Finding a Wi-Fi router that provides excellent coverage to large spaces can be challenging. Luckily, there are some routers on the market designed for long-range coverage.
In this guide, we’ve narrowed down the best long-range routers to help you find the perfect one for your home. Our picks are based on speed, price, coverage area, features and Amazon ratings:
Best overall: NETGEAR Orbi mesh system
Best for fast speeds: ASUS ROG-Rapture GT-AXE16000
Best value: TP-Link Archer AX73
Best for gaming: ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
Best for budget: TP-Link Archer AX21
Compare top long-range Wi-Fi routers
We’ve picked our favorite long-range routers according to five categories: best overall, best speeds, best for your budget, best for gaming and best value. These categories allow you to pick a router that’s best for your specific needs; the router with the fastest speeds will also likely be one of the most expensive, and the router with the cheapest price may not have the best range or speeds.
Product | Best for | Price | Coverage | Speed | Amazon rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NETGEAR Orbi Wi-Fi 6E Mesh System | Overall | $$$$$ | 9,000 sq. ft. | 10.8 Gbps | 4.1 / 5 |
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 | Fastest speeds | $$$$ | 5,500 sq. ft. | 16 Gbps | 4.4 / 5 |
TP-Link Archer AX73 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router | Value | $$ | 2,000 sq. ft. | 5.4 Gbps | 4.5 / 5 |
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Gaming Router | Gaming | $$$ | 5,000 sq. ft. | 11 Gbps | 4.5 / 5 |
TP-Link Archer AX21 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router | Budget | $ | 2,500 sq. ft. | 1.8 Gbps | 4.5 / 5 |
Best overall long-range router
We’ve picked our favorite long-range router for the best overall category according to the router’s long-range performance. While it may be on the expensive side, it has the speed, coverage and features that allow it to perform better than most in long-range situations.
NETGEAR Orbi Wi-Fi 6E mesh system
What we like
-
Wi-Fi 6E offers fastest speeds on the market
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Extremely long-range coverage with the whole-home system
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Easy to install
Things to consider
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Very expensive
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Wi-Fi 6E is not necessary for most homes
If the best coverage and fast Wi-Fi speeds are your biggest priority, consider the NETGEAR Orbi Wi-Fi 6E mesh system. With the whole-home system, the Orbi offers speeds up to 10.8 Gbps and covers up to 9,000 sq. ft.
This router has an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars on Amazon. One customer noted the hefty price tag but claimed the NETGEAR Orbi Wi-Fi 6E system is “so much better than everything else I’ve tried.” Another customer discussed the Orbi’s “exceptional coverage” and “stunning speed.” If you’re willing to splurge, we think this mesh system is worth it.
Best long-range router for fastest speeds
This is our pick for the best long-range router according to the fastest speeds. If your main concern is speed, then this router is for you.
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000
What we like
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Speeds up to 16,000 Mbps
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Quad-band
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Wi-Fi 6E
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Two 10 Gbps ports, one 1 Gbps port and one 2.5 Gbps port
Things to consider
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Expensive
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Large
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Wi-Fi 6E is not compatible with many devices yet
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 quad-band Wi-Fi 6E router is a great choice if you’re looking for the fastest possible speeds. It offers up to 16 Gbps through its quad-band technology. Quad-band technology supports four frequency bands: one 2.4 GHz, two 5 GHz bands and one 6 GHz band, which allows for optimal speeds.
This router has 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon. One customer loves its signal and strength, claiming it’s a “top end router” if you can get past the price.
Best value long-range router
We think this router offers the best value for its price. While it’s more expensive than our best budget choice, you’re getting Wi-Fi 6 technology with multi-gig speeds.
TP-Link Archer AX73
What we like
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Great value
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4.5 / 5 stars on Amazon
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Wi-Fi 6
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Great speeds
Things to consider
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No multi-gig ports
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Subscription required for some features
It’s hard to find a long-range Wi-Fi router that provides better value than the TP-Link Archer AX73 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router. This router provides Wi-Fi coverage for your large home at an impressive speed of 5.4 Gbps — it’s one of the fastest you’ll find.
This router has nearly 10,000 customer ratings on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Customers especially like that it’s easy to install, provides a strong Wi-Fi signal and has a good user interface. One customer said, “This router is fast bottom line … I am getting gig speed easily at good distances. This is an amazing router.”
Best long-range router for gaming
Our pick for best long-range router for gaming offers you everything you need if you’re an avid gamer, from fast speeds to great gaming features.
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
What we like
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Perfect for avid gamers
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Great speeds
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4.5 / 5 stars on Amazon
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Tri-band
Things to consider
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Expensive
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Large
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 is well-known as one of the best gaming routers on the market. This router supports triple-level game acceleration to boost your game traffic from your device to the server.
This router has almost 4,000 ratings on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Customers especially like its user interface, the Wi-Fi signal and its gaming quality. One customer said, “It’s like my internet got a turbo boost. I’m talking faster and more reliable connections, reduced lag and smoother gameplay. It’s like the difference between riding a bicycle down the highway and zooming down the highway in a sports car.” If that sounds good to you, then the GT-AX11000 may be your ticket to a great gaming experience.
Best long-range router for budget
This router is a great budget choice that will still give you great coverage and speeds. We’ve picked it for best long-range router on a budget since it still provides optimal coverage but at an affordable price.
TP-Link Archer AX21
What we like
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Very affordable
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Reliable speeds
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Wi-Fi 6
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4.5 / 5 stars
Things to consider
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No multi-gig ports
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No security software
If you’re looking for a long-range router on a budget, you can’t go wrong with the TP-Link Archer AX21 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router. This router can cover large homes with Wi-Fi speeds up to 1.8 Gbps. It features Wi-Fi 6 technology, providing greater capacity, faster speeds and reduced network congestion compared to the previous generation.
It’s perfect for 4K streaming, online gaming and fast downloading while easily handling dozens of devices. This router has more than 27,000 ratings on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Customers especially like that it’s easy to install, affordable and provides a strong Wi-Fi signal.
What to look for in a long-range router
With literally hundreds of Wi-Fi routers on the market, you may find it challenging to find the right long-range router for your home. Here are a few factors to consider when making your decision:
- Coverage: Considering this roundup showcases some of the best long-range routers, it’s essential that we talk about coverage. Most descriptions will provide the square feet the router can cover, so you can choose one with enough coverage to provide service to your entire home.
- Price: We can’t talk about choosing the right router without talking about price. After all, the price of a good router can range from less than $100 to several hundreds of dollars. Consider your budget before choosing the best router for your home.
- Speed: You’ll notice that while all of the routers on our list provide fast internet speeds, they still vary significantly. Consider what activities you do on the internet, and find a router that provides speeds to accommodate it.
- Protocol: Wi-Fi 6 is the newest wireless protocol, and it’s what most of the routers on our list support. While Wi-Fi 6 can deliver speeds up to 10 Gbps, Wi-Fi caps max out around 3.5 Gbps, which is plenty for most people.
- Compatibility: If it’s important to you to keep your current internet service provider, then make sure to choose a router that’s compatible. The chances are that most popular routers will be popular with your provider, but it’s important to double-check.
If you don’t want to invest in a new router but are looking for more range, a great option is a Wi-Fi extender. Wi-Fi extenders act as a second router for your home, extending your Wi-Fi signal to certain areas of your home where the signal is weak or nonexistent. This can be an easy way to get more coverage without buying a long-range router.
Need a faster internet plan?
If you have a slow internet plan, then upgrading your router won’t help you gain much speed. To ensure the best speeds, consider upgrading to a faster internet plan. When paired with a good long-range router, you’ll find that your speed and coverage issues disappear. Use our online tool to find the best internet service providers in your area.
How we chose the best long-range routers
When compiling our list of the best long-range routers on the market, we looked at more than two dozen of the most highly rated routers. We considered factors such as the number of square feet that it can cover, supported speeds, price, features and customer reviews.
Ultimately, our goal was to ensure that each customer can find a long-range router in this list that meets their needs, including having options for every budget. We’ve also included what we think each router is best for to help you narrow down your search even more.
Long-range router FAQs
What is the best router for a two- or three-story home?
A mesh Wi-Fi system is often the best choice for a multistory home, since you can have your signal distributed from multiple points.
Which Wi-Fi frequency has the best range?
Wi-Fi routers usually operate using two frequency bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. 2.4 GHz covers a larger area, while the 5 GHz band offers better speed and performance.
What should I look for in a router?
You should look for a router that can support the speed you need from your internet plan. It’s important that your equipment is up to date so you can get the speeds you’re paying for, so make sure your router is capable of supporting the speeds you need.
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Get startedWritten by:
Camryn SmithCammy is a writer with Allconnect, growing her broadband industry knowledge for over a year on the internet marketplace. Her expertise lies in home internet and broadband service with a focus on providers, plans… Read more
Edited by:
Anine SusEditor I
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