Best Products > Networking 112 112 people found this article helpful The 9 Best Long-Range Routers of 2023 Eliminate those dreaded Wi-Fi dead zones By Jesse Hollington Jesse Hollington Twitter Writer Jesse Hollington is a tech writer with 10+ years' experience. He has written for iLounge, Forbes, Yahoo, The Independent, and iDropNews, among others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 21, 2023 We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Tweet Share Email Networking The Ultimate Router Buying Guide Not every router is the same when delivering the range you need to cover a large home. Many offer super-fast speeds when you’re up close that fall off as you move farther away—sometimes even to the point of losing your connection entirely. If this is your situation, you need one of the best long-range routers to help you enjoy smooth online performance no matter where you are in your home. Whether streaming Netflix, hanging out with friends and family on Zoom, playing games or just surfing the web, there’s something here for everyone. The Rundown Best Overall: Asus RT-AX88U at Amazon Jump to Review Best Budget: TP-Link Archer C80 at Amazon Jump to Review Best Mesh: Netgear Home Wi-Fi System at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Gaming: Asus GT-AX11000 at Amazon Jump to Review Best Value: Linksys Velop MX12600 at Amazon Jump to Review Best Splurge: Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6 System at Amazon Jump to Review Best Parental Controls: TP-Link Archer AX6000 at Amazon Jump to Review Best Design: Netgear Nighthawk RAX120 at Amazon Jump to Review Best Coverage: Ubiquiti Amplifi HD at Walmart Jump to Review Best Overall Asus RT-AX88U AX6000 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router 4.7 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy What We Like Supports the latest high speed Wi-Fi 6 standard Excellent performance 8 LAN ports for plugging in devices What We Don't Like Pricey Asus AX6000 RT-AX88U Router Review Asus’ RT-AX88U is a powerful router that you can easily drop in as a replacement for your existing setup, and it has a great balance of range and features that will meet the needs of just about anyone. Best of all, it uses the latest and fastest version of the Wi-Fi standard, called Wi-Fi 6, so it will serve your home well for years to come. The sleek, low-profile design of the RT-AX88U means it won’t look too out of place in your home, and the four antennas give it enough range to cover a typical four to five-bedroom house, depending on where you place it. You’ll also find a collection of eight wired ports on the back for connecting devices that need top performance or simply don’t have Wi-Fi. We’ll be honest, the web interface is a bit daunting—it’s designed more for power users who want to do a lot of tweaking—but fortunately, Asus also has a mobile app for iPhone and Android. There’s no shortage of advanced features here, but they’re tucked away, so you won’t need to worry about them unless you want to dig in deeper. Wireless Spec: 802.11ax | Security: AiProtection, WPA3, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AX6000 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 8 Tested by Lifewire "The Asus RT-AX88U is an excellent Wi-Fi 6 router and is a great way to future-proof your home network even if you don’t already have a lot of Wi-Fi 6 devices. I was able to slot it in place of my normal router and have it up and running in just a few minutes. Once it was set up, I was able to stream high-definition Netflix to two televisions on my network while someone else was gaming, and various other phones and tablets were in use without any stuttering or slowdown. When connected via Ethernet cable to my desktop, the Asus RT-AX88U achieved a top download speed of 481Mbps and upload of 63Mbps. Overall, performance is more or less what you would expect from a Wi-Fi 6 router in this price range." — Jeremy Laukkonen, Product Tester Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen Best Budget TP-Link Archer C80 AC1900 Wireless MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 5 Router 4.2 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On 123office.com What We Like Very affordable Strong Wi-Fi signal Easy setup What We Don't Like Limited positioning options TP-Link Archer C80 Review Picking out an affordable router that delivers great range can be tricky, but fortunately, there’s TP-Link’s Archer C80, a rare gem that will give you solid coverage around a large home with a price tag that won’t be too hard on your wallet. While the Archer C80 doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the more expensive routers on our list, it delivers where it counts, punching out a surprisingly powerful signal to reach the far corners of your home. This router packs a surprising amount of performance-boosting technology for a router in its price range. While this means TP-Link had to cut a few corners on some of the advanced features, it still manages to handle the important things like basic parental controls and a quick and easy setup through its mobile app. The only downside is that it struggles with multiple devices streaming and gaming simultaneously. So if you have a busy family, this probably isn’t the router for you. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AC1900 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 4 Tested by Lifewire "The C80 is a sturdy device. The four antennas are disproportionately long, but they don't feel flimsy. Every closet, bathroom, and bedroom maintained a signal, and I experienced no dead zones whatsoever. The C80 is a cinch to set up, and the TP-Link Tether app is one of my favorite router companion apps. Although it lacks some features, like a USB port, a third band, or an ultra-high performance processor, it offers fast speeds at a reasonable price." — Erika Rawes, Product Tester Lifewire / Erika Rawes Best Mesh Netgear Orbi Whole Home Wi-Fi System 4.5 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy What We Like Speedy performance Full home coverage Great design What We Don't Like Older devices complicate things Netgear Orbi Review As a mesh Wi-Fi system, the Orbi is all about giving you the best performance and coverage by letting you place multiple “satellite” units around your home in the places where you need the best signal. If you’re like most families, that means you’ll probably want one in the living room or rec room for getting smooth Netflix streaming on your smart TV and lag-free gaming on your Xbox or PS5. Need even more coverage? You can buy additional Orbi satellite units to spread an even wider net of coverage throughout your home. Best of all, this one is really easy to set up and provides great features like sophisticated parental controls and lots of room for connecting your wired devices, too. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: NETGEAR Armor, WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AC2200 | Bands: Tri-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports:4 (per unit) Tested by Lifewire "The Netgear Orbi combines its 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands into one network, so I had problems connecting some smart-home gadgets. Eventually, I got everything to work properly and tested the Orbi's speed in several areas of my home—upstairs, downstairs, the backyard, and the basement. When you take the phenomenal range, speedy performance, and MU-MIMO support together in a package, it’s really impressive. You will have a hard time finding a better wireless router than the Netgear Orbi." — Bill Thomas, Product Tester Lifewire / Jordan Provost Best for Gaming Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Wi-Fi 6 Router 4.6 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy What We Like Advanced Wi-Fi 6 Support Extremely fast performance Cutting-edge game-centric QoS What We Don't Like Large footprint Pricey Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Router Review Yes, this router looks like a beast, but it also has the performance to match, with the power of a desktop computer packed inside. This allows it to handle all the demands of gaming traffic, delivering a lag-free performance that means you won't see everything freezing up just as you're about to make that critical shot. And there's still power and range to spare for everyone else in your home, with the eight antennas easily covering a three-story, five-bedroom home. Like other Asus routers, this one is packed with features, but it tucks them away for those who just want to quickly get up and running with the basics. As a gaming router, however, it also has a bunch of special tricks up its sleeve to give you the fastest performance, and while you can read all the details in our full review, suffice it to say this is a router that will truly help you up your game. Wireless Spec: 802.11ax | Security: AiProtection, WPA3, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AX11000 | Bands: Tri-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 5 Tested by Lifewire "Weighing nearly 4 pounds, the ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 is a massive device. Unwrapping and screwing in each of the eight antennas takes time, and the screw attachments were a bit loose, resulting in floppy antennas after a few days. But, the ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 worked almost flawlessly in the five days I spent with it. I took my mobile device down to my garage, about 100 feet from the router in a direct line, with a ton of interference, including metal, in the way. At that extended range, I was able to achieve a top download speed of 54Mbps, still plenty of speed for streaming and gaming." — Jeremy Laukkonen, Product Tester Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen Best Value Linksys Velop AX4200 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (MX12600) Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy What We Like Affordable Wi-Fi 6 technology Great coverage Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 What We Don't Like Requires mobile app for initial mesh set up Lacks built-in VPN server Although mesh Wi-Fi systems provide fantastic coverage, they can get pricey. So while you’re not going to find a good mesh system on the cheap, Linksys’ Velop MX12600 comes close, giving you three mesh units for about the same price that most others charge for only two. Despite the more affordable price, Linksys isn’t cutting any corners here on performance. This Velop Wi-Fi 6 system provides the best range of any mesh system in its class, with three units able to handle homes of up to 8,100 square feet. It’s also a cinch to set up, thanks to Linksys’ mobile app. Like most mesh Wi-Fi systems, you’ll drop the Velop units in key areas around your home to give you the best coverage where you need it. You also get plenty of wired ports on each unit for hooking up devices that don’t have Wi-Fi, and even a USB port so you can conveniently pop in a flash drive with your favorite photos so everyone in your home can access them. Wireless Spec: 802.11ax | Security: WPA3, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AX4200 | Bands: Tri-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 4 (per unit) Best Splurge Netgear Orbi AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh System 4.7 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy What We Like Blazing fast performance Excellent range 2.5Gbps WAN port What We Don't Like Pricey No USB ports Orbi Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System Review We’re already big fans of Netgear’s Orbi—it’s one of the best mesh Wi-Fi systems you can buy—and now there’s a version with the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology that pulls out all the stops to give you incredible performance throughout your whole home. It doesn’t come cheap, and if we’re being honest, it’s probably more than you need right now, but this one is more about investing for the future. This offers the same great coverage as the classic Orbi system but significantly boosts the speed and the number of devices it can handle. You’ll get the best performance out of newer Wi-Fi 6 devices, but it handles the much more common Wi-Fi 5 devices really well too. This means you get great performance today that will get even better as you upgrade to the latest smartphones, tablets, and laptops, nearly all of which come with Wi-Fi 6 built-in. It’s also ready for the fastest multi-gigabit internet plans, as it’s built from the ground up to deliver raw speed to wired and wireless devices throughout your home. Our testing showed that even a single Wi-Fi 6 Orbi station could cover a moderately sized home well enough on its own, so a standard two-pack means you’ll likely never have to worry about dead zones. Wireless Spec: 802.11ax | Security: NETGEAR Armor, WPA3, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AX6000 | Bands: Tri-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 4 (per unit) Tested by Lifewire "The basic Orbi AX6000 system consists of a base station and a satellite unit that look identical from the front. Just one base station is powerful enough for a moderately sized house, and adding a satellite can vastly improve speeds and range. I tested the Orbi AX6000 system on a 1 Gbps Mediacom cable internet connection, and it immediately impressed me. It reached a maximum download speed of 939Mbps, which is something no other router I've tested has managed." — Jeremy Laukkonen, Product Tester Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen The 9 Best Mesh Wi-Fi Network Systems of 2023 Best Parental Controls TP-Link Archer AX6000 8-Stream Wi-Fi 6 Router 4.2 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On B&H Photo Video What We Like 8 gigabit LAN ports Free security and parental controls Includes USB-C port What We Don't Like Bulky design Limited antenna adjustment TP-Link Archer AX6000 Review TP-Link's Archer AX6000 may not be the most attractive router on our list, but it checks all the right boxes. It features support for the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology, has solid performance, and a range boost feature that will make sure you can get online even when you're out in your backyard. What makes the Archer AX6000 really stand out is the free lifetime access to the company's HomeCare security suite. While many other router makers charge you a monthly subscription fee if you want to access their best parental controls and other security features, TP-Link is throwing these in for the router's price, and it's not skimping on them either. You'll be able to block websites by age categories, set up time limits for internet access, and see which websites your kids visit and how much time they spend there. Wireless Spec: 802.11ax | Security: HomeCare, WPA3, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AX6000 | Bands: Tri-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 8 Tested by Lifewire "While the TP-Link Archer AX600 is priced lower than many of its competitors, it still has an impressive spec list, including smart home compatibility, multiple ports, powerful hardware, and some of the latest and greatest features. Beamforming technology gives it the ability to concentrate Wi-Fi signals on the devices that matter to you most, while range boost allows the signal to travel farther. During testing in my home with a Wi-Fi 6 compatible phone, the AX6000 reached 483Mbps while I was standing 5 feet away. The speed dropped to 442Mbps when I went to the opposite side of my 1,600-square-foot home. I didn’t experience any dead zones or connection issues." — Erika Rawes, Product Tester Lifewire / Erika Rawes The 9 Best Parental Control Routers of 2023 Best Design Netgear Nighthawk RAX120 12-Stream AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 Router 4.2 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy What We Like Sleek design 5Gbps Ethernet port Supports link aggregation for multi-gigabit internet plans What We Don't Like Security features require ongoing subscription USB ports can't be used for printer sharing Netgear Nighthawk RAX120 Review Unlike the Orbi, Netgear isn’t going for subtle here—the RAX120 is part of the company’s flagship Wi-Fi 6 router lineup, and Netgear is making it clear this is a powerful, futuristic router. Unlike the spidery look of traditional long-range routers, the RAX120 hides its eight antennas inside those sweeping wings for a much classier look, but they’re still ready to punch out a strong signal that can cover your entire home. An impressive set of wired ports around the back gives you plenty of room for wired devices, and there’s even a high-speed one should you need that for gaming or connecting other high-performance systems. Netgear also offers some of the best security and parental controls available, although sadly, you’ll have to pay an extra subscription fee to take advantage. Wireless Spec: 802.11ax | Security: NETGEAR Armor, WPA3, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AX6000 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 5 Tested by Lifewire "The RAX120 is a workhorse. It has an impressive range overall, and I didn’t experience any dead zones, which has been a problem with other routers in the past. The router had no problem managing my numerous smart devices, nor did I experience any lag or connectivity issues on streaming and gaming devices. The speeds did slow down when faced with obstructions, especially outdoor walls and appliances. I was impressed overall with the location and specifications of the ports, but I would have liked to see more Ethernet ports on a router this expensive."— Erika Rawes, Product Tester Lifewire / Erika Rawes Best Coverage Ubiquiti Amplifi HD Mesh Wi-Fi System 4.2 Walmart View On Walmart View On Best Buy View On Home Depot What We Like Outstanding coverage Very easy setup What We Don't Like Not ideal for busier households Amplifi HD Mesh Wi-Fi System Review Ubiquiti’s Amplifi HD focused on doing one thing and doing it very well, and that’s getting the maximum range possible from a mesh Wi-Fi system. It provides an unparalleled range for those who need to cover a sprawling estate, although it’s important to keep in mind that it’s not going to win any speed records. Ubiquiti may be able to bend the laws of physics a bit here, but it can’t break them outright, and one of those laws is the farther a wireless signal goes, the weaker it gets. In practical terms, this means that the Amplifi HD can deliver up to 20,000 square feet of wireless coverage. At longer distances, this will likely be enough only for casual web surfing and checking your messages. Still, it provides a basic connection long after most other routers have given up. Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi Secure Access | Standard/Speed: AC1750 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: Yes | Beamforming: Yes | Wired Ports: 4 Tested by Lifewire "This is an ideal system for someone with a large area to cover, but it’s not a powerhouse. The two satellite devices are pretty basic and have no ports, but this simplicity makes Ubiquiti’s Amplifi HD super easy to set up. It's capable of pushing a signal over long distances as long as 20,000 square feet, but it struggles when tasked with handling multiple devices simultaneously. Ookla measured the speed at 131Mbps, which is well below my ISPs 500 Mbps max. The accompanying app is user-friendly and designed for the average user, while still offering some advanced options like port forwarding and static IPs for people who like to tinker." — Erika Rawes, Product Tester Lifewire / Erika Rawes Final Verdict Asus’ RT-AX88U offers a wealth of advanced features along with an expansive range backed by fast Wi-Fi 6 performance. If you’re looking to cover a larger home without spending a bundle, however, then TP-Link’s Archer C80 is worth a look. What to Look For in a Long-Range Router Wireless Standards There is a wide range of wireless standards based on different radio wave spectrums. The bottom line when shopping for a long-range router is to ensure that it can offer good performance and range on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Signals in the 2.4GHz frequency range travel farther, so you usually won't have a problem with these on any router, but if you want the maximum speeds in the far corners of your home, you'll need a router that can punch through a strong 5GHz signal too. Lifewire / Yoona Wagener Security High-end, long-range routers often come equipped with advanced security features such as firewalls and current encryption standards such as WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) that block suspicious activity on your network. Other security features to look for include support for router-level VPN implementations. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, and when you use one, your data is sent through a secure, encrypted connection that obscures your identity from prying eyes. MU-MIMO and Beamforming MIMO (multiple in, multiple out) is a method for coordinating multiple radio antennas in a wireless network. MU-MIMO (the MU stands for Multi-user) is a variation of MIMO designed for 5GHz 802.11ac Wi-Fi networks. It improves the performance of connections made using it. Essentially, MU-MIMO is a technology that improves the performance of long-range routers. Beamforming is another technology designed to improve performance in routers. Put simply, traditional routers are omnidirectional, casting a signal over a wide area, diluting the signal. In the case of routers with beamforming, the signal is directed to devices that connect to the router in a concentrated beam that improves signal strength. For this reason, your new long-range router will likely have an array of antennae. Rather than send equal signals in all directions, these antennas can be aimed toward areas of the house that need extra signal strength. FAQ How do you know if you need a long-range router? While dead zones and dropped connections are obvious indicators that it’s time to get a long-range router, problems like lagging and buffering on services like Netflix or choppy video calls on Zoom and FaceTime can also be a sign that your current router just isn't cutting it.Before upgrading to a newer and more powerful router, it’s important to have a basic understanding of the technology involved. One way to help find the best router for your needs is to use a network analyzer such as Netspot, a free tool that can help you get a map of what your Wi-Fi coverage looks like. This can help you identify where the wireless signals are weakest in your house, along with dead spots or areas prone to interference. Should you get a long-range router or a Wi-Fi extender? If you’re having problems getting wireless coverage in one specific area in your home, then Wi-Fi extenders can be a quick and cost-effective alternative to replacing your entire router. However, you’ll almost always be better off getting a long-range router if you can afford it, as that will expand the coverage in every direction, making things easier in the long run. Do faster routers provide better range? Not necessarily. You'll get the fastest possible speeds from any router when you’re sitting right beside it, but those speeds can quickly fall off as you move farther away if the router can't deliver a strong and focused signal. The best long-range routers are specifically designed to put out a powerful signal that can travel farther around your home while also penetrating obstacles such as walls and floors. Should I buy a mesh network instead? Traditional long-range routers rely on sheer brute force signal strength to cover a wide area. A mesh network, on the other hand, uses multiple routers broadcasting the same network signal to create one large network.These networks have the main router directly connected to the modem and a series of satellite routers that act as extensions of the main router, all with the same SSID (network identifier) and password. These will have faster speeds than traditional Wi-Fi extenders since they're designed to work together for maximum performance. They also allow for future expansion if necessary.An advantage of mesh networks is that they can cover larger areas than any single router. A disadvantage is that all those connected routers make for a more expensive system. The 9 Best Routers Under $50 of 2023 Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit