“The best router with its amazing bandwidth of…” Bla Bla Bla. Let’s not talk about that right now. For now, Wi-Fi dead zones around the house seem to be the real problem. Say you’re fortunate enough to live in a 7,000-10,000 square feet house. Everything is how it should be but the Wi-Fi in your child’s room….it sucks. And he’s been bugging you for a couple of months now to get a second Wi-Fi connection in the house so he can play his game without having a ping of 500+ or listen to his school lectures, but you know that’s a stupid decision to make for a family of 4 people. So what do you do? You look for routers. You research some routers, but all you read is the number of ports, bands, speeds, RAM, and NAND. Yes, that stuff does matter but not everyone gets it right? So, in this article, we’re going to tell you the best routers for large homes and their specifications but in a not-too ‘techy’ way.
Things to consider while choosing the best router for your home
- No of people/active devices in your home. The number of smart devices used in your home greatly impacts your choice of router. Make sure to choose a router that supports a bit more than the active number of devices in your house. Buying a router that supports devices exactly equal to the number used in your houses is not recommended.
- Centralization of router is something that really matters. You need to understand that a router is used to boost Wi-Fi signals and provide larger coverage. So you need to make sure that it is located at the centre of the home/building. If that doesn’t seem possible. Not to worry, have a look at some mesh Wi-Fi systems that will surely get rid of the frequent frequency drops and dead zones throughout your house. Basically, a mesh Wi-Fi system is a “Whole Home Wi-Fi system”. It is highly recommended for people who have tried other routers and still face problems such as low internet speed and frequency drops in some parts of their homes. We recommend you look at the TP-Link Deco X90. With its coverage area of 6,000 Sq Ft and an amazing number of 200 supported devices, it is surely one of the best. I personally have been using it for over a month now and can certainly say it is probably the best lag-free router with advanced security features but it might be a bit expensive and lacks USB ports.
- Make sure the router complements your internet plan. Meaning that it is foolish to buy a 300 Mbps router for a 1 Gbps connection.
Best router for large coverage:
Now that we’re aware of what things to consider, let’s hop right into the top 5 routers for a large home. To make this research as much helpful and credible as it could get, multiple routers (around 16-17) were tested. It took a series of personal testing and usage to devise this list and we hope it would be of great help to you.
How we tested these routers?
The routers listed below were placed at a central place in a building to check their claims and performances. Coverage, speed, and security were primarily tested along with various specific tests for different routers. Streaming, Netflix, gaming, and video calls were among the initial tests. All routers along with their special ability and specifications have been listed below which would surely lead you to that one router to boost up your internet experience.
Best Overall: Asus RT-AX88U AX6000 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router.
- Next-gen Wi-Fi standard – 802.11Ax Wi-Fi standard for better efficiency and throughput.
- Ultrafast Wi-Fi speed – 6000 Mbps Wi-Fi speed to handle even the busiest network with ease.
- Wider usage and more convenience – 4 antennas + 8 LAN ports to support more clients at the same time.
- Commercial-grade security – AiProtection, powered by Trend Micro, blocks internet security threats for all your connected smart devices.
- Better partner with mesh system – Compatible with ASUS AiMesh Wi-Fi system for seamless whole-home coverage.
- Nextgen ax Wi-Fi is backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi devices and Supports current Wi-Fi devices.
Specifications:
Security: AiProtection, WPA3, Guest Wi-Fi Secure access
MU-MINO: Yes
Wired Ports: 8
Standard Speed: AX6000 App Support: yes
This router is on top of our list for the “best routers for large homes”, with a coverage of 2,500-3,000 Sq Ft and a mind-blowing speed.
And guess what? Asus also has a mobile app for iPhone and Android. It is a pretty slim and sleek device that looks classy and fits well in the environment. It has 4 antennas that enable it to cover a wide range of area. It has a great blend of advanced features and coverage that will meet up to all of your requirements and expectations.
2. Runner Up: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 AXE11000
- 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 2.4GHz, 5GHz & 6GHz devices. Automatic firmware update delivers latest security patches to the router.
- 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
- 4 x 1G and 1 x 2.5G Ethernet ports for computers, game consoles, streaming players and other wired devices
- NETGEAR Armor protects your family’s WiFi with an automatic shield of security across all your connected devices with a 30-day free trial
- NETGEAR Smart Parental Controls promotes healthy Internet habits, fosters responsibility and builds trust with your kids (30-day free trial included)
- OFDMA, MU-MIMO, Dynamic QoS, 1024-QAM, Smart Connect for one WiFi name, Beamforming technologies and Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant Voice Control. Supports WPA2/WPA3 wireless security protocols. Includes Guest WiFi access, DoS, Firewall, VPN and more
For a 2,500-3,000 Sq Ft house, the Netgear Nighthawk is my favourite. It comes with the Wi-Fi 6E standard and can connect upto a number of 60 devices at once. Impressive right? You guys don’t know but I’m actually a very passionate gamer and I hate it when the ping blasts through the roof and reaches 500 or 600 in the middle of the best clutch ever. But while testing this router, it was noticed to give gaming an incredible experience with high speeds and stability. Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 claims to support 60 devices at once. Though I could only check with 40 devices but it showed no sign of lag or slow speeds. Wireless or wired, this router transcends above all the other ones with a maximum capacity of 10.8 Gbps along with an additional 6 GHz band.
I downloaded a 152 GB game using a 1.85Gbps internet plan which was completed in around 60 minutes through this router. The 4 antenna setup allows the device to access and provide internet to all the dead zones in your home.
Specifications:
MU-Mino: Yes
Ports: 8
Wireless standard: Wi-Fi 6E
App support: yes
Number of devices: 60
Security: WPA3
RAM and NAND memory: 1 GB and 512 MB
Processor: 1.8 GHz
3. TP-Link Archer AX90 AX6600
- Faster AX6600 Tri-Band Wi-Fi – 4804 Mbps (5 GHz) plus 1201 Mbps (5 GHz) plus 574 Mbps (2.4 GHz)
- Ultra Connectivity – 1× 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN port plus 1× 1 Gbps WAN/LAN port plus 3× Gigabit LAN ports and two USB ports ensure max flexibility and boosted throughput; The 2.5 Gbps WAN or LAN port and 1 Gbps WAN, LAN port cannot be used as the WAN port at the same time
- Maximized Coverage – Eight high-gain antennas equipped with Beamforming ensure long range coverage Operating Temperature: 0℃-40℃ (32℉ -104℉)
- More Devices with Less Lag – OFDMA and MU-MIMO technology deliver data to multiple devices, simultaneously
- TP-Link HomeShield – TP-Link’s premium security services keep your home network safe with cutting-edge features for network and IoT protection, including free features 1. Network Security Scan 2. Parental Controls: basic features are free 3. QoS 4. Weekly or Monthly Reports 5. IoT Device Identification. Subscribe to HomeShield Pro if needed, dollar 5.99 per Month, 1-Month Free Trial.
- Refined Security – WPA3 reinforces Wi-Fi encryption for improved security
- TP-Link OneMesh Supported – Flexibly Create Whole Home WiFi with Archer AX90 by adding a OneMesh supported Range Extender, like RE505X
- Works with all internet service providers, such as AT&T, Verizon, Xfinity, Spectrum, RCN, Cox, CenturyLink, Frontier, etc.( a modem is required for most internet service providers)
TP-Link has been in the router game for long and has been building some very capable and top-quality routers. So had to include one of them too.
The exceptional performance from the TP-Link Archer is due to the 5 additional Giga Hertz, greater throughput capacity, and better antennas. Even after possessing 8 antennas, the router boasts a very stylish and classy design. The antennas use beamforming technology that radiates clearer signals even when devices were placed far away from the router.
It is quite an ideal router for a large home, covering an area of up to 2,000-2,200 Sq ft, and lets you connect up to 30 devices. The router was checked with an Internet Plan of 1.85 Gbps and an upload and download speed of 325 Mbps and 1.75 Gbps respectively. The router is NOT prone to potential frequency or signal drops.
Conclusion:
To sum it up, the TP-Link Archer AX90 is a comparatively cheaper device than the ones above but not too far behind.
If 40 devices and 2,000 Sq Ft seem ideal for you and your internet plan, then this might just be the router you need.
4. Best Router for Gaming: Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
- Triple level game acceleration accelerate game traffic With device, game packet and game server prioritization.Power Supply : AC Input : 110V-240V(50-60Hz), DC Output : 19 V with max. 3.42 A current..Antenna : External antenna x 8
- Cutting edge hardware offers the best performance 1.8 GigaHertz Quad Core cpu and 2.5 G gaming port for ultimate performance
- Your own gaming mesh network Compatible with ASUS AiMesh Wi Fi system for seamless whole home coverage.Memory:256 MB Flash,1 GB RAM
- ASUS wrt enables support for open, advanced monitoring and control which includes device bandwidth utilization as well as device or usage prioritization
- ASUS AiProtection security to neutralize internet threats before they hit your network
- Nextgen ax Wi Fi is backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi Fi devices and Supports current Wi Fi devices. Operating Frequency:2.4 GigaHertz, 5 GigaHertz 1, 5 GigaHertz 2
Specifications:
Speed: AX11000
Wi-Fi 6
Processor: Quad-core 1.8 GHz
Now this one might seem a bit out of the list. But no. Consider this a bonus into the list. While checking the routers, we observed this particular one to be an “all-rounder”. From providing good coverage to high internet speeds and a great number of connected devices, this router has proved to excel in coverage while maintaining the internet speed, thus boosting your overall gaming experience. Boasting the new Wi-Fi 6 connection, an amazing speed of AX11000 and 8 Antennas, This Asus router is sure to make your gaming experience lag free and mind blowing..
The OFDMA is something that sets aside this router from the other ones. For those who don’t understand this, OFDMA is a new technology that increases the number of sub-channels for each wireless channel which enables the router to handle more devices simultaneously.
Conclusion
Overall, it can be said that the specifications of the Asus ROG Rapture are top notch, which surely make it one of the best gaming routers in the market. This one’s a personal recommendation. Tech geeks might want to know that the router possesses a quad core 1.8 GHz CPU, 256 MB of flash storage and 1 GB RAM.
5. Last but not least is the Best Value for Money: Linksys MR9610
- Provides up to 3000 square feet of Wi-Fi coverage for 25 plus Wireless devices
- Works with the Velop mesh Wi-Fi system to easily expand Wi-Fi coverage up to 6000 square feet and eliminate dead zones
- Works with existing modem, simple setup through Linksys App; Power supply 100 to 240 volt – 50 to 60 hertz; Output: 12 volt, 2A
- Enjoy 4K HD streaming, gaming and more in high quality without buffering
- Tri band Wi-Fi speeds upto 3Gbps (5 GHz/ 1733 Mbps) plus (5 GHz/ 867 Mbps) plus (2.4 GHz/ 867 Mbps)
- Amazon exclusive extended 18 month warranty
Specifications:
Security: VPN and WPA3 encryption
Coverage: upto 3,000 Sq Ft
Wireless standard: Wi-Fi 6
Supported devices: 40
The Linksys MR9610 is a very cost friendly and dual-band router. One of the best thing about this router is the mesh technology which allows it to link up with other routers, creating a mesh Wi-Fi system. The Linksys has a bit more coverage than the Asus RT-AX88U i.e. 3,000 Sq Ft.
The company claims it to have an overall coverage of 3000 Sq ft but it was tested to give a satisfactory coverage of 2,500-2,600 Sq Ft. This device also uses the MU-MIMO technology. The reason why this router is included in this list is because it is probably the best one among the Linksys router series, giving a download speed of 971 Mbps and upload speed of 148 Mbps over the 5GHz band. The performance of this router greatly depends on the distance from the device. A 25 GB Game was downloaded in approximately 40 seconds while the same game took 2-3 minutes when placed a bit away from the router.
Conclusion
I like this one because of the mesh technology and the cheap price. And the best part is that it does not compromise on the basic stuff. The coverage and speed is excellent. But yes, it lacks some advanced features and high security.