Best Wireless Routers Under $100
The Best Wireless Routers Under $100 – Buyers Guide
Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t find great wireless routers for under 100 dollars. It can be done – easily. All you need is a basic understanding of the way wireless technology works, how it’s marketed, and your specific needs. This page covers important things to look for when shopping for any wireless router. You’ll also find examples of some of the best wireless routers available for under $100.
It can be tricky to find a wireless router that’s worth its price tag while also being affordable. However, there are still some routers that are worth their salt if you know what you’re looking for.
Define Your Requirements
Before you start shopping for routers under $100, you need to define your requirements. How much speed do you need? What are your range requirements? Will you be using mostly wired or wireless connections? How many wireless devices do you have in your home? Will you be doing mostly surfing or streaming 4K video and doing a lot of online gaming?
Once you have answers to these questions, you can start looking at wireless routers that fit your budget. There are many brands and models out there and they vary greatly in price.
For example, if you are looking for a high-performance router for under 100 dollars, then the TP-Link AC1900 – Archer A9 may fit your needs. It is an AC 1900 Wi-Fi Gigabit dual-band router with fast speeds up to 600 + 1300 Mbps on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands respectively. It’s a recent upgrade over its little brother the Archer A7 and comes with important improvements to MU-MIMO, Beamforming, Smart Connect, and a new and improved chipset
The best routers for gaming and long-range wireless routers fall under different categories altogether. That’s not to say there are no wireless routers in the “Under $100” category that aren’t suitable for gaming. The TP-Link Archer AX21 is a budget-friendly Wi-Fi 6 router with many powerful gaming features such as a 1.5 GHz processor, MU-MIMO, and Beamforming support.
If you don’t need a high-performance router, the Netgear R6230 Dual Band Router is perfect for one or two people in a small home or apartment who don’t do a lot of streaming or gaming. It has just enough horsepower for daily surfing and shopping and is an easy wireless router to set up for beginners.
Tech Skills For The “Home IT Guru”
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Find A Good ISP
The next thing you want to look at is what type of internet connection is available in your area. Unfortunately, the best wireless router on earth is of little use to you if your ISP offers only slow download speeds. On the same token if you have a super fast fiber connection to your home a subpar wireless router can become a bottleneck and a constant source of frustration.
Don’t be afraid to shop around and talk to others in your neighborhood about the best ISPs in your area. If you live in an apartment complex the property manager’s office can be a good source of information.
Compare Features
When you’re looking for a wireless router under $100, there are a few features you’ll want to compare.
- First, consider the speed. (Measured in Mbps) The router’s speed is important because it will determine how quickly your devices can connect to the internet. Unfortunately, the way manufacturers list the speed of their wireless routers can be misleading. See the section on “What Do All Those Numbers Mean?” below.
- Second, take a look at the range of the router. Make sure that the router provides good coverage (square feet) so that you can enjoy a strong signal throughout your home or office. This of course depends on the size of your home. If you have a large home a single wireless router may not do the trick. You may want to consider a Mesh Wi-Fi System. Wi-Fi Extenders and Powerline Adapters can also help with hard-to-reach dead spots.
- Third, consider the security features. Many routers come with built-in security features, such as firewall protection and encryption. Keywords like “WPA2” are important.
- Fourth, check out the number of ports. The more ports a router has, the more devices you can connect to it. Most wireless routers will have at least 4 Ethernet ports to connect wired devices to and at least 1 USB port to connect printers and external drives.
- Fifth, take a look at the price. Obviously, you’ll want to find a router that fits within your budget. To do this, start by comparing prices online or on this website.
Compare Reviews
When you’re looking for a new router, it’s important to compare online reviews from multiple sources. This will help you get a well-rounded view of the pros and cons of each option. Be sure to read reviews from both experts and everyday users.
Choosing The Right Wireless Router
Not all routers are created equal. In order to find the best router for your needs, you’ll want to consider a few things: range, speed, and features. The typical home user will only need something that can reach a little over 100 feet indoors or 300 feet outdoors.
You should also consider how many devices you plan on connecting to the router simultaneously. Depending on the strength of the router. This will usually be somewhere between 15 and 40 devices. Sometimes more. You’ll also want to look at any special features like MU-MIMO, Beamforming, VPN, and Parental Controls. See the “Buzzwords You Should Know” section below.)
In summary, there are plenty of options when it comes to purchasing a new router under $100 but if you have specific needs or preferences make sure they’re covered by the device before making your purchase!
Only Pay For What You Need
To start, consider how far away from your router devices will typically be. There’s little reason to buy a top-of-the-line model if you don’t need that kind of range. You should also look at any features offered with routers over $100 and decide whether they’re really important for your personal use.
These could include things like USB ports for networked storage or extra bands that boost signal strength. A good rule of thumb is that if you find yourself wishing for more than two additional features then it might be time to upgrade—but again, buying a higher-end model doesn’t always mean better results!
If you’d rather not worry about this stuff and just get down to business, go ahead and take a look at our list of the five best routers below $100. If not, read on for more information about what to consider when looking for the perfect router.
In terms of price point, you’ll find three models priced between $40-$70 which offer a pretty standard range as well as speeds up to 1200mbps. We’ve included these as some of our favorite low-cost models because they are easy to set up and ideal for light internet usage in small homes or apartments.
Understanding Wireless Router Specs
When shopping for wireless routers under $100 the first things you’ll notice are the speeds printed on the box (Or the ad if you’re shopping online.) You’ll notice the 1900Mbps router is more expensive than the 1200Mbps router. The 3200Mbps is way more expensive than the 1200Mbps and probably more money than you want to spend. You’re being conditioned to believe the more money you spend the faster your wireless devices will be. That’s not necessarily the case.
What Do Those Numbers Really Mean?
The numbers on the box are confusing but they still contain important information. For example, a router with an advertised speed of 1900Mbps is not really a 1900Mbps router. That number is for comparison purposes only. It’s actually a combination of two numbers – 1300Mbps + 600Mbps. That means 1300Mbps on the 5GHZ AC band plus 600Mbps on the 2.4GHZ N band. It may seem misleading but it’s valuable information from a comparison standpoint because these numbers are standards set by the IEEE and are closely adhered to.
The “600” number is usually derived from 3 spatial streams (connections) on the 2.4GHz band of 200 a piece – 3×200=600. It’s important to get a router that supports wireless N for backward compatibility purposes so the “wireless N” band is included on AC routers. This is explained fully in my Home Wi-Fi Explained video.
The “1300” number specifies the separate 5GHZ AC band which is usually derived from 3 spacial streams of 433Mbps each – 3X433=1300. AC is a faster and wider band than wireless N. This is the band you want to run your TVs and video games on. The example I just gave you would be referred to as a 3X3 router which means 3 spatial streams on each band. You’ll find other combinations such as 2X2, 2×3, etc.
Best Wireless Routers Under $100 – Video
This video still holds true even though the routers are somewhat dated.
Common Bandwidth Combinations:
3200 Mbps (1300ac+1300ac+600n)
1900 Mbps (1300ac+600n
1750 Mbps (1300ac+450n)
1350 Mbps (867ac+450n)
1200 Mbps (867ac+300n)
What Manufacturers Don’t Want You To Know
What wireless router manufacturers don’t tell you is most devices can only connect to one band (5GHZ AC or 2.4GHZ N) at a time and many times only one or two spatial streams at a time. If you’re on a phone with a maximum connection speed of 433Mbps that can connect to only one spacial stream at a time. It will never go any faster than 433Mbps no matter how big the numbers are on your wireless router box!
So why bother with all the extra bandwidth?
You probably won’t need all the bandwidth a 3200Mbps wireless router provides unless you have a home with a lot of wireless devices such as TVs, game consoles, laptops, and phones. The more bands and streams your router has the more connections it can support. That doesn’t mean they’ll be any faster but they’ll spend less time competing and interfering with each other.
Where Do You Draw The Line?
The trick is to find the sweet spot between what you really need and what the advertisers want you to buy. If you live in a medium-size apartment or small home with a few laptops, a single TV that’s not constantly streaming video, and a few phones any of the wireless routers on this page should be fine for you. Anything more and you want to look at a more powerful long-range wireless router designed for large homes or a gaming router that’s designed to handle large amounts of data.
The Best Wireless Routers Under $100
- Affordability
- Powerful 1.5 Quad-core processor
- MU-MIMO, Beamforming and OFDMA
- Compact design
- Only 1 USB 2.0 port
- Parental Controls are too basic
- Features/Price ratio
- MU-MIMO and Beamforming
- OpenVPN support
- Only one USB 2.0 port
- Affordability
- Fast speed on 5GHz band
- Easy setup
- MU-MIMO, Beamforming
- No USB port
- No QoS or VPN support
- VPN support
- Advanced QoS
- Gigabit switch ports
- 1 USB 2.0 Port
- Below average long-range speed
- Great 802.11AC speeds
- Beamforming+
- VPN Support
- NAS/Storage performance
- Great for gaming
- 1 USB Port
- No MU-MIMO
- Too big
1. TP-Link Archer AX21
A powerhouse router with plenty of features and compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems, the TP-Link Archer AX21 is a great choice if you’re looking for a budget-friendly router that offers great value. Priced at it under 100, it is ideal for small- to medium-sized businesses, as well as homes. This router also has an excellent Wi-Fi range, connecting devices within a broad 2,500 square foot radius.
TP-Link AX1800 WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX21) – Dual Band Wireless Internet...
- VPN Server and Client: Archer AX21 Supports both VPN Server and VPN Client (Open/PPTP/L2TP over Ipsec)
- Certified for Humans: Smart home made easy for non-experts. Setup with Alexa is simple
- Dual-Band WiFi 6 Internet Router: Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax) technology achieves faster speeds, greater capacity and reduced network congestion compared to the previous generation
- VPN Server and Client: Archer AX21 Supports both VPN Server and VPN Client (Open/PPTP/L2TP over Ipsec)
- Certified for Humans: Smart home made easy for non-experts. Setup with Alexa is simple
- Dual-Band WiFi 6 Internet Router: Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax) technology achieves faster speeds, greater capacity and reduced network congestion compared to the previous generation
- Next-Gen 1.8 Gbps Speeds: Enjoy smoother and more stable streaming, gaming, downloading and more with WiFi speeds up to 1.8 Gbps (1200 Mbps on 5 GHz band and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz band)
- Connect more devices: Wi-Fi 6 technology communicates more data to more devices simultaneously using revolutionary OFDMA technology
- Extensive Coverage: Achieve the strong, reliable WiFi coverage with Archer AX1800 as it focuses signal strength to your devices far away using Beamforming technology, 4 high-gain antennas and an advanced front-end module (FEM) chipset
- Works with all internet service providers, such as Comcast, Charter, AT&T, Verizon, Xfinity, Spectrum, RCN, Cox, CenturyLink, Frontier, etc.( a modem is required for most internet service providers)
The TP-Link Archer AX21 is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-speed Wi-Fi router that also offers great range. It is suitable for homes or places of business that need faster transmission speeds and more bandwidth. The Archer AX21 provides a wealth of security features to protect your data. If you’re looking for a new Wi-Fi router, the TP-Link Archer AX21 is a good choice.
See TP-Link Archer AX21 Full Review
2. Speedefy AC2100 K7
The Speedefy AC2100 is a powerful router that delivers on its promise of high performance and range. In tests, we found that it provided a quick speed and was able to move wherever we wanted without any problems. It also supports dual-band WiFi to ensure that devices maintain a consistent connection to the network.
Gigabit WiFi Router, Dual Band Smart Wireless Router, Speedefy AC2100 4x4 MU-MIMO...
- 【Superior Speed and Performance】 Speedefy K7W WiFi router with dual-core CPU and 4*4 MU-MIMO technology, so it can connect multiple devices at the same time, enjoy high speed Internet when watching 4K/HD video and better online gaming experience.
- 【Superior Speed and Performance】 Speedefy K7W WiFi router with dual-core CPU and 4*4 MU-MIMO technology, so it can connect multiple devices at the same time, enjoy high speed Internet when watching 4K/HD video and better online gaming experience.
- 【Stronger & Stable Signal】 7*6dBi antennas and beamforming technology to optimize WiFi coverage, providing more stable and powerful signal transmission for your home. Enjoy stable WiFi on every device, wherever room you are in the house.
- 【Easy to Setup】 With Speedefy App or webpage, Get your new home network ready in 5 minutes. Manage your network at home or remotely, anytime and anyplace. K7W wireless router is compatible with vast majority ISP in the U.S.
- 【Network Security】 With WPA/WPA2 mixed security level password encryption, efficiently keep data and WiFi access in private. A reliable and secure router for wireless internet.
- 【More Advanced Features】 Discover more features on web console: Parental control - manage kids' internet access; Guest network - build separate WiFi for guests. Create fast, reliable wired connections for your PCs, Smart TVs and gaming console.
This Speedefy AC2100 Wireless Router is ideal for people looking for high-speed performance on a budget, or for smaller homes and families. With its high data transfer rates, it can handle your bandwidth-intensive activities without lagging. In addition to that, the router has user-friendly navigational features that make it clean and easy to navigate. The Speedefy AC2100 Wireless Router is a simultaneous dual-band router that delivers high speeds.
See Speedefy AC2100 K7 Full Review
3. TP-Link AC1900 – Archer A9
Value is the first word that comes to mind when it comes to the TP-Link AC1900 – Archer A9. The upgraded hardware makes it a top performer in its class and unlike many wireless manufacturers that remove certain features from their more affordable wireless routers TP-Link has included all the features needed to have a great WiFi experience in an affordable wireless router.
TP-Link AC1900 Smart WiFi Router (Archer A9) - High Speed MU-MIMO Wireless...
- Wave 2 Wireless Internet Router, 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1300Mbps on the 5GHz band, Works with Amazon Alexa
- MU-MIMO Gigabit Router, Three simultaneous data streams help your devices achieve optimal performance by making communication more efficient
- Wave 2 Wireless Internet Router, 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1300Mbps on the 5GHz band, Works with Amazon Alexa
- MU-MIMO Gigabit Router, Three simultaneous data streams help your devices achieve optimal performance by making communication more efficient
- Boosted Wi-Fi Coverage, Beamforming technology delivers a highly efficient wireless connection, Long Range Wi-Fi
- Beyond security, Archer A9 goes beyond traditional network security to provide features such as parental Control, guest wifi, access Control,WPA3 and a VPN Server
- Smart Connect technology directs clients to less congested bands and Airtime Fairness optimizes usage, lag-free online gaming and streaming
- TP-Link tether app - easily set up and manage your home network at home or remotely
TP-Link AC1900 Archer A9 is an incredibly fast and sleek router, capable of speeds up to 1900 megabits per second. It’s also simple to use and aesthetically pleasing, making it a great option for high-speed internet services.
The TP-Link AC1900 Archer A9 incorporates top-quality hardware, making it a top performer among comparable wireless routers. While other wireless manufacturers exclude features they want to keep prices lower, TP-Link added all the features necessary to have a great WiFi experience in an affordable wireless router.
See TP-Link AC1900 Archer A9 Full Review
4. Netgear Nighthawk AC1750
The NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1750 R6700 Smart Dual-band WiFi Router helps you to make the most of your favored online activities with high-speed WiFi speeds of up to 1750 Mbps and dual-band 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequencies. Notably, it has the feature called “ Airtime Fairness,” which raises overall system performance by sacrificing a little bit of network time on less-capable devices.
NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart Wi-Fi Router, R6700 - AC1750 Wireless Speed Up to...
- Maximum Range : 1500 Sq Ft
- Recommended for up to 25 devices: Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect smart home devices
- Wired Ethernet ports: Plug in computers, game consoles, streaming players, and other nearby wired devices with 4 x 1 gigabit Ethernet ports
- Maximum Range : 1500 Sq Ft
- Recommended for up to 25 devices: Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect smart home devices
- Wired Ethernet ports: Plug in computers, game consoles, streaming players, and other nearby wired devices with 4 x 1 gigabit Ethernet ports
- Loaded with advanced technology: Designed with a 1GHz dual core processor, 3 amplified antennas, Beamforming plus, Dynamic QoS, Smart Connect, and more
- USB connections: Share a storage drive or printer with any connected device or create a personal cloud storage to access from anywhere, using the 1 x 3.0 USB port
- Safe & secure: Supports WPA2 wireless security protocols. Includes Guest Wi-Fi access, DOS, Firewall, VPN, and more
- NETGEAR Armor protects your family's WiFi with an automatic shield of security across all your connected devices with a 30-day free trial
- NETGEAR Smart Parental Controls promotes healthy Internet habits, fosters responsibility and builds trust with your kids (30-day free trial included)
- Safe & secure: Supports WPA2 wireless security protocols. Includes Guest Wi-Fi access, DOS, Firewall, VPN, and more. System requirements: Microsoft Windows 7, 8, 10, Vista, XP, 2000, Mac OS, UNIX, or Linux. Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0, Firefox 2.0, Safari 1.4, or Google Chrome 11.0 browsers or higher
The R6700 desktop router features the lower price point and high efficiency you want most when choosing a WiFi router. It prevents lag, improves connectivity, and sends signals to multiple units simultaneously, making it easy to simultaneously stream and surf online.
See Netgear Nighthawk AC1750 Full Review
5. Netgear R6230
A black dot on your computer w/ blinking lights is the R6230. It is tiny but shiny and takes very little space on your shelf or desk. You have the standard blinking LED lights for port LAN, a USB LED and a WPS LED. Turn it around and we have 4 port LAN and WAN ports. There is only one USB 2.0 port but it’s more than suitable for printer sharing. Connecting a USB hard drive might be a little laggy.
NETGEAR WiFi Router (R6230) - AC1200 Dual Band Wireless Speed (up to...
- Maximum Range : 1200 Sq Ft
- Fast WIFI Performance: Get up to 1200 square feet wireless coverage with AC1200 speed (Dual band up to 300 plus 900 Mbps)
- Recommended for Up to 20 Devices; Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect smart home devices
- Maximum Range : 1200 Sq Ft
- Fast WIFI Performance: Get up to 1200 square feet wireless coverage with AC1200 speed (Dual band up to 300 plus 900 Mbps)
- Recommended for Up to 20 Devices; Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect smart home devices
- WIRED ETHERNET PORTS: Plug in computers, game consoles, streaming players, and other nearby wired devices with 4 x 1 Gigabit Ethernet ports.
- LOADED WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY: Designed with an 880MHz processor, 2 amplified antennas, and advanced QoS.
- USB Connections; Share a storage drive or printer with any network connected device using the 1 x 2.0 USB port
The antenna ports are adjustable, but you cannot physically remove them. The preconfigured SSID and network key printed on the back label is a nice touch, as it allows someone to literally plug it in, turn it on, and connect to the network instantly.
If you want to surf the web, watch movies, or play a game or two without going crazy with multiple connections, this is a great device. Remember the 1200MHz speed does not necessarily mean it’s any slower than a 3200MHz router, it just sends out fewer radio broadcasts (Also known as spatial streams), and it can handle fewer connections at a time. If you are a single person or couple, the Netgear R6230 is an ideal choice.
Buzzwords You Should Know
WiFi Standards
The most relevant WiFi standards in use today are 802.11N, 802.11AC, and 82.11AD.
802.11N is also known as WiFi 4. It supports dual bands, MIMO, and maxes out at about 600Mbps. If you’re still using an 802.11N router in today’s world it’s time for an upgrade.
The most common standard is 802.11AC also known as WiFi 5. WiFi 5 (Wave 2) 802.11AC supports MU-MIMO and maxes out at 3,466 Mbps. That’s over 4 times WiFi 4 speeds. WiFi 5 is backward compatible with WiFi 4.
802.11AX or WiFi 6 can reach uncanny speeds of up to 9, 608 Mbps on the 5GHz bands at 160MHz. This is the WiFi standard of the future!
Wi-Fi Bands
Typical wireless routers will have dual bands. They operate at different frequencies so they can co-exist in the same space without interfering with each other. The 2.4 GHz band is slower than the 5GHz band but it has a longer range than the 5GHz band. A typical use for this is using the 2.4GHz band for slower devices all over the house and using the 5Ghz band on nearby devices that need more speed.
Parental Controls
Simply put parental controls provide different methods to track and limit your children’s access to the Internet by placing limits on their devices. Smart Parental Controls usually require a subscription service which eliminates some of the manual configuration needed.
VPN
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. As you may know, the Internet is not one big network. It contains many smaller networks some of which are private and others that are public. Your home network is a private network. It cannot be accessed directly from the public Internet without a router. A VPN allows you to extend your private home network across the internet to remote locations using very secure encryption protocols. Another use of VPN technology is a service that allows you to connect to the Internet using encryption and a remote IP address. This can be used to conceal your identity on the Internet.
MU-MIMO
MU-MIMO stands for Multiple User Multiple Input Multiple Output. Its an expansion of the MIMO technology found on wireless N routers. MU-MIMO works with beamforming to aim multiple “spatial streams” at several devices at once. This is done with multiple radios and antennas. This speeds things up by preventing devices from having to share a single signal with other devices.
Beamforming
Instead of spewing its wireless signal in all directions a wireless router using beamforming focuses its signal on each device like a flashlight and locks on even as the device roams. This technology has greatly improved with the introduction of AC and MU-MIMO.
