Suggest a new router for me

09-04-2025

My existing one is like 15 years old. I'm supposed to have cable 100Mbps but when I wifi to my laptop, it's like 33; using Ethernet it's 95. Then my Bluetooth earbuds really clog up the connection, so I guess the wifi is interfering with that so I'm guessing cuz I'm still using 2.4 band and can't switch to 5?

I'd like to have a wifi choice of bands in case some of my other devices must use 2.4, but I'm not sure how that would work and if a new router would improve things if it's still (partially?) running 2.4?

If an IT expert can chime in it would be greatly appreciated. Obviously, I'm no techie lol.

09-07-2025

How big is your place, what devices do you connect on WiFi, and what apps do you run over WiFi?

09-07-2025

I just kept my router, turned off wifi, then got a ubiquity ap. Zero issues since.

09-07-2025

zx10guy wrote
How big is your place, what devices do you connect on WiFi, and what apps do you run over WiFi?

Under 1,000sqft, wifi feeds a laptop, 2 smartphones, 2 cameras and 1 tablet. I just use Chrome, YT and stream shows/movies.

09-07-2025

Frostynorth wrote
I just kept my router, turned off wifi, then got a ubiquity ap. Zero issues since.

Is it an ancient router like mine though? Turned off wifi and using an app? I dunno what that means lol, you just use ethernet?

09-07-2025

tranquility wrote
Is it an ancient router like mine though? Turned off wifi and using an app? I dunno what that means lol, you just use ethernet?

He meant AP as in wifi access point with no embedded router, plugged into your existing router's ethernet port.

I'm floored that you have a home-grade wifi router that is still running after 15 years. Except for an Apple Airport (no longer made), all of my home-grade stuff dies after 2-3 years max. I use prosumer-grade Ubiquiti stuff at home now, which is a bit more complicated to manage than home-grade stuff. The only failure in 5+ years was my original firewall/gateway back in the spring, and I like the upgraded replacement.

Dumb question - Does your Internet provider offer all-in-one router/wifi devices as part of your service? Most people are non-techies, and go for this option rather than managing their own home routers.....

09-07-2025

tranquility wrote
Under 1,000sqft, wifi feeds a laptop, 2 smartphones, 2 cameras and 1 tablet. I just use Chrome, YT and stream shows/movies.

I'd look at any product from Netgear. In the past, I've used them extensively particularly their ProSafe business line. Their home line of products a while ago have been iffy at times around durability. But it seems those issues have been resolved. I got a Netgear Nighthawk WiFi router for my mom a few years ago and it's still running fine.

What I would get is any WiFi 6E wireless router that fits within your budget in the Netgear line. WiFi 7 is rolling out but based on your usage, it's not warranted as the improvements over WiFi 6E are focused around the power user. Even WiFi 6E might be more than you would need or even utilize because you have to have wireless clients that support WiFi 6E. WiFi 6E brings on additional enhancements over WiFi 5 but runs on the 6 GHz carrier frequency. This is why I asked how big your place is as the range of WiFi 6E is less than WiFi 5 which is even less than the old 2.4 GHz.

WiFi 6E routers will support all the previous legacy protocols so you won't have any issues there.

The others talking about Ubiquiti is referring to a company that makes Prosumer/SMB type products. The stuff works and many home power users like Ubiquiti because it gives them business grade features at a reasonable price. But frankly, I think you're still better off sticking with a company like Netgear.

I would have recommended Asus as another option. But I've been put off by what I've been seeing with their security issues. There was a recent bulletin about a vulnerability with some of their wireless routers that allows hackers to use them as part of a botnet. I've rarely heard of any security issues with Netgear.

09-07-2025

tranquility wrote
Under 1,000sqft, wifi feeds a laptop, 2 smartphones, 2 cameras and 1 tablet. I just use Chrome, YT and stream shows/movies.

Step 1: check with your ISP (cable company, Fios, Fixed Wireless Access provider) so see if they have a router they bundle into service. Many will provide periodic "upgrades" to their equipment for free. If they bulk, mention that you are thinking about switching - that should do the trick.

For <1,000 sqft apartment, a single WiFi Access Point (AP) might be sufficient, unless you have a chimney or concrete columns within your footprint that attenuate coverage in some corners. So a single ISP-issued router/WiFi AP might be all you need.

If you want to extend the coverage outside of your 1,000 sqft area (e.g.: back/front-yard, garage, etc), then multiple APs and WiFi Mesh may be desirable. Then pick you from the list below (the difference is mostly in prices, # of APs, and bundled admin tools):
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=wifi+mesh+router&crid=20YYRJRVV1M94&sprefix=wifi+mesh+rout%2Caps%2C196&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

HTH,
A

09-07-2025

Something else I forgot to mention as it's been brought up a couple of times in the replies. If you do opt to use ISP provided hardware, be prepared to pay a rental fee. Rental fee should only be a few dollars a month. But it is a cost you have to account for. Many people choose this route as mentioned, it's the easy button in terms of getting support. If there is a problem, the first thing your ISP will ask is if you're running a third party router. Then be prepared to deal with passing the buck syndrome.

I've dealt with this before with my ISP. I know it's a problem on their end but they'll do what they can to make it seem it's my problem. I just appease them by saying I went through their cookie cutter check list with resetting the modem, etc etc when I didn't. I've had battles with tech support over network connectivity issues with consumer electronics manufacturers despite my 20+ years of IT/networking experience in the Federal/Enterprise space.

09-07-2025

Thanks for all your comments.

Yes, I'm surprised my router still works but I guess I take care of it and my setup hadn't made it obsolete? I have a model VNR1000 from Netgear and they seem pretty solid so don't mind buying from them again.

I'm not keen to rent stuff, so won't use their router, and that Ubiquiti stuff sounds complicated to me haha so I guess Imma skipping that too.

09-08-2025

Based on your area and devices any decent modern router will work. I would recommend get the best that you can afford - ie minimum AC level and Wifi6 - as you tend to use your router for many years.

09-09-2025

Redd wrote
Based on your area and devices any decent modern router will work. I would recommend get the best that you can afford - ie minimum AC level and Wifi6 - as you tend to use your router for many years.

What is meant by this? Thanks.

09-09-2025

He means it's a WiFi protocol. IEEE is the standards body by which manufacturers build equipment that conforms to that standard. When WiFi was first invented, the "b" standard was the first or IEEE 802.11b. It used the 2.4 GHz carrier frequency and had a theoretical speed of 11 Mbps. 802.11g came out soon after that used 2.4 GHz with enhancements to increase speed up to 54 Mbps. Along side that 802.11a was also introduced that used the 5GHz frequency but with the same theoretical speed as 802.11g. Then 802.11n came out that boosted speeds up to 300 Mbps (theoretical spec said support up to 450 Mbps but in practice that never existed).

And then the discussion of ac being brought up which is 802.11ac. This is referred to as WiFi 5 and immediately preceded WiFi 6. 802.11ac brought enhancements with running multiple spatial streams and channel bonding to push theoretical speed to 1Gbps running solely on the 5 GHz carrier frequency. My wireless networks I run at both of my homes are currently 802.11ac. I've gotten an honest 400 Mbps to 500 Mbps throughput speed as measured through a large sustained file transfer. And since I'm geeking out here, 802.11ac came in two parts...phase 1 and phase 2. The big improvements with phase 2 was more channel space and multi user MIMO.

09-09-2025

zx10guy wrote
He means it's a WiFi protocol. IEEE is the standards body by which manufacturers build equipment that conforms to that standard. When WiFi was first invented, the "b" standard was the first or IEEE 802.11b. It used the 2.4 GHz carrier frequency and had a theoretical speed of 11 Mbps. 802.11g came out soon after that used 2.4 GHz with enhancements to increase speed up to 54 Mbps. Along side that 802.11a was also introduced that used the 5GHz frequency but with the same theoretical speed as 802.11g. Then 802.11n came out that boosted speeds up to 300 Mbps (theoretical spec said support up to 450 Mbps but in practice that never existed).

And then the discussion of ac being brought up which is 802.11ac. This is referred to as WiFi 5 and immediately preceded WiFi 6. 802.11ac brought enhancements with running multiple spatial streams and channel bonding to push theoretical speed to 1Gbps running solely on the 5 GHz carrier frequency. My wireless networks I run at both of my homes are currently 802.11ac. I've gotten an honest 400 Mbps to 500 Mbps throughput speed as measured through a large sustained file transfer. And since I'm geeking out here, 802.11ac came in two parts...phase 1 and phase 2. The big improvements with phase 2 was more channel space and multi user MIMO.

OK I'll pretend I understood all that haha.

09-09-2025

To simplify it just search for Wifi6 routers. They will be AC standard. Get the best you can afford. For 1000 sqft you can ignore mesh wifi systems, you probably don't need it.

Garage

1 Series

2 Series

3/4 Series

5 Series

6/M6 Series

7 Series

8/M8 Series

M2

M3/M4

M5

X1/X2

X3/X4

X5/X6

X7/XM

Z4

BMWi

Suggest a new router for me