#Top small business routers gigabit download#
#Top small business routers gigabit free#

No matter how good the radios that broadcast the Wi-Fi are, the slow single-core processors found in most cheap routers can still drag things down. A fast processor and RAM: A router with a speedy multi-core processor and extra RAM can handle more connected devices and offer improved performance.We looked for routers with at least four ports, an arrangement that also lets you connect to any Ethernet or powerline extenders you have in your home.

#Top small business routers gigabit free#

At least four Ethernet ports: A free Ethernet port gives devices such as TVs, streaming boxes, and gaming consoles the benefit of unfettered access to the internet bandwidth you’re paying for.

A great router minimizes that wait even if the network is busy serving other devices.

Low latency test results: Slow internet sucks, and latency-or lag-is the time you have to spend waiting for the next thing to happen.

We tested each router from up close and from far away to confirm whether it will allow you, for example, to stream high-quality videos on the far side of your living space.

Good range test results: You should be able to connect to a well-placed router from anywhere in an apartment or a small house.

#Top small business routers gigabit download#

In our tests, network speed, or throughput, varies from “this YouTube video will never finish loading” to “you can download a video game in an instant.” Generally, we looked for the routers that performed above average, and we dismissed the slower routers. Good speed test results: Speed claims on the box don’t mean much in the real world.Any phone or laptop you buy today or may have bought in the past few years uses the new standards, and having more than one band makes it easier for your router to manage traffic around any slower, Wi-Fi 4 devices on your network. The cheapest routers-which cost as little as $20 or $30-use a single band, or frequency, of the Wi-Fi standard that came out in 2009 (802.11n, rarely referred to as Wi-Fi 4). Current-generation technology: Since we’re looking to improve your Wi-Fi, we considered only dual- or tri-band routers that support the more recent Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 standards.