Best WiFi router for long range in 2025 – our top picks
Reviewed By: Kevin Pocock
Table of Contents
There are lots of options when it comes to routers. The more you explore them, the more confusing they can become. For a small apartment, a standard cheap router will do the job. What about a big house, office or event space? What sort of router is best for those use-cases?
To provide a guide, we’ve thoroughly tested a range of routers them in-house, and selected a few routers based on their price, WiFi standard, range, features, and performance. This should help you make an informed decision.
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Products at a glance
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Best Wi-Fi router for long-range overall
ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 – 1 Pack, White
- Standard: WiFi 6
- Frequency Bands: 2.4GHz, 5GHz x2
- Max Speed: 10Gbps
- LAN Ports: 3x 1Gbps
-
Best premium Wi-Fi router for long-range
Netgear Nighthawk RS700S WiFi 7 (BE19000)
- Standard: WiFi 7
- Frequency Bands: 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz
- Max Speed: 19Gbps
- LAN Ports: 1x 10Gbps, 4x 1Gbps
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Best mesh Wi-Fi router for long-range
Netgear Orbi RBKE963B WiFi 6E Mesh Black
- Standard: WiFi 6E
- Frequency Bands: 2.4GHz, 2x 5GHz, 6GHz
- Max Speed: 10.8Gbps
- LAN Ports: 1x 2.5Gbps, 3x 1Gbps (Router & Satellites)
-
Best budget mesh router for long-range
Amazon Eero Pro 6
- Standard: WiFi 6
- Frequency band: 2.4GHz, 5GHz
- Max speed: 4200Mbps
- LAN ports: 2 x 1 Gbps
How we picked
To find the best long-range router, we used our expertise to select items based on key specs, such as speeds, coverage, wireless standards, security, form factors, weight, and additional features.
However, we don't rely solely on specifications and reviews that anyone can read. We conduct in-house testing to check their signal strength, speed, and file transfer speed. If you're interested in learning more about our process, check out our How we test routers guide for a more in-depth understanding.
Our top picks
- Standard: WiFi 6
- Frequency Bands: 2.4GHz, 5GHz x2
- Max Speed: 10Gbps
- LAN Ports: 3x 1Gbps
- WAN: 1x 2.5Gbps
- CPU: 1.7GHz tri-core
- Memory: 256MB Flash, 512MB DDR4 RAM
- USB: 1x 3.2Gen A-type
- Dimensions: 172.3 x 78.1 x 176.75 mm
- Weight: 880g
- Excellent range and wall penetration
- It has a multi-gig WAN port
- It has excellent security and parental control features
- It works with the Wi-Fi 6 standard
- A single node only covers 2,900 sq. ft., and you'll need two to cover 5,800 sq. ft.
- The gamer look and design might not be the best for a professional setting
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 is an excellent router that covers a lot of bases with its hardware, speed, and coverage. We tested for all these factors in our Rapture GT6 review and weren't disappointed with the results.
This router is powered by a 1.7 GHz tri-core processor and 512 MB of DDR4 RAM. Which means it has enough processing power to handle the various networking demands without running out of stamina. On top of that, it has tri-band functionality, meaning you get one 2.4 GHz band and two 5 GHz bands. No 6 GHz band on this Wi-Fi 6 device, though.
So, what this does is allow you to dedicate a band for guests or IoT devices, keeping the remaining frequencies free from load. This helps avoid congestion issues and ensures you get the full bandwidth.
The Rapture GT6 has a coverage of 2,900 sq. ft, which should be more than enough for most offices and houses. It is possible to double the coverage by including another node, bringing it to 5,800 sq. ft. This is easily enough to cover most large houses. On top of that, there are nine strategically placed internal antennas to eliminate dead zones and prevent inconsistency. Add to this ASUS's RangeBoost Plus technology, and you've got a killer combination that should cover you for a range of tasks, whether gaming, working, or streaming.
Focusing on the mesh capabilities to improve the range and speed it has a lot of features to take advantage of.
PC Guide
As for its performance and range, its 2.4 and 5 GHz bands were able to connect to the 90ft mark, which has two rooms and four walls between the device and the router. So, the advertised 5,800 sq. ft coverage isn't just a gimmick.
The 2.4 GHz frequency managed download speeds of 59.4 to 0 Mbps at 90ft and upload speeds of 40 to 0 Mbps. While it did manage to connect at the farthest distance, its performance wasn't the best, but adding another node to the equation should take care of this issue.
5 GHz, on the other hand, managed download speeds of 213 to 51.8 Mbps at 90 ft and upload speeds of 290 to 12.9 Mbps. So, the performance gap between the two frequencies is visible, but it isn't surprising since 5 GHz has a higher bandwidth and isn't affected by interference.
This router also features three 1G LAN ports, one 2.5G WAN port, and a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port. So, if you want a wired connection for seamless gaming or working, the GT6 provides plenty of ports for you to connect with to ensure that you get the full bandwidth of your high-speed internet connection.
Overall, the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 is one of the best Wi-Fi routers for long-range, regardless of the task at hand. You always have the option to increase its range via software or by purchasing another node. On top of that, it also makes for a great gaming router with its triple-level game acceleration feature, which reduces latency and boosts speeds.
- Standard: WiFi 7
- Frequency Bands: 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz
- Max Speed: 19Gbps
- LAN Ports: 1x 10Gbps, 4x 1Gbps
- WAN: 10Gbps
- CPU: Quad-core 2.6GHz
- Memory: 512MB NAND Flash and 2GB RAM
- USB: 1x USB 3.0 Type-A
- Dimensions: 281.7 x 124.0 x 142mm (11.1 x 4.9 x 5.6in)
- Weight: 1.635kg (3.61lb)
- Future proof with Wi-Fi 7 standard
- It can support up to 200 devices across three frequencies
- It has a range of 3,500 sq. ft.
- It comes with a hefty price tag
- For casual users, this router is overkill
- The Wi-Fi 7 standard isn't widely used right now
If spending top dollar isn't an issue and you want the best router for long-range and coverage, we recommend the Netgear Nighthawk RS700S. Not only does this support the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard, but in our RS700S review, it also displayedits prowess in signal strength, speed, and latency tests.
This router has a max speed of 19 Gbps and comes with tri-band functionality meaning it has a 6 GHz band along with the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. On top of that, a powerful 2.6 GHz quad-core processor and 2 GB RAM power its various networking functionalities, such as tracking packets and processing all the rules and data.
For wired connectivity, you get one 10G, four 1G LAN ports, and one 10G WAN port. So, if you have gigabit internet, you can connect your devices via Ethernet to avoid congestion and interruption issues and enjoy a seamless working and gaming experience.
According to Netgear, this RS700S is rated for 3,500 sq. ft. of coverage. We tested this claim in-house during our review. Our tests used the 2.4 and 5GHz frequencies at 10, 30, 60, and 90ft. The former was able to connect till the 60ft mark, which is at the edge of 3,500 sq. ft., while 5 GHz went all the way to 90ft, surpassing the two rooms and four walls between the router and device.
With the inclusion of the latest WiFi standard, it means you can take advantage of the little traffic and interference on those networks.
PC Guide
As for its performance, 2.4 GHz managed download speeds of 206, 206, and 137 Mbps and upload speeds of 62, 50, and 22 Mbps. While 5 GHz had better results with 1200, 864, 288, and 8 Mbps download and 1080, 1080, 576, and 17 Mbps upload. With these speeds over a wireless connection, you should be able to effortlessly stream in 4K, play online games, and download and upload large files.
In addition, it comes with NETGEAR Armor for added protection from hackers and vulnerabilities, but that is locked behind a paywall. The good part is that you get a free trial so you can see what it is capable of and whether you want to pay for it after the trial or not.
The RS700S is capable of supporting up to 200 devices simultaneously. This means that if you have a lot of people at your home or office, it should be more than enough to cater to every device at short and long range. Just make sure that you have an internet plan with enough bandwidth.
- Standard: WiFi 6E
- Frequency Bands: 2.4GHz, 2x 5GHz, 6GHz
- Max Speed: 10.8Gbps
- LAN Ports: 1x 2.5Gbps, 3x 1Gbps (Router & Satellites)
- WAN: 1x 10Gbps (Router)
- CPU: Quad-Core 2.2GHz (Router & Satellites)
- Memory: 512MB NAND Flash and 1GB RAM (Router & Satellites)
- USB: None
- Dimensions: 279.4 x 190.5 x 76.2mm (11 x 7.5 x 3in)
- Weight: 1.36kg (3.0lbs)
- It has incredible coverage and performance
- 2.5Gbps backhaul delivers impressive speeds
- Quad-band functionality allows for separate networks for guest and IoT devices
- It costs a premium
- Each node costs more than some full-fledged routers
- It doesn't have a USB port
Mesh routers are the best option to ensure that there’s decent Wi-Fi in every corner of your house or working space. We recommend giving the NETGEAR Orbi RBKE693B a shot, as it had top-notch range and speed when we reviewed it.
For starters, this mesh router and its satellites are powered by a 2.2 GHz quad-core CPU and 1 GB RAM. Seeing how it can support up to 200 devices simultaneously, it isn't surprising that it has a fast CPU to handle all the data, traffic, and protocols.
It also supports the Wi-Fi 6E standard, which is more widely used than Wi-Fi 7. So, it should be compatible with a bunch of devices. Its max speed is 10.8 Gbps, meaning you shouldn't experience stuttering or lag issues during gaming or streaming.
It features quad-band functionality, which means you've got 2.4, 2 x 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequencies to work with. You can keep the 2.4 GHz for the most range, dedicate one 5 GHz band for guests or IoT devices, and keep the 6 GHz for the most bandwidth-intensive tasks as it can deliver the most speed out of the three main frequencies.
Doing this will help eliminate congestion issues and deliver a seamless experience, as the different bands aren't overlapping or occupied by the same task.
With so much control and features available the router and satellites extend your network wherever you need it with a lot of ease and security.
PC Guide
Regarding the area you can cover with this router, each node can cover 3,000 sq. ft. We had the pack of three, meaning a total coverage of 9,000 sq. ft. This should be more than enough to cover even the largest of houses. However, you have the option of adding more nodes, which cost $599.99 each.
So, while the overall package is pretty expensive and additional nodes aren't cheap either, you're able to cover as much area as you want with this mesh router. The only thing you'll need to consider is your internet's bandwidth and whether it can withstand being divided so much among different devices.
As for its range, we checked the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies, and they managed to connect to our device till the 90ft mark. 2.4 GHz had a download speed of 65.3 to 35.5 Mbps at 60ft and upload speeds of 67.9 to 6.2 Mbps. 5 GHz managed download speeds of 197 to 57 Mbps and upload speeds of 227 to 83.9 Mbps. Both frequencies managed to connect till 90ft, but the strength wasn't good enough to exchange any data, so 60ft seems to be the sweet spot for it.
This is one of the best Wi-Fi routers for long ranges, and it can adapt to even longer ranges. The downside is that your wallet will take a hit. Other than that, it has stellar specifications and performance that should make it a worthwhile investment.
- Standard: WiFi 6
- Frequency band: 2.4GHz, 5GHz
- Max speed: 4200Mbps
- LAN ports: 2 x 1 Gbps
- WAN: Same as LAN
- CPU: 1.4 GHz quad-core processor
- Memory: 1024MB RAM, 4GB flash storage
- USB: N/A
- Dimensions: 139 x 139 x 52.6 mm (5.5 x 5.5 x 2.1 inch)
- Weight:
- Easy to install and setup – although lacks wall mount options
- Far-reaching and strong signal even on the one device
- Expanding network mesh coverage easy to do
- Lots of features are locked behind a subscription paywall
- Lacks a lot of IO, very much a wireless-focused device
- Lacks IoT and the ability to separate out channels
If you want a mesh router for maximum coverage but don’t want to spend a lot of money, we recommend the Amazon Eero Pro 6. We’ve tested this router for our Amazon Eero Pro 6 review, and it had excellent performance and range.
This router works with the WiFi standard, which means it supports the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies and has a combined maximum speed of 4200 Mbps. On top of that, it has two 1 Gbps WAN/LAN ports, so you can have a wired connection for the best streaming or gaming experience. This eliminates the interference issues of a wireless connection and lowers the latency.
The Amazon Eero Pro 6 is also easy to integrate into your smart home via the Zigbee feature, meaning easy pairing with Alexa and other devices. Your mobile device will automatically connect between different nodes as they provide two frequencies; however, choosing your preferred band is limited due to this. You can create a guest network to share with others, adding a layer of protection and avoiding overcrowding the network.
The Amazon Eero Pro 6 is a simple and easy-to-use mesh router. With a good range out of even one, it is a good solution for coverage. Along with the ease of use of the app and the ability to use integrated Zigbee and Matter smart hubs it a great solution.
PC Guide
We checked the range of this router by taking our mobile device 10ft, 30ft, 60ft, and 90ft away from it. The 60ft mark has a wall, and the 90ft mark has four walls between the device and the router. Our mobile device was able to connect up to 90ft, meaning this router has pretty good coverage.
That said, because we could not select between the two frequencies, we were only able to test the 5GHz band. The download speeds ranged from 260 to 2 Mbps, and the upload speed was 288 to 0 Mbps at the farthest range. In addition, the latency ranged from 8 – 49ms, which is fairly decent. So, a pack of three devices should be able to cover medium—to—large houses and offices as it has a coverage of 6,000 sq. ft.
Overall, this is a good mesh router that is easy to set up, has good performance, and doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket. That said, some features are locked behind the paywall. Even with that downside, the cost should still be lower than the base price of other mesh routers with newer WiFi standards.
How to select the best Wi-Fi router for long-range
Picking up the best long-range router isn't just about going to the market and choosing one of the best wireless routers. Instead, you need to carefully look at its specs, performance, and the type of security features it offers. Here are a few things to consider before making a purchase.
Budget
The first and most important aspect to consider is your budget. How much you can spend on a router will land you in the high-end, mid-tier, or budget category. From there, you can filter the options based on their range and performance at said range and pick the one that offers the best balance between the two.
Coverage
The second factor to consider is the area you want covered. Routers come in different shapes and sizes, and their design can impact their range. For example, a router with a spider-like design would consist of more external antennas and would have a better range. However, there are also routers with internal antennas that have excellent coverage.
So, if you have a small to medium living or working space, a router with 3,500 sq. ft. coverage should be more than enough and could possibly even cater to slightly larger spaces. However, if the coverage area exceeds that, we recommend opting for the best mesh router, as it'll eliminate any dead zones and cover every corner of your house or office.
Wi-Fi standard
Eliminating dead zones isn't the only thing you need to consider. There is no point in having good coverage if the Wi-Fi doesn't deliver good speed. So, pay attention to the Wi-Fi standard of the router, as it'll determine how much speed you'll get over a wireless connection. For example, the maximum speed for Wi-Fi 6 is 9.6 Gbps, whereas Wi-Fi 7 takes it to the next level with a max data rate of 46 Gbps.
Will a better router improve the Wi-Fi range?
Yes – some routers have a better range than others, with the best routers usually excelling in this department. Factors like antennas and mesh systems play into the range of your Wi-Fi signal. However, router placement and the original strength signal are also important factors to consider.
How can I extend the Wi-Fi range?
Wi-Fi range can be extended by adding extra access points to your mesh system, using Wi-Fi extenders, or selecting a router with multiple movable antennas.
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