Best WiFi Routers In India (May 2019)

Routers are an essential part of a network. Whether you’re using them for personal or office use, a good router is a must for squeezing the most out of the plan that your ISP charges you.

After doing some research and testing to find the best WiFi Router, we have the following 7 models handpicked for you. Go ahead and take a look to find which one is the best for you.

Best WiFi Routers In India

TP-LINK TL-WR841N is one of the most popular entry-level routers that are on sale in the market at present.

Costing just under Rs.950, this single band router is suitable for personal use and performs quite well as advertised.

Design

The TP-LINK TL-WR841N doesn’t have any fancy features that make it stand out from the rest.

The minimal design will make this router fit with your home decor pretty well.

Bandwidth and Speed

Capable of speeds up to 300mbps (~37.5MB/s), for an average user this router is more than sufficient for his needs.

The double 5dbi antennas on this product give respectable coverage around the house.

But moving farther from the source, expect to see some changes in performance as the single 2.4GHz bandwidth isn’t that efficient over long distances.

Four LAN ports!!

Even with the aggressive price tag under Rs.1,000, this device comes packed with four LAN ports.

While routers of even higher price tags come with a lesser number of ports, this product shows them the right way to do it.

Warranty

TP-link, as with all their products, offers a three-year warranty with this home router. Since routers are always ON devices, damage to internals is to be expected anytime.

With this long warranty period you can be assured that if anything unforeseen happens, the company will make it up for you.

Verdict

The TP-LINK TL-WR841N is the best entry level router you can get from the market as of now.

This router although cheap, comes with four LAN ports and a decent enough speed of 300Mbps which is sufficient enough for most of the households in the country.

With three years warranty provided by the company, this has to be the go-to entry-level router which will act as the gateway for your internet access.

Asus is no stranger to computer network equipment. They have been in the business for so long that the legacy continues strong even today.

The RT AC58U is a feature-rich dual-band router that’s built really well and supplemented by an aesthetic design which gives importance to form factor but also functions equally good.

Dual-Band Connectivity

The first USP of this Wi-Fi router is that its dual band.

The Asus RT AC58U can operate under two bands namely, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. This means increased bandwidth and less congestion.

In single-band routers, all the devices on the network access the internet via the single 2.4 GHz channel.

Imagine the 2.4GHz band as a single lane road with vehicles passing in both directions.
Then there’s the 5GHz band which is like a wider four-lane road.

Bandwidth and Speed

The dual-band feature lets the devices on the network to access the internet without any limiting problem.

The Asus RT AC58U offers maximum speeds up to 1300 Mbps (~190MB/s).

This router is suitable if you are living in a large house with multiple occupants who tend to use the network heavily on a day to day basis.

LAN port availability

The Asus AC RT58U dual-band router rectifies one of the major drawbacks of its predecessor model – the original Asus AC RT 53U.

While the latter came with only two LAN ports, the all new Asus AC RT58U features 4 LAN ports for connecting multiple devices at once by wire.

The company has also provided a single USB port to aide network attached storage (NAS) functionality as well.

Miscellaneous

Asus does provide a mobile app for setting up the router. It also features options like monitoring the devices that are connected to the specific network.

Easy filtering option in this router will let you block Internet access to unwanted and unauthorized devices in the vicinity of the router.

This router comes with a 3-year warranty. Mind that the warranty covered by Asus offers product replacement if anything unfortunate happens to your router within three years from the date of purchase.

Verdict

The Asus RT AC58U is a capable dual-band router that will benefit you if you would love to use a high-speed wireless connection without inconsistencies.

With the truckload of features such as device monitoring and IP filtering, you will be able to restrict the usage of your internet to bring down the bills significantly.

Be it your home or office, Asus RT AC58U is indeed an asset for your internet infrastructure.

The D-link DIR-882 is a dual-band router that we feel is one of the best value for money product on this list.

D-link is a Taiwanese network equipment manufacturer specialized in products such as routers and surveillance cameras.

D-link has earlier launched some of the hugely successful budget routers such as the D-link 600M in the Indian market.

Bandwidth and Speed

The D-link DIR-882 is the best dual band long-range Wi-Fi router if your priorities are online streaming and online gaming.

This router promises maximum speeds up to 2600Mbps (~320MB/s) which is well over what is necessary for 4K streaming and online gaming requirements.

Being a dual band router, this device can make use of the congestion-free 5GHz band for squeezing out maximum speeds from the network.

The only downfall of this 5GHz band is the shorter wavelength. It can’t penetrate thick walls and partitions, unlike the 2.4GHz frequency.

Network Attached Storage (NAS)

One of the noteworthy features of this router is the presence of two USB ports. This will let you share files with your friends or family members wirelessly.

The USB drive acts as a rudimentary NAS ( Network Attached Storage) device. Devices like wireless printers can access these files off the router.

Miscellaneous

This long-range dual-band Wi-Fi router features four high gain antennas that aid multiple devices to be connected on to the network from anywhere in your house.

The QoS ( Quality of Service ) feature lets gamers to prioritize the network for a particular connection. This will result in lag-free gaming sessions.

There are four LAN ports available in the D-link DIR-882 router. This enables this router to be hooked up with four devices for having wired connectivity.

The company also provides a three-year warranty with this router.

Verdict

The D-link DIR-882 is a premium dual-band router which offers maximum speeds up to 2600Mbps. This will let you enjoy 4K streaming and perform online gaming without any hiccups.

Having two USB ports is one of the main advantages of this router.

This option lets the router to be doubled up as a network storage device from which you can access contents anywhere on the earth over the internet.

TP-LINK is a Chinese networking equipment manufacturer that has been in the Indian market for a while.

The company has some of the most affordable routers that are widely used by FTTH providers all over the country.

Design and build quality

The TP-LINK TL-WR941HP is a tri-band router with the best long-range network connectivity in the market.

The design of the TP-LINK TL-WR941HP is futuristic. Instead of the conventional boxy design, this router comes with a space-age design.

It features high power amplifiers inside for extending the range.

Triple antennae

This TP-Link Router has 3 high gain antennas with 9db gain compared with the 5db antennas of its counterparts.

This device can act as a router, a range extender as well as an access point, all at once.

Bandwidth and speed

The TP-LINK TL-WR941HP offers speeds up to 450Mbps (~56.25MB/s) on a triband frequency.

Having three bands technically mean that broadcasting is through a 2.4GHz channel and two separate 5GHz frequency channels.

This increases the bandwidth capability of the router to accommodate more devices on the network.

Miscellaneous

There are four LAN ports on the device that can be used for wired connection with this router.

If you’re searching for a router for your office, this might be the best budget choice for your use.

Having high gain antennas and tri-band support means the network congestion and coverage will not be an issue anymore.

Verdict

The TP-LINK TL-WR941HP is a budget tri-band router that might be perfect for your office use.

Having triple bands in its kitty, multiple people using the network at the same time won’t affect the quality, which is an important factor when it comes to an office environment.

The power amplifiers on this router acts as range extenders and can give you the signals all around the office space.

D-link is a Taiwan based company specializing in network related equipment have that has been in the Indian market selling routers since time immemorial.

The DSL-2730U is a router which comes equipped with a modem built-in so that the entire hardware count is minimized.

Design and Build Quality

The D-Link DSL-2730U comes with an almost similar form factor that resembles the DIR-600M router.

It’s quite a surprise that the company was able to cram the modem circuits inside the existing chassis without increasing the size at all.

The two retractable antennae are placed at the back along with four LAN ports for wired connections.

The top of the router has the LED indicators that display the status of the network connections.

Bandwidth and Speed

The D-Link DSL-2730U is a single band modem + router device that offers maximum speeds up to 300Mbps.

It follows the 802.11.n standard for wireless connections which is pretty much the standard now.

As a home router, this device can perform data-heavy tasks such as media streaming and video conferencing with relative ease.

Miscellaneous

The larger air vents on the back of this device let the air flow into and out from the router very easily.

These vents prevent the overheating of the modem and router circuits inside the chassis when operated continuously.

As with other routers, the D-Link DSL 2730U comes with three years warranty that is way more than any other companies would provide.

Verdict

The D-Link DSL 2730U is the best two in one modem + router combo device that you can purchase right now in the market.

Having one product instead of two separate devices saves a lot of space and reduces the wire clutter as well.

If you don’t mind the single band operation, this router is perfect for home usage.

Tenda is a Chinese network equipment manufacturer based in Shenzhen known for its ultra-cheap routers and Wi-Fi range extenders in the market.

The Tenda AC10 is a smart single band Wi-Fi router aimed at those who want a wireless setup that can be integrated with the IoT (Internet of Things) ecosystem in their home or office.

Design and Build Quality

The Tenda AC10, as expected is made entirely from high-quality polycarbonate plastic, but with regards to a router, the build quality of the external casing doesn’t have much value.

The aggressive yet elegant design makes this router blend well into your home decor seamlessly. There are a lot of LED indicators for displaying the status of various functions on board.

The air vents are larger and extend across the sides of the router. This is a good thing as the router is always on, the heat from the circuits inside has to be circulated away.

Bandwidth and Speed

The Tenda AC10 comes with a bandwidth up to 1200 Mbps which is more than enough when compared with the Internet speeds in the Indian subcontinent.

Since the speeds in the country are capped by the ISPs, you would need anything more than 300mbps (~37MB/sec) for most parts.

This router comes with four 5 dBi non-detachable antennas to extend an even and seamless wireless internet reach across the operational range.

The 2.4GHz and 5GHz dual-band operation promise high-speed data across the entire operating space, even with multiple users using the internet at once.

Connectivity

The Tenda AC10 comes with three LAN ports for wired connectivity either to your TV or similar gadgets.

These three ports are sufficient enough for an average household usage scenario.

You might not have to use a single port to be honest, as most of the internet capable devices come with Wi-Fi connectivity onboard.

Warranty

Although Tenda is a Chinese company, it does have authorized resellers in India.

The company gives a 3-year warranty with the router, and if something goes wrong within that timespan, you can get it repaired with the reseller.

Verdict

The Tenda AC10 is the best smart router you can get on the market as of now that can be truly integrated into the IoT ecosystem.

This router although cheap, comes with three LAN ports and a decent speed of 1200 Mbps which is sufficient enough for most of the households in the country.

With three years warranty provided by the company, this has to be the go-to entry-level router which will act as the gateway for your internet access.

Xiaomi is often dubbed as the Apple of China. Unlike Apple, the company has a diverse spectrum of products ranging from Smartphones to even rice cookers under the Meija brand.

Design and build quality

The Mi 3C/R3L is a compact router that features 4 antennas and minimal yet stylish design.

Priced just under Rs.1000, this router is perhaps one of the best routers for a medium-sized home.

It has plastic construction, so does most of the other routers as well. But the construction is fairly premium, with no visible cost-cutting on the quality of components used.

Bandwidth and speed

This wireless home router broadcasts signals over a single 2.4GHz channel with maximum speeds up to 300 Mbps.

Don’t get riled up on reading about the 300 Mbps speeds. In reality, it converts to about 37.5MB/s.

With the average Internet speeds in India hovering around 2.5MB/s, this Wi-Fi modem router is perfectly suitable for the Indian market.

Hardware features

This device comprises four antennae. The number of antennae doesn’t mean an increase in coverage, but an increased and stable throughput with effective distance.

In layman terms, this means your devices can enjoy stable internet connections with fewer connection/speed drops when multiple devices are being used within the network.

There are two RJ45 LAN ports on this device. This can be used to connect devices over a LAN cable in case you don’t want to rely on Wi-Fi as such.

App support and set up

Xiaomi has also thrown in a very good smartphone app to configure and control this router easily.

The interface is clean and fairly straightforward. For a first timer with networks and stuff, we feel this app would let you connect with the internet in no time.

The android app for the Mi 3C/R3L router is available at the Playstore and the iOS compatible app can be downloaded from the Apple store.

Verdict

The Mi 3C/RL is a perfect little router for your personal home use.

The device has got all the necessary features built in on to an elegant looking chassis that will blend well with the home decor.
The cost factor and the easy setup procedure with the help of an intuitive mobile app add advantage to this product to be one of the best internet routers available in the market.

This marks the end of our review of the best routers in the Indian market.

Before zeroing in on any of the models listed in this article, we suggest you to read the buying guide down below for getting a rough idea on what to look for when purchasing a router.

If you loved the article and want more such buying suggestions, we have a lot more on our site.

To stay updated with the latest product releases and buying suggestions, please consider subscribing to our weekly newsletter.

Thanks for your time on our website and have a good day ahead!

What is a router?

According to Livewire, routers are small electronic devices that join multiple computer networks together via wired or wireless connections.

Why we need a router?

Routers analyze data packets coming from the modem and transmit them over a network either by wired means such as LAN cables or wirelessly by Wi-Fi. It helps a wide range of devices to communicate with the network simultaneously.

For example, in your home, there is a modem and a broadband connection. The modem can’t directly communicate with your devices such as laptop, smartphones etc.

A router transmits signals from the modem which is then captured by your devices. In reality, a router creates a path for devices to communicate with the network.

What to consider while purchasing a router?

Bandwidth

Quoting Wikipedia – “In computing, bandwidth is the maximum rate of data transfer across a given path”. The more the bandwidth, more the data that can be transferred at any given point of time. In the case of routers, manufacturers advertise bandwidth by numbers such as AC900, AC1200, AC1500 etc. Always go for at least an AC1200 router for achieving best results.

Single band or dual band?

Routers usually broadcast signals in either a single band or dual band mode. Most of the old routers had only a single 2.4GHz band that followed the 802.11n protocol. This band is significantly slower than the 5GHz band which makes use of the newer 802.11ac protocol.

The only downside of the 5GHz band is its shorter coverage distance. Having a dual-band router means, even if the number of devices on the network is more, there won’t be any network congestion.

Antenna Gain

Simple tip – higher the gain, more powerful will be the router signals.

Antenna Gain is the measure of efficiency at which the electrical signal is converted to an RF signal. For normal users, the gain isn’t much of any importance, but having a check won’t hurt either.

Security

The Internet is a bad place.

Obviously, you need some protection from the intruders. Always check what security feature does your router features. WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is an older standard which has become pretty obsolete.

WEP ( Wired Equivalent Privacy) protection is the most clumsy of the bunch. It is easily susceptible to hacking. Avoid a router with WEP protection at all cost.

Go for the one with WPA2 at least which is the more recent iteration of the original WPA protocol.

USB ports

Having a USB port on your router could easily enhance its usability. Plugging in a thumb drive with your files would make it behave as a NAS (Network Assisted Storage) device.

This function will let the users on the network to share and view files effortlessly, Not only the users, wireless devices like printers can take advantage of this feature.

QoS (Quality of Service) scheduling

QoS enables the user to prioritize certain functions over the other. This is important for gamers who would like to have priority for their connection to the game server for a lag-free experience. QoS, for an average joe, might not be that important per se.

A smartphone app

Router configuration setup is a cumbersome task. Earlier we had to log in to a local router IP through an internet browser to make necessary changes to the configuration.

Many modern routers come with a smartphone app that lets you control your router on a single tap.

Even though not an extremely necessary thing to have, it is fairly useful.