In today’s day and age, we’ve become ever more interconnected to the internet. Beyond the typical laptop and mobile phones found in a home, you may have numerous devices that all rely on a connection to operate. Do you have smart plugs, thermostats, gaming consoles and other IoT devices in your home? Chances are that your router could easily have over a dozen devices connected to it at once.
For those working from home or have multiple individuals living in their home, the reliance and number of connections increase tremendously. Having a stable connection for multiple devices is key to ensuring your internet experience is as smooth as zero latency.
Whether you’re working remotely, hosting a party where people are reliant on your Wi-Fi connection, gaming often, or simply have numerous devices that all need the internet, we’ll go through the best Wi-Fi routers for multiple devices in this article.
What Is the Best Wi-Fi Router for Multiple Devices?
We’ve reviewed the following 5 options based on different needs:
- Best Overall: NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500
- Best Enthusiast & Gaming: ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
- Best Budget Pick: TP-Link AC4000 (Archer A20)
- Best Reliable Pick: Linksys EA8300 Max-Stream (AC2200)
- Best For Those Who Don’t Need 100% Uptime: TP-Link AX5400 (Archer AX73)
Best Overall
NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500
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NETGEAR has numerous routers in the market with a focus on providing stable Wi-Fi connections for all types of users. The Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500 is a powerful router while designed for gamers in mind, is an excellent option for those who are looking to connect numerous devices to their router.
With speeds up to 2.6 Gbps, the XR500 has numerous built-in features that are extremely valuable. With multi-user MIMO and quality of service express lanes, the XR500 can programmatically determine and route necessary traffic to the devices that matter the most.
In an important Zoom meeting or in a gaming session? The XR500 will allocate most of the traffic to you and away from connections that may be not as important. This is the XR500’s best selling point: its reliability and ability to keep a strong connection despite its high price tag relative to its specifications.
While NETGEAR has various reputable router brands, there are many negative reviews on the customer service experience for those who have issues. Outside of the 90-day included warranty, many customers have voiced their frustration on how limited the customer service is unless you pay for further warranty.
Overall, if you’re looking into a NETGEAR router, we recommend choosing the Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500 as the best router for multiple devices. Its price point vs. quality and reliability makes it the best Wi-Fi router for multiple devices.
Specifications:
- Advertised Total Speed: 2.6 Gbps
- 2.4Ghz Speed: 800 Mbps
- 5Ghz Speed: 1,733 Mbps
- Ethernet Ports: 4
- USB Ports: 2 USB 3.0
- Antennas: 4 External
Pros
- Able to keep connections at reliable advertised speeds
- Includes useful built-in features like a gaming dashboard, VPN, and network monitoring
Cons
- Poor firmware UI could be confusing to navigate
- Rather expensive for its specifications
Best Enthusiast & Gaming
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
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At the upper end of routers, the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 is a powerful router that can single handedly be the single router for most households. With advertised speeds reaching up to 11 Gbps, you’ll never need to bother about adjusting speeds as only core enthusiasts would ever hit speeds that high.
The ROG Rapture has mesh features, allowing you to connect to other ASUS routers if required. Like most other routers, you’ll be able to create three different Wi-Fi connections (one at 2.4Ghz and the other two at 5Ghz) allowing for better distribution and control of your networks.
The ROG Rapture by far has the most powerful 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz channels, with the 5Ghz top speed of 4,804 Mbps single handedly faster than most routers.
At such a huge price tag, ASUS has packed the router to meet all your Wi-Fi needs. Features such as Wi-Fi 6 standard, range of up to 5000 square feet thanks to its antennas, and multi-user MIMO are all included justifying its position as one of the most powerful consumer routers on the market.
If you’re looking for a router that can handle extremely heavy loads, will ensure you have no issues while during sensitive gaming sessions, or just handle multiple devices in general, the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 is the best Wi-Fi router for you.
Specifications:
- Advertised Total Speed: 11 Gbps
- 2.4Ghz Speed: 1148 Mbps
- 5Ghz Speed: 4,804 Mbps
- Ethernet Ports: 5 (with one at 2.5GB/s)
- USB Ports: 2 USB 3.1
- Antennas: 8 External
Pros
- Top of the market speeds at 11 Gbps
- Large area reach at 5000 square feet
- Powerful internal specifications
Cons
- Very expensive
- Newly updated technology and firmware may not work with some internet providers or older devices
Best Budget Pick
TP-Link AC4000 (Archer A20)
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When looking at the TP-Link AC4000 (Archer A20), the first thing you’ll notice is the deeply discounted price when compared to other routers in its class.
With specifications and speeds similar to other routers found in this review, the lower price seems like a steal to many. The Archer A20 has numerous features you would find in more expensive routes including multi-user MIMO, VPN, parental controls and quality of service. With six antennas, the Archer A20 is very impressive.
When the Archer A20 works, it’s an amazing steal given its price point. When it isn’t working, you’ll bang your head trying to troubleshoot it. TP-Link’s customer service is usually very unreliable in assisting you in solutioning the problem.
When compared to the NETGEAR XR500 mentioned above, it has essentially the same specifications. What makes the NETGEAR XR500 superior is its connection reliability. The Archer A20 may have instability at times, especially when you’re using all three connections. There are many user reviews on the instability of the 5GHz band if they are both under heavy load.
For those on the lighter end looking for a budget option, the Archer A20 is an affordable router option if you don’t expect to be under constant heavy loads even with multiple devices.
Specifications:
- Advertised Speeds: 4 Gbps
- 2.4Ghz Speed: 750 Mbps
- 5Ghz Speed: 1,625 Mbps
- Ethernet Ports: 4
- USB Ports: 2 (one of 3.0 and one of 2.0)
- Antennas: 6 External
Pros
- Very affordable router with numerous features found only on more expensive routers
Cons
- Network consistency and reliability is questionable at times
- Using multiple 5Ghz bands can be consistently unreliable
- TP-Link has horrible customer service
Best Reliable Pick
Linksys EA8300 Max-Stream: AC2200
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At first glance, the Linksys EA8300 Max-Stream (AC2200) may not look impressive when comparing its price point to its maximum speeds. At a maximum advertised speed of 2.2 Gbps, it is comparatively slower than all the other Wi-Fi discussed in this article.
What makes the Linksys AC2200 stand out with its higher-than average reviews are the build reliability and included warranty. Each purchase comes with an extended warranty of at least 18 months
Most routers arrive as duds and stop working within months or a year, the Linksys AC2200 simply does what it’s advertised to do: provide you uninterrupted Wi-Fi access without the headaches of broken connections.
With limited features, do not expect the Linksys to come with fancy extras. If all you’re looking for is reliable internet without needing to worry about purchasing another router again, then the Linksys AC2200 is the best Wi-Fi router for handling multiple devices.
Specifications:
- Advertised Total Speed: 2.2 Gbps
- 2.4Ghz Speed: 400 Mbps
- 5Ghz Speed: 867 Mbps
- Ethernet Ports: 4
- USB Ports: 1 (USB 3.0)
- Antennas: 4
Pros
- 18 month included warranty for peace of mind
- High ratings for simply being able to provide great Wi-Fi access without the headaches routers are associated with
Cons
- Maximum speeds may be slow for some
- Unimpressive features included
Best for Those Who Don’t Need 100% Uptime
TP-Link AX5400 (Archer AX73)
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The TP-Link AX5400 (Archer AX73) is one of the most popular routers found on Amazon with numerous reviews. It is able to tackle handling multiple devices and has amazing speeds and features for its price point. With a speedy 4.8 Gbps on the 5Ghz band, you’ll enjoy great speeds.
The 2.4Ghz top speed of 574 Mbps may be too slow for some using devices that cannot connect to the 5Ghz band.
In addition, you’ll find all modern features in a router included including Wi-Fi 6 support, multiuser MIMO, and their proprietary HomeShield protection.
With lots of positive reviews, the one major downside to the Archer AX73 is instances of randomly dropping connections. Many reviewers have commented on the dropped connections throughout the day while using this router. While the dropped connections don’t occur often, they are an annoyance to some.
For those who do not need a perfect connection every waking second, you’ll find the Archer AX73 a reasonable pick for a Wi-Fi router to handle multiple connections. Those in sensitive situations, like online gaming, may want to look to other alternatives mentioned above.
Specifications:
- Advertised Total Speed: 5.4 Gbps
- 2.4Ghz Speed: 574 Mbps
- 5Ghz Speed: 4.8 Gbps
- Ethernet Ports: 4
- USB Ports: 1 (USB 3.0)
- Antennas: 6
Pros
- Very affordable price to speed offerings
- Includes all modern features including Wi-Fi 6 support
Cons
- Instances of dropping connections at times
- Parental controls are an added fee
Conclusion
Routers and the companies that sell them often use the features included as selling points. For most people, having a reliable router for your Wi-Fi connection is often the only thing they are looking for.
While some routers have some pretty crazy advertised speeds, like the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 mentioned above that provides 11 Gbps, most people don’t even have access to these speeds thanks to their internet provider.
Keep in mind how much you truly need on a daily basis. Most devices use very little bandwidth and even if you have many guests over, they are likely only using your Wi-Fi connection for social media or sharing videos together.
Sometimes, the best Wi-Fi router for multiple devices are the more-reliable picks such as the NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500 or the Linksys EA8300 Max-Stream: AC2200 over more powerful alternatives.
Educate yourself on how much bandwidth you use on a normal week and with a little preparation, you’ll be able to save a bit of extra cash by choosing a more affordable router that better fits your needs in handling multiple devices.