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Design: Space Sense
A wireless router is essential to connect multiple wireless devices to the Internet in a home. The new generation of wireless routers is the "tri-band" type. Also known as “AC3200”-class routers, they claim to deliver faster Wi-Fi speed for your devices.
How It Works
The popular dual-band routers can broadcast a 5 GHz signal and the older, slower 2.4 GHz signal. The tri-band router, on the other hand, hosts a 2.4 GHz signal and two separate 5 GHz signals. Having one is akin to having three Wi-Fi networks. If you have a lot of devices, a tri-band router could speed things up by preventing all the devices from interfering with each other.
Ask Before You Buy
If you do not have many devices connected to the Internet simultaneously, a tri-band router may not be necessary. You will barely notice the difference in Wi-Fi speed between the dual-band and tri-band routers.
Our Picks
1. Linksys EA9500, $539
The Linksys EA9500 router features eight adjustable external antennas, which can be positioned for optimal performance in multilevel homes. It provides powerful streams of data to your devices, ensuring complete Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home. This impressive router comes with eight Gigabit ethernet LAN ports for your wired devices, such as the TV set, game console and network-attached storage.
2. D-Link DIR-895L, $449
D-Link claims that its DIR-895L is able to provide Wi-Fi coverage of up to 500sqm. With its Smart Connect technology, the router chooses from the three Wi-Fi bands and automatically connects each device to the best and less congested band for optimal wireless experience. This router comes with four Gigabit ethernet LAN ports.
3. Asus RT-AC5300, $469
Designed as the ultimate state-of-the-art router for gamers, the RT-AC5300 by Asus includes an exclusive built-in game accelerator, powered by Gamers Private Network. This significantly reduces ping times and latency for virtually all competitive multiplayer online games. Its Smart Connect technology selects the optimum frequency band for each device, based on the device’s speed, its signal strength, and how busy each band is.