It has become a story of almost every other household to find a good network in their own house. Sometimes we blame the network providers, but it may be due to the router used to connect your devices with the Wi-Fi.
Working from home is another new normal for several companies in different sectors all over the world, and it becomes challenging to get that speed when multiple other devices are connected with the same Wi-Fi. Allowing wifi panel access too allows multiple streaming devices to be connected on one network.
Other factors can be classified that should be considered before purchasing a router suitable for your use. Before listing down the myriad options available in the market, let’s discuss those factors in brief:
What’s the purpose
If you wish to connect multiple devices, you should consider different users and their purposes, such as:
- For households having multiple users for streaming at the same time
- For office use
- For cybercafés connecting multiple users
- Play areas allowing multiple gaming devices
Deciding on bandwidth
For multiple devices to be connected to a single router, it has to be eligible to connect to more than one network.
If it can connect one 5 GHz along with a 2.5 GHz network, it will be called the dual-band, and with two 5 GHz along with one 2.5 GHz network or will be called Tri-band.
These devices reduce bandwidth congestion and provide consistent connections.
Speed of network
The connection of the network has to be of ultra high quality for a router to stream your 4k or 8k quality content.
MU-MIMO Technology
This technology of (Multiple user – Multiple in Multiple out) allows the router to connect multiple devices at one time by improving the speed as well as decreasing the negative effects of two antenna signals.
Router features
Some important features should be considered while buying or renting a router. It should be able to connect at least four wired devices like PCs, network-attached storage, home-automation hubs, or USBs, which imply having four Ethernet ports 10/100/1000 (gigabit). For more throughput (up to 2Gbps), the router should support link aggregation to transfer large files.
With the increase in the use of the Internet for various purposes in our homes itself like smart televisions, smartphones, electronic gadgets like gaming consoles, PlayStations, smart home solutions, refrigerators, and washing machines, it has become important to consider the performance of the Internet which can be enhanced by using a correct router and modem that best fits your needs and budget.
One should start by considering the size of the coverage area as well as the number of devices you need to connect with the router. Picking up the best fit for your budget as well as providing all the types of features required becomes a tedious task with so many options available in the market of recent Wi-Fi 6 devices. Everyone may not have the same needs that are to have those high-end features that may not be used at all and disbursing a huge amount for them.
Below mentioned is the list of Top-rated routers available in the market that can be chosen depending upon the user’s requirement as well as best for streaming multiple devices
NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart Wi-Fi router (Best for multiple users)
This router allows you to Connect 45 different devices and enjoy Internet service with a speed of 2600 Mbps. It allows heavy-duty streaming activities like online multiplayer gaming as well as 4K Ultra HD streaming. It also has high-level features for security that as WPA/WPA2 for protecting your private data with firewall security. It comes along with four high speed 1 Gigabit wired Ethernet ports, consisting of two USB and one eSATA ports
Pros:
- Easy installation
- Strong wireless signals and range across all bands available.
- Upgrades are available every time
- Mobile app for easy configuration
- Smart parental controls
Cons:
- The devices using maximum bandwidth are not discovered.
- Customer service is available only for 90 days.
Linksys Tri-band Wi-Fi router (Best for homebuyers)
Linksys Tri-band Wi-Fi router provides not only high-speed Internet streaming for multiple devices at the same time but also a strong Wi-Fi signal reaching every corner of your house.
This router provides high performance without any interference for streaming for gay media playing online games simultaneously. It has four 1G Ethernet ports, and also it comes with a Max range extender that allows ten times faster speed than any other standard device.
It has a unique feature that enhances Wi-Fi distribution and decreases the delay that is caused by devices with slow speed.
By using the mobile Linksys app, the home Wi-Fi can be managed from anywhere using iOS or Android platforms.
Pros:
- Fast and easy installation
- Cameras or printers can be connected with static IPs
- Alert mode can be set up using Linksys Smart Wi-Fi
Cons:
- WPA/WPA 2 firewall security not available for a guest network
TP-LINK AC2600 Smart Wi-Fi Router (Best for budget buyers)
This router provides high performance at a very affordable price. One can experience Ultra-fast lag-free performance with the high speed provided by this dual-band router. It has Archer A10 that increases the signal strength of your devices, and the MU-MIMO technology that enables multiple devices to be connected with one network at the same time.
It also has some features like compatibility with Alexa and IFTTT, As well as the mobile app and parental control mode for blocking unwanted or malicious websites.
Pros:
- Quick configuration
- Wide range of signal
- Excellent Signal strength
Cons:
- Poor customer service available
TP-LINK ARCHER AX11000 next-gen Tri-band Gaming router (Best for gaming experience)
This router not only provides speed and high performance, but it also has various other cutting-edge features that include the latest Wi-the Fi 6 technology. Being a Tri-band router, multiple devices can be connected simultaneously with a high speed of up to 2.5 Gbps. With many ports available, the Internet can be connected via LAN as well for a stable connection. With the price being quite high, it can still live up to the requirements.
Pros:
- Wi-Fi 6 support
- High-speed signal strength
Cons:
- Expensive
- Heavyweight
Conclusion
The best suitable router would require a comparison between various options available and considering various factors. That is ideal for your use. A modem or a router can help to make the best use of your Internet connection but at the same time may be quite costly. So you have to make sure to invest in any device because that will completely depend upon your Internet service plan to have high speed to promote multiple streaming.