Top 10 Best Routers Under $150-Buying Guide 2021

Wi-Fi router helps set up a wireless network. So using a router you can use the internet on all your electronic devices that are Wi-Fi capable.

Previously you had to plug internet cables to your modem in order to connect your PC to the internet. Then you had to establish a connection with the AOL.

These days are long gone, now Wi-Fi networks and devices are very common. Devices like smartphones and tablets do not accept a wired connection and so you need to set up a wireless connection in order to make the most of your electronic devices.

With wireless now being the de facto standard, you are bound to encounter Wi-Fi networks in shops and offices.

In case you haven’t ever set up a router yourself or have no idea how it works then below are some that you should know.

This electronic device transmits data received from the internet cable to electronic devices.

A router performs as a wireless access point. This point shares the data received via radio signals. The data stream that is present in the internet connection is converted into radio signals with the built-in Wi-Fi radio.

These radio signals are then received by your laptops, tablets, smartphones and other Wi-Fi-capable devices.

As the router is essential for establishing a Wi-Fi network thus it’s imperative that you purchase an outstanding model for your home or office.

The internet is transferred to your house through underground cables. In order to connect devices via Wi-Fi, a router is installed. It is installed directly with the cables or through a modem.

All inbound and outbound traffic then flows via the router. Thus the router becomes the central node of the network established.

Unlike cable connection that required setting up a cable with each individual device, the router connects all your devices simultaneously to the broader internet.

Now that you have decided to make the normal cable data into the wireless network using a router, you need to understand some basic concepts regarding it.

Wi-Fi does not stand for wireless fidelity and it’s time to address this general misconception.

Wi-Fi is actually a brand name. This brand name represents the IEEE 802.11b technology that forms the bases of this wireless networking which is radio-based.

Wi-Fi radio can transmit frequencies at 2.4GHz or 5GHz. Frequencies are directly related to the speed of the internet. So if your network offers 2.4GHz frequencies this means that you can download or upload at a speed of 450Mbps. In the case of 5GHz, the maximum network speed will be 1300Mbps.

These statistics are of course bound to vary with conditions and locations. On selecting a good Wi-Fi network and router you will experience better speed.

The wall-mounting feature of the Nighthawk makes it ideal for being used if you are suffering from space issues. Best-in-class technology helps in reducing interference so that you can enjoy unbridled connectivity.

The advanced downstream and upstream QoS recognizes and prioritizes applications automatically while network lag is prevented by the Airtime Fairness® technology of the smart WiFi router.

Both network-attached storage and wireless networking is supported by the EA7300.

One of the four gigabit Ethernet ports located at the back of the device helps with the wired networking while the wireless connectivity gets accentuated by the high-speed 802.11AC network.

Its MU-MIMO technology creates three separate wireless networks which aid in drastically improving the speed.

The tall and black model with its three 6-inch antennas, bright blue status lights and appealingly textured black front oozes out a chic aura.

The ASUS Quick Internet Setup menu pops up whenever any device is attached through Wi-Fi or Ethernet with the router which is followed by an easy to understand setup procedure.

It’s easy-to-navigate interface comes in an attractive blue-grey color palette and readily accessible user settings.

Coupled with such attributes you can make use of the NETGEAR AC1000 for adding a fun element to all those gaming sessions which were till now associated with frustrating lags.

This mainstream Wi-Fi 802.11ac router is aimed at users who wish to upgrade their existing Wi-Fi 802.11n router.

This dual-band AC1000 router supporting frequencies of 2.4GHz and 5GHz can render support to speeds of up to 700Mbps.

Fast connectivity is established through the four gigabit Ethernet ports while the USB 3.0 slit guarantees seamless transfer of large files.

Compared to the wireless-N, the wireless-AC delivers 2.8 times faster speed making this router the perfect choice both for offices and homes.

Dual 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless bands deliver up to N300 Mbps +AC867 Mbps speed which enables the quick flow of data traffic and minimal buffering.

Although the router is not very bulky in size, the positioning of its antennas is infamous for taking up much of your desk space making wall-mounting the most potent option.

The four rubber feet located at the bottom of the device enhance the router’s stability while the specialized case having numerous vents at the bottom and sides help in keeping the device cool.

The ASUS router comes equipped with 128MB/2MB flash memory, quad-core 717 MHz Qualcomm Atheros IPQ4018 CPU and 128MB of RAM Nanya NT5CC64M16GP-D1 which ensures bombastic performance to keep your connectivity requirements satiated.

All it takes is a few taps on your smartphone or tablet having the NETGEAR app installed for creating a separate guest network for your family and friends.

According to the manufacturer, the NETGEAR R6230 ushers in three times more speed in comparison to peer 802.11n models thus offering one of the very best price-to-speed ratios available in the market.

Using its 5 GHz band you can experience super-fast speeds exceeding up to 200 Mbps.

Medialink with standard features such as its ability to turn off router lights performs better than its AC1200 contemporaries available in the market.

This has also made this router a favorite amongst those having 4k streaming needs and a desire to engage in basic gaming.

Supporting the latest security features, the MLWR-AC1200 ensures the privacy of your network and safety of your family while they are surfing online content.

Internet connectivity usually remains slow in the evening where a large number of your family members can be seen fiddling with their mobile phones and streaming online content.

But the IQrouter IQRV2 dynamically tackles the low speed by allowing you to stream owned videos with zero lags.

Stronger Wi-Fi coverage is guaranteed by its three antennas while a fast processor paves the path for seamless and uninterrupted connections.

Reliable wired connectivity is assured by its four gigabit Ethernet ports while the built-in USB port assists in easy sharing of files, music and photos across your entire network.

Rather than sending the Wi-Fi signals in all directions at once, the Archer C1200 locates Wi-Fi devices and focuses the router’s wireless signal on them.

• Most of the ISP’s provide a modem/router combo on rent. The same can also be purchased along with an extender if you wish to have additional coverage.
• 11ac standard is used by most of the modern-day Wi-Fi to benefit from faster speed. Thus, if more than 100Mbps of speed is promised by your internet package but you are still making use of the Wireless N router, then the inherent limitations might bottleneck the performance of the entire network. Upgrading to an AC router will be worth the money if blazing fast speed is provided by your ISP for future-proofing purposes since the requirement of a new router might be felt when you upgrade to a faster internet plan.
• Networking hardware does not last forever. The daily pressure which they have to undergo coupled with the randomly changing standards makes the work of routers highly taxing. Usually, your computer, smartphone, gaming console, streaming devices and tablet are connected with the Wi-Fi but adding more and more devices such as thermostats and smart lights exert a greater load on the device causing its performance to degrade over time.
• Paired with the growing importance of fibers, it is advisable to go for a Gigabit router for future-proofing reasons. Even the moderately priced models of modern times come loaded with Gigabit Ethernet capabilities.
• Wireless routers work on 2.4GHz and 5GHz with the former being more vulnerable to congestion and interference whereas the newer 5GHz band provides a faster and clutter-free connection. A dual-band Wi-Fi offers both these functionalities so that you can make use of 2.4 and 5GHz bands simultaneously. If you stay in a densely populated neighborhood then you need to proceed with the dual-band router whereas the single band can cater to your requirements if you do not have the need for super-fast wireless speeds or your neighbors do not have a wireless network which can interfere with yours.
• Your router needs to be positioned centrally and away from other obstructions or gadgets. You can maximize your wireless coverage using the heat map software. Power-line adapters can also help in extending the network coverage by making use of the existing electrical wirings running through your walls. However, it is imperative to consider the speed limitations of power-line adapters since all of them are not manufactured in the same manner.

1. Using the router provided by ISP

Your ISP is likely to provide you with a router. The rental cost of this equipment is about $5 to $7 per month.

Some ISP offer an internet package in which you initially pay for the router and monthly for the internet service.

Many people opt for this option as it doesn’t cost much and is an easier option as compared to buying a router own your own.

The device that you are likely to receive from the ISP provider is a combination of router and modem. This device offers an average service.

In case you plan to use this device for more than a year than its more cost-efficient to buy your own router.

Even if you have been offered a free router then it’s still better to purchase your own device. In this way, you will get to experience enhanced performance and speed.

Your ISP might recommend some devices that will be compatible with their services. Remember that you require a router with a modem or a combination device that has both.

On buying your own equipment you will not only be able to save some cash but also get better options and control. The basic routers offered by ISP services don’t include the latest services like network storage and etc.

3. Router’slifespan

Sadly, networking equipment does not last forever.

This is because the standards keep on changing and the equipment goes through a lot of pressure regularly.

Your Wi-Fi connection is being used by your smartphone, tablet, computer and many other streaming devices. As more devices get added to the network the router’s performance starts to degrade.

Think of the router as thermostats or smart light that start to deteriorate when the load increase.

In case you have owned the same router for the past couple of years then the decline in the performance of the network might be due to the router.

5. Gigabit router

One of the major concerns of consumers is if they should invest in a Gigabit router. In order to future-proof your cash, we recommend that you look into Gigabit routers as you might require them with your next upgrade.

Thou fiber is becoming more common but it still isn’t that widespread and Gigabit is even more scare. With 1,000Mbps speeds, Gigabit is definitely an amazing feature to look forward too.

Some routers of moderate cost come with Gigabit Ethernet capabilities. For example, TP-LINK Archer C7 can achieve a speed of 1,300Mbps as it has a 5GHz wireless frequency.

7. Range

The way you position your router play a vital role. Out of all thelocation in your house the ideal one for placing the routeris in the center.

Your router should be kept away from obstructions and gadgets. We recommend finding a space high-up on some shelf.

Regardless of all this you are likely to encounter some dead spots. These will be areas where the router will not be able to send signals.

To tackle the dead spots, you can use the heat map software. This software will assist you in maximizing the coverage of your wireless network.

Some expensive routers might help provide better range but chances are that wireless signals might still not reach the extreme ends of the house. By extreme ends we mean basement or far corners of your house.

Usually buying more than one router and some power-line adapters is the best solution.

Power-line adapters make use of existing electrical cables present in the wall. On making use of present electrical wiring you can extend the range of your network.

Power-line adaptors are super affordable and can remarkably enhance the range of your network. So if you have places in your house that your router can’t reach then you should totally try power-line adapters.

Remember to check the specifications of power-line adapters. They also come with speed limitations and not every adapter is made the same.

9. USB ports

Nowadays devices, like printers, have wireless capabilities so you can easily connect them with your internet network.

Before that you required a router with USB port. Using a cable, you had to attach the router and the printer.

Now these USB ports are utilized for inexpensive network storage. You can plug flash drive or HDD into the router and transmit the data to any device connected to the network.

Plus, you can create your very own networked media hub. You can share or stream show, music and movies using this media hub.

In case you don’t require providing internet to a printer via cable or formulating a network storage then USB support might not the best additional feature for you.

• You need to connect your internet source to the WAN port of the router. Routers usually have one WAN port colored yellow so you wouldn’t have any problem identifying this port.
• Now use the other network cable to attach routers LAN port with your computer. Routers tend to have around four LAN ports.
• Lastly, you need to switch on the adopter. Use the power adapter to attach the router to a power outlet. Remember to check the power switch of the router just to make sure that it’s on.

Some information that you might require in order to access the web interface of the router are:

• Routers URL (the routers URL is always its IP address)
• Routers default log-in information

Listed below are the most common menus that you need to address.

• Wizard: when you will address the web interface for the first time the wizard will pop up on its own. This is actually a step-by-step guide that will instruct you throughout the setup process. You can also exist the wizard and then establish the router manually or further customize the settings.
• Wireless: here you can personalize all router settings like name, passwords, Wi-Fi protection features and etc.
• LAN: you can alter any local network settings here, for example you can change the default IP address. Remember that on changing the IP address you will need to access the web interface again. You can also alter the range of the IP address and add individuals to the DHCP reservation list. Usually you need to change anything in this section.
• WAN: we recommend that you let this section remain as it is.
• Password: in order to change the default password which is required to log in on the interface you have to refer to this section
• System: This is a super exciting feature that lets you back up all your personalized and current settings. These files are backed up in a file that you can retrieve anytime you like.