 2T2R MIMO technology
  • Comes with easy setup
  • With it, you can easily switch between different modes
  • It also comes with enhanced privacy along with controls that you can tweak.

5. Securifi Almond

This handy little router comes with a touch screen function which definitely makes it stand out, among the crowd. For starters, it comes with easy set up where you can set it up in under three minutes.

This is a multifunction device which you can use as a Wi-Fi router, access point as well as range extender. With this device, you should be able to get coverage from any part of your residence.

It also comes with parental control function with which you can manage the online activities of your children and even help protect them from unsavory content. It also comes with one-year warranty as well as support. This device comes with some of the following specs.

  • It is wireless
  • Provides speed of 300 Mbps
  • Each device manufactured comes with unique SSID
  • It also comes with two internal antennas as well as two LAN posts as well as

6. Asus RT-AC5300 Tri-Band Wireless Router

Granted that this router is slightly pricier than the last Asus router, but it makes for a perfect fit, especially if you are into online gaming and need to access high speeds and good quality bandwidth.

It comes with a combined speed rate of 5334 Mbps as well as tri-band smart connect which ensures stable connectivity at all times. In fact, with this router, you need not to worry that your connection would go awol, and can be reassured that you will remain connected, at all times.

With its high speed, you should be able to access online data, download and upload larger sized data seamlessly. It also comes with Trend Micro’s Ai protection which provides you with multilayer protection and goes all out to ensure that your connection stays private and your information secure, at all times.

It also comes with built-in access to WTFast gamers private network as well.  Here are some of the key specs of this product –

  • It provides maximum coverage as it comes with a tri-band feature
  • It comes with power adaptor as well as 8 detachable antennas
  • It uses the web interface for easy installation and you should get it set up in minutes
  • It also allows you to manage the router just from your phone.

7. Medialink AC1200 Wireless Gigabit Router

This router is really fast and that has got to be an understatement. Given its speed and bandwidth, this router is the one you need especially if you need fast connectivity and the ability to upload and download huge packets of data right away.

It provides excellent wireless coverage both for small and large residences, and as it comes with a dual-band Wi-Fi, it prevents any interference with the same. It also comes with 2.0 USB port as well as multiple LAN ports which makes this router stand out for all the right reasons.

What makes this route stand out is that it also comes with beamforming technology which allows you to beam videos and data from online sources much faster.

It also comes with automatic signal management which enables you to manage your Wi-Fi signal and to ensure that your devices receive the best signal, and at all times.

  • It is powered by Broadcom ARM Cortex –A7 CPU processor
  • It comes with a strong firewall which can provide you with the enhanced security that you need
  • It can handle 12 or more devices being connected to the Wi-Fi at the same time
  • Comes with high speeds
  • It also comes with 2 built-in antennas for better coverage
  • It also provides you with better control over access
  • It also comes with a range extender with which you can boost your Wi-Fi signal.

Read Also: 6 Best Modem-Router Combos of 2019

These are some of the best routers of 2019, you can take your pick of the lot and decide which one suits you better, given your current requirements.

It is important that you consider your current requirements carefully and opt for a router, one that provides you with the best secure connection you need.