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The best wireless internet providers for home Wi-Fi

As ranked by Reviews.com as of 01/14/19.

• AT&T – Stellar customer service
• CenturyLink – Contract-free price lock
• Charter Spectrum – Best for large households
• Comcast XFINITY – Best for reliable service
• Frontier Communications – Best for HD picture
• HughesNet – Best for rural internet users
• Verizon – Best for big households with multiple devices

Once you find a plan that suits your needs from one of the top internet service providers across the U.S., you’ll be ready to set up your home Wi-Fi. Depending on the provider and the plan you choose, you may even receive free rentals on equipment, like a modem and/or wireless router.

Reviews.com is owned and operated by an affiliate of Allconnect, Inc. However, Allconnect, Inc. is not involved in or responsible for the production of Reviews.com content, including the rankings cited on this page.

How to choose a wireless internet provider in your area

When setting up your home Wi-Fi, consider the following factors to determine the best wireless internet provider near you:

• Connection type and availability: Multiple Wi-Fi service providers offer different types of connections—cable, satellite, DSL and fiber-optic—that each work a little differently. First, use Allconnect® to find which internet service providers are available in your area, and then determine what connection type might be best based on your internet usage.
• Data usage and online activities: How you use the internet will determine what download speeds you need to set up a solid home Wi-Fi network. Most casual users need speeds of 1-10 Mbps to send emails and browse the web making DSL and satellite good choices. However, if you game or stream TV, music and videos regularly, then you’ll want a home Wi-Fi speed of 3-25 Mbps or above. This will help you minimize buffering and lag.
• Number of devices: The more devices you have connected to your home Wi-Fi network, the more your wireless internet performance will suffer. Each connected device, and what it demands of the Wi-Fi signal, will affect how quickly the network performs. The higher your bandwidth, the more devices you can connect without causing lag
• Internet upload speeds: Many providers heavily advertise high download speeds because most people download more than they upload. However, if you do a lot of online gaming or video chat from home, remember to check the internet upload speeds too. High upload speeds help to improve live online interactions and usually come with download speeds that are twice as fast.

What equipment do I need to get home Wi-Fi?

In addition to choosing a Wi-Fi service provider, you’ll also need to get the proper Wi-Fi equipment. Here’s what you may need to get started:

• Modem: This device connects to the internet using a coaxial cable (same as your cable TV service) to bring the internet into your home. However, it doesn’t transmit your Wi-Fi signal through the house.
• Router: In order to transmit your Wi-Fi signal, you’ll need to set up a wireless router. This device sends the signal to devices like laptops, cell phones and smart TVs.
• Wireless Gateway: Sometimes referred to as a cable modem router, this device functions as a dual modem and router. Combining the modem and router into one piece of equipment reduces the number of devices you have to set up.

Keep in mind that the cost of equipment may not be reflected in your initial plan costs. For instance, the Frontier Simply Broadband Core internet-only plan starts at $20 per month*, but also includes a $75 one-time installation fee, a $10 per month* broadband router fee, plus taxes, fees and surcharges.

Some providers offer free equipment with select plans; however, in many cases, you may be able to buy your own. Just make sure that any modem and/or router you purchase is compatible with your provider and plan.

*Per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. Last updated 01/14/2019.

Internet-only plans with wireless internet and unlimited data

Here are some internet-only plans without data limits from some of our top Wi-Fi service providers.

Providers	Price	Contract	Internet speeds	Offers or perks	View offers
Frontier	$20/mo.*	No contract	Up to 6 Mbps	Free Wi-Fi router rental with select plans	Shop plans
Spectrum	$44.99/mo.*	No contract	Up to 200 Mbps	Free internet modem and antivirus with Security Suite	Shop plans
Verizon Fios	$54.99/mo.*	No contract	Up to 100 Mbps	100% fiber-optic network	Shop plans
Xfinity	$99.95/mo.* ($49.95/mo. + $50/mo. for unlimited data)	No contract	Up to 15 Mbps	XFINITY xFi allows you to control your home network remotely	Shop plans

*Per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. Last updated 01/14/2019.

If any of these unlimited data plans don’t quite fit your price range, some Wi-Fi service providers, such as Cox, offer lower cost internet plans with additional data you can purchase. This may be an option to consider if you want to get cheap Wi-Fi and not pay for more data than you need.

Many of our Wi-Fi service providers offer great home Wi-Fi deals available with TV and phone bundles. A bundle can help you save money compared to getting internet-only service and cable TV plans from separate companies. Call to shop internet-only plans or bundles in your area.

Last updated 01/14/2019.