Now that many people are working from home or self-isolating due to the effects of coronavirus (COVID-19), router issues are popping up much more frequently. It's old, it's outdated, and it can't keep up with the increased workload. While some major retailers are shifting focus to essential items and other private sellers are jacking up prices, Best Buy still has a bunch of great routers that won't break the bank. Best part? They're available for curbside pickup so you can keep to your social-distancing pledge. Here are the best budget routers we could find.
Get the proper router for your needs
Thanks to Best Buy's new curbside pickup policy, these routers should be available to buy as long as they're in stock at your nearest store. All of the routers listed here will do an excellent job of networking in your home, but we can make a couple of suggestions to help you make a final decision.
If you're looking for a solid Wi-Fi 5 router than can handle the average home's networking needs, TP-Link's Archer C7 will get the job done at a very attractive price. It offers combined theoretical speeds up to 1,750Mbps across 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios, plus it has four Ethernet ports to connect wired devices. It's easy to set up, and it has enough range to cover the average home in a strong signal.
Don't want to buy a Wi-Fi 5 router now that Wi-Fi 6 is taking over? TP-Link's Archer AX10 is an affordable way to get started with the new standard. Keep in mind that devices must be compatible with Wi-Fi 6, so if you're mostly using older hardware, it's probably not worth the investment. In any case, you're going to see wireless speeds up to 1,200Mbps on the 5GHz radio and 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz radio. Wi-Fi 6 is better to cut out to handle a high volume of connections, so if you're living in a crowded home, this might just be the way to go.
