Whether you’re streaming Netflix on your iPad, holding a Zoom call on your laptop, or playing the latest games on your Xbox, having good Wi-Fi coverage at home is an absolute must. There’s nothing worse than having poor network coverage in your own home, or your media buffering constantly because your router can’t keep up with a busy household of streaming devices.
For most home users, you’ll get a stock wireless router with your ISP which usually has very limited range. This can result in slow speeds compared to what you’re actually paying for, in addition to constant buffering in your favourite streaming apps.
How to pick the best router for streaming
There are a number of factors to consider when looking to upgrade your router at home, and all of them are important to keep in mind. Taking each of these factors into consideration will help you make the best choice for your router upgrade, and will ensure that you’ll still get fast streaming speeds in the years to come.
One of the most important factors to consider is the wireless range you require. If you’re in a studio apartment, then you can set up your router in a central location, and it will provide stable Wi-Fi to all parts of your home. But if you’re living in a bigger apartment, you’ll want to pick a router that has much longer range than the one your ISP sets you up with, so that you don’t have dead zones where the Wi-Fi can’t reach. For larger 3-bedroom apartments or villas, you’ll want to look at a mesh Wi-Fi system instead. A mesh Wi-Fi connects several nodes together to completely cover your home in Wi-Fi across a single network, so you don’t have to worry about toggling through different network names as you move about your home. Mesh networks are also very easy to upgrade in the future, so if you find yourself moving to a bigger place or needing strong Wi-Fi in a particular area, you can simply add a node to your existing network.
You’ll next need to look at speeds, both for wireless and wired connections. Wireless devices can communicate on either 2.4GHz or 5GHz channels, and each band has its advantages. 2.4GHz products can operate at faster speeds at shorter distances, while 5GHz products can operate at further distances with slower speeds. Wi-Fi standards are also important if you want to get consistent speeds when streaming. The latest 802.11ax standard offers the highest wireless speeds on smartphones, laptops, and tablets, but you’ll need to make sure you’re buying a modem that supports it. Otherwise, you’ll have to fall back on 802.11ac or 802.11n for older devices.
Lastly of course, you’ll also want to factor in the cost. As you look at routers with more features and expansion options, the price will start to climb. At the minimum, you’ll want a router that features some sort of built-in firewall and parental controls, as well as the option to control which devices on your network connect to either 2.4GHz or 5GHz frequencies. Price tends to be a deciding factor for a lot of our purchases, but if you’re spending more for a router that you know will serve you well for a number of years at least, then it’s absolutely worth the investment. It also ensures that you don’t have content buffering while streaming, or drops in your stream if you’re broadcasting on Twitch or YouTube.
To help ensure you always have the best Wi-Fi experience at home, Asus has a range of routers available to match every need and budget. Whether you’re looking for the best router for lag-free gaming, or you need a router that can provide Wi-Fi across your entire villa, here are some of the best routers you can pick up from Asus.
Best for Budget-Friendly Wi-Fi
Asus ZenWiFi AX Mini (XD4)
The Asus XD4 is a great choice for anyone who needs good Wi-Fi coverage across their entire home. The three nodes are easy to place in areas where you need Wi-Fi the most, and can wirelessly sync with each other to ensure that there are no network dropouts wherever you are in your home. This system is perfect for a large apartment or small villa, and comes with unique Parental Controls to monitor what younger users are accessing. It also supports Asus’ AiMesh technology, which allows compatible Asus routers to be added to the network for even more coverage. It’s a system that’s flexible enough to handle media streaming, working from home, or light gaming.
Asus RT-AX55
For a more traditional Wi-Fi solution, the Asus RT-AX55 is definitely one to look at. It may seem like an ordinary compact router, but it packs far more tech than meets the eye. You get whole-home network coverage along with lifetime free AiProtection, powered by Trend Micro, which blocks internet security threats for all your connected smart devices. The RT-AX55 is also able to intelligently communicate with multiple devices on your network, ensuring that there is no delay in transmitting data no matter how busy your network may be.
Best for Gaming
Asus RT-AX86U
The Asus RT-AX86U offers fantastic connectivity for both wired and wireless options. If you’re a fan of mobile gaming, then you’ll appreciate the dedicated Mobile Game Mode for a lag-free, low-latency mobile gaming experience. You also have a multiple LAN ports for various wired network devices, including a 2.5Gbps WAN/LAN port that can be connected to a compatible device for the fastest network speeds. You can also easily prioritize devices on your network to ensure that they always get the most bandwidth.
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000
The Asus GT-AX6000 brings the best of networking technology specifically for gamers. In addition to fantastic Wi-Fi coverage, you also get a dedicated gaming LAN port for either your PC or console, which always delivers the best and fastest network speeds without any configuration necessary. Triple-Level Game Acceleration helps to accelerate game traffic every step of the way, from device to game server.
Best for Powerful Wi-Fi Coverage
Asus ZenWiFi XD6
The ZenWiFi XD6 series system consists of a pair of ASUS AX5400 WiFi 6 routers, featuring unique technologies that give you superfast, reliable and secure WiFi connections — inside or outside your home. Covering a range of nearly 5,300 sq ft, it’s a great system for any home that requires strong Wi-Fi in every room and space – from an upstairs guest bedroom to the outside garden. Its minimalist and modern look means that it can be set up anywhere in your home without being too distracting, while providing excellent coverage to all of your devices. You’ll be able to keep your devices safe with the built-in network protection, as well as use Parental Controls to monitor network activity at any time.
Asus ZenWiFi Pro XT12
For those who want a Wi-Fi network without any compromises, the ZenWiFi Pro XT12 is just the router for you. This whole-home mesh Wi-Fi offers staggering network speeds, with scalable capacity for the new generation of home networking ecosystems. ZenWiFi Pro XT12 is a 12-stream device, with combined total data rates up to 11000 Mbps. This boosts its capacity for transmitting and receiving data to large numbers of devices simultaneously, reducing dead zones and handling the busiest home networks with ease.
