Are you looking for a wireless router that could match the mettle of your brand-new MacBook Pro? Equipped with the latest 802.11ac networking standard, here’s the best router lineup to deliver blazing-fast data transmission speeds across your home or office networks.
TAGGED UNDER: Routers
Need for Speed
Go for the latest 802.11ac standard routers that promise data transmission speeds up to 1.3 Gbps.
The modern man has four basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, and Wi-Fi. As we head towards the Internet of Things era and seamless integration across devices becomes an increasingly important necessity, Wi-Fi technology has become as indispensable as a life-support system.
Wireless router technology has gone through its latest regeneration cycle. The 802.11ac networking standard (a.k.a. 5G Wi-Fi) offers roughly 2.5 times faster data transmission than the earlier 802.11n standard.
Besides speed enhancements, the new standard allows for up to eight transmission antennas in routers. It operates entirely in the 5 GHz frequency range, inherently less likely to have large-scale interference.
Beamforming technology, which provides directed signal transmission, is an added feature that enhances data transfer speed by optimizing signal strength.
Therefore, with your new MacBook Pro or iMac in place, now is the right time to upgrade to a new router and create a ubiquitous wireless network. This network lets you seamlessly share your data and connect with the Internet.
Top 5 Wireless Routers for a Mac
After an extensive analysis of the real-world performance and specifications of a range of routers, the following stood out and would especially suit Mac users. All of them are based on the new 802.11ac technology, which promises a theoretical maximum of 1.3 Gbps of data transfer speed while delivering more than 300 Mb per second. This is a substantial improvement over the 50 – 150 Mbps speeds provided by the earlier 802.11n standard.
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All the reviewed devices are backward compatible with the earlier standard; however, to fully take advantage of the new standard, your Mac and other devices must have wireless adapters based on the 802.11ac standard. The latest MacBook Pro, iMac, and iMacs, as well as smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S4, have 802.11ac chipsets and adapters.
Asus RT-AC68U Dual-band Wireless-AC1900 Gigabit Router
(Avg. Price: USD 220)
This Asus product has everything you need if you are looking for state-of-the-art and cutting-edge technology. It offers up to 1.3 Gbps speeds on the 5 GHz band through the 802.11ac standard and a transmission speed of up to 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band.
Inside, it’s uniquely equipped with a Broadcom BCM4709 chipset, a dual-core Arm Cortex A9 processor that clocks at 800 MHz, and 256 MB RAM. Broadcom TurboQAM technology enhances the speed of 802.11n transmission by 33% to offer a maximum of 600 Mbps. It’s backward compatible with all earlier standards (802.11 a/b/g). Weighing a mere 640 gm, the device has 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports and two USB ports enabling file and printer sharing.
It is equipped to be a media server, supporting multiple video and audio formats. The router can also serve as a printer, Samba, FTP, and encryption server. In terms of encryption, the device offers WPA2 enterprise-level support and other options like WPA2-PSK.
A small feature that deserves mention is the option to turn off LED lights when you need room to be completely dark. The AiDisk feature allows easy data sharing through an FTP server from a connected storage device. AiCloud software enables the sharing of network data to remote users. While you can set up two main Wi-Fi networks for each band, you can set up three additional networks per band for guest users. In addition, it also offers built-in VPN connectivity, along with parental control features, for home users.
The router’s real-world speeds on the 5 GHz band are close to 530 Mbps, while its maximum speed is around 200 Mbps when switched to the wireless-N network. It is ideally suited for HD video streaming across networks, and its range of features makes it a versatile device for various purposes.
The only few minus points are its price, which is a bit expensive, and the fact that it is not wall-mountable.
Verdict
This is unarguably one of the most powerful routers available. It can effectively act as your complete wireless sharing management solution. Its extra features, like built-in VPN and cloud sharing, make it an effective choice for small businesses and power users who benefit from its cloud services. If high speed and versatility are the features you are looking for, this is the one for you.
Apple AirPort Extreme
(Price: USD 199)
Sporting a sleek, minimalistic design, this is the Cupertino-based company’s wireless networking solution. With an upgraded 802.11ac chipset, it can deliver data across the Apple ecosystem. It has a natural advantage over all the routers reviewed here because it is specifically designed to work with iOS and Mac OS X devices. So, Mac users will find this router to be the easiest to install. It is also intended to be compatible with Windows PCs to connect a maximum of 50 users.
In terms of specifications, not much has changed since its last version, except the threefold increase in transmission speeds offered by the new networking standard. Your Mac has a native software program, AirPort utility, to help you easily set up this router. It provides file sharing, port forwarding, Dynamic DNS, and USB hard drive sharing. Real-world transmission speeds on the 802.11ac band are reported to be nearly 280 Mbps, which would serve the needs of most home users.
This device sorely lacks the much-needed media streaming facility through a connected USB hard drive. It also lacks a parental control facility or VPN connectivity.
Verdict
The router is ideal for home users with an Apple ecosystem who need an easy-to-install system that provides robust data transmission speeds in the range of 280 Mbps.
NETGEAR AC1900 Nighthawk Smart Wi-Fi Router (R7000)
(Price: USD 199.99)
The NETGEAR Nighthawk is a powerhouse performer with a name from a spy novel. A simultaneous dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) device that delivers up to 431 Mbps (real world) speed in 802.11ac mode is one of the most feature-rich products in the market. Powered by a 1 GHz dual-core processor, 128 MB Flash, and 256 MB RAM, it has two USB 3.0 ports and one USB 2.0 port, besides 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports.
This router is especially well-suited for gamers, with its upstream and downstream QoS enabling smooth video streaming. Those into LAN gaming will be pleased with the lag-free gaming performance offered by the device. It is equipped with powerful detachable antennas that can provide an extended range for users looking for a wider coverage area. The full VPN facility makes it ideal for businesses that need remote sharing.
The only disappointing factor is the lower throughput on the 2.4 GHz band, which is about 230 Mbps. However, considering the switching option to the 5 GHz 802.11ac band, this is not much of a drawback. Another feature of note is its capacity to act as a NAS (Network-attached storage) server. For Mac users, it offers the extra advantage of support for automatic backup using Time Machine.
Verdict
This product is an excellent choice for gamers and those looking for a long-range device to deliver high throughput. In terms of versatility, it competes with the Asus product.
D-Link Wireless AC1750 Dual-band Gigabit Cloud Router
(Price: USD 169.99)
A substantial improvement over the earlier version, this D-Link router is a dual-band device upgraded to the 802.11ac networking standard. Its prime USP is its ease of installation, excellent throughput on the 2.4 GHz band, and decent speeds on the 5 GHz band. Its QoS feature is programmed to prioritize data traffic for optimum throughput. The AC smart beam technology offers targeted signal transmission to devices, substantially boosting speeds.
The USP of this device is its easy setup, enabled by a Quick Router Setup app available on the iOS and Android platforms. The midline SharePort app provides easy personal cloud storage access, while the midline Lite app offers access to your home camera feed via your iOS or Android smartphone. While the apps are a great innovation, they have been executed poorly.
While performing poorly compared to other routers in terms of 802.11ac data transmission speed, it has some of the best speeds on the 802.11n front (around 170 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and about 60 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band).
Verdict
This is not a stellar performer, but it will do the job, and in the price range offered, it is an excellent choice. If you are looking for a no-frills device, this is the one.
TRENDnet TEW-812DRU AC1750 Dual-band Wireless Router
(Price: USD 119.99)
The budget choice of the whole lot, this TRENDnet product is ideal for the home user who is looking for a simple wireless networking solution that offers high-speed data transfer. A throughput of about 260 Mbps on 802.11ac, around 190 Mbps on 5 GHz wireless-N range, and 53 Mbps on 2.4 GHz wireless-N range makes it an excellent performer at this price range. The DVD setup is easy and comes pre-encrypted, besides offering a one-touch connection to a network with a WPS button.
Verdict
The most affordable option, it offers the high speeds 802.11ac is known for while providing excellent throughput on the Wireless-N network. It is ideal for a small home network and offers real value for money at that price tag.
When choosing the router, there is no need to stick to the Apple pedigree by default, though AirPort Extreme is a formidable piece of equipment. More or less, every one of these devices fits the bill, as choosing the best router for your home or wireless network is the purpose of your search. Perhaps, based on your budget and specific requirements, you can find one with features that suit your needs. If I had to choose a favorite, it would be the Asus RT-AC68U for its all-around performance.
