Compare home Wi-Fi providers 2024

Find the best Wi-Fi plans for your home

Home Wi-Fi provider comparison

Your home network needs may look different than someone else’s. Some may want the fastest speeds available, while others want the most affordable plan. Compare home Wi-Fi providers below by price and speeds.

AT&T’s fiber speeds start at $55.00/mo. for 300 Mbps, while Spectrum is widely available with plans starting at $49.99/mo. and no data caps. Verizon is also in the same price range and offers symmetrical upload and download speeds with no equipment fees. T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet is the most available plan for $50.00/mo. for speeds up to 245 Mbps. without data caps.

For cheap internet pricing and a variety of plans, Xfinity is a hard choice to beat.

*Price 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 07/12/24.
**Wireless speeds may vary

Wi-Fi service is available with all ISPs

So, what is Wi-Fi? It is actually the technology that allows your devices to connect wirelessly to the internet through a modem and router. Wi-Fi is not its own specific service to buy so you won’t find “Wi-Fi” or “non-Wi-Fi” internet plans from your provider. Your internet plan represents the connection and speeds to the modem. Wi-Fi service is just a wireless extension of that connection.

Most internet service providers (ISPs) present Wi-Fi as an add-on to their internet service, typically with an extra monthly fee for Wi-Fi equipment. Some may let you use your own equipment and avoid the fee for renting or purchasing a router through them.

If your provider has an unlimited Wi-Fi data plan, it’s worth considering. Not all plans under the same provider have the same caps, so make sure what you are buying. For example, for just $55/mo., AT&T Internet 300 provides fast internet for a moderately sized household without data caps, but some other AT&T plans do have caps and fees that come when you go over them. Some ISPs like Spectrum and Frontier do not have data caps on their plans.

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Equipment needed to set up Wi-Fi

As magical as a Wi-Fi home connection may seem, it doesn’t just happen on its own. In addition to your internet connection, you’ll need at the very least a modem and router to enjoy your internet Wi-Fi.

• Modem – This device receives the internet connection from your provider and uses Ethernet cables to connect with other devices.
• Gateway –  A gateway is a single device that is both a modem and a router; it does everything an individual modem or router does but with less equipment.
• Router – Along with your modem, this is the most important Wi-Fi device as it’s the one that turns your internet into wireless signals. There are many different router options and ways to set it up. Look to our list of best Wi-Fi routers for everything you need to know.
• Wireless network adapter – This device connects your desktop PC to a Wi-Fi network. This is not required for newer PCs, laptops and smart devices as they have built-in Wi-Fi receivers.
• Wi-Fi extenders (optional) – Wi-Fi extenders help boost your Wi-Fi signal so you get a stronger signal throughout your home.

Everything you need is likely available from your provider

Like the cable boxes from your TV provider, modems and routers are commonly available from the provider and are specific to their service. Many providers offer a “gateway” device, which serves as the modem and router in a single unit. Wi-Fi equipment fees, functionality and add-ons such as Wi-Fi extenders will vary by provider.

Is it better to buy your own Wi-Fi equipment?

Some wireless internet providers, including CenturyLink, Verizon and Xfinity, give you the option to use your own products and save the monthly equipment fees. Buying your own equipment not only saves you money, but it can also get you access to the highest quality Wi-Fi equipment on the market.

If you rent your equipment through your ISP, you likely won’t get the most advanced Wi-Fi technology. Verizon and Spectrum’s gateways, for example, only go up to 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) standards. In contrast, many newer models are available with Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E technology. This technology can offer faster speeds and more bandwidth than Wi-Fi 5. 

The only downside to buying instead of renting your equipment is that you will not have access to the same quality tech support as you would when renting your router with your Wi-Fi company. If you would rather use your own equipment, click on your provider below to view a list of compatible modems and routers. On one of our pages, we’ve listed the pros and cons of renting or buying a router.

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How to set up your wireless internet connection

Your internet provider should give you instructions to follow on setup, but you can also follow these steps to set up any wireless network:

1. Find a good location for your router. Where you put your router has a huge impact on your Wi-Fi speeds, and once you set it up, you probably won’t want to relocate it again. Find an elevated spot in a central location in your home, and away from concrete or brick walls, microwaves or other electronic equipment (TVs are okay).
2. Connect the router to the modem with an Ethernet cable. This will go in the WAN (wide-area network) port on the back of your router and the Ethernet port on your modem. You can skip this step if you’re using a combination modem/router device. You’ll also need to plug the router into a power outlet at this point.
3. Configure your Wi-Fi router. This can usually be done in a couple of different ways. Most new wireless routers provide a quick-start guide with their own app, which helps simplify the process. You can also use the router’s dedicated configuration page to complete the setup, which is a URL listed in the router’s documentation.
4. Set up your username and password. Your wireless router will come with a default login, but it’s often something simple like “admin.” You’ll want to change both the username and password as soon as possible.
5. Connect devices. Now that your Wi-Fi network is set up, you can get your devices online. Open up Wi-Fi settings on your device, find the Wi-Fi name you just created and log in using your new password.

Best types of home Wi-Fi

When choosing home Wi-Fi, consider what you want from your home Wi-Fi connection. Do you want the fastest speeds? Reliability? Affordability? Different tech types, such as fiber, cable, 5G and satellite, have different strengths and weaknesses, so exploring each before you choose can help you choose the best one for your needs. Not every technology type will be available to you, so make sure you enter your exact address when searching for internet.

Fiber home Wi-Fi

If your main concern is getting the fastest and most reliable internet connection, fiber is the way to go. Reliability and speed often go hand in hand, and fiber delivers both seamlessly. Fiber internet providers offer symmetrical download and upload speeds, meaning transferring large files will go as fast as the download speed, something that other forms of internet service cannot do. Fiber is more expensive than other types of internet, however, starting around $40 to over $300/mo., but considering the speed and reliability of the service, it offers more value than other internet types.

5G home Wi-Fi

A fixed wireless home Wi-Fi internet connection delivers up to 1,000 Mbps, which can power a large smart home with several devices simultaneously online. However, most plans hit below 300 Mbps, which is good for a small family to game and work from home. Its low latency means fewer delays, buffering and lag, especially when gaming. Most 5G home internet providers have no contracts or data caps. However, you must be within a certain distance of a 5G tower to get service. 

Source: FCC National Broadband Map

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Tips for improving your Wi-Fi signal

There are many things that can slow your Wi-Fi speeds, such as connecting multiple devices or even running the microwave, which means there are many things you can do to help improve your connection. 

• Place your router in a central location – Considering the physics of Wi-Fi, the best place for your router is in a central location, preferably high on a shelf where your router is free of as many obstructions as possible. You can also physically move closer to your router if you don’t want to change your router’s location.
• Disconnect devices not in use – The average household has more than 10 connected devices, and each one eats into available bandwidth. If you need a faster connection, try disconnecting some of the devices that are not currently in use.
• Reboot the router – Sometimes turning the router off and back on is all you need to do to restore the connection.
• Try a mesh network – One Wi-Fi alternative to improve your internet connection is to use a mesh network. A mesh network is when there is a group of devices around your house that act as a single Wi-Fi network. Each device is called a point and the purpose of having multiple points is to provide better coverage for more areas of the house.
• Use a Wi-Fi extender – A Wi-Fi extender connects to your router to extend your Wi-Fi connection to the parts of your home that are currently dead zones.

For more tips and tricks to get faster Wi-Fi, check out our guide on how to boost your Wi-Fi.

If you don’t see an improvement in your internet speed after trying these tips, consider contacting your ISP’s customer service. Also, take a look at other internet plans from them. Often, the cheapest plan isn’t the best option when you need more speed. In fact, the mid-size plans can be the best with average pricing for next-tier speeds. 
The type of internet connection you have will also impact your speed. Fiber is the fastest available right now, with speeds up to 10 Gbps in some areas of the U.S. Cable is the next fastest, with some providers hitting the 2 Gbps level. 5G home internet will get you up to 300 Mbps. Satellite and DSL are the slowest options available, but you can still get up to 100 Mbps with some of those plans, depending on your address.

Other options outside of home Wi-Fi:

• Mobile hotspot: Your smartphone is an excellent way to get online through its Wi-Fi tethering option. Before you cancel your ISP contract, though, there are some things to consider before you rely wholly on your phone for a connection. One is speed, if you are a gamer or a high-volume video viewer, you may have some buffering issues. You should also consider the cost if you are on a restrictive cellular plan.
• MiFi: This portable router acts as a hotspot for your phone, tablet or computer. You can connect to Wi-Fi without worrying about using your cellular data. There are several data plans specifically available for a MiFi device.
• Ethernet cable: To ensure you are getting the absolute fastest speed available from your internet connection, you can use an Ethernet cable to connect one device to your modem/router. This hardwired connection is actually the best way to game, especially if you only use one computer for it.

Home Wi-Fi FAQs

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