Best Wireless Routers of 2023

A good router can help you make sure the answer is yes. But if you experience problems with dead spots or slow connections, Fisco says, it could be time to go shopping.

There are more than 100 models in our ratings, split across two categories: multi-unit mesh routers and single-unit wireless routers.

A single-unit router plugs directly into your modem.

Mesh routers feature one unit that plugs into the modem, plus one or two additional units, sometimes referred to as “satellites” or “beacons,” that can be stationed in other parts of your home. The units then “talk” to one another, creating what’s known as a mesh network.

A single router is generally fine for apartments and smaller houses, but if you live in a house larger than 2,000 square feet, a mesh router may be a better pick. That’s especially true if you work from home, even just a few days per week; nobody likes dealing with dropped video calls.

The satellite units of a mesh router can be moved around to maximize coverage, steering the WiFi signal around obstacles such as doors, walls, and appliances.

On the other hand, if you’re merely trying to improve WiFi in a single room, an inexpensive WiFi extender may be a better alternative. These can cost as little as $20 and generally do a good job of, yes, extending your WiFi network to a hard-to-reach part of your home.

The current WiFi standard is known as WiFi 6, which is sometimes (including in our ratings) referred to by its technical name 802.11ax. You may notice that we still have a handful of WiFi 5 wireless routers in those ratings, including prominent models made by companies like Google and Netgear. While those are generally a few years old, they still perform quite well—and are often cheaper than their WiFi 6 counterparts. They’re just less equipped to deal with the heavy traffic of a home or apartment building filled with internet-connected devices. 

Given the big role WiFi now plays in our lives, we recently refined our testing methodology to reflect real-world conditions better. Our goal remains the same: to provide accurate, scientifically rigorous data so you can make informed buying decisions.

While a majority of the routers in our ratings do quite well in our labs, the ones here stand out with strong Overall Scores, offering solid performance at a range of distances and decent privacy and security protections.