Best router for streaming in 2025 – our top picks
Reviewed By: Kevin Pocock
Table of Contents
A fast internet connection is a must-have for a smooth streaming experience, but you need a powerful router that can handle the speeds if you want to indulge in 4K or 8K streams.
These days, you can find routers that feature Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 6E and support speeds of 10 Gbps or more. These routers are great for 4K and 8K streaming, and some of them even come with the latest 6GHz band. On top of that, for those who don't want to spend a fortune, there are even some budget options that may not come with fancy features but still deliver decent performance in gaming and video streaming.
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We've compiled a list of what we think are the best ones available in the market today.
Products at a glance
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BEST ROUTER FOR STREAMING
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 BUDGET ROUTER FOR STREAMING
GL.iNet GL-AXT1800 (Slate AX)
- Standard: WiFI 6
- Frequency Bnads: 2.4GHz, 5GHz
- Max Speed: 1800Mbps
- LAN Ports: 2x Gigabit
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BEST PORTABLE ROUTER FOR STREAMING
Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro (MR6450)
- Standard: WiFi 6E
- Frequency Bands: 2.4GHz, 5/6GHz
- Max Speed: 2.9Gbps
- LAN Ports: 1x 2.5Gbps
How we picked
We've used our expertise to find and select the best routers for you, weighing in not just on our in-depth knowledge of what makes a router good, but more specifically what makes a router good for streaming. So, we’ve made sure to choose routers that are dual-band, as a 5 GHz frequency band tends to offer the higher speeds. Coverage was another important factor, as you don’t want your streaming to be limited to just one room.
What’s more, streaming 4K or 8K UHD resolution videos requires a consistent high-speed connection, and in those households with multiple users, doing this is going to put an even greater load on your network. We’ve chosen a lineup of routers with the latest WiFi standards, and we’ve made sure to pick ones across different brands and budgets so every buyer has an option available to them. You can learn more about this through our How we test routers guide.
Our top picks
- 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)
- Tri-band, and can reach the new 6GHz band
- Supports speeds of up to 19 Gbps
- Specifically designed for 8K/4K streaming
- Premium performance comes set with premium pricing
- You have to pay extra for advanced security features
- Not many devices out there that fully utilize WiFi 7
If you're looking for the best router that can be paired with high-speed internet connections to enjoy buffer-free, high-resolution streaming, then you'd want to get the Netgear Nighthawk RS700S. In our review, we found that this router offers excellent performance across the board and is future-proof.
The RS700S can support speeds of up to 19 Gbps and is tri-band. Along with a 2.4GHz and 5GHz band, it comes with the new 6GHz band, which reduces load from the other two bands to improve the Wi-Fi speed. This should help provide a great streaming experience, and you won't have to worry about the video buffering after every few minutes.
It also comes with Wi-Fi 7, which is the latest standard. This offers significantly better performance than the previous standards and can handle more devices efficiently. However, it’s not for everyone as there aren't many devices available that can fully utilize WiFi 7.
For wired connectivity, the RS700S comes with four 1G ports and one 10G multi-gig port, which should provide a seamless wired experience. It provides coverage of up to 3,500 sqft and can connect with 200 devices simultaneously. There's a quad-core 2.6GHz processor powering the router, so it should perform smoothly even under load.
Even on its ports, it makes sure that you get the max out of it, with both a 10 Gig WAN and LAN port, you can make sure your router isn't limiting the available speed at your house.
PC Guide
During our LAN tests, the RS700S managed to achieve a download speed of 262 Mbps, while the upload speed topped at 254 Mbps. For the wireless network tests, on the 2.4 GHz band, the router delivered 103, 78.4, and 5.6 Mbps speeds at 10, 30, and 60 ft, respectively. When we switched to the 5 GHz band, the speeds jumped to 273, 269, 117, and 25.5 Mbps.
We also managed to set up the router within a few minutes using the Nighthawk app. You can also subscribe to additional services, like Netgear Armor and Netgear Smart Parental Controls, but this does cost extra.
What users say
On Amazon, the RS700S has a positive rating. One of the reviewers mentioned, “One of the standout features of this router is its impressive range. Unlike my previous setup, which required multiple WiFi extenders, the NIGHTHAWK WiFi 7 covers my entire home effortlessly. The range on all three channels is significantly better, providing strong and consistent connectivity throughout every room.”
- Standard: WiFI 6
- Frequency Bnads: 2.4GHz, 5GHz
- Max Speed: 1800Mbps
- LAN Ports: 2x Gigabit
- WAN: 1x Gigabit
- CPU: IPQ6000 1.2GHz Quad-core Processor
- Memory: DDR3L 512MB / NAND Flash 128MB
- USB: 1x USB 3.0
- Dimensions: 125 x 82 x 36mm
- Weight: 245g
- Great for 4K streaming
- Very small and light, easy to move around
- Provide greats value for money
- Not the fastest router out there
- Starts running hot after a while
If you're tight on a budget and want something that can deliver decent performance in streaming, we'd recommend the GL.iNet GL-AXT1800. For the price it delivers great results. In our GL-AXT1800 review, we were satisfied with its performance and were surprised by how such a small router comes packed with so many features.
Unlike our top picks, this one isn't meant for super fast internet plans. It can support speeds up to 1,800 Mbps, but it still offers dual-band connectivity. This provides access to the 5GHz band for faster speeds in a small area, while the 2.4GHz band provides a better range. The router also comes with Wi-Fi 6 and features the OFDMA technology, which improves the speed and overall performance of the network.
If you prefer wired connections, you'll benefit greatly from the three 1G ports that can be found on the back of the router. The router lacks a multi-gig port, but there is a USB 3.0 port for easy file sharing. The GL-AXT1800 can connect with up to 120 devices simultaneously, and the 1.2 GHz quad-core processor makes sure it keeps operating smoothly.
The GL-AXT1800 is a rather simple design, with no towering features, taking up loads of screen space, or RGB lighting it up.
PC Guide
We tested the router for both physical network speed and wireless network speed. On a wired connection, the router delivered download speeds between 206 and 17 Mbps at 2.4 GHz. When we switched it to 5 GHz, we got speeds between 960 and 288 Mbps.
The wireless network tests weren't also disappointing, as the download speed at 2.4 GHz topped at 119 and dropped to 8.9 Mbps as the distance increased. The speed at 5 GHz, on the other hand, jumped to 271 but went down to 197 Mbps.
Overall, if you're looking for the best budget router for streaming that supports decent speeds, has several Ethernet ports, is easy to carry around, and won't put a dent in your bank account, we'd definitely recommend the GL-AXT1800.
- Standard: WiFi 6E
- Frequency Bands: 2.4GHz, 5/6GHz
- Max Speed: 2.9Gbps
- LAN Ports: 1x 2.5Gbps
- WAN: Same as LAN
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X65 5G
- USB: 1x Type-C
- Dimensions: 21.5 x 105 x 105mm (0.85 x 4.14 x 4.14in)
- Weight: 256g (0.56lbs) w/ battery
- Battery: Removable 5,040mAh Li-ion
- Screen: 7.1cm (2.8″) touch
- Comes with the WiFi 6E standard
- Can connect to a 5G mobile network
- Features a 2.5G port for wired connections
- Quick and easy to set up
- Comes with a premium price tag
- Battery life is only good if lowest power settings are enabled
- Overkill if you won’t be using it frequently
If you're looking for a portable router for streaming that comes packed with features, you'd want to check out the Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro. We reviewed this router and can safely say that it is an incredible piece of hardware.
The Nighthawk M6 Pro is a quad-band router and supports mobile data plans up to 4 Gbps. You can expect to get a smooth experience without any buffering. On top of that, it boasts Wi-Fi 6E, which is an extension of Wi-Fi 6 and is significantly faster.
As far as range is concerned, the M6 Pro offers coverage of up to 1,000 sq ft. While this may seem low, it is solidly average for a portable router. The router can also connect with up to 32 devices simultaneously. If you're pairing it with a high-speed plan, you can enjoy downloading, uploading, and streaming at the same time.
For wired connectivity, it comes with a single 2.5G port. There's also a 5 Gbps USB Type-C port for more connectivity.
Netgear claims that the battery inside this router can last around 13 hours, but that only happens if you put it on the lowest power settings.
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X65 5G processor, it is a strong mobile unit that the touchscreen works well with and so does the network speed.
PC Guide
During our tests, when connected to a PC, the router delivered 67 Mbps download and 9.7 Mbps upload speeds via the mobile network. When we used an Ethernet cable, the download speed jumped to 265.6 Mbps, while the upload speed also topped at 283.9 Mbps.
Overall, the Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro is the best portable router for streaming. It offers great speeds, can connect with multiple devices, and is easy to carry around. The only downside is its high price tag, but this is what you'd already expect from a premium portable router.
How to pick the best router for streaming
With so many options to choose from, finding the best router for streaming can be tricky. To help you out, we've listed some features to consider before choosing a router.
Wi-Fi standard
This is one of the most important factors to consider. Make sure to go with a WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E router. These routers come with the latest WiFi standards and are around 40% faster than the previous ones. Some of the best Wi-Fi 6 routers and the best Wi-Fi 6E routers are capable of handling high speeds, come with several Gigabit ports, and provide great coverage. Wi-Fi 7 routers are now becoming available, but few devices fully support that standard.
Speed and performance
If you are using a high-speed internet plan, you'd want to go with a router that can support it. For instance, you can find routers that can handle speeds of up to 10.8 Gbps, like the Nighthawk RAXE500. But if you are going for a mid-range option, make sure to aim for a router that can handle speeds of around 5,000 Mbps.
Connectivity
If you are planning to connect your PC, laptop, or streaming device directly to the router using an Ethernet cable, make sure the router you're getting has enough ports to host all of them. On top of that, having a multi-gig port would benefit you greatly if you have a high-speed plan, but a regular Gigabit port will also do the job just fine.
Additional features
Some routers also come with additional features like security scans, weekly/monthly reports, and parental controls. These can help you protect your devices from online threats and also restrict the access of certain websites. Look for routers with QoS, as this can help you prioritize the bandwidth to a certain connection, which can improve the streaming experience.
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