Best Cheap Wireless Routers Reivew (How To Choose 2020)
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A wireless router is just like the other routers but that can also be used as a wireless access point. With a wireless router, you can access the internet, and even provide and access a private computer network (source). So, in a language you’ll appreciate, a wireless router lets you share your internet connection with other devices such as laptops, smart phones, and other devices with wireless internet capability.
Now, sounds interesting, right? Especially once you find out that a wireless router don’t even have to cost more than a hundred dollars.
From the five cheap wireless routers we listed and reviewed in this post, our top pick is the ASUS RT-AC66U B1 AC1750 Dual-Band WiFi Router.
Top 5 Best Cheap Wireless Routers Reviews
1. ASUS RT-AC66U B1 AC1750 Dual-Band WiFi Router
TP-Link is one of the well-known brands when it comes to networks. It’s no surprise that it should also be able to provide a wireless router at a low price.
The TP-Link Archer 9 AC1900 is a wireless router compatible with wifi devices that are 802.11ac and older. It is equipped with 1GHz dual-core processor that speeds up to 1900 MBps and increases total throughput up to 430%.
It also comes with 4 LAN ports should you wish to connect Ethernet cables for your wired devices. For your printers or external hard drives, there’s also two USB ports – a USB 3.0 and a USB 2.0. In addition, it has 3 external antennas for long-range coverage.
More so, this device uses Beamforming technology that makes the router “smart”; meaning it can detect where you would need faster wifi connection. It can work well for your smartphones, smart TVs, PlayStation, PC, Mac, Xbox and more. This device lets you stream 4K videos and play your online games.
You can also set-up and manage your wifi through the TP-Link Tether app. It’s available for both Android and iOS so you can access your settings even through your mobile phone. The device is also covered by 2-year warranty.
See more information on ASUS RT-AC66U B1 AC1750 Dual-Band WiFi Router.
- Comes with 2-year manufacturer’s warranty
- Beamforming technology
- Great speed
- With LAN ports and USB ports
2. Motorola MG7315 8×4 Cable Modem Plus N450 Single Band Wi-Fi Gigabit Router With Power Boost
The Motorola MG7315 is a cable modem and router in one. It can support downstream data rates up to 343Mbps and upstream data rates up to 100Mbps, ensuring a fast and efficient data connection.
It has a single F-type female 75 coax connector and support for the DOCIS 3.0 cable standard. There are also four gigabit Ethernet ports with Auto-MDI/MDIX for a more reliable connection to your wired devices. When it comes to wireless connections, it supports 802.11b/g/n wifi networking standards with data transfer rates of up to 450 Mbps. Better yet, it has wireless power boost to the FCC limit for extended speed and range.
For security, it uses advanced Firewall with DoS (Denial-of-Service) attack prevention, and double SPI and NAT firewall protection. You can allow guest network access for your visitors while still protecting your local network’s information.
It offers US-based technical support certified by CableLabs, Comcast XFINITY, Time Warner Cable, and other service providers. All these features are packaged in a compact, space-saving design.
See more information on Motorola MG7315 8×4 Cable Modem Plus N450 Single Band Wi-Fi Gigabit Router with Power Boost.
Youtube Review:
- Cable modem and router in one
- With wireless power boost
- Allows guest network access while protecting your local network
3. NETGEAR R6700 Nighthawk AC1750 Dual Band Smart WiFi Router, Gigabit Ethernet
Netgear R6700 Nighthawk AC1750 is a large router that houses 1 GHz dual-core processor, especially designed to provide network connection for large homes. It can support up to 450 Mbps on the 2.4GHz frequency and up to 1300 Mbps on the 5GHz frequency band.
It is designed with a wide base and rubber feet, and with sturdy construction. Although it’s best to be placed on a table of sort, you can also have it wall-mounted. It also has antennas to improve range and coverage, and these antennas are adjustable and removable.
Netgear R6700 also features one USB 3.0 port, one WAN port, and four LAN ports. You can also use Netgear Genie app to monitor and manage your router.
For security, you can provide separate and secure guest network access for your visitors, and have your network encrypted with WPA or WPA2 password. To protect you from web-based attacks, this device also offers double firewall protection –SPI and NAT, and DOS attack prevention
See more information on NETGEAR R6700 Nighthawk AC1750 Dual Band Smart WiFi Router, Gigabit Ethernet.
Youtube Review:
- Dual-band that uses 1GHz dual core processor
- Mid-range wifi that’s enough for large homes
- With a USB port, a WAN port and 4 LAN ports
- Accessible with the Netgear Genie app
4. TP-Link AC1900 Smart Wireless Router – High Speed
TP-Link is one of the well-known brands when it comes to networks. It’s no surprise that it should also be able to provide a wireless router at a low price.
The TP-Link Archer 9 AC1900 is a wireless router compatible with wifi devices that are 802.11ac and older. It is equipped with 1GHz dual-core processor that speeds up to 1900 MBps and increases total throughput up to 430%.
It also comes with 4 LAN ports should you wish to connect Ethernet cables for your wired devices. For your printers or external hard drives, there’s also two USB ports – a USB 3.0 and a USB 2.0. In addition, it has 3 external antennas for long-range coverage.
More so, this device uses Beamforming technology that makes the router “smart”; meaning it can detect where you would need faster wifi connection. It can work well for your smartphones, smart TVs, PlayStation, PC, Mac, Xbox and more. This device lets you stream 4K videos and play your online games.
You can also set-up and manage your wifi through the TP-Link Tether app. It’s available for both Android and iOS so you can access your settings even through your mobile phone. The device is also covered by 2-year warranty.
See more information on TP-Link AC1900 Smart Wireless Router – High Speed.
Youtube Review:
- Comes with 2-year manufacturer’s warranty
- Beamforming technology
- Great speed
- With LAN ports and USB ports
5. Medialink AC1200 Wireless Gigabit Router – Gigabit (1000 Mbps
Medialink MLWR-AC1200R is an easy set-up wireless router that’s compatible with any modem and internet service provider. It works well with Comcast Xfinity, Time Warner, Spectrum, Verizon Fios, and more.
It can accommodate up to 20 wireless devices, and has 4 LAN ports for wired connections. To ensure internet connection with no downtime, it boasts of having 10x the speed of other wireless routers within its price range. As such, while others only offer the speed of around 100 Mbps, this device boasts the speed of 1000 Mbps or 1 Gbps.
It can cover large homes up to 2,000 square feet without compromising the network connection because of its Beamforming technology. It focuses its data to your specifically devices around the house.
See more information on Medialink AC1200 Wireless Gigabit Router – Gigabit (1000 Mbps) Wired Speed & AC 1200 Mbps Combined Wireless Speed (Part# MLWR-AC1200R).
Youtube Review:
- Great connection up to 2,000 square feet
- Accommodates up to 20 wireless devices
- Uses Beamforming technology
What Wireless Router Should You Buy?
Deciding what wireless router to buy certainly depends on your needs and the area where you want it to place. There are two types you can choose from: The Signal Sipper and the Signal Gulper.
Signal Sipper
If the place where you want to share your internet connection is quite small – perhaps a small house with just a few nearby rooms, a Signal Sipper is the type of wireless router to buy.
A Signal Sipper has speedy throughput capabilities. It’s best for “near” and “mid-range” situations such as the house described.
Signal Gulper
If you need the internet for a place larger than an ordinary house – such as a hotel or a company building with multiple floors, then a Signal Gulper is the one you need.
The Signal Gulper can transmit strong data throughput even at wide and long-range distances. To do this, the router needs to be placed at the center of the location.
Types Of Wireless Routers
After determining whether you need a Signal Sipper or a Signal Gupper, you might also want to determine the type of router that would best suit your needs. According to Linksys, you just have to choose among the three: Single-Band, Dual-Band, or Tri-Band.
Single-Band Routers
These routers are the most affordable ones. However, from the term itself, they are limited to just one frequency band – the 2.4GHz frequency band. As such, their maximum speeds are quite low compared to the other two types. On the other hand, since they are the pretty basic type, single-band routers are compatible with almost all devices, even the most recent ones.
Dual-Band Routers
Dual-band routers are compatible with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands. At best, their speed can go up to 2,167 Mbps or more. With dual-bands, you don’t have to worry about too much interference caused by 2.4GHz devices since the 5GHz frequency has less traffic.
Tri-Band Routers
Tri-band routers are still quite new in the market. They are compatible with one 2.4GHz band and two 5GHz bands. Their speed can go as high as 4,000Gbps. However, since this type is the most expensive among the three, you may want to make sure first that you have 5GHz-compatible wifi devices. Otherwise, you will still not be able to observe the advantages of the tri-band router.
Can You Have Two Wireless Routers In One House On Different Networks?
Typically, a house would use only one router. But, in some situations, adding another wireless router is also beneficial. The situation may be:
- Extending the wireless range of your home network to reach dead spots.
- Networking a wired device that’s too far away from the original router.
- Creating a separate sub-network within the home to stream video among some devices without bogging down connections to others.
However, if you are intending to create a new network for the second wireless router, you may of course do so with the right settings. Otherwise, the wi-fi signals of both of your routers will interfere with each other. This interference can cause dropped connections and network slowdowns.
To prevent this interference, you need to make sure that your wireless routers do not use the same or overlapping channels. Although they use default wi-fi channels depending on the model, you can still change them using the router’s console. You may use channel 1 or 6 for the first router and channel 11 for the second one (Source).
Wireless Routers With Bridge Mode
If you are curious about wireless bridging, this part is for you. But before we learn how a wireless router can be used as a bridge, let’s clarify first what a bridge is when it comes to computer networking.
As Lifewire worded it, a bridge “joins two networks so they can communicate with each other and serve as a single network…Bridges make internetwork connections possible.” Typically, bridges are used to link a wireless network to a wired network. With the ever increasing demand for wireless networks, most wireless routers have already been designed with bridge mode capability.
Considering that you cannot easily move your wired connections from one place to another, you would need to position the wireless router that will serve as the bridge within a cable’s length to your wired connection. Next, just press the WPS button on your bridge router so it will connect wirelessly to your wireless network. Once the bridge is connected to your network, all your devices will be directly connected as well to you wireless network.
Can Wireless Routers Cause Health Problems?
If you are tech savvy but is also concerned greatly about your health and that of your family, perhaps you asked this question along the way. There are lots of articles having varying opinions on the matter. There are some that says the signals that the routers emit may cause brain damage. However, there is still no concrete evidence to that.
The Guardian, on the other hand, claims that there is no health risk from wifi signals. According to Jack Schofield, wifi signals, microwave ovens, baby alarms, radio-controlled cars, and Bluetooth headsets all emit the same radio frequency.
More so, the intensity of a wifi signal is 100,000 times less than that of a microwave oven particularly because it broadcast in all directions and oftentimes in long distances. Because it is so low, it is even not worth worrying. As stated in the article by The Guardian, “it’s just part of the ‘smog’ that is generated by radio and TV signals, AC mains wiring, the motors in home appliances, and the universe in general.”
As such, if you are so worried about the risks of radio frequency, then you don’t even have to target your wireless routers. The biggest cause of harmful radiation is your favorite gadget – your mobile phone. It is estimated that you get a bigger dose of microwaves from one 20-minute phone call than from a year’s wifi. So you better cut back on your phone use instead of throwing away your wireless router.
Final Thoughts
Undoubtedly, all these products we reviewed here are great finds. From their price point of less than a hundred dollars, they sure do compete well even with those more expensive wireless routers.
We hope that you were able to choose one that would most fit you and your requirements.
