How to Choose a Good Router for Home Wi-Fi Coverage

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What Wi-Fi 6E brings

The Wi-Fi 6E standard is based on the original Wi-Fi 6 (i.e. 802.11ax), but adds functionality in the 6 GHz band. It was released for free in early 2021 in the United States and also in Europe in the summer.

It mainly follows from this significant expansion of space for wireless communicationwhich almost doubled. In Europe, a new band with a width of 480 MHz is added to the original 538.5 MHz. This thus becomes a new chance for highly noisy areas such as block of flats, where it is currently impossible to operate without significant overlap on both the original 2.4GHz frequency and the newer 5GHz.

Currently, operators and Wi-Fi operators are also fighting over who will get the 600 MHz in the 6 GHz band that has not yet been released. The first group has a stronger lobby.

For Wi-Fi 6E, the maximum theoretical throughput of 9.6 Gb/s does not change. It remained the same as the original Wi-Fi 6. However, thanks to the new 160MHz channels, real speeds are higher and more stable.

Unfortunately, even manufacturers do not make it easy to choose new routers. Some of the current routers labeled Wi-Fi 6 may be compatible with Wi-Fi 6E. And this in the case when they physically contain radio components with 6GHz frequency support. In that case, the only condition is a firmware update, which activates the new standard on the software side as well.

In most cases, however, current routers for Wi-Fi 6 cannot use the new band, and for communication at 6 GHz, a device with the designation 6E will be needed. And this, of course, not only on the network infrastructure side, but also on end devices – phones, laptops or even televisions.

If you are choosing a new router now, must support at least Wi-Fi 6. Disregard routers with Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) support and deselect them.

What about Wi-Fi 7? Does it make sense to think about this technology anymore? We will discuss the topic on the next sheet

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Wi-Fi 7

The arrival of Wi-Fi 7 is a similar big leap as in the past the shift from 802.11b to 802.11g, or the introduction of Wi-Fi 5. It is not just about optimization, but a significant improvement in network throughput, latency and stability.

The fundamental change is wider channels, which will increase from 160 MHz to 320 MHz. The QAM modulation will go from 1K (1024) to 4K (4096) and the resulting maximum signal rate will be 5.8 Gbps. For Wi-Fi 6E, it is 2.4 Gb/s.

The new devices work in two bands at the same time, which will further increase throughput, as well as more stable transmission. The number of streams (MU-MIMO) will increase to 16 × 16 and more devices will be able to use one wide channel.

Also a useful feature is Multi-Link Operation (MLO), which allows devices to combine multiple bands to connect. Both 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz bands can be active at the same time. Thanks to this aggregation, there was a significant increase in the speed and reliability of the connection. Practical tests show that modern laptops achieve transfer speeds of 2400 Mb/s in line of sight. However, this also means that it can become a LAN bottleneck, and in the case of a metallic network, it should be at least 2.5 gigabit ports.

There are already several dozen routers with Wi-Fi 7 support on the Czech market, prices start at around two thousand. Cheaper models usually do not use the potential of the Seven to the fullest and are not dramatically better than routers with Wi-Fi 6. Above all, there is no support for the 6GHz band. However, they do support 160MHz channels, 4K-QAM modulation and Multi-Link Operation (MLO) to link multiple bands together, so if you have a Wi-Fi 7 mobile, tablet or computer, the connection will be faster than an equivalent six-core router. There are only more of them on the market, so with regard to the future, it makes sense to consider a new generation router.

On the next sheet, you will learn what Wi-Fi 8 will bring

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Wi-Fi 8

Wi-Fi 7 is slowly settling in end devices, but the next generation will arrive in 2028. The working group is finalizing the first draft of the IEEE 802.11bn standard known as Wi-Fi 8 or Ultra High Reliability. While the current generation focused on maximizing speed (it was also dubbed Extremely High Throughput), the octa-core version wants to increase reliability in various difficult conditions.

Qualcomm, which is part of the group that is preparing the standard, already has several numbers and visions that engineers want to achieve. For example, Wi-Fi 8 has:

• Increase speed by at least 25% in areas with poor signal.
• Reduce the number of lost packets by 25%, especially when moving between access points.
• Reduce latency by 25% to 95th percentile. So not the average, but the latency for 5% of the worst possible cases.

The reduction of latency is intended to help in new applications using augmented reality, local AI, etc., where the fastest possible reactions are needed. Packets will not be lost so much in home mesh networks when traveling (roaming) between individual nodes, but it will have a greater impact in industry, in stadiums or in academic networks, where the meshes are much larger and the number of users is many times higher.

However, ordinary users should notice the higher speed most in cases where they have “one comma”. The ability to clean the signal so that the speed does not drop dramatically when the signal is jammed or blocked by walls will be more important than pushing the limit of maximum throughput.

Qulacomm also mentions that Wi-Fi 8 should include better protection against interference from other technologies. This is typical on a mobile phone, where antennas or the same frequencies can simultaneously use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and UWB.

CES 2026 brought the first chips and prototypes of devices working with Wi-Fi 8, but commercialization is really still two years away, and there is no point in waiting to buy now until the next generation arrives.

Although routers provide wireless communication, the number of ports for connecting a network cable is extremely important. We write about the requirements and differences on the next sheet

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How many physical ports should a router have?

In typical households, most network traffic will be wireless. We usually no longer run cables to laptops, tablets, telephones, but also elements of the smart home. But a fixed computer network still has its place, and so does your new router must offer a sufficient number of at least gigabit ports. You can bring the cable to a computer set, network storage, or even to a smart TV.

This Asus router fulfills the requirement of “the more ports the better”. Both on the USB side, when two pieces are available in the 3.0 specification, and on the side of the Ethernet connectors. In addition to four client gigabits and one gigabit for Internet connection, it offers one with a speed of 2.5 Gb/s. It will be useful for NAS

On a computer, you might want to cut every millisecond in games, or on the other hand, get the highest possible transfer speed for working with data on a NAS. And a stable connection will also come in handy with the TV – the demands of today’s audiovisual content with a high bitrate are not exactly small, whether when streaming from Netflix or when playing even better recordings from a NAS.

They are a good standard at least four computer network portsbut a higher number will be a nice bonus. Believe that you will gradually find a use for them.

If your home is also a work place, you can also look for models that offer Ethernet higher transfer ratesthan basic gigabit.

Routers and other network elements with 2.5 Gb/s networks often appear, and for an additional fee you can indulge in double or even quadruple – 10 Gb/s. Above all, in the last case, it is more of a corporate matter. Also for the reason that most end devices cannot cope with such a speed.

The number of antennas is also important for routers. The more there are, the higher the transfer speeds and the better the coverage. Continue to the next sheet

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How important is the number of antennas in routers?

In addition to the number of physical ports for a fixed computer network also pay attention to the number of antennas. Simply put, the more Wi-Fi antennas, the better.

The absolute basis is two antennas, which enable so-called MIMO operation, i.e. more simultaneously active streams to end devices. At least four antennas are needed to use both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands in true duplex mode, where multiple devices can send and receive data at the same time.

However, many manufacturers also dare to use a two-antenna solution, where one antenna is common to both bands. This does not necessarily mean lower speeds, but when operating with more devices, they will most likely drop faster than with a four-antenna solution.

Something doesn’t seem right about these antennas? Maybe it’s because the TP-Link AXE200 Omni automatically rotates them according to their relative position with the end devices

On the one hand, more antennas ensure higher transmission speeds, but also better coverage. But everything depends on their correct position. There is no need to solve this problem with routers with integrated antennas. There, the manufacturer placed them exactly in the most efficient positions, where the signal quality and transmission power are ideally balanced. At the same time, it is true that greater power can mean less transmission power and therefore worse coverage.

In the case of external antennas, you should follow their routing according to the manual. And if you can’t find any help in that either, set the extreme antennas to a mutual angle of about 30° and leave the rest in a vertical position.

Among other things, increasingly powerful processors in routers also take care of increasing wireless connection speeds. This is because they enable the operation of more advanced types of modulation, where the current Wi-Fi 6 is the one labeled 1024-QAM. Compared to 256-QAM and 64-QAM in previous versions of Wi-Fi, the number of transferred data in the same time has increased by an order of magnitude.

In a large apartment or multi-storey house, when you want the signal to reach the garden, you need to connect the routers in a mesh network. We will cover them on the next page

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Mesh is needed for proper coverage

The best set-up of antennas cannot guarantee the coverage of larger apartments or houses, where it is often necessary to introduce the Internet to several floors. In any case, more network elements will be necessary, while the ideal nowadays are the so-called mesh networks.

The routers are connected to each other in them, and all stations look like one network to the end device. There is no need to change the network when moving from room to room or from floor to floor. The individual stations transfer the phone or laptop to each other and thanks to this there is no interruption of the connection at all.

Almost every network equipment manufacturer offers its own standard for mesh, so the network can be expanded over time. You can start, for example, by purchasing a central router for the ground floor and a second compatible station for the attic. Over time, you can connect other stations to the network to cover the garage or outdoor area.

Manufacturers are also thinking about the possible expansion of outdoor coverage. This station from Netgear offers enough coverage for outdoor operation

They do not have to be the same models, it is enough that they support the correct standard of a particular manufacturer. But emphatically here we recommend a compatibility check – because one manufacturer does not always mean a single standard for a mesh network.

For example, TP-Link started among these devices with the Deco series, but gradually added the OneMesh (EasyMesh) standard, which offers a much larger number of supported routers and extenders. However, Deco and One Mesh are not mutually compatible. Asus has its AiMesh system, D-Link’s Covr system and Zyxel’s Multy.

If you choose between regular routers that can be connected to a mesh network, the costs do not have to rise significantly. This represents a big difference from a few years ago when we first heard about mesh systems. Back then, the mesh system meant a specialized series of devices, when the acquisition of three stations simply cost around ten thousand. Currently, a central router with mesh support can be purchased for around two thousand, and for each additional expansion station you can count on a price of around fifteen hundred.

In the next part of the article, we will look at software and remote management of routers.

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Routers need to be managed remotely

While the coverage and stability of the network will be ensured by well-chosen hardware, well-functioning software will take care of the management and, above all, the management of the network.

The absolute basis of every router in any price category must be a clear web interface with options for setting up not only network security, but also network traffic. For end devices, it must be possible to limit transmission speeds, or even turn off the connection during certain hours. However, some modern routers no longer need to include web administration, but rely exclusively on a mobile application.

At least basic parental control should not be missing in the web management, where websites and applications accessible to selected devices can be limited

The second option is more related to parental supervision, which does not have to be a regular part. However, advanced routers offer it, even in the form of very good mobile applications. For example, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube can be blocked directly on the router at certain times for students, and other video portals for adult audiences can be blocked for students.

For example, the application can also limit speeds – after all, such a running torrent can seriously complicate work and education for the whole family. But in the application for a specific device of the notorious downloader, it is enough to limit the speed to perhaps a fifth of the maximum, and the problem is over.

Other advanced features that come in handy may include running a VPN server to access home network devices from the outside.

For middle and higher class routers, a clear application must be a matter of course, which in addition to standard settings also offers remote management of connected devices

Additional options will be offered by the router system if a USB connector is also available. Again, the more the merrier. One of them will do for network printing operation. In the event that several members of the household currently work from home and occasionally need to print, this with a regular non-network printer is the ideal solution.

The second option for using the USB port is to connect an external drive that can act as network storage – typically for backup. Even if you connect a slower mechanical disk to the router, you will not be limited by lower speeds for regular backups. Although routers do not offer as advanced file management as NASs by default, they are a sufficient option for the aforementioned backup or convenient data transfers over a local network.

It goes without saying that modern routers should have automatic updates, or at least notifications about the availability of new firmware versions. It is still true that the newest router very quickly becomes a dangerous gateway to your data with an outdated system.

At the same time, outdated routers are among the elements that are targeted by a significant number of attacks, while security problems concern absolutely all manufacturers. If new security patches are no longer available for your outdated router, it’s time to replace it. With this advice, we are not lobbying for higher profits for network infrastructure manufacturers, but above all for the security of your data.

How do you actually pronounce the word router correctly?

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Pronunciation is more complicated

As we found out in a survey among readers and editors, the word router in the Czech Republic is most often – and by a large margin over other variants – pronounced as router. It is much less used rautr or bus.

This is how it turned out in the poll on Facebook Live

And how should it be properly in English? Router you won’t hear it there, but even in English the pronunciation is not clear. While in British pronunciation it prevails busin American it is the other way around. Here you can usually meet with rautr. (The pronunciation transcription is approximate in all cases.)

The pronunciation in both cases is based on the word routewhich means way, routein the case of a verb lead, route, direct. This is exactly what a router in a computer network does. But while British English has a single pronunciation for route withdrawin America is used withdraw i raut.

To make it not so simple, the situation is further complicated by the woodworking tool manual router. Yes, it is also a router, but the pronunciation is based on the word routwhich in this sense means dig, engrave or create a groove. And that’s it raut in both British and American English.

The following video nicely shows the differences in pronunciation:

On the last sheet you will find the most popular routers in different price categories. Of course, only those that support at least Wi-Fi 6