Best WiFi Router 2020 Introduction
These are the Top 10 Dualband WiFi routers for under $100 you can buy right now. Affordable wireless routers that still offer faster internet speeds, large coverage, and future-proof features. Whether you stream lots of videos, are a hardcore gamer, have a 2-story house or even need a router with plenty of parental controls, we have you covered.
You probably have both a modem and a WiFi router, and you likely rent one or both for around $5 a month from your internet provider. Don’t believe me? Check your bill and you’ll see a rental charge. With our help, you can ditch that fee.
Yes, you can actually buy your own WiFi router and stop paying a monthly rental fee. This will save you money while totally delivering faster internet speeds, better performance and more features at the same time. If that sounds good to you, and it should, these are the best cheap routers available right now.
Tips for Improving WiFi Speed and Range
Even if you have the worlds best WiFi router, if it is not optimized properly, you will be getting really bad results such as low range WiFi signal, slow internet and poor security. Even if you have the best WiFi Router, you wont be able to use its full potential.
Here are a few simple tips and hacks you can use to improve your WiFi networks speed and range.
Top 10 Cheap Best Dualband WiFi Router for 2020
1. Google WiFi
Google’s original WiFi router offers an incredibly easy and enjoyable experience at an affordable price.
And while the search giant just released a newer and faster Google Nest Wifi, it’s too expensive. Instead, the original Google WiFi still delivers a great experience that’s very very simple to use, looks good, and you can instantly buy another and use the Google Home app to add a second router in another room or upstairs in a matter of seconds.
Google WiFi makes Mesh WiFi so easy that a caveman could set it up — and so can you. That’s in addition to everything else people enjoy from Google, all the smart home options with the Assistant, parent controls, QoS, and more.
Personally, the biggest selling point is that you could get this for your grandparents and they’ll be able to set it up. Download the app, take a photo with your phone, make a password and you’re all set. It’s fast, stable, reliable and easy WiFi.
2. TP-Link Archer C7
Describing the features of a router can sound like a foreign language to some people. So, to keep things simple, just know that if you’re looking for the best overall combination of price, speed, performance and coverage, the TP-Link Archer C7 is your best bet. We’ll start with it.
Basically, if you don’t want to drop hundreds of dollars on a router, get the Archer C7. It received an Amazon’s Choice award, has nearly 18,000 positive reviews, and almost the entire internet will say it’s a great choice.
This is a fast Dual-Band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) Gigabit router with the latest 802.11ac standards, theoretical internet speeds of up to 1,750 Mbps and six antennas to cover every corner of your house. You’ll also enjoy two USB ports for media sharing, a 2-year warranty, QoS, and the option to flash custom software like DD-WRT for all you enthusiasts. It’s the perfect WiFi router for 4k streaming and HD gaming, yet has parental controls and is easy enough to use for any family.
3. ASUS Dual-Band RT-ACRH13 (AC1300)
If our first few suggestions are too expensive, or you don’t need to pay for the fastest speeds possible, a great alternative is the ASUS ACRH13.
This is the router I use to stream live television with Sling TV, play Xbox, and has at least 10+ devices connected to it at any given moment. The ASUS AC1300 supports the latest 802.11ac standard, dual-band gigabit speeds, and has four external antennas you can aim where you want for the best coverage in your home.
Plus, the MU-MIMO (multiple input/output) technology allows the router to communicate with multiple devices simultaneously, instead of one at a time. We love the effortless setup interface, accompanying Android or iOS app for QoS and parental controls, and the front-facing USB 3.0 port. It’s a great little cheap router for those on a budget.
4. Motorola AC 1700
If you have a big house but don’t want to mess with WiFi extenders or a mesh system, consider the Motorola MR1700. This thing is affordable, powerful, and will cover your entire home.
Like most budget routers on our list, the Motorola MR1700 has fast speeds and all the features one would want. Additionally, there are six oversized antennas you can aim every which direction to cover the garage, backyard, upstairs and more.
Four antennas deliver the 2.4 Ghz band, which reaches further but isn’t quite as fast. Then, the other two are for 5Ghz speeds which you’ll want to use for gaming or video streaming.
5. NETGEAR Smart WiFi R6230 (AC1200)
Like the ASUS Router mentioned earlier in this post, this WiFi Router from NETGEAR is a great option for people trying to save money and at the same time, getting all the qualities of the best WiFi router.
Basically, this is a solid alternative if you don’t need speeds the Archer C7 has to offer. It has fast theoretical speeds of 300 + 900 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, beamforming, dynamic QoS controls, and tons of tweaks to improve your streaming or gaming sessions.
Plus, this cheap WiFi router works with the Nighthawk app, making it a breeze to setup and manage. Like the others on our list, you’ll get 4 LAN and 1 WAN Ethernet ports, and a USB 2.0 port for attaching media storage devices.
6. TP-Link Archer AX1500
While the Archer A9 near the bottom of our list is technically a little faster than this next recommendation, the Archer AX series is the newest generation of routers from TP-Link. They’ve offered some of the best budget WiFi routers for several years, like the aging C7 or A9, and you’ll love their newer options.
One of the best WiFi routers for around $100 in 2020 will be the Archer AX1500 and AX3000 for several reasons. They’re built for the future and have all the latest technology. Not to mention lots of WiFi channels, parental controls, QoS, gigabit speeds, dual-band support, OFDMA, MU-MIMO, and more importantly — smart features.
The AX series all work with Amazon Alexa, and have several other “smart home” features that most cheap routers don’t offer.
7. ASUS RT-ACRH17 (AC1700)
Next up is the ASUS Wireless-AC1700 Dual-Band Gigabit Router. This is a high-end feature-packed device that can rival the Nighthawk and most more expensive routers, yet it’s only $89 and often on sale.
This WiFi router is equipped with a powerful Quad core processor and with a 256 MB RAM that enables it to process and optimize internet and local network traffic with a high speed connectivity from the USB 3.0 port or ethernet ports. Plus, it delivers concurrent dual-band (2.4 + 5 GHz) speeds of 400 + 1300 and it packs in the latest 802.11ac and 3×3 MU-MIMO technology.
We like the four external multi-directional antennas, beamforming controls, intuitive setup interface UI, and the companion ASUS router app. Once you plug everything in and download the app, setup takes around 30 seconds with 3 easy steps.
We like the four external multi-directional antennas, beamforming controls, intuitive setup interface UI, and the companion ASUS router app. Once you plug everything in and download the app, setup takes around 30 seconds with 3 easy steps. For more ASUS routers, you may check this asus rt-ac68u review.
You can easily manage all the speeds, WiFi channels, QoS, and parental controls inside the app. Not to mention turn on alerts and notifications for network-based events.
8. Synology RT1900ac
Another amazing at the same time low priced WiFi router is the Synology RT1900ac. This is actually, a great WiFi router that can act as a NAS server all in one. This one provides amazing WiFi performance and range, it’s affordable, and has a lot of features.
The Synology RT1900 is an ultra fast Dual Band Gigabit router with long range coverage for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks. With beamforming support, Quality of service to totally control your network, intuitive parent controls, and 600 + 1,300 Mbps speeds.
A big benefit here is the Wake-on-LAN over QuickConnect for a NAS if you’re interested in dabbling with network storage devices. We can connect external hardisk into the USB 3.0 port and with their amazing software to transform this excellent WiFi router into a highly capable NAS server.
9. TP-Link Archer A9 or C9 Router
Next is the TP-Link Archer A9 and C9 series. This MU MIMO Router, Three simultaneous data streams help Your devices achieve optimal Performance by making communication more efficient
Similar to the model at the beginning of this post, the C9 is an extremely popular, powerful and fast router. And the A9 model is the same, only with Alexa built-in. Wave 2 WiFi Router, 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1300Mbps on the 5GHz band.
10. NETGEAR Nighthawk R6700 (AC1750)
Another amazing Router in the best router list is the NETGEAR Nighthawk series, which emphasis on high speed, reliability and ultra long range. The Nighthawk R6700 Dual-Band Smart WiFi router does a little bit of everything and is a good choice for gamers around the world.
The Nighthawk AC1750 is ideal for homes with 12 or more WiFi devices, plus it has three antennas on the inside, and three more on the outside. Essentially, it’ll blanket your entire house with internet. It’s powered by a 1 GHz dual-core processor, offers theoretical speeds of 1,750 Mbps (400 + 1350) and has a lot of features like prioritized bandwidth for gaming, streaming videos, or music. That includes beamforming.
We like the easy on/off switch on the back, QoS, quick parental controls with the companion mobile app, and the front USB 3.0 port for media streaming from a thumb drive.
Best WiFi Antennas of 2019
Here is a list of External WiFi Antennas that can help you boost the speed of your WiFi network.
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