The 4 Best Routers For Streaming - Black Friday 2024

The best router for streaming we've tested is the TP-Link Archer BE550, a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router with 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. If you have newer devices compatible with Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7, you'll benefit from its blazing-fast 6GHz band. It delivers speeds more than capable for multiple people simultaneously streaming high-bitrate 4k HDR content. Even if you live in a multi-level home, you can take full advantage of a gigabit (or higher) internet connection. It also has an excellent port selection, with all five of its Ethernet ports rated for 2.5Gbps, so your high-bandwidth wired devices, like gaming PCs and NASes, can reach their full speeds. If your home has obstacles like concrete or brick walls that leave you with dead zones, don't worry. This router is compatible with TP-Link's EasyMesh functionality, allowing you to create a mesh network with other compatible routers or range extenders for better coverage.

Wi-Fi 7 is a very new standard that makes some serious performance promises, but remember that since it's so new, it'll likely be a while before you upgrade all your other devices to support it. The Wi-Fi Alliance's website has a product finder where you can see if your devices are Wi-Fi 7 certified. With that in mind, this router's biggest downside is its range performance on the 5GHz band. While it still delivers speeds suitable for most high-bandwidth uses like fast downloads at 100 feet away, a mesh solution like the eero Pro 6E, our pick for large homes, would be a better option.

If you live in a very large home or notice that a standalone router leaves you staring at the Netflix buffering animation in some rooms, a mesh Wi-Fi system might help, and we recommend the eero Pro 6E for most people. This tri-band Wi-Fi 6E router has a sleek design and a small footprint, so it won't be jarring with your living space decor. In terms of performance, it offers great range, and since it's designed to be easily expandable, you can purchase additional units for better coverage if you have an especially large home. It also delivers impressive speeds that can easily handle multiple devices streaming 4k HDR content, no matter what room they're in.

With eero routers, ease of use is paramount. Using the eero app, setting up your mesh network is incredibly straightforward. You can configure and monitor your network, look at how many devices are connected, and even oversee your smart home devices since it has a built-in Zigbee hub and supports Thread and Matter. However, you must use the app to manage your network because eero doesn't have a web interface, and the app is limited in the settings you can change. It has many features that are included on most other routers—like parental controls, historical data, content blocking, and 'advanced security'—behind an annoying monthly paywall.

If the most bandwidth-intensive thing you do on your network is streaming, you can find the best router for your needs in the mid-range price category. And pound-for-pound, the TP-Link Archer AX55 is the best we've tested in that price range. It's a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router with a conventional design and a small footprint that won't take up too much space wherever you decide to place it. This router really shines in its range and speed performance. At close range, it can saturate an internet connection up to 750Mbps and maintain consistently fast speeds up to nearly 100 feet away. At those speeds, it has no problem handling multiple users browsing and watching 4k content simultaneously.

While its range is impressive, it's still just a standalone router. If your home is especially large, and you can't place the router centrally because of where your internet cable enters the house, don't worry—it's compatible with both OneMesh and EasyMesh, meaning you can create a mesh network with compatible routers and range extenders. Its biggest drawback is that since it's Wi-Fi 6, it doesn't have a 6GHz band, so your cutting-edge Wi-Fi 6E or 7 devices can't reach their top speeds.

If you're on a budget, we recommend the TP-Link Archer AX20. It's a Wi-Fi 6 router that delivers more than adequate speed and range performance, especially considering its price. It can reach speeds up to 700Mbps when close to it and has decent range, too, delivering solid speeds up to 100 feet away. It's more than suitable for streaming 4k HDR content, even with multiple simultaneous users. If you need more range, it's also compatible with OneMesh, so you can create a mesh network with any range extender that supports it.

Like our mid-range pick, the TP-Link Archer AX55, this router has a conventional design with four external antennas and a relatively small footprint, so it's easy to place in your home, but it's not the most attractive-looking model. Its other major drawback is that it doesn't support Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS), so it can't access DFS-only channels, which would help its speeds in congested wireless environments like apartment buildings.

The budget router category is quite crowded, with prices and stock frequently fluctuating. If this router isn't available for its best price of around $55, the TP-Link Archer AX10 is more reliably available and delivers similar performance for only a couple more dollars, but it lacks a USB port. Also, more expensive mid-range routers are typically available to buy used, refurbished, or as an Amazon warehouse deal at a discount. If you're comfortable buying a used router or one with minor cosmetic damage, you can usually pick up our mid-range pick, the TP-Link Archer AX55 for around the same price as the AX20.