Updated broadband router list and comparison 21/11/2022
A strong and reliable internet connection is essential for almost every small business. While it’s important to find a great deal from a business broadband provider, it’s equally important to have the right technology to use that connection.
Choosing the best broadband router helps your business make the most of a high-speed internet connection, whether you need a wired connection for a few individuals or a scalable wireless network. In this article, we share our pick of the 10 best small business broadband routers, helping you choose the best option for your business.
New Business Broadband Router Features
Business broadband routers have improved a lot over the past few years, meaning there are several new features you should be aware of.
Tri-Band Routers
Supporting the implementation of multiple networks, tri-band broadband routers give you control over what each network can access. This can be particularly useful for businesses that want to set up separate networks for business and customer use, as well as prioritising networks for specific members of your team.
Mesh Networks
WiFi extenders have existed for some time, but mesh networks allow you to seamlessly extend the range of your wireless network. This is achieved by linking multiple compatible broadband routers together, extending the range of your network without compromising speed.
Faster Connections
Routers have long included 1Gbps ports, but more recently, routers have begun including 2.5Gbps and 10Gbps ports. These ports allow you to take advantage of the faster internet speeds you can achieve with a leased line.
App Support
Many newer business broadband routers include access to apps that allow you to quickly and easily manage your network. These are exceptionally useful for smaller businesses that may not have a dedicated IT support team.
Other Broadband Router Features To Compare
In addition to these newer features, it’s important to compare the following broadband router features, alongside anything else that’s essential to your business.
- Speed
- Range
- Number of wirelessly connected devices
- Number of wired ports
- Security features
- Cost
Top 10 Small Business Broadband Router Comparison
| Broadband Router | Top speed (Mbps) | Range (Sq. Ft.) | Devices | Wired Ports | Top Port Speed (Gbps) | Tri-Band | Mesh Network | |
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| NETGEAR Nighthawk 12 (RAXE500) | 10,800 | 3,500 | - | 8 | 2.5 | Yes | - | Buy Now |
| NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 (AD7200) | 7,200 | - | 20+ | 9 | 10 | - | Yes | Buy Now |
| Synology RT6600ax | 6,600 | - | 200 | 5 | 2.5 | Yes | Yes | Buy Now |
| TP-Link AX6600 Archer AX90 | 6,600 | - | - | 4 | 2.5 | Yes | Yes | Buy Now |
| NETGEAR Orbi WiFi 6 Mesh System | 6,600 | 7,500 | 100 | 4 | 2.5 | Yes | Yes | Buy Now |
| NETGEAR Orbi Pro WiFi 6 Tri-band Mesh Router | 6,000 | 3,000 | 80 | 4 | 2.5 | Yes | Yes | Buy Now |
| ASUS RT-AX89X | 6,000 | - | - | 12 | 10 | - | Yes | Buy Now |
| ASUS RT-AX86U Pro | 5,700 | - | - | 7 | 2.5 | - | Yes | Buy Now |
| TP-Link AX5400 Archer AX73 | 5,400 | - | 200 | 5 | 1 | - | Yes | Buy Now |
| DrayTek Vigor 2865AC | - | - | - | 10 | 1 | - | Yes | Buy Now |
1. NETGEAR Nighthawk 12 (RAXE500)
Specifications
Speed: Up to 10,800 Mbps
Connectivity: Wireless + 5 x Gigabit Ethernet ports + 1 2.5G port + 2 x USB ports
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Details
With a sci-fi aesthetic, the NETGEAR Nighthawk 12 (RAXE500) is one of the fastest wireless internet routers on our list. Boasting speeds of up to 10,800 Mbps, with support for 2.5 Gbps connections, this broadband router is ideal for businesses where speed is essential.
As with the Nighthawk X10, the Nighthawk 12 can be managed through the Nighthawk App. Through the Nighthawk app, you can easily set up the router, pause internet traffic to any device at any time, test internet speeds, update the firmware, monitor traffic and more.
2. NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 (AD7200)
Specifications
Speed: Up to 7,200 Mbps
Connectivity: Wireless + 7 x Gigabit Ethernet ports + 2 x USB ports
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Details
One of the most expensive routers on this list, the NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 is also one of the fastest, offering wireless speeds of up to 7,200 Mbps and great wired connection options.
A useful feature for those who want to adjust their broadband router on the fly without having to log in is the inclusion of the Nighthawk App. This app helps with setting up the router, but it also allows you to pause the internet to any device at any time, test internet speeds, update the firmware, monitor traffic and more.
The NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 is powered by a 1.7Ghz Quad Core processor, and with support for 802.11ac and 802.11ad connections, it’s an impressive machine.
3. Synology RT6600ax Broadband Router
Specifications
Speed: Up to 6,600 Mbps
Connectivity: Wireless + 3 x Gigabit Ethernet ports + 1 x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port + 1 x USB port
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Details
The Synology RT6600ax has a lot of features that could be extremely useful to businesses of all sizes. Alongside support for a wired 2.5 Gbps connection, you can create up to five separate networks and 15 Wifi SSIDs with this broadband router. You also gain the ability to segment your network, creating networks with limited connectivity.
Another useful benefit of the Synology RT6600ax is its VLAN tagging feature. This allows you to integrate the RT6600ax into existing networks and mesh network configurations.
As the Synology RT6600ax supports mesh networks, it can be used to create a high-performing and wide-reaching network across your business.
4. TP-Link AX6600 Archer AX90
Specifications
Speed: Up to 6,600 Mbps
Connectivity: Wireless + 3 x Gigabit Ethernet ports + 1 x USB port
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Details
The TP-Link AX6600 Archer AX90 boats similar features to the Archer AX73, adding 2.5 Gbps connection support and additional broadband router wireless antennas.
With a focus on being a “Wi-Fi Dead-Zone Killer”, the Archer AX90 takes full advantage of TP-Link’s One Mesh technology to ensure that whether you use it at home or in the office, you won’t have to worry about jumping connections. With their mesh networking capabilities, you’ll stay connected to a single SSID while your network decides on the best access point.
TP-Link also provides a Tether app that allows you to easily manage your network from your mobile device, without having to log into a browser-based network management tool.
5. NETGEAR Orbi WiFi 6 Mesh System
Specifications
Speed: Up to 6,000 Mbps
Connectivity: Wireless + 4 x Gigabit Ethernet ports
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Details
The NETGEAR Orbi WiFi 6 builds on the features of the NETGEAR Orbi Pro to provide the same secure connectivity and speeds, but with increased range and the ability to connect an additional 20 devices.
Alongside the usual level of network security you would expect, the NETGEAR Orbi WiFi 6 includes the option to subscribe to their NETGEAR Armor cybersecurity protection, which you can test with a 30-day free trial.
As with the NETGEAR Orbi Pro, because the NETGEAR Orbi WiFi 6 features mesh networking, it’s great for home workers and small businesses who require the option to scale.
6. NETGEAR Orbi Pro WiFi 6 Tri-band Mesh Router
Specifications
Speed: Up to 6,000 Mbps
Connectivity: Wireless + 4 x Gigabit Ethernet ports
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Details
The NETGEAR Orbi Pro is built with mesh networking in mind, and with the ability to connect up to 80 devices within a 3,000 square feet range, it’s great for heavy internet usage by home workers and small businesses who want the option to scale.
This triband router comes complete with 4 SSIDs and network security support for WPA, WPA2 and WPA3.
As with the ASUS RT-AX86U Pro, the NETGEAR Orbi Pro includes a mesh network feature, allowing you to chain these routers and extend your business connectivity range.
7. ASUS RT-AX89X Broadband Router
Specifications
Speed: Up to 6,000 Mbps
Connectivity: Wireless + 8 x Gigabit Ethernet ports + 2 x 10G ports + 2 x USB ports
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Details
The ASUS RT-AX89X is an exceptionally capable router, allowing your business to take advantage of 10G connections, providing blistering fast internet speeds if you have the capability to take advantage of them.
As with many of the routers on this list, the ASUS RT-AX89X includes mesh networking through the ASUS AiMesh feature. This allows the ASUS RT-AX89X to connect a wide range of selected ASUS routers to create a mesh network, meaning you can easily scale with your current ASUS routers and future ASUS routers, providing they’re supported.
Unfortunately, there isn’t clear information about the range of this router or how many devices can be connected, but with the ASUS AiMesh feature, this shouldn’t be an issue.
8. ASUS RT-AX86U Pro Broadband Router
Specifications
Speed: Up to 5,7000 Mbps
Connectivity: Wireless + 5 x Gigabit Ethernet ports + 2 x USB ports
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Details
ASUS is a well-known brand that has been providing businesses and consumers with great products for years. While they’re well known for their consumer-grade routers, with the increase in the popularity of online gaming, some of these are great for businesses. The RT-AX86U Pro is one of those routers.
Although the ASUS RT-AX86U Pro is branded as a gaming router, it includes everything a small business could want from a router, including support for more than ten simultaneous connections, 2.4 and 5GHz bands and great security features.
This router features a mesh network feature, making it of great use to businesses that want tech that can scale with their growth. With more than one RT-AX86U Pro, you can create a mesh of routers, allowing you to extend your business connectivity range without compromising performance.
9. TP-Link AX5400 Archer AX73
Specifications
Speed: Up to 5,4000 Mbps
Connectivity: Wireless + 4 x Gigabit Ethernet ports + 1 x USB port
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Details
The TP-Link AX5400 Archer AX73 has been specially designed with cooling in mind, reducing the risk of your router overheating. It also includes a variety of security features, making it a good solution for businesses and those working from home.
Alongside great security features, the Archer AX73 includes OneMesh, allowing it to easily be used as part of a mesh network, extending your range and connectivity options.
10. DrayTek Vigor 2865AC
Specifications
Speed: Unkown
Connectivity: Wireless + 6 x Gigabit Ethernet ports + 2 x USB port + 2 x VoIP ports
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Details
Pitched as the “ideal DSL router with VPN for small business and remote working”, what the DrayTek Vigor 2865AC lacks in brand recognition, it makes up for with a lot of useful features.
What makes the DrayTek Vigor 2865AC stand out is its integrated support for VoIP phone systems, a feature that may be invaluable to any business wanting to integrate their VoIP and internet connectivity.
As with other routers we’ve covered on this page, the DrayTek Vigor 2865AC includes support for mesh networking, making it an adaptable and scaleable business connectivity solution.
Find the Best Business Broadband Package
Whether your business is a startup or more established, there are a variety of routers available to suit your needs and budget. In addition to finding the best router, it’s beneficial to find the best broadband provider for your business. We can help you compare a range of business broadband options, from broadband to fibre and leased lines, so you find the best option to meet your requirements and budget.
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