If you have an internet connection that claims to be fast but your experience says otherwise, it might be time to look into upgrading your router. If you do a lot of online gaming and content streaming, an old wireless router won’t be able to give you the best experience your internet connection can offer. When you can buy a router that’s equipped with latest wireless technologies, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t upgrade.
This time belongs to latest Wi-Fi standard – 802.11AX, also known as WiFi 6. But that doesn’t mean Wi-Fi 5 aka 802.11ac is ‘old.’ If you are looking into upgrading your router, you can find a number of options from either of these standards. If you have bought a smartphone, tablet or laptop in the last couple of years, you might already be equipped with WiFi 5 or WiFi 6. To get the best out of these devices capabilities, you need a Wi-Fi router that can support modern standards.
This list of best Wi-Fi routers focuses on WiFi 5 and WiFi 6 routers you can buy under $100. Yes, new routers are undoubtedly more ‘expensive’ but you also get the speed, performance and reliability your fast internet connection as well as new gadgets have to offer.
Best Wi-Fi Routers Under 100 Bucks
1. NETGEAR R6700AX WiFi 6 Router
- Wi-Fi Standard: AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
- Speed: 600Mbps on 2.4GHz band, 1200Mbps on 5GHz band
- Wired Connectivity: 1 Gigabit WAN port, 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports
- USB: Not available
- Compatibility: Backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
- Price: $89.99 | Buy Now
2. TP-Link Archer A9 WiFi 5 Router
- Wi-Fi Standard: AC1900 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
- Speed: 600Mbps on 2.4GHz band, 1300Mbps on 5GHz band
- Wired Connectivity: 1 Gigabit WAN port, 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports
- USB: 1x USB 2.0 port
- Compatibility: Backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n
- Price: $79.45 | Buy Now
3. ASUS RT-AX55 WiFi 6 Router
Highlight: Best value for money, latest WiFi standard for less.
- Wi-Fi Standard: AX1800 WiFi 6 (802.11ax)
- Wired Connectivity: 1 Gigabit WAN port, 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports
- USB: Not available
- Compatibility: Backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
- Speed: 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz band, 1201 Mbps on 5GHz band
- Price: $60.00 (Save $69.99) | Buy Now
4. TP-Link Archer AX21 WiFi 6 Router
- Wi-Fi Standard: AX1800 WiFi 6 (802.11ax)
- Speed: 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz band, 1200 Mbps on 5GHz band
- Wired Connectivity: 1 Gigabit WAN port, 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports
- USB: 1x USB 2.0 port
- Compatibility: Backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
- Price: $79.99 | Buy Now
5. NETGEAR Nighthawk R7000-100NAS Wi-Fi 5 Router
Highlight: Great for wide range. Up to 1800 square feet coverage and 30 devices
- Wi-Fi Standard: AC1900 WiFi 5 (802.11ac)
- Speed: 600 Mbps on 2.4GHz band, 1300 Mbps on 5GHz band
- Wired Connectivity: 1 Gigabit WAN port, 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports
- USB: 1x USB 3.0 port
- Compatibility: Backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n
- Price: $99.84 | Buy Now
6. ASUS RT-AC86U WiFi 5 Gaming Router
Highlight: Great speeds. Ideal for gaming and 4K video streaming.
- Wi-Fi Standard: AC2900 WiFi 5 (802.11ac)
- Speed: 750 Mbps Mbps on 2.4GHz band, 2167 Mbps on 5GHz band
- Wired Connectivity: 1 Gigabit WAN port, 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports
- USB: 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0 ports
- Compatibility: Backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n
- Price: $80.00 (Save $89.99) | Buy Now
7. Rockspace AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 Router
- Wi-Fi Standard: AX1800 WiFi 6 (802.11ax)
- Speed: 573.5 Mbps on 2.4GHz band, 1200 Mbps on 5GHz band
- Wired Connectivity: 1 Gigabit WAN port, 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports
- USB: 1x USB 3.0 port
- Compatibility: Backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
- Price: $80.00 (Save 75.99) | Buy Now
8. Ancatus-WiFi 6 Router
- Wi-Fi Standard: AX1800 WiFi 6 (802.11ax)
- Speed: 574Mbps Mbps on 2.4GHz band, 1200 Mbps on 5GHz band
- Wired Connectivity: 1 Gigabit WAN port, 3 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports
- USB: 1x USB 3.0 port
- Compatibility: Backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
- Price: $89.99 | Buy Now
Best Wi-Fi Routers Under $100: Summary
Latest Wi-Fi routers come in a variety of speed and coverage range. While there was a time when wireless connections were limited to 300 Mbps for long, new technologies offer Gigabit internet connectivity. If you don’t upgrade to the new standards, you might not be utilizing the full potential of your internet connection.
Upgrading to a new router doesn’t have to be an expensive affair. As included in this list, some of the best Wi-Fi routers are available for less than 100 bucks. If you are an extensive gamer, live in a large household or looking for a router for an office, you might want to look for other, more expensive router options.
