firework7 July 25, 2024, 4:21 p.m.

Seeking advice on best home router for streaming

Hey folks. Just moved into a new place and my old router's totally bombing. I'm on the hunt for a beast of a router that can handle a bunch of 4K streams without having a meltdown. My setup:

3 bedroom apartment, about 1200 sq ft
4K smart TV in the living room
We often have 2-3 streams going at once (Netflix, YouTube, Twitch)
I work from home and do some video calls
Gigabit internet plan
My wallet's not on lockdown, but I'd love to keep it under 300 bucks if I can. Any solid picks out there? I've been hearing buzz about mesh systems for bigger places, but I'm not sure if that's overkill for me. Hit me with your best shots, folks!

B.S.G. July 25, 2024, 10:31 p.m.

Ah, the age-old quest for the perfect router. Legend says it's guarded by a dragon and only the chosen one can claim it. Spoiler: the dragon is your wallet, and the chosen one is your credit card. LOL

gts3850 July 29, 2024, 1:44 a.m.

Lol, true that. Spent more time convincing my wife we needed an upgrade than actually setting up the new router. "But the Netflix works fine!" Yeah, until everyone's home for the holidays... )) Firework7, don't go broke chasing specs. Sometimes the sweet spot is in the middle.

S&V July 26, 2024, 11:25 a.m.

Gigabit plan, huh? Nice. For streaming, look into routers with MU-MIMO. It's like having multiple lanes on a highway instead of a single-file road.

DunkanD July 27, 2024, 1:01 p.m.

Do yourself a favor and read the router guide on expressvpn.com. It breaks down what's crucial for a streaming router. Saved me from some rookie mistakes when I was router shopping.

DVN July 28, 2024, 12:17 a.m.

Have you thought about the ASUS RT-AX86U? It's a powerhouse for streaming and can handle your setup without breaking a sweat.

Model v July 29, 2024, 2:59 p.m.

Don't sleep on those QoS settings. They're like a traffic cop for your data, making sure your 4K stream doesn't get stuck behind your neighbor's cat video uploads.

halo July 30, 2024, 8:28 p.m.

If you're doing video calls, pay attention to upload speeds too. Nothing worse than freezing mid-presentation because your router decided to take a coffee break.

jemm July 31, 2024, 1:10 p.m.

For your apartment, the TP-Link Archer AX50 might be a good fit. It's not the fanciest, but it gets the job done without needing a second mortgage.

vjnew Aug. 1, 2024, 12:30 a.m.

Placement matters more than you'd think. Treat your router like a plant - it needs space, light (well, not really), and love. Just don't water it.

qqqvvv Aug. 2, 2024, 9:43 a.m.

Wi-Fi 6 is great if your devices support it. If not, it's like buying a sports car for your grandma - nice, but maybe overkill.

tetradox Aug. 4, 2024, 7:38 p.m.

Make sure it can handle the heat. Summer streaming marathons can turn some routers into expensive paperweights if they can't keep their cool.