Before you put much thought into choosing a router, you should first consider whether or not it will make more sense for you to buy or rent. Most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide the option to rent a combined modem/router unit for a small monthly fee. For residential users, that fee typically ranges from $5-$15 per month. While that fee will eventually add up and be more expensive than outright buying your own router, it comes with its advantages: Benefits of Renting a Router Tech support usually included No-hassle setup Free replacement of outdated device For many, these benefits are convincing enough to rent the device, even if it may be more expensive. That said, there are several key benefits to owning your router as well:

 Benefits of Buying a Router Be sure you're using an updated model Less expensive over long term Manage your own equipment Upgrade to latest devices whenever you want Not reliant on your ISP and can easily switch to another ISP if needed

WiFi Communication Standards Speed is the primary differentiator between routers. With the advent of Internet of Things, wireless functionality is becoming a standard for more and more devices. Wi-Fi-connected printers, smart security systems and more require a fast internet connection around the office. Wireless routers have different communication standards, or wireless protocols: 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n and 802.11ac. This last standard is the most widely used, and, until the recent addition of 802.11ax (WiFi 6), was considered the fastest. The label of the router can be the quickest way to suss out which protocol it uses and how fast it might be. For example, a router labelled AC5400 would indicate an 802.11ac router capable of speeds of 5400Mbps — coincidentally the maximum theoretical speed of an 802.11ac router. One thing to watch: routers rarely hit their maximum speed, so it might not be worth paying a premium unless you have enough devices to really require the performance. Once you choose a standard, you can then narrow down other essential features of the best Wi-Fi router for you, such as band type (single-band, dual-band or tri-band) or security considerations. 

WiFi Bands The majority of routers will offer at least two Wi-Fi brand frequencies (hence the term dual-band routers), but it can be helpful to know the difference between bands when you're configuring your wireless setup. The 2.4 GHz band operates at a lower frequency. It's generally slower, but also offers a greater connection range because it's better at penetrating walls, floors, or other "blockers." Most smart home devices also operate at the same frequency so you might end up competing for bandwidth. The 5GHz band is much faster, and tends to be less crowded by other devices. It's the optimum speed for gaming or streaming video. The good news is you can assign devices to the different frequencies to balance the load on your network. Work from home users might want to lay claim to the 5GHz frequencies and leave the 2.4GHz band free for apps and devices that don't need lots of bandwidth. But if there's really too many devices in the house, a tri-band router will offer a 2.4GHz frequency and two 5GHz frequencies — and top of the line models will automatically route traffic between all three bands.