Friday, March 29, 2024

The best small business routers

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A good router is a modern requirement for small businesses. Whether you are linking your POS system to the internet, running the latest CRM software on mobile devices, or just giving your customers Wi-Fi access, a powerful and safe router is key.

To help out, we’ve gathered our top picks for business-friendly routers that are ideal for small and growing businesses. Our top pick is the Asus RT-AX88U that’s Wi-Fi 6 ready and a perfect addition to your business. But we’ve also chosen a number of excellent routers for covering large spaces, customizing your router, and more.

Asus RT-AX88U

One of the most important features for a business router is that it’s ready for the future. The last thing a business owner wants to do is set up and customize a router only to learn that they need to replace it two years later. A good business router will be Wi-Fi 6 ready for the coming years, as devices slowly upgrade to the new wireless protocol. This Asus model is “ax” ready and will be able to handle this new protocol.

Of course, that’s only part of what makes this AX6000 model great. It’s a powerful dual-band router that comes with commercial-level Aiprotection software for security, 8 Gigabit LAN ports, and mesh compatibility for covered especially larger areas. It also sports OFDMA and MU-MIMO technologies for giving select devices an extra speed boost when possible. All these attributes make it an easy recommendation for a small business, including businesses that are run out of your home.

Linksys Max-Stream EA8300

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Linksys’s useful tri-band router is a strong option for small offices and home-based businesses. In addition to AC2200 speeds and four Gigabit Ethernet ports, it also offers a USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 for connecting devices.

The Linksys app is also useful for checking on your network no matter where you are and making any needed adjustments. The app also allows you to prioritize certain media if necessary, manage connected storage, and perform other important tasks. The price is also lower than many of the models we picked for this list, making it a good choice for cost savings

Netgear Orbi Pro AC3000

The Orbi Pro is a mesh system router designed to cover particularly large spaces – think warehouses, factories, farms, docks, larger restaurants, and other areas that may benefit from satellite routers. However, just one will cover up to 2,500 square feet, which may be enough for you! The tri-band router also comes with the latest technology, including MU-MIMO, plus the ability to manage up to 40 mobile connections with ease.

The model offers high speeds, up to 3Gbps, which positions it well for future Wi-Fi improvements. It also has preset traffic separation, creating three different, customizable networks for guests, employees and owners, which is great for small business data management. Note that you can choose outdoor models as well if you need weather protection—plus models specifically designed for ceiling attachment if necessary.

Synology RT2600ac

This dual-band Synology router does a little bit of everything. It offers MU-MIMO security threat detection, smart connections based on mobile device range, traffic monitoring…and that’s just the beginning. You can customize it to turn into a private cloud server and synchronize files across devices, or use add-ons to expand router capabilities and share media more easily.

You also get VPN Plus that allows you to use the router as a VPN server for additional protection. If you want a router that does more than just sit there, and you need some extra data management capabilities for your business, check out this model.

Netgear Nighthawk X10

The Nighthawk line is filled with powerful routers, but this tri-band model is particularly suitable for businesses, sporting AD7200 wireless speeds and covering up to 2,500 square feet. The X10 comes with six 1G Ethernet ports, two USB ports, and a powerful 10 SFP+ connection.

All in all, it can handle up to 45 devices without trouble, and includes MU-MIMO tech, beamforming, and even voice controls via Alexa if you want.

Ubiquiti EdgeRouter ERLite-3

More technical businesses may want a little more control over their wireless network than the average router provides. For businesses with more demanding IT requirements, this Ubiquiti router is designed just for you. It comes equipped with all the administrative and customization tools that you could want, including the ability to create your own configurations on the command line level.

It’s a great choice for those who like to tinker, or tech startups that have a lot of specific requirements for their wireless networks. However, it doesn’t quite reach the speed of some of the other models on our list.

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