The competition
• Best
overall : Asus RT-AX88U
Implements the latest Wi-Fi 6 technologies along with the
advanced security services of Asus AiProtection Pro
• Best
for privacy : Synology RT2600ac
Parental Controls, a blacklist of dangerous and malicious
websites, and numerous security options
• Best
Mesh System : Eero Pro
Eliminates Wi-Fi dead spot in your home with minimal risk of
your network being misconfigured and vulnerable
• Best
for gaming : Asus GT-AX11000
One of the mosts powerful gaming routers available and does
not compromise security in the slightest
• Best
Open Source : Linksys WRT3200ACM
Tri-Stream 160 technology allows every device to stay
connected to the network at the fastest possible speed
• The
best offering : Netgear Nighthawk RAX200
The ultimate future-proof router delivers Wi-Fi 6 and
exceptional performance and coverage for even the largest home networks
• Best
budget : Asus RT-N12
This cheap and cheerful router offers good security and even
VPN support at a price that won't bankrupt you
• Best
Price / Performance Ratio : Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Offers great value for
those looking for solid and reliable performance without breaking the bank
• Best
Configuration : Linksys EA6900 Beamforming
technology makes it a formidable competitor to more
expensive alternatives
In an era where internet threats are on the rise, it is
important to choose the best secure router you can buy to protect your home
network and all your computers, game consoles, smartphones and IoT devices from
hackers, malware and others. online threats.
With many homes using a variety of Internet-connected
devices, it's no longer enough to simply install anti-malware and anti-virus
software on PCs; you have to protect your home at the border to prevent threats
from entering your network in the first place.While there was a time when a
basic firewall was more than enough, a modern secure router must also be able
to protect against a wider variety of attacks from both inside and outside,
including malicious apps running on your computers or other smart devices,
malware, botnets and more, while also offering privacy features like a VPN and
parental controls to keep your children away from the darkest corners of the
Internet.
It also needs to be able to do all of these things while
providing good Wi-Fi coverage and performance that won't slow down the network
or get in the way of streaming and gaming.
Here is a collection of the best safest routers to protect
your home network from intruders, viruses and malware.
Best overall: Asus RT-AX88U AX6000 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router
Strengths
• Enhanced
Wi-Fi 6 support
• Excellent
performance
• Advanced
security with no recurring subscription fees
Against
• Costly
The Asus RT-AX88U continues the tradition of its predecessor
by being one of the best single-unit Wi-Fi routers you can buy right now in
general, and with Asus' strong focus on security features, it's also easily the
first choice among best secure routers. Offering the latest 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6
technology, it can deliver up to 6 Gbps of bandwidth to all of your devices,
while also offering better range and reliability, especially if you have many
devices on your network.
Four beamforming antennas provide enough range to cover a
300 square foot home, while on the back you'll find a very generous collection
of eight Gigabit Ethernet ports for your wired devices, which should be more
than enough to spare you the need to add a hub or Additional network switch and
a pair of USB 3.1 ports provide fast connections for sharing files or media
from an external hard drive. Like most Asus routers , however, it's the
security features that set the RT-AX88U apart, with AiProtection Proprovided by
Trend Micro to help protect you from internet security threats, especially to
your smart home devices, plus advanced parental controls and support for the
full range of VPN technologies and the best part is that unlike other routers
charging a recurring monthly subscription for advanced security features, Asus
includes everything you need for the life of the product without costing you an
extra penny.
The AiProtect feature is provided by Trend Micro and brings
some useful anti-intrusion and anti-virus features to the table ... and it's
free, so you don't have to pay any kind of ongoing subscription fee to access
it. Online gaming doesn't just need speed of higher downloads, but rather
ensure that the game traffic is processed with the lowest possible latency so
that when you perform an action in the game it is sent to the game servers
without delay, which means that when you line up the perfect shot in Call of
Duty and pull the trigger, the person who receives the message will immediately
receive the message.
The best gaming routers stand out from the pack by being
specifically designed to deliver lag-free performance, or "reduced ping
times", in your online games, so you don't experience dropouts and freezes
just as you are about to lead your hordes for a while. final assault on Dazar'alor,
instead allowing you to deploy your forces and escape before your opponents
know you are on your way.With multi-core CPUs, the best gaming routers go even
further than just offering very fast throughput , with enough power left to
analyze network traffic, directing it to the fastest game servers and ensuring
that you have the highest priority, both on your local Wi-Fi network and
outgoing on the Internet, meaning your games won't be slowed down just because
your roommates or other members family are watching Disney + or Netflix.
So moving on to my list of the best gaming routers that will
make sure you are the only one left standing in triumph over your fallen
enemies on the battlefield.
Best for privacy: Synology RT2600ac dual-band Gigabit Wi-Fi router
Pro
• Wide
range of action
• Excellent
speed
• It can
add network memory functions when paired with an external HDD
Against
• Fewer
Ethernet ports than would be logical to expect
Synology may not be the first name you think of when buying
a router, but this security-focused unit is good for both homes and small
businesses. Incorporating its knowledge from the Network Attached Storage (NAS)
industry, Synology RT2600ac offers four 802.11ac antennas to extend signal
range and speed up to 2.53Gbps (1.733Mbps 5GHz, 800Mbps 2.4GHz). Additional
features like MU-MIMO and beamforming help keep speed at high levels and allow
you to properly share available bandwidth when multiple devices are connected.
Setup is a breeze and in five minutes you're up and running
on both Mac and PC, where you'll have access to Synology's router management
system. This is where you'll find options like parental control, a blacklist of
dangerous and malicious websites, and other security options. Synology's
biggest advantage is the package center where you can download NAS-grade apps
like VPNPlus or Intrusion Prevention to double the built-in security, so you'll
have a lot more peace of mind when it comes to potential attacks.
