If you are looking to upgrade to Gigabit internet, you will need to have the best router for Gigabit internet possible.
If you have had your router for a while, it is unlikely that it will be able to give you the most out of your upgraded speeds.
Looking for the right router will mean some homework for you, however. You will need to look at the available speeds, what WiFi standard the router is on, and what kind of coverage you can get from the router.
Some routers will have a lot of similarities, making it difficult to choose the fastest router for your network, so think about what kinds of features you need before you buy.
You need a router that can offer more than what you pay for with your internet package in order to get the most out of your internet package.
7 Best Routers For Gigabit Internet (2021)
Device | Speed | Ports | Rating | Check Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Netgear RAX200 Editor's Choice | 11000 Mbps | 4 Ports | 100% | |
2. Asus ROG AX11000 Runner-Up | 11000 Mbps | 4 Ports | 99% | |
3. TP-Link Archer A9 Budget Friendly | 1900 Mbps | 4 Ports | 96% | |
4. Netgear XR700 For Gaming | 7200 Mbps | 6 Ports | 98% | |
5. Gryphon AC3000 Extended Coverage | 3000 Mbps | 4 Ports | 97% | |
6. Motorola MG7700 Modem Router | 1900 Mbps | 4 Ports | 95% | |
7. Turris Omnia Open Source | 2200 Mbps | 4 Ports | 94% |
1. Netgear Nighthawk RAX200 WiFi Router
Best Router For Gigabit Internet (Editor's Choice)
Our choice for the best router for Gigabit internet is the Netgear Nighthawk RAX200. The performance of this router is amazing and should meet all of your needs.
Design
To begin with, RAX200 has a bit of an unusual design. It has fins instead of antennas, but inside of the fins are 8 amplified antennas that boost the signal of the router to reach even farther than standard routers. Unfortunately, the design is enormous as a result, so it takes up a lot of shelf space.
You will also find that the RAX200 comes with a lot of security features, including a built-in firewall, VPN, and guest WiFi access. It will be easy to lock down your network if that was a concern for you.
Performance
The RAX200 is a powerful router so it has excellent performance. The router comes with a 64 bit, 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor. It is a tri-band router as well with capabilities of 1.2 + 4.8 + 4.8 Gaps. Speed-wise, this router gets up to 11 Gbps, as long as your ISP will allow for it.
There are also other great features with this router, including Beamforming+, MU-MIMO, and dynamic QoS. Since the router has 12 simultaneous streams, you will not have any interruptions, regardless of what is happening on your network.
2. Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 WiFi Router
Fastest Router Runner-Up
Our second place winner for the best router for Gigabit internet is the Asus ROG Rapture AX1000. This router is really made to perform.
Design
The AX11000 has a unique design and it is large, so you are not going to be able to hide this router, even if you wanted to. Keep it out in the open where it can get good ventilation. The AX11000 does sit flat on a surface and has 8 high-powered antennas, extending from every side of the router.
The Rapture also has a 2.5 G gaming port, for ultimate, high-speed performance for the devices you plug in. It’s good to note that the design of the Gaming Center interface is ROG-themed as well, so you get an easy point-and-click control over everything that you need to set up on your router.
Performance
The Rapture is actually a high performance router and is made for any gamers out there. It would work for anyone who wants high speeds from their router, so even if you aren’t a gamer, this router might still work for you. It’s called the AX11000, because it gets WiFi speeds up to 11000 Mbps.
The Rapture also offers triple-level game acceleration with game package and game server prioritization. The triple-level acceleration will boost game traffic while lowering the ping rate and reducing the game latency, for an overall better experience.
3. TP-Link Archer A9 Smart WiFi Router
Budget Friendly
You do not need to speed all of your money to get a high-quality router for your Gigabit internet. In fact, the TP-Link Archer A9 router is the best router for Gigabit internet that does not also cost a fortune.
Design
While you might first take a look at the Archer A9 and assume it is just your everyday router, which is not true.
The design of the Archer A9 does have some more common attributes, like the three antennas, the black casing, and how the router is laid. Outside of that, there is a kind of space design element to the router, making it interesting to look at.
The Archer A9 comes with four 1-Gigabit Ethernet ports as well as a USB 2.0 port. The four Ethernet ports on the Archer A9 will let you hardwire any device that you do not want to travel over the wireless connection.
This does give you a more reliable signal, though it limits your ability to move your device around once you have connected it that way. The USB 2.0 port is perfect for sharing a printer within your network, or will also work to support a storage device that could be shared throughout the network.
Performance
The performance of the Archer A9 is great for Gigabit internet users who are working within a budget. The data transfer rate for the Archer A9 is 1900 Mbps.
The actual speed that you get can be affected by the layout of your home and even the type of Gigabit internet that you are working with. The router is dual-band as well, so you will get some added traffic control along the network.
The Archer A9 also has many different security features to keep your network safe. The security features include a VPN server, a guest network, and parental controls. These will work together to keep your network as locked down and private as you would like it to be. It can also help limit your children’s access to unwanted content.
The range of the router is up to 2,000 square feet. If you keep your home free of obstacles, your Wi-Fi should be able to travel as unobstructed as possible to reach its destination. This also depends on whether you have stairs.
4. Netgear Nighthawk Pro XR700 WiFi Router
For Gaming
Even though the other routers that we have looked a are also good for gaming, the perfect choice for Gigabit internet for gamers is the Netgear Nighthawk Pro XR700, which really is a router made for gamers.
Design
The design of the XR700 includes four high-gain antennas, to help extend the reach of your router. This design is also bulky, as most Gigabit internet routers are, so it will need be placed in a location with good ventilation.
Designed specifically for gamers, the XR700 router has everything that you need to game efficiently without undue interruption. The router also comes with six LAN ports and one WAN port, so you can wire-in any device that needs it, including your gaming console or HDTV.
Performance
TheXR700 has speeds up to 7.2 Gbps, using its powerful 1.7GHz quad-core processor. The XR700 router also has one of the lowest pings on the market as well as Anti-Buffer Bloat (ABB), which prioritizes traffic to keep you in the game.
The XR700 has geo-filtering, which will help your router connect to the closest servers and players, giving you a quick response time and while allowing you to dominate on the battlefield. It also lets you monitor your network and game ping in real-time, so you can see exactly what is happening as it is happening.
5. Gryphon AC3000 Mesh WiFi Router
Extended Coverage
This is a more unique router than other routers, in part because it acts like a mesh system if you want it to.
Design
The Gryphon has a more original design than the other since it has a white casing and stands vertically, keeping the router cool while making it easier to blend in with your walls. The antennas with this router are all internal, so there are no unsightly pieces sticking out of it.
The set up for this router is simple and straight forward, including when you want add on new Gryphon routers to further extend the coverage. It does come with excellent security features as well.
Performance
The Gryphon is a high performance router that covers up to 3,000 square feet. It does not need more than one Gryphon to reach 3,000 square feet in coverage, however, which should work with the average larger home network all by itself. But, if you need more than 3,000 square feet in coverage, you can just add on more Gryphons and extend the reach.
This is a tri-band router with a 2.4 GHz band and 2 5 GHz bands, so traffic flowing steadily on your network, without interruptions. It also has 4x4 MU-MIMO technology, making it easier for more than one user to stream at the same time.
6. Motorola MG7700 Modem Router Combo
Modem Router Combo
If you have Gigabit internet and need a modem router combo unit, we suggest the Motorola MG7700. This device has a cable modem and a wireless router put together.
Design
The design of the MG7700 is a black tower design. It has excellent venting, keeping all of the internal components cool, increasing its longevity. It also takes up less space on your shelf than a horizontal device does, so it will not be as much of a space burden.
The MG7700 comes with four Gigabit Ethernet ports, so you will be able to plug in up to four devices directly to it. The ports will work with an HDTV or a gaming console, since you will be able to hardwire them in, as well as the computer that you use as your home base.
Performance
The performance of the MG7700 includes wireless power boost which will give you better speed and range. It does have built-in AnyBeam WiFi beamforming that will improve the reach of your signal and really hone in on the area that you need the strongest wireless signal.
The MG7700 comes with a dual-band built-in router, so it has both the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz bands to allow you delegate traffic between the bands, and therefore increasing your overall speeds. You can also get 1,500 square feet in coverage.
7. Turris Omnia WiFi Router
Open Source
The final router that we will look at for Gigabit internet is the open source Turris Omnia 2020. Open source technology is more customizable than the standard router, but it does have a bigger learning curve.
Design
The Turris Omnia 2020 is not as aesthetically pleasing as other routers. It has a simple, silver boxy design with three high-gain antennas that boost your signal. You also gives you the option to customize your LEDs so they can flash in any colors or patterns, or you can turn them off.
The Omnia 2020 is an open source router, so you get a lot of choice as far as additional software goes. You can download the software that you want, so you can get that custom router that you have always wanted. This is not a user-friendly router in general, but it has a lot of possibilities and customizations.
Performance
The CPU for the Turris Omnia 2020 is a Marvell Armada 385 with a 1.6 GHz dual-core. That means this is a powerful router and will do its job well. The router comes with 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB eMMC, which are both excellent options to have with a router.
This is a dual-band router with extensibility, so you can customize the internal part of the router as well. It has enough internal room for WiFi cards, an LTE modem, or even a disk controller.
Things That The Fastest Router For Gigabit Internet Should Have
Latest Wireless Standard
The first thing that your router should have is the latest wireless standard, which is WiFi 6. The previous standard was 802.11ac. The newest started has better speeds, lower latency, better connection quality, and even better battery life.
WiFi 6 can pack more information within your signal, making it faster overall. This is great if you like MU-MIMO technology, which is where you can have more than user streaming online at the same time.
Antennas
When we talk about antennas with a Gigabit internet router, we do not just mean the amount of antennas a router has, though that is also important. The more antennas that you have to work with, the more directions your signal can travel.
The antennas also need to be high-gain, so that they have a bigger reach with more power than the traditional antennas had. Some antennas are contained within fins, but as long as they are strong, they will get the job done.
Ethernet Ports
The amount of Ethernet ports that you have is also a factor to look into. Ethernet ports allow you to connect devices to your router.
If you have a gaming console, for example, you will want your router to be able to connect directly to the console in order to have the strongest connection possible. The more ports you have to work with, the more devices can be wired directly into the router.
MU-MIMO & QoS Features
Two other features that you should look for in your Gigabit internet router is MU-MIMO technology and QoS features. The MU-MIMO allows more than one user to stream at the same time, which is great if you have a lot of streaming activity.
The QoS technology allows you to prioritize your devices, indicating which devices should receive the majority of the bandwidth when traffic gets heavy, so that they do not experience any lag.
Steps To Do Before Upgrading To Gigabit Internet
Moving to Gigabit internet is like taking a breath of fresh air. Here are some steps to take before you upgrade.
- How are your wired connections? Gigabit internet works really well for wired connections, because there is a lack of interference. This will give you the most out of your Gigabit internet.
- Does your router support WiFi 6? WiFi 6 is the latest WiFi standard and is the best for Gigabit internet. If your router doesn’t support WiFi 6, you might want to consider an upgrade.
- Make sure your 5 GHz band is working. The next thing to do is to make sure that your 5 GHz WiFi band is set up well and working. You should be able to access the settings for this in your router settings.
- Do a speed test. Make sure that your speeds are on par.
- Update your firmware and software. Are there any updates hanging around that haven’t been taken care of? It is time to address them.
Final Words
You should want to get the most out of your Gigabit internet and part of that is making sure your router is able to tolerate that level of speed.
Our choice for the best router for Gigabit Internet is the Netgear Nighthawk RAX200. This is a high performance router that is built to give you all of the speeds that you want.
If you can get a router that is on the WiFi 6 standard, you will already be better off and able to get the best speeds from your new internet. Look at the features for the different routers and decide which is right for you.
Hey, it’s James here. I’m the founder and editor here at RiverstoneNet.com. I’m a network engineer during the day and a blogger at night. Let me know if I can help you with choosing a new modem/router or troubleshooting your Internet connection.