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WiFi routers have become one of the most important techs our homes and workplaces can’t exist without. Life seems to come to a halt if the connection to the Internet goes missing for a while, not to forget the effects on the working environment. Hence, not getting proper connectivity in some areas in your home or office can be a big problem.
How far the signals will reach, and how strong they will be, is generally determined by the antenna technology on the router. And of course, all routers vary in the technology they carry and hence the WiFi range they support.
So when planning on buying a new router, the first things you need to keep in mind should be, the size of the area to be covered, and the number of connections that you’ll be making. Not to forget the type of devices which will be connecting. With all that in check, you can go through the list of best WiFi routers for long range we have compiled below.
Best WiFi Router for Long Range
Asus RT-AC88U – Best of them all
The Asus RT-AC88U is currently the best when it comes to fast speed with an extended range that covers the entire home. It’s quite powerful and comes loaded with a lot of ports, and pretty sleek. It weighs 2.6 pounds and is definitely not among the smaller routers out there. But of course, big things come in big packages. The bigger size allows it to have 8 Gigabit LAN ports, which let you run 8 separate devices simultaneously. The 1024-QAM technology onboard delivers almost 80 percent faster connectivity at 5Ghz and about 66 percent faster connectivity at 2.4Ghz. And with all that extra speed, you get a 33 percent increase in coverage at the 2.4 GHz with the 8 antenna spectrum. Which means the coverage can easily envelop areas about 5,000 square feet in size.
Apart from the speeds and coverage ranges that definitely make this one of the best WiFi routers for long range. The Asus RT-AC88U comes with a great fun to use Web interface, pretty straightforward and easy setup, and some of the best network monitoring features that are hard to find in many other devices. Not to forget the built-in VPN (Virtual Private Network), and TrendMicro vulnerability detection for safety against malware, ensuring a safe and secure browsing experience.
And for gamers, the game acceleration features and route optimization for connectivity to servers, resulting in lower ping times and lag, are definitely something to weigh in on.
Linksys WRT1900ACS Open Source Wi-Fi Router – Second best of them all
The WRT1900ACS is definitely not among the best-looking routers out there, but the performance it delivers will definitely have you singing in praise of it. Weighing at 1.77 pounds, it does bring a larger footprint. But with bigger size come big features and bigger range. There are four antennas that are both adjustable and are designed to enhance the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz connectivity, thus enhancing both coverage and performance. It also carries a 1.6GHz CPU onboard which enhances the processing of high-speed data, thus allowing multiple users to be able to stream media or play games without facing any slow down or lag.
The Linksys WRT1900ACS ensures every tiny bit of the wireless signal is made to reach all across your house, and deliver optimal response and connectivity regardless of the location of the user. Not to forget the excellent interface for quick and easy setup, which is accessible with the Android App or through Web browsers,
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TP-Link AC1900 – Best Value for your money
Alright, we all know its kind of tough when it comes to trying to match a lower budget router with expectations of an extended range of coverage. But this Tp-Link Ac1900 is an amazing budget-friendly option for the price conscious buyer. It’s three high-powered and adjustable antennas are able to create a very strong and reliable signal that reaches to the extreme corners of your home or office.
While the setup is pretty quick and straightforward with the app available on both Android and iOS, allowing you to simply plug the router and start using it in no time. Not to forget the ease of managing the settings and controlling usage.
Weighing about 3 pounds, and coming in all white, it does look different than the traditional blackish look of routers we are all used to. It’s got three fully detachable antennas which come with beamforming strengthened connections, which basically help in directing and focussing the signals towards the connected devices. While the AC1900 comes tweaked and customized to prioritize gaming and 4K video streams without lag or interruptions, despite having a multitude of devices connected to it.
Linksys AC5400 Tri-Band Wireless Router – Best Innovative Contender
We’re all quite accustomed to having routers that offer a 2.4Ghz and a 5Ghz band for connectivity. Linksys AC5400 Tri-Band, however, comes with a third 5GHz band, thus offering amazingly fast WiFi speed and connectivity, which is excellent for gamers and video streamers. It comes with a 1.4GHz dual-core processor onboard and supports 8 Ethernet ports for direct device connectivity. Weighing around 3.25 pounds, it comes with quite a larger footprint, but as we have learnt so far from previously reviewed devices, larger can mean more range and better performance at the extreme range. This router also brings MU-MIMO, which basically means every device connected to it will operate independently and won’t affect the speed and connectivity of other connected devices.
This AC5400 router is great for busy houses or offices, with its ability to deliver the fastest possible signal through the 802.11ac. Which when coupled with the three WiFi band setup, adds up to deliver a potential speed of 5.3 Gigabits per second. Although the actual speeds will be affected by various environmental considerations and the type of devices linked to it, as different devices can only work with a certain speed limit. It can also be paired with a separate Max-stream range extender, and the router will switch to the strongest signal automatically at the position the device is connecting with it from.
With all the features and innovations in check, this AC5400 is the best future proof router you can buy right now. Thus making it an excellent contender among the list of best WiFi router for long range.
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Portal Mesh WiFi Router – Best Design
Not all of us want the ugly heavy beasts among the routers to get the best performance. Some of us prefer to have a beautiful and well-designed device sitting in their room which is pleasant to look at. Portal is that very kind of router. It comes in a glossy white design and carries nine antennas which are all located inside. It’s unique and patented “Fastlane” technology connects your devices to WiFi channels that are usually reserved for non-consumer devices, and hence delivering better speeds and non-congestion of signals. This unique technology brings connectivity that’s great for normal computing and browsing, and the even better for gamers trying to get a lag free gaming experience. MU-MIMO is also onboard to prioritize each device independently and not to forget the Turbo AC2400 spectrum boost, which delivers speeds usually up to 3 times faster than the normal AC3200 baed routers.
Portal comes with its unique Mesh 2.0 connectivity for additional Portal units. you can experience 10 times better speeds and 3 times more coverage, with just adding in more units in the network, which simply makes it such an amazing device to own and extend both its range and performance at will. Not to forget, without additional units, the Portal still covers 3,000 square feet of the house or office building. Which for most of us, is all that we need.
Conclusion:
We have tried to discover and list down some of the best devices you can have for your specific needs for an extended range of coverage. You can’t go wrong with picking any device from the above. Let us know, on your thoughts or if you want us to consider another device that you might feel should’ve made the list.
