The 8 best business routers for IT teams

Selecting the right router is essential to maintaining data security and providing good network performance for hundreds of devices. Without an excellent business router, IT teams are at risk of network slowdowns and vulnerabilities, which can lead to data breaches.

Data breaches resulting from unreliable routers can quickly become expensive, with IBM estimating the average cost of a data breach in 2024 at $4.88 million.

To help you keep your network secure and running at high speeds, we have compiled a list of the best wifi routers for business. Before reviewing them, let’s look at the key considerations when investing in a router.

4 key considerations when selecting a router for office use

Below are the four key considerations when selecting a router for office use:

1. Specify your office needs

Specifying your office needs means understanding how many devices will be connected to the router, how much bandwidth is required, how big the office space is, and how much room for expansion is needed.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of each of these:

• The size of your office space: Router coverage area is one of the most important factors to consider. It determines how effectively a wifi signal can reach all corners of your office. Larger offices may require a router with extended range or a mesh system that helps to maintain consistent coverage. Smaller offices are often fine with more budget-friendly options that have less coverage.

• Bandwidth and speed requirements: The speed and bandwidth required will differ depending on the number of devices connected and the task’s demands. Large organizations with data-intensive applications require a router with high bandwidth and speed. Conversely, smaller offices require less speed. You should also verify that your ISP supports the speed of your router. 

• The number of devices connected: Estimate how many devices, such as laptops, desktops, printers, IoT devices, and other office equipment, will be connected to the wifi routers simultaneously. For offices with many connected devices, look for routers that support higher device limits.

• Scalability: You should consider not only your current situation but also the years to come. This prevents the need to replace your routers immediately. Look for routers that offer features such as the support for mesh networks and the ability to add additional access points.

2. Examine the router’s features

Wifi routers have different features, such as MU-MIMO support, QoS, the number of Ethernet ports, and so on. Before investing in a wifi router, you should know its features and their intended use.

The key features to look for include:

• Single-band, dual-band, vs. tri-band: As the name suggests, single-band routers use one frequency, which makes them slower and less reliable. Dual-band routers use two frequencies, which makes them significantly faster. Tri-band routers use three frequencies, which makes them the fastest, although they come at a premium price.
• Mesh wifi system: Mesh wifi systems and access points help extend the coverage of your wireless network. They are necessary, especially in large office environments with demanding network requirements.

Mesh wifi system explained (Source)

• Wifi standards: Wifi standards are a set of specifications that define the speed range, frequency bands, and overall performance of a wireless network. The main ones you should look for are 802.11n (wifi 4), 802.11ac (wifi 5), 802.11ax (wifi 6), and 802.11be (wifi 7). The newest and fastest wifi standard is 802.11be (wifi 7), which provides the highest speeds and lower latency.
• Supported internet speed: Your router must support a speed greater than what you receive from your ISP. If you aren’t using the full speed you paid for, you aren’t maximizing your routers capabilities.
• WAN ports: These ports provide internet access by connecting to a modem or wireless broadband. Typical routers have one WAN port, which can be suitable for small businesses. Enterprises should select a router with a minimum of two WAN ports in case of a system failure.
• Ethernet ports: Ethernet cables create a connection between a router and a device, such as a computer, server, or printer. Depending on how many devices require Ethernet connections, choose a router that has enough Ethernet ports.
• Quality of Service (QoS): QoS is a feature that prioritizes network traffic to ensure that critical applications, such as video meetings, receive the necessary bandwidth to keep running at high speed.
• MU-MIMO support: MU-MIMO allows a single router or access point to transmit data to multiple devices at the same time. This is helpful for reducing network congestion and improving performance.
• IoT support: If your office has IoT devices, you should ensure that the router is compatible with them and offers IoT-supported security features.

3. Security, brand reliability, and available support

To keep your routers secure, the best models come with real-time threat monitoring and alerting capabilities, or they can be connected with third-party tools, such as Atera for this purpose.

In addition to monitoring, there are certain security features you should look for in a router:

• VPN support to allow remote workers to connect to the network securely
• Firewall integration to block unauthorized access
• WPA3 encryption to protect against weak passwords
• Automatic firmware updates to ensure security patches are applied without manual work
• Network segmentation to separate different parts of the network

Your router should also offer hardware support in case problems arise. This is especially important for large organizations that have complex router setups and may require constant assistance.

You can often find the available support from the router provider’s website. Here is an example from NETGEAR’s website:

NETGEAR Orbi 970 Series warranty

Don’t just skim over the warranty; actually open and see what’s included so you’re not being caught off guard.

4. Ensure internet service provider (ISP) compatibility

If you’re buying a wifi router, ensure it is compatible with the ISP you’re choosing. Most routers work with most ISPs, but it doesn’t hurt to double-check.

For example, T-mobile clearly explains on their website how mesh networks, network switches, and third-party routers can be connected:

T-mobile connections

The 8 best wifi routers for IT teams in 2024

We have divided the best wifi routers into the following categories:

1. Best overall wifi router
2. Best budget wifi router
3. Best router for large organizations
4. Best wifi router for small businesses
5. Best high-performance wifi router
6. Best router for security
7. Best wifi access point
8. Best mesh wifi system

Below is a more detailed breakdown of each of these routers and access points.

1. Best overall wifi router (NETGEAR Orbi 960 Series)

Our choice for the best overall wifi router is the NETGEAR Orbi 960 Series, which provides unparalleled speed and reliability while being highly secure. While the Orbi 960 Series is an overkill for individuals, it is an ideal solution for offices that need advanced features, such as wifi 6E technology, multi-gigabit speeds, and wide coverage to support up to 200 concurrent devices.

NETGEAR Orbi 960 Series is a mesh router that can be expanded through additional satellite units to cover larger areas. NETGEAR Armor offers Wi-Fi protection for PCs, phones, cameras, TVs, and other IoT devices. It is possible to create a guest network to provide visitors with internet access.

2. Best budget wifi router (ASUS RT-AXE7800)

ASUS RT-AXE7800 offers highly reliable wifi 6E technology router and connectivity speeds of up to 7800 Mbps at an affordable price. While it lacks advanced features for larger organizations, it is an ideal choice for small IT teams with basic wifi requirements. The router has a 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN port and supports both WAN and LAN aggregation, which gives you more options when setting up your network. 

ASUS RT-AXE7800 supports ASUS AiMesh technology, which lets you combine multiple ASUS routers to extend your network. It offers WPA3 security and automatic software updates to protect your devices from threats.

3. Best router for large organizations (Cisco Catalyst 8500 Series)

Organizations that want more than a regular wifi router can benefit from the Cisco Catalyst 8500 Series routers. These routers do not have built-in wifi connectivity, but they can be used alongside access points and wireless controllers to provide connectivity to large offices. 

Compared to regular wifi routers, the Catalyst 8500 Series routers provide more advanced features, including multi-layered security, advanced SD-WAN capabilities, and QoS and PoE support. The C8500 model comes with 20 1/10GE ports and 6 40/100 GE ports, which allow for high-speed data transfer and flexible connectivity options.

4. Best wifi router for small businesses (ASUS BRT-AC828)

ASUS BRT-AC828 is designed for small businesses that require a scalable, highly reliable, and secure network solution. The router comes with features such as dual WAN for failover protection, VPN support, and easy management through an admin dashboard. It supports MU-MIMO, which allows up to 250 simultaneous connections and prioritizes bandwidth for high-demand devices.

The security features include an AiProtection security package, VLAN, and hardware crypto engine IPsec VPN. You can use a USB LTE modem as a backup internet connection to ensure continuous internet access even during outages.

5. Best high-performance wifi router (NETGEAR Orbi Quad-Band)

Orbi 970 Series is the most recent model from NETGEAR and comes with the newest wifi 7E technology, which offers fast speeds, low latency, and increased capacity to handle more devices. The Orbi 970 Series router offers speeds up to 27Gbps, 13 total Ethernet ports, and coverage of up to 10,000 square feet, with the option to expand further using additional satellites.

The router comes with a NETGEAR Armor app that automatically protects your devices, updates their software, monitors them in real-time, and alerts you if anything goes wrong.

6. Best router for security (Synology RT6600)

Synology RT6600 is a mesh wifi router designed to deliver high-speed, reliable performance with tri-band connectivity. It is one of the most secure routers with features, like user and network profiles, real-time monitoring and alerting on threats, automatic reports, and remote access through Synology DDNS.

You can create up to five networks and 15 wifi SSIDs for distributing devices according to their roles. In addition, one feature that is useful for enterprises is VLAN tagging, which allows the RT6600ax to integrate with existing networks.

7. Best wifi access point (TP-Link EAP245)

TP-Link EAP245 is a wifi access point that can be used to extend wireless coverage. For example, it can be used alongside a router to create reliable and high-speed internet across multiple floors or rooms. The EAP245 model supports MU-MIMO and band steering, which helps to optimize network performance. 

The router supports PoE for easy installation and offers centralized management through the Omada cloud app. Additionally, you can create a guest network to provide secure and isolated internet access for visitors.

8. Best mesh wifi system (NETGEAR WBE750)

NETGEAR WBE750 is a wifi 7 access point that large organizations can use to create a mesh network. This requires connecting multiple WBE750 access points to work together.

Its tri-band capability allows for a total data throughput of 18.4 Gbit/s, which ensures fast connectivity even in high-traffic environments. This business router is ideal for separating IoT devices, internal employees, and guest traffic thanks to the available 8 separate WLAN networks. It comes equipped with a 10G/multi-gig Ethernet port.

How to monitor your router’s health and performance?

To monitor the health and performance of your router, you have four different options:

1. Router dashboard: Modern routers, such as those recommended in this article, come with a dashboard that allows you to monitor performance in real time.
2. Third-party software: Third-party tools, such as Fing and NetWorx, give you access to basic monitoring tools for your routers. 
3. Parental controls: Many routers (especially home routers) come with parental control features, which allow you to monitor wifi usage and activity.
4. Network monitoring tools: The best network monitoring tools include a built-in SNMP module, which helps to monitor router health and performance.

IT teams who want to take router monitoring seriously benefit most from network monitoring tools. One option is Atera, which allows you to monitor SNMP-enabled devices, such as routers and printers, in real time, making it an excellent solution for comprehensive network and printer monitoring.
If you’re interested in using Atera for your IT team, you can take advantage of the 30-day free trial. Or, contact our sales team for a custom demo.