A router is the heart of a local network. Each network needs one router, and preferably no more than one.
At a minimum, a router includes a WAN port to connect to an Internet source and a few LAN ports for connecting local wired devices. Technically, a router is a layer 3 network switch.
Nowadays, the term “router” is often used to refer to a “Wi-Fi router” — one that has a built-in Wi-Fi access point. Consequently, we use “non-Wi-Fi” to refer to a standard router that lacks built-in Wi-Fi capability.
Multi-Gigabit is the term used to describe data rates at least twice that of Gigabit. To experience it, we generally rely on the Multi-Gig wired network standard, which has multiple port grades ranging from 2.5Gbps to 10Gbps. Confused about multi-Gigabit vs. Multi-Gig? Here’s the crash course on the subject! This post features the …
This post features the top five 10Gbps Multi-Gig routers among those I’ve evaluated. They matter because 10Gbps is the highest theoretical bandwidth available for any home or small business. I’ve used all of these devices for an extended period—from over a month to over a year—with my 10Gbps Sonic Fiber-optic …
This post lists the current five best Wi-Fi 7 routers. They are all excellent options to consider when you need a new router in a home where a single Wi-Fi access point is enough. Need extended Wi-Fi coverage? Some of the units mentioned here are mesh-ready and can be a good …
The head says it. This post lists the current best dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers. They are hardware that does not feature the 6GHz band. These routers are made for those who don’t need or care for this band or live in a region where it’s unavailable for Wi-Fi use. If …
Ubiquiti today unveiled its latest network console in the UniFi family, the Cloud Gateway Industrial (model UCG-Industrial). It’s the first product in the networking vendor’s all-new UniFi Industrial initiative, a platform that includes “ruggedized, fanless hardware built for extreme environments”. I had the chance to spend an extended period pre-launch …
When it comes to getting connected on the go, turning on your phone’s Personal Hotspot feature is often enough. However, if you have a large number of devices that need a lot of bandwidth or advanced features, such as VPN, it’s best to get a mini travel router. This post …
The Nighthawk 5G M7 Portable WiFi Hotspot with eSIM (model MH7150), unveiled on November 17, 2025, is NETGEAR’s latest mobile router. From its name, which is a mouthful and leaves nothing to the imagination—I’ll cuts my fingers some slack and shorten it to “M7” or “Nighthawk 5G M7” from here …
Unveiled at CES 2026, the MNQ1525 WiFi 7 Router with Easy Mesh, or MQ15 for short, is the first Wi-Fi 7 hardware from Motorola, a brand better known for cable modems. Despite arriving comparatively late to the Wi-Fi 7 game, it proved in my testing to be an insignificant addition …
IP reservation is the process of assigning a specific IP address to a device, such as a computer, so it receives the same address each time it (re)connects to the network, such as when you restart it or the network’s router. This post explains when IP reservation applies and how …
Ubiquiti’s UniFi Travel Router (model UTR), first announced in late December 2025, is unlike any travel router I’ve seen. The little device combines modest specs with a sleek, practical design into an appealing package that ultimately proves to be a little too dated for modern times. While the UTR is …
