Wi-Fi is everywhere, so you can stay connected to the internet even when away from home. Wi-Fi 6 is the latest generation of Wi-Fi technology, and it offers a number of improvements over previous generations.
Perhaps most notably, it offers much higher speeds – up to 9.6 gigabits per second – and significantly reduced latency. It also supports more devices simultaneously, making it ideal for busy households or offices.
Best of all, Wi-Fi 6 is backward-compatible with older devices, so you won’t need to upgrade your entire network to take advantage of the new standard.
When it comes to setting up Wi-Fi 6 in your office or at home, it is important to have a Wi-Fi router. Wi-Fi routers are the devices that connect your internet router to your home network. The router then helps you make all devices on your home network work together to access the internet, stream videos, listen to music, and more.
There are many factors to consider when looking for a new Wi-Fi 6 router. Coverage, speed, range, and connections can all affect your experience in different ways.
So here are the five best Wi-Fi 6 routers in 2022.
- Best Overall: Asus RT-AX86U
- Best Budget Option: TP-Link Archer AX10
- Best for Gaming: Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000
- Best for Large Homes: Eero 6 Plus
- Best Performance: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500
Best Overall: Asus RT-AX86U
- Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
- Dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz
- Speeds up to 5700Mbps and 160MHz channels
- 3 external antennas
- Tap Mobile Game Mode on the ASUS router app to reduce lag and latency
- 2 Gbps wired and wireless speeds
The Asus RT-AX86U is the best router for Wi-Fi 6 and it is perfect for those who want the latest and greatest technology. This router has three antennas and offers speeds of up to 5700 Mbps. It also has a 1.8GHz quad-core processor that helps to deliver smooth 4K UHD video streaming and gaming. The router has a dedicated gaming port that allows you to connect your game directly to the router and play online games without any lags.
The Asus RT-AX86U has an adaptive Quality of Service (QoS) feature which enables it to prioritize traffic. The feature allows the router to prioritize your gaming, video streaming, or casual web surfing so that you always enjoy a stable internet connection.
In terms of security, this router has AiProtection Pro which uses Trend Micro’s AI engine to provide protection against online threats. The router also offers other robust security features, including WPA 3, parental controls, and a guest network. With its unique features and performance, the Asus RT-AX86U is the perfect choice for anyone looking to upgrade their home network to Wi-Fi 6.
Check out the Asus RT-AX86U on Amazon.
Best Budget Option: TP-Link Archer AX10
- OneMesh Compatible Router - Form a seamless WiFi when work with TP-Link OneMesh WiFi Extenders.Power : 12 V ⎓ 1 A. Operating Temperature: 0℃~40℃ (32℉ ~104℉), Storage Temperature:...
- Wi-Fi 6 Router: Archer AX10 comes equipped with latest wireless technology WiFi6 featuring OFDMA 1024-QAM, drastically increasing the speed and efficiency of the entire network.
- Next-gen Dual Band router - 300 Mbps on 2. 4 GHz (802. 11n) plus 1201 Mbps on 5 GHz (802. 11ax)
- Connect more devices than ever before - Wi-Fi 6 technology simultaneously communicates more data to more devices using OFDMA and MU-MIMO while reducing lag dramatically
- Triple-core processing - the 1. 5 GHz tri-core processor ensures communications between your router and all connected devices are smooth and Buffer-Free
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option for a Wi-Fi 6 router, the TP-Link Archer AX10 is a great choice. It is a dual-band router that reaches speeds up to 1.5 Gbps. Apart from its speed, it is compatible with all the latest wireless devices. The router has four external antennas which help it produce better coverage and allow users to stream 4K movies seamlessly even when they are not close to their router. It also has four ports that allow you to connect devices directly to the router.
The Archer AX10 also has MU-MIMO technology for simultaneous streaming to multiple devices, as well as beamforming for improved range and performance. The router also has an intuitive interface which makes it easy to set up and use. The router also comes with a number of useful features, including parental controls and guest networking. It also has a built-in firewall for security. The best part is that the Archer AX 10 is easy to set up.
Overall, the TP-Link Archer AX10 is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to enjoy the benefits of Wi-Fi 6 without spending a lot of money.
Check out the TP-Link Archer AX10 on Amazon.
Best for Gaming: Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000
- WiFi 6E quad-band gaming router
- Speeds up to 16000 Mbps
- 6GHz frequency band
- ASUS RangeBoost Plus for expanded coverage
- Dual 10G ports
- 2.5G WAN port
The Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 is a high-end router that’s packed with features to help you get the most out of your gaming experience. It is the world’s first quad-band Wi-Fi 6E gaming router. The router has eight antennas for massive coverage. This powerful gaming router supports 802.11ax Wi-Fi, which provides incredible speeds of up to 16000 Mbps.
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE 16000 supports the new 6 GHz frequency band which significantly boosts its performance and reduces latency. The router also includes four Gigabit LAN ports, two USB ports (one USB 2.0 port and a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port), and a dedicated gaming port to ensure that you always have the best possible connection for gaming. It is equipped with features such as OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) and beamforming.
The router also offers a number of features that are designed to appeal to gamers, including triple-level game acceleration. It also supports the Asus ROG GameFirst VI software. In terms of security, Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE 16000 has an AiProtection Pro network security system.
Check out the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 on Amazon.
Best for Large Homes: Eero 6 Plus
- Fast and reliable gigabit speeds
- Connect 75+ devices
- Coverage up to 4,500 sq. ft.
- More bandwidth to stream, work or video chat
- Backward-compatible with older eero devices
- Intelligently routes traffic to reduce drop-offs
Eero 6 Plus is the latest mesh WiFi system from Eero. It builds upon the success of the original Eero by adding support for the new 802.11ax standard, also known as Wi-Fi 6. This gives it a significant performance boost over its predecessor, making it one of the fastest mesh Wi-Fi systems on the market.
It has an impressive range of up to 4,500 sq. ft. This mesh system also has enough bandwidth to support 75 devices, which makes it ideal for people with multiple devices.
Eero 6 Plus supports MU-MIMO technology, which allows it to serve multiple devices simultaneously without sacrificing performance. Other features include a 1 GHz dual-core processor, 512 MB RAM, and 4 GB flash storage for seamless performance. Eero 6 Plus has built-in Zigbee support for connecting to smart home devices. It also has a user-friendly app that makes it easy to manage your network. The Eero 6 Plus is also compatible with Alexa, which makes it easier to control connected devices.
If you’re looking for a fast and reliable mesh router for your large home, the Eero 6 Plus is a great option. It’s easy to set up and manage, and it offers excellent performance and coverage.
Check out the Eero 6 Plus on Amazon.
Best Performance: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500
- 6GHz WiFi band dedicated to WiFi 6E devices including Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. Enjoy 4K/8K video streaming, AR/VR gaming and HD videoconferencing.Beamforming : Improve range and performance for...
- Powerful 1.8GHz quad-core processor gives you exceptional 10.8Gbps WiFi speed, 9x faster than WiFi 5. Backward compatible for all WiFi devices on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands
- Coverage up to 3,500 sq. ft. and 60 devices
- Replace your existing WiFi Router (separate modem or modem router required). Compatible with any Internet Service Provider up to 2Gbps including cable, satellite, fiber, DSL and more
- Sets up in minutes with the Nighthawk app – easily manage WiFi settings at the device and network level, test internet speed and monitor data usage
The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 is a high-end gaming router that offers impressive speeds and features. It’s a great choice for gamers who are looking for the best possible performance. The RAXE500 also has a more powerful CPU and double the RAM of its predecessor, making it better equipped to handle multiple devices and traffic-heavy activities like gaming and streaming.
In terms of range, the Nighthawk RAXE500 can cover an area of up to 3,500 square feet with its eight high-performance antennas. These antennas allow the RAXE500 to deliver quality signals without interference.
The RAXE500 is equipped with four gigabit Ethernet ports, support for MU-MIMO technology, and beamforming. It also includes a USB 3.0 port for connecting external storage devices. The RAXE500 offers speeds up to 10.8 Gbps.
Its 1.8 GHz processor allows it to handle multiple devices simultaneously with low latency. The RAXE500 also supports Netgear’s Armor security platform and comes with a one-year warranty.
Check out the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 on Amazon.
How to Pick the Best Wi-Fi 6 Router
There are a few factors to consider when choosing the best Wi-Fi 6 router for your home or office. Here are some of them:
Speed
When looking for a new Wi-Fi 6 router, speed is one of the most important factors to consider. The new standard offers faster speeds and more efficient connections than previous generations, so it’s essential to choose a router that can take advantage of those benefits. There are a few things to keep in mind when assessing the speed of a potential purchase.
First, check the maximum theoretical speed. This is the fastest possible connection that the router can provide, and it’s determined by the number of antennae and other hardware specifications. However, this number isn’t always accurate – in real-world use, speeds will be lower than the maximum due to interference and other factors.
Next, take a look at the real-world speeds achieved in independent tests. These will give you a better idea of how fast the router actually is, and how well it performs in different situations. Pay attention to both the peak speeds and the average speeds achieved; the latter is more important for day-to-day use.
Other factors that can affect a router’s speed include the number of antennas and the frequency band(s) it uses. More antennas generally equate to better performance, as they allow for more data to be transferred simultaneously. And using multiple frequency bands (such as both 2.4GHz and 5GHz) can also help to improve speeds.
Finally, consider your own needs when assessing speed. If you have a lot of devices that need to be connected at once, or if you often stream video or transfer large files, you’ll need a router with higher speeds to avoid slowdowns and buffering. Conversely, if you only have a few devices and mostly use light web browsing and email, you won’t need quite as much speed.
So, when shopping for a Wi-Fi 6 router, be sure to keep speed in mind. By taking into account both the potential maximum speeds and other factors that can affect performance, you’ll be able to find the right device for your needs.
Range
When it comes to choosing a Wi-Fi 6 router, one of the most important factors to consider is range. After all, what good is a router if it can’t reach every corner of your home or office?
The range of a router is the maximum distance that the signal can travel. The further the range, the more likely you are to be able to connect to the internet from any location in your home.
There are a few things that can impact the range of a Wi-Fi 6 router, including the number of antennas and the frequency band. The more antennas a router has, the better its ability to send and receive signals from multiple devices at once. And, the higher the frequency band, the greater the range.
To get the best possible range from your Wi-Fi 6 router, look for one that has at least 4 antennas and supports the 2.4 GHz band. With these features, you should be able to get a strong signal throughout your home.
Features
When it comes to choosing a new router, there are many factors to consider. But if you’re looking for the best possible performance, you’ll want to make sure you choose a Wi-Fi 6 router. Here are some of the features to look for in a Wi-Fi 6 router:
OFDMA support
When shopping for Wi-Fi 6 routers, be sure to check if it supports OFDMA. OFDMA is a key feature of the 802.11ax standard and allows for more efficient use of spectrum and increased capacity in dense networks. This means that your router will be able to handle more devices and traffic without slowing down.
Multi-user MIMO support
Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) is a technology that allows Wi-Fi 6 routers to communicate with multiple devices at the same time. This can be a useful feature if you have a lot of devices that connect to your Wi-Fi network. MU-MIMO can also help improve the performance of your network by allowing the router to send data to multiple devices simultaneously.
Beamforming
This is a technology that helps Wi-Fi 6 routers direct the Wi-Fi signal where it’s needed most, which can improve range and performance in difficult environments.
Transmit power
If you’re looking to buy a new Wi-Fi router, one of the features you should check for is its transmit power. Transmit power is measured in watts and indicates how much power the router can output.
A higher transmit power means that the router can cover a larger area and more devices can connect to it without experiencing any slowdown in speed. Another advantage of a high transmit power is that it can help to reduce interference from other devices in your home, such as baby monitors or cordless phones.
If you have a large home or lots of devices that need to be connected to your Wi-Fi network, then opting for a router with higher transmit power is a good idea.
Security
When choosing a Wi-Fi 6 router, security is one of the key factors to consider. The best Wi-Fi 6 routers offer robust security features to protect your network from malicious attacks. Look for features like WPA3 encryption, firewalls, and intrusion detection and prevention systems. These features will help you keep your network safe from hackers and other threats.
Price
When it comes to choosing a Wi-Fi 6 router, one of the most important factors to consider is price. There is a wide range of prices for Wi-Fi 6 routers on the market, so it’s important to find one that fits your budget.
If you’re looking for a high-end Wi-Fi 6 router with powerful specs, you can expect to pay around $500. However, there are also more affordable options available for under $200.
When deciding how much to spend on a Wi-Fi 6 router, it’s important to consider your needs and budget. If you only need a basic router for a small home or apartment, you can probably get away with spending less than $200.
However, if you have a large home or need a powerful router for gaming or streaming, you’ll likely need to spend closer to $500 or even higher. No matter what your budget is, there’s a Wi-Fi 6 router out there that’s perfect for you. Just be sure to do your research and read reviews before making your final decision.
Compatibility
When it comes to choosing Wi-Fi 6 routers, compatibility is key. You’ll want to make sure that your router is compatible with your devices, as well as any other devices that you might want to connect to your network in the future.
One of the great things about Wi-Fi 6 is that it’s backward compatible with older devices, so you won’t need to upgrade all of your devices at once. However, you will need to make sure that your router is compatible with all your devices.
Online Reviews
These days, one of the most important factors to consider when picking out a new Wi-Fi 6 router is online reviews. With so many different models and brands on the market, it can be tough to know which one is right for you.
However, by reading online reviews from other consumers, you can get a better idea of what each router has to offer and whether or not it would be a good fit for your needs. When looking at online reviews, pay attention to both the positive and negative aspects that people mention.
Obviously, you want to find a router with mostly positive reviews, but it’s also important to see what people didn’t like about certain models. This can help you narrow down your choices and make an informed decision about which Wi-Fi 6 router is right for you.
What to Know Before Buying a Wi-Fi 6 Router
If you’re in the market for a new router, you may be wondering if you should get a Wi-Fi 6 router. Wi-Fi 6 is the latest generation of wireless networking technology, and it offers a number of benefits over previous generations. Here’s what you need to know before you buy a Wi-Fi 6 router:
- Wi-Fi 6 offers faster speeds and more efficient performance than previous generations of Wi-Fi. If you have a lot of devices on your network, or if you stream 4K video or play online games, a Wi-Fi 6 router can offer a significant performance boost.
- Wi-Fi 6 also offers improved security features. The latest routers support WPA3, the latest standard for wireless security. WPA3 offers better protection against password-guessing attacks, and it also encrypts your data more effectively than previous versions of WPA.
- Finally, Wi-Fi 6 routers are backward compatible with older devices. So even if your device doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6, you can still enjoy the benefits of a Wi-Fi 6 router by connecting it to an older device.
Using a Wi-Fi 6 Router: What It’s Like?
Wi-Fi 6 is the latest and greatest wireless standard, offering faster speeds and improved efficiency compared to older Wi-Fi standards. But what’s it like using a Wi-Fi 6 router in the real world?
For starters, you’ll see noticeably faster speeds when connecting to a Wi-Fi 6 network. Whether you’re streaming video, downloading files, or just browsing the web, everything will feel snappier and more responsive.
You’ll also see better range and reliability with a Wi-Fi 6 router. That’s because Wi-Fi 6 uses advanced technologies like Mu-MIMO and OFDMA to better manage data traffic. This means that even if there are multiple devices connected to your network, each one will still get the attention it needs from the router.
Finally, you’ll benefit from lower power consumption with a Wi-Fi 6 router. So if you’re using battery-powered devices like laptops or smartphones, they’ll last longer when connected to a Wi-Fi 6 network.
Overall, using a Wi-Fi 6 router is a noticeable upgrade from older Wi-Fi standards. If you’re looking for faster speeds, better range, and improved efficiency, then getting a Wi-Fi 6 router is the way to go.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Casezy idea/Shutterstock.com.
