Best overall—TP-Link Archer AX11000
Best overall
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A great router with great speeds at a great price | |
Score:out of 5 | The Archer AX11000 is one of our favorite routers, hands down. It has great speeds, lots of ports for wired connectivity, and free Trend Micro security to boot. You simply can’t go wrong. |
| Pros | Cons |
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Price: $309.97*
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*Amazon.com price (as of 4/30/24 12:37 MST). Read full disclaimer.
Expand for product details and ratings
| Category | Score* | Summary |
| Performance | 4 | Has some of the best Wi-Fi 6 speeds around based on our testing. |
| Features | 4 | Includes free Trend Micro antivirus, decent parental controls, and media sharing. |
| Design | 4 | Packs 8 LAN ports, USB connectivity, and 3 Wi-Fi bands. |
| Setup | 4 | Offers a smooth and quick process via the app or web browser. |
| Ease of use | 4 | Presents the best web interface we’ve seen on a TP-Link router. |
* out of 5 points
What we like about it: The Archer AX11000 has the second-fastest close-range speeds we’ve tested to date. And for the price, it’s a steal with free Trend Micro security, a built-in VPN server, and more.
What we wish it did better: While the whole setup process is doable, TP-Link should split the setup process into Basic and Advanced modes so novice users can jump into network management faster.
Why do we recommend it? The Archer AX11000 is one of our favorite routers. You can’t beat what you get for this price. It has great speeds, long range, free Trend Micro antivirus, and multi-gig internet support. If you want a superfast router at an affordable price, this is the one for you.
Alternative: The Archer AX6000 is a cheaper two-band version if you want to save a little money.
Tested speeds at a glance
| 5 GHz max speed | 2 feet | 40 feet | 120 feet |
| 1,200 | 860 | 692 | 282 |
* Speeds in megabits per second (Mbps) using a Wi-Fi 6 client and an 80 MHz channel.
| Wi-Fi specs | Wired specs |
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Superfast router specs and features
Once upon a time, Gigabit Ethernet enabled fast connections in modems, routers, and other networking equipment. Now you see internet plans speeding along at 1,200Mbps and faster, and Gigabit Ethernet can’t handle those speeds. Here are a few things to look for when shopping for a new superfast router.
Multi-gig internet
A router needs a multi-gig WAN port to support internet plans greater than 940Mbps. Some routers pair a Gigabit Ethernet WAN port with a similar LAN port, and that’s okay for a combined 2,000Mbps (2Gbps) connection if your modem, gateway, or ONT supports it.
Wi-Fi 6 and newer
Be sure the router supports the Wi-Fi 6 specification or newer. It enables faster speeds than Wi-Fi 5, better traffic management, and improved multi-device support. We highly recommend Wi-Fi 6E, as it gives you access to the new 6 GHz spectrum for more attainable real-world sub-2Gbps wireless speeds.
Link aggregation
Link aggregation combines two wired ports to create one fast connection. On routers without a dedicated 2.5Gbps WAN port, look for link aggregation that pairs a Gigabit Ethernet WAN port with a Gigabit Ethernet LAN port. However, your modem, gateway, or ONT must support this feature too.
Other general router stuff
Bands – Most mainstream routers access two wireless spectrums: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. We suggest a three-band router for improved traffic management and better wireless speeds.
Streams – Most wireless devices have a two-transmit-two-receive (2×2) antenna configuration. You want a router that uses a 4×4 design per band at the least, so there’s less wait time as your devices stand in line to receive and send data to the router.
Antennas – Generally, the more antennas you have, the better. You only need one antenna per band, but routers use multiple antennas for features like Beamforming and MU-MIMO. You also want external antennas, as they blast a longer range than internal ones.
Author - Kevin Parrish
Kevin Parrish has more than a decade of experience working as a writer, editor, and product tester. He began writing about computer hardware and soon branched out to other devices and services such as networking equipment, phones and tablets, game consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom’s Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others. At HighSpeedInternet.com, he focuses on network equipment testing and review.
Editor - Rebecca Lee Armstrong
Rebecca Lee Armstrong has more than six years of experience writing about tech and the internet, with a specialty in hands-on testing. She started writing tech product and service reviews while finishing her BFA in creative writing at the University of Evansville and has found her niche writing about home networking, routers, and internet access at HighSpeedInternet.com. Her work has also been featured on Top Ten Reviews, MacSources, Windows Central, Android Central, Best Company, TechnoFAQ, and iMore.
