Are you facing issues in connecting your smart phone or tablet with the Wi-Fi, while other devices are still linked to it? If yes, then it’s better to switch to a router that gives you high Wi-Fi speed and is compatible mainly with all smart gadgets. But you don’t need to spend on expensive routers, as you can opt for a budget router and still keep up with 4K streaming across your whole house. And even after that you need a wider coverage; you can get Wi-Fi extenders as well. Else you can use any router that is used as a wireless access point or you can also use a Powerline network adapter too. All these are quite affordable in comparison to long-range expensive router.
Besides, choosing a router under $100 is confusing as the guides and ads mostly suggest expensive routers. So, here we have selected the 5 best routers under $100, which are perfectly apt for your home-use and wallet too.
Our Top 3 Picks
5 Best Routers under $100 – Comparative Table
| Product Name | Dimensions | Weight | Price |
| 9.59 x 7.34 x 1.29 inches | 2.1 pounds | ||
| 11.22 x 7.2 x 2.44 inches | 1.58 pounds | ||
| 5.8 x 1.4 x 8.1 inches | 8.8 ounces | ||
| 9 x 8 x 1.5 inches | 1.27 pounds | ||
| 8.9 x 6.92 x 1.11 inches | 1 pounds |
TP-Link AC1900
Product Highlights
TP-Link AC1900 is regarded to be an exceptional wireless router with highest customer satisfaction and can completely transform your network with its Ultra-Fast Wave 2 AC Wi-Fi.
Features
TP-Link AC1900, a dual-band router, is powered by 1 GHz dual-core processor. Also, its strong Wi-Fi can speed up to 1900Mbps using both bands. While one band delivers 600Mbps at 2.4GHz, the other has a speed up to 1300Mbps with 5GHz power. So, these dual bands allow you to connect multiple devices at the same time. Besides, with this speed, this router is quite ideal for extreme gaming and streaming HD 4K videos. Lastly, TP-Link AC1900 also has three antennas, which is for its long range and to provide a great coverage.
What We Like About the TP-Link AC1900
If the best elements of TP-Link AC1900 are considered then it would be the Beamforming and MU-MIMO technology. On one hand, the Beamforming technology focuses the Wi-Fi signal to the connected devices. On the other hand, its MU-MIMO technology helps in connecting more devices at once, alongside it also handles networking needs of smart devices.
Besides these, this router features Airtime Fairness and QoS, which functions together to boost up your streaming and gaming experience. Airtime Fairness prevents older device to slow down and gives a smooth, lag-free network. Lastly, it is built with excellent security network features like Parental Controls, Access Control and a VPN server.
What We Don’t Like About the TP-Link AC1900
Some users have complained about the status lights of TP-Link AC1900, which are extremely bright on the eyes, especially at night.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Dual-band router 1 GHz dual-core processor Beamforming and MU-MIMO technology Airtime Fairness and QoS Parental Controls, Access Control and a VPN server | Too bright status lights |
Netgear R6700 Nighthawk AC1750
Product Highlights
Do you need a router that can boost up the Wi-Fi performance? Then, Netgear R6700 Nighthawk AC1750 is the one. It is a smart Wi-Fi router that can deliver a speed up to 1750Mbps.
Features
This smart Wi-Fi router has dual core 1 GHz processor, which pumps up wireless and wired performance. It also has high-powered amplifiers and external antennas, which provide a better range for home mobility. Besides, Netgear R6700 offers a speed as high as 1750Mbps, which allows you to play HD games or stream 4K videos without much buffering.
What We Like About the Netgear R6700 Nighthawk AC1750
Considering the price of the router, some exceptional aspects of Netgear R6700 are the dynamic QoS and the Beamforming technology. While the dynamic QoS feature helps to enhance the gaming and streaming experience, the Beamforming technology improves the Wi-Fi range and speed. Further, the router comes with Airtime Fairness feature to prevent network lag in case any slower device is connected. However, the best thing about the router is the Nighthawk app, which allows you to set up or pause internet access, and check router specs.
Lastly, Netgear R6700 also integrates the fastest 3.0 USB port for ensuring external media accessibility. Along with this, it has in-built smart parental controls, which allows you to limit the internet usage time for kids. On a whole, Netgear R6700 is definitely one of the best budget-friendly routers available on the market.
What We Don’t Like About the Netgear R6700 Nighthawk AC1750
On the downside, Netgear R6700’s VPN support is only limited to Windows VPN. This can be an issue for many devices. Also, it doesn’t support MU-MIMO technology.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Smart Wi-Fi router- high Wi-Fi speed up to 1750Mbps Dual core 1 GHz processor; high-powered amplifiers; external antennas; dynamic QoS; Beamforming technology Airtime Fairness feature Fastest 3.0 USB port In-built smart parental controls | VPN support limited to Windows VPN Doesn’t support MU-MIMO technology |
ASUS DUAL-BAND 2×2 AC1300
Product Highlights
ASUS AC1300 is an easy to set-up and user-friendly router, which is perfectly ideal for any bandwidth hungry device.
Features
Built with 2×2 MU-MIMO technology, ASUS AC1300 router is excellent at managing multiple connections. There is stability in the multiple connections even at high speed of up to 1267Mbps. Since it’s a dual-band router, the speed for one band is up to 867Mbps for 5GHz and the speed of the other band is 400Mbps for 2.4GHz. Besides, ASUS AC1300 has four antennas, which boosts up the Wi-Fi range and even keeps the signal strong all across your home. Lastly, it has a USB 3.0 network port, which provides network access to any attached USB drive.
What We Like About the ASUS AC1300
ASUS RT-ACRH13 is fully equipped with some great features and advanced technologies like the Beamforming and MU-MIMO technology. With the help of the Beamforming technology, the router scans everywhere around the house and transmits signal directly to the identified wireless devices that are connected and focuses only on them. On the other hand, the MU-MIMO technology has the ability to serve multiple connections at the same time unlike the round-robin technique, wherein only one device remains connected at a time.
Further, ASUS RT-ACRH13 AC1300 has an easy to use interface AsusWRT, which is accessible through a web browser. It also uses Smart Connect to switch between the bands so that there is consistent bandwidth coming to the connected devices irrespective of the online activities.
What We Don’t Like About the ASUS AC1300
On the flipside, ASUS RT-ACRH13 AC1300 doesn’t have a DD-WRT support and even the Asus tech support is not good enough. These can impose issues in the functioning of the router. Further, the advantage of MU-MIMO technology is observed only when the connected devices have compatible wireless adapters, which aren’t available much.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 2×2 MU-MIMO technology Speed of up to 1267Mbps 4 antennas and USB 3.0 network port Easy to use interface AsusWRT | No DD-WRT support Asus tech support not good |
D-Link DIR-867 Dual-Band WiFi Router
Product Highlights
With its 4 high-performance antennas and 3×3 data streams, D-Link DIR-867 enables you to play online video games and stream HD videos simultaneously. This is perfect for personal use at your home.
Features
The Dual-Core Processor in D-Link DIR-867 provides you with powerful wired as well as wireless speeds, with an input of 100 to 240V AC, and an out of 12V DC, 1.5A. With the help of this and the MU MIMO Technology, you can use various devices simultaneously. Besides, this D-Link router has AC Smart Beamforming Technology that tracks the connected devices for better Wi-Fi range and speed. It also comes with parental control, which lets you get rid of unwanted websites and contents.
What We Like About the D-Link DIR-867
At an affordable price, D-Link DIR-867 gives constant and uniform speeds on both the bands and supports VPN. Setting it up is also quite feasible from any mobile devices because of the intuitive user interface. Moreover, the single SSID in this router allows it to detect both bands and connect automatically to devices.
What We Don’t Like About the D-Link DIR-867
The lack of USB ports in the D-Link DIR-867 is one of its biggest drawbacks. Moreover, all the four antennas are fixed, which means you might need to replace the whole set if there is any malfunctioning.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| User-friendly with an easy setup Excellent speed and range Simultaneous streaming from multiple devices Delivers up to TIME 1000Mbps plan and Unifi 800Mbps | No USB port Fixed antennas |
LINKSYS EA6350
Product Highlights
Linksys EA6350 is definitely one of the best routers that provide excellent speed and coverage of up to 1,000 square feet for 10 different wireless devices. It can be set up feasibly with the help of the Linksys Application.
Features
With 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports, a wireless-AC technology, and an USB 3.0 port, Linksys EA6350 is designed for a well-connected house. This Wi-Fi router gives a speed of up to 1.2 Gbps (N300 Mbps + AC867 Mbps), which allows the data traffic to flow swiftly with extremely little buffering. This enables you to stream 4K HD videos, play online video games without any interruption, and surf the internet on multiple devices at the same time.
What We Like About the LINKSYS EA6350
Considering the economic range, Linksys EA6350 provides ample of adequate features. It has an in-built software, which enables you to access the network remotely. Another stand out aspect of this router is its Beamforming technology. This technology makes the router capable enough to identify and directly connect with wireless devices resulting in a decreased interference from external devices. Not only this, Linksys EA6350 keeps your network strong and secure with WPA/WPA2 encryption and an SPI firewall. In spite of this, you have the option to allow a guest access.
What We Don’t Like About the LINKSYS EA6350
As Linksys EA6350 has a pair of non-removable antenna, you might need to change the entire unit if one or both breaks. Moreover, there are no mounting slots present in this router.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Inexpensive Up to1000 sqft coverage Up to 1.2 Gbps speed Easy installation | Non-removable antenna No mounting slot |
Buyer’s Guide
We assume that with these 5 best routers under $100, you have a clear idea about these products and its features. However, there are some factors which you must consider before buying a router. And the factors are:
- Speed: When picking a router, you must consider the speed of the Wi-Fi. Mostly, the speed you get is just a fraction of the given rated speed. That means, the achievable speed is quite less than stated speed. For instance, if you want to watch a 1080p video then 300 Mbps speed is sufficient, whereas for a gaming console or a smart TV or few laptops, you would need speed to be above 1200 Mbps. Well, the latest routers do provide high speed and is perfectly suitable for regular home user.
- Range: A wireless router should ideally provide the same signal across the house. But the range varies with the size of the house, the walls and other interferences. So before buying, you must check with the range of the router and if it’s not enough you can use a Wi-Fi extender.
- Dual-Band: Another aspect you must consider for a router is bands – whether it’s a dual-band or is more than that. At present, most routers do have dual-band feature, which provides a better performance. Also, for extreme gaming or for HD video streaming, dual-bands or tri-bands routers are the best. So, consider the number bands of routers before you buy one.
FAQs
- Which is the best budget-friendly router?
The best budget friendly router presently available on the market is Netgear R6700 Nighthawk AC1750. This smart Wi-Fi router has great speed of up to 1750Mbps with a dual-core processor of 1 GHz. Built with advanced technology, Netgear R6700 is definitely one of the best routers under $100 and is perfectly suitable for extreme gaming sessions, streaming HD videos and so on.
- Which is better, single band or dual band for regular home use?
At present, single band routers are considered outdated, as these are not capable of providing a wide range and a decent bandwidth speed. However, the dual-band routers are excellent with speed and range alongside being compatible with wireless devices as well. So, undoubtedly dual band routers are perfect for a regular home user.
Conclusion
With this article, we hope that you are clear about the best routers under $100. And according to us, TP-Link AC1900 is the best router under $100 available on the market now. With ultra-fast wave 2AC Wi-Fi technology, this dual-band router is known for its excellent bandwidth speed and long range. Although the faulty status lights need improvement but the advanced technology used in it boosts its performance and is definitely worth the price.
Nevertheless, if TP-Link AC1900 falls short to meet your budget and expectations, you can always switch it with other routers mentioned on the list.
Read also:
Best Modem Router Combos to Bolster Your Home Network 2021.
Last update on 2023-03-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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