Wi-Fi has come to stay. Yea. Sometimes we wonder how we were able to cope in the early days of wireless technology when connections were limited and slow. Wi-Fi has come a long way and does a lot, from keeping us connected, streaming our videos and LAN gaming, and at the same time firewalling our connection from network thieves. So what is the best Wi-Fi router for streaming & gaming? Here’s what you need to know.
The best Wi-Fi Routers for Streaming and Gaming in 2023
Brand
TP-Link AX6000 WiFi 6 Router(Archer AX6000) -802.11ax...
NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 6 Router (RAX200) 12-Stream Gigabit...
Linksys EA7300 Max-Stream: AC1750 Dual-Band Wi-Fi Router,...
ASUS AC1300 WiFi Router (RT-ACRH13) - Dual Band Gigabit...
D-Link WiFi Router AC2600, Smart, Mesh (DIR-2640)
Protocols Supported
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Range
3500 sq ft , expandable with mesh system
Ethernet Ports
Multi-Gig 5G/2.5G/1G Gigabit Ethernet ports
4 ports, Cable/DSL connector
Extra Features
1024 QAM, OFDMA, 160 MHz Channel Support, Anti-Virus, Alexa Enabled, Mobile App, Smart Power Save, Beamforming, Rangeboost, Content Filtering, and QoS
OFDMA, Smart Connect, Dynamic QoS, Alexa Voice Controls, Beamforming, Guest Wi-Fi access, Firewall, VPN, WPA2, 12 simultaneous streams, Mobile App
Smart Wi-Fi, Guest Access, Mobile App, Firewall
ASUS Smart Connect, ASUS Router App, Smart QoS, Guest Access, VP
Supports D-Link Wi-Fi Mesh, Smart Connect, Alexa & Google Voice Assistant, D-Link Wi-Fi App, Guest Connect, Beamforming, QoS
Brand
TP-Link AX6000 WiFi 6 Router(Archer AX6000) -802.11ax...
Protocols Supported
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Extra Features
1024 QAM, OFDMA, 160 MHz Channel Support, Anti-Virus, Alexa Enabled, Mobile App, Smart Power Save, Beamforming, Rangeboost, Content Filtering, and QoS
Brand
NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 6 Router (RAX200) 12-Stream Gigabit...
Protocols Supported
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Ethernet Ports
Multi-Gig 5G/2.5G/1G Gigabit Ethernet ports
Extra Features
OFDMA, Smart Connect, Dynamic QoS, Alexa Voice Controls, Beamforming, Guest Wi-Fi access, Firewall, VPN, WPA2, 12 simultaneous streams, Mobile App
Brand
Linksys EA7300 Max-Stream: AC1750 Dual-Band Wi-Fi Router,...
Protocols Supported
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Extra Features
Smart Wi-Fi, Guest Access, Mobile App, Firewall
Brand
ASUS AC1300 WiFi Router (RT-ACRH13) - Dual Band Gigabit...
Protocols Supported
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Ethernet Ports
4 ports, Cable/DSL connector
Extra Features
ASUS Smart Connect, ASUS Router App, Smart QoS, Guest Access, VP
Brand
D-Link WiFi Router AC2600, Smart, Mesh (DIR-2640)
Protocols Supported
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Range
3500 sq ft , expandable with mesh system
Extra Features
Supports D-Link Wi-Fi Mesh, Smart Connect, Alexa & Google Voice Assistant, D-Link Wi-Fi App, Guest Connect, Beamforming, QoS
Last update on 2024-09-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Brand
NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router (R7800) - AC2600...
TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Router (Archer A5) - Dual Band Wireless...
Amazon eero mesh WiFi router
Google Nest Wifi - AC2200 - Mesh WiFi System - Wifi Router -...
NETGEAR R9000-100NAR Nighthawk X10 AD7200 802.11ac/ad...
Protocols Supported
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11ac
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11ac
Extra Features
Dynamic QoS, 160 MHz Channel Support, Alexa enabled, Beamforming +, App enabled
Bandwidth Control, Access Control, Guest Access, Tether App, Supports Access Point mode, Access Schedule, SPI Firewall, DoS
Alexa Enabled, App Controlled, Spyware app, Content Blocking, Beamforming, VPN, Expandable with mesh system
Content Blocking, Google assistant compatible, Beamforming, Bluetooth Low Energy
Bandwidth Control, Access Control, Guest Access, Tether App, Supports Access Point mode, Access Schedule, SPI Firewall, DoS
Brand
NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router (R7800) - AC2600...
Protocols Supported
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Extra Features
Dynamic QoS, 160 MHz Channel Support, Alexa enabled, Beamforming +, App enabled
Brand
TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Router (Archer A5) - Dual Band Wireless...
Protocols Supported
802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11ac
Extra Features
Bandwidth Control, Access Control, Guest Access, Tether App, Supports Access Point mode, Access Schedule, SPI Firewall, DoS
Brand
Amazon eero mesh WiFi router
Protocols Supported
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Extra Features
Alexa Enabled, App Controlled, Spyware app, Content Blocking, Beamforming, VPN, Expandable with mesh system
Brand
Google Nest Wifi - AC2200 - Mesh WiFi System - Wifi Router -...
Protocols Supported
MU-MIMO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Extra Features
Content Blocking, Google assistant compatible, Beamforming, Bluetooth Low Energy
Brand
NETGEAR R9000-100NAR Nighthawk X10 AD7200 802.11ac/ad...
Protocols Supported
802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11ac
Extra Features
Bandwidth Control, Access Control, Guest Access, Tether App, Supports Access Point mode, Access Schedule, SPI Firewall, DoS
Last update on 2024-09-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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Best Wi-Fi Routers for Streaming and Gaming in 2023 Buying Guide
Your router plays a crucial role in integrating your electronics and household electrical components, and in the future, they are going to play increasing roles with the evolution of IoT. You can be sure that buying a router that is future-proof is a wise decision.
Also, as Wi-Fi standards keep evolving every few years, it is not a bad idea to change your Wi-Fi router every 3 to 5 years so as to be able to keep up with evolving technologies and protocols. Here’s a guide that should furnish you with all the information you need when selecting the best Wi-Fi routers for streaming and gaming in 2023.
Before we review the best Wi-Fi routers for streaming and gaming, let’s look at the major features to look out for when choosing a router.
Wi-Fi Naming Convention
The idea behind the 802.11xx naming convention is simply based on the premise that the higher the number, the faster or higher the network speed. Thus, 802.11a is the earliest, though products that support a came later than 802.11b. consequently, there was 802.11g, followed by n, then ac and presently ax. (see table below)
Wi-Fi Protocols & Speeds
Wi-Fi protocols are constantly evolving, being anchored on the IEEE transmission protocol. The latest and up to date routers are based on the 802.11ac, also dubbed 5G Wi-Fi. The current protocol is called Next-gen AC, or MU-MIMO (Multiple-User, Multiple input and Multiple Output). This protocol is just an improvement on the 802.11ac protocol, which allows the router to communicate more efficiently with the clients (More on MU-MIMO below).
Here’s a table showing the different Wi-Fi protocols.
| WiFi Standard | Networks | Speed | Frequency |
|---|
| WiFi 1 | 802.11b | 11Mbps | 2.4GHz |
| WiFi 2 | 802.11a | 54Mbps | 5GHz |
| WiFi 3 | 802.11g | 50Mbps | 2.4GHz |
| WiFi 4 | 802.11n | 450Mbps | 2.4GHz/5GHz |
| WiFi 5 | 802.11ac | 1300Mbps | 5.8GHz |
| WiFi 6 | 802.11ax | 1700Mbps | 2.4GHz/5GHz |
When buying a router, look for either the Wi-Fi 6 or 802.11ac or ax specification.
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