The Top Six VPN Routers for 2023
date
Jan 5, 2023
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vpn-routers
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Published
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These 6 VPN routers are the best performing ones in the industry. Check the best performing VPN routers and learn what kind of criteria you should be looking while searching for VPN routers.
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Berktug Mutlu
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Vpn
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Top 6 VPN Routers in 2023 - Learn The Best Performing VPN Routers - FastVPN
A good router can make a significant difference when securing all of your devices. However, good security measures and custom firmware won’t protect your personal data. To do that, you need one of these top six VPN routers for the upcoming year.
Below, we will go through a total review of these routers, focusing on their features. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to decide on the best VPN router for your needs.
The Best Six VPN Routers At A Glance#1: TP-Link AC1750 – The Best Overall#2: Linksys WRT3200 – The Most Reliable#3: Netgear Nighthawk R7000 – Best Wireless Covrage#4: ASUS ROG Rapture GT-ZXE11000 – Best For Gamers#5: Cudy AC2100 – Best For Your Budget#6: Asus AC1900 Wi-Fi Gaming Router – Best For Budget GamersWhat You Need To Look For In A Good VPN RouterCompatibility With Your Favorite VPNSupport For Your Favorite FirmwareHigh Megabits Per SecondRegular Security Updates and SupportWireless RangeGreat User FriendlinessConclusion – The Best VPN Router
The Best Six VPN Routers At A Glance
#1: TP-Link AC1750 – The Best Overall
The TP-Link AC1750 is a dual-band router capable of going up to 1750 megabits per second. Lan ports can reach speeds of a gig, making them suitable for fiber optic internet.
The AC1750 is deceptively fast for its price point, competing with top players (despite being a more reasonable budget). It has three external antennas for long-range Wi-Fi.
The router also includes USB ports to act as a media server, enabling you to share content within your home network easily. Given its flexibility, it works with almost all major internet service providers.
It does integrate with Amazon Alexa as well. Despite how convenient it is to voice-reset your router, Amazon uses voice data to target you with advertising. Thankfully, you do not have to integrate this device with Alexa.
The AC1750 is also great if you need parental controls, enabling you to turn off your internet after a period quickly. You can control this by establishing specific devices, ensuring different user profiles.
Overall, the AC1750 is full of router features well worth the trouble. It’s also user-friendly enough that you don’t need to be a wizard to install your VPN.
#2: Linksys WRT3200 – The Most Reliable
The Linksys WRT3200 has a data transfer rate of 2160 MB per second, making it also suitable for fiber optic speed. It is a dual-band router with four antennas, giving it a wide wireless coverage range.
As a result, you are paying more than the average. However, you are also paying for the reputation of a Linksys router, known for high-quality technology. After all, Cisco makes Linksys.
Cisco has sacrificed some quality-of-life elements over the past several years. Long-time fans of this internet technology company will note this, meaning you are more likely to run into issues. This change puts it on the same level as most other companies on this list.
The router is excellent and has a couple of different USB ports for media servers. It also has four ethernet ports in the back with support for all major operating systems.
With a potential bandwidth of up to 160 MHz, it is still one of the most reliable options on the market. If you have many devices, this router will have you covered.
#3: Netgear Nighthawk R7000 – Best Wireless Covrage
Netgear’s best candidate for VPN routers is the Nighthawk (specifically the R7000P). The Nighthawk is well-known as a solid option for VPN routers. Much of it comes from the available security features.
This model supports 35 devices and includes four Ethernet ports that support gigabit internet. Its wireless capacity is up to 2000 square feet, making it reach far into all corners of your household.
The Armor Security feature enables you to access your router from anywhere on your phone. This remote access feature allows you to purge and track threats from anywhere.
The allowance for guest internet also ensures that you don’t have to provide 100% of your home network to visitors. Instead, you can establish private and public networks under one roof.
The Netgear R7000 also has a built-in antivirus, unique for most routers. However, you will have to pay a monthly subscription fee after the included 30-day trial runs out.
Overall, it can be one of the most secure routers on this list. But the average speed and higher price tag make it a bit out of reach for some consumers.
#4: ASUS ROG Rapture GT-ZXE11000 – Best For Gamers
The Asus ROG (Republic of Gamers) is well known for making devices that glow in the dark. The Rapture is no different, offering a pretty package that contains a performance powerhouse.
As a 10 gigabit wireless router, the GT-ZXE11000 is a monster. It has a total of eight wireless antennas for spreading this monstrous power across any size household.
The router has a 1.8GHz quad-core CPU with ethernet ports supporting a standard 2.5G. The speed of this router can boost up to 11000 megabits, making it overkill for most internet connections.
Its unique feature is the allowance of a tri-band that supports all GHz speeds; 2.5, 5, and a whopping 6 GHz. This is not a router for the standard person.
You might not want to even look at this router unless you have numerous gamers or a plan to host a VPN server. The Asus GT-ZX11000 will most likely blow up your energy bill with voltage over 100 thousand.
#5: Cudy AC2100 – Best For Your Budget
Cudy is a budget router because it doesn’t have the same recognizable brand name as others on this list. Regardless, it still manages to have above-average speed at above 1700 megabits.
As you might expect, its lesser popularity makes it harder to find the correct firmware capability. However, it does support the two major encryption styles: Wireguard and OpenVPN.
It works OpenWRT, so it might not be appealing if your VPN provider doesn’t work with this firmware. Regardless, the internet speed is excellent, but no enhanced security features are available.
Unlike other options, you will find that there is no integrated USB, and the reach is a bit limited. However, it functions well as a router with an excellent price range.
#6: Asus AC1900 Wi-Fi Gaming Router – Best For Budget Gamers
For those who want to combine budget-friendly features and gaming-level performance, Asus is still an excellent choice. This router lacks the RGB features you expect from other Asus products.
The AC1900 has up to 1900 megabits per second with gigabit LAN ports. It supports about 30 devices (which is a bit below average for this list) and works for 3000 square feet.
The wireless range is incredible, but you will want to address the firmware. Given the buggy nature, setting it up with a VPN can require multiple attempts.
Asus products can be great when they work, but they are more prone to errors. This, compared to any Netgear Nighthawk, means you’ll have to sacrifice a bit of reliability.
However, it does come with AiMesh, a software that works well for substantial homes and spreads the Wi-Fi.
What You Need To Look For In A Good VPN Router
Below, I will go through some of the more common factors you need to look for in a VPN router.
Compatibility With Your Favorite VPN
All VPN-ready routers are not compatible with all VPNs. Instead, you need to look on the VPN company’s website to see what routers they support. You can have the most powerful router globally, but it won’t help you if you are not secure.
If your preferred VPN company does not have a specific list of supported routers, you need to look for firmware support.
Support For Your Favorite Firmware
There are three significant providers of router firmware that work with VPNs:
Much like checking compatible routers, each VPN company site will provide you with the configuration files necessary to apply a VPN to your router. If there are no files, you need to seek out another firmware.
The most flexible firmware is DD-WRT. You can use an available router database to see if they have firmware that is working for your router.
High Megabits Per Second
Because establishing a VPN involves you seeking a secure tunnel to nearby countries, you need speed to make it work. High-speed routers should ideally be able to handle gigabit internet. It would be best to have a high-speed plan through your ISP.
Without both of these coordinating, you will be overdoing it in one of two areas. Matching your router speed with your internet speed ensures you avoid having one aspect too powerful for another element of your home network.
Regular Security Updates and Support
If your router doesn’t receive regular firmware updates (or isn’t supported by the open-source community), you should avoid it. Without regular security updates, hackers will be able to expose the vulnerabilities of your router.
Check for the router to see if it is still actively sold on its website. If not, see if there are any company announcements regarding released support.
You will also want to check the last router update using your open-source firmware. Provided that your last update was within a few months, you should be fine.
Wireless Range
Having an excessive wireless range enables neighbors to hijack your internet connection. However, it would be best if you didn’t have too short a wireless range, as your fringe devices will have a weaker link.
Ideally, your range should be about 2000 square feet if you live in an average house. If you live in a smaller townhome or condo, stick around or under that 2000 foot range.
Great User Friendliness
Your router should be easy to handle. Check user reviews to see if people mention buggy firmware or a bad-looking admin dashboard.
You might also target VPN providers that have this same focus. Having a terrible navigation experience will not enable you to use your router. It would be best if you didn’t have to struggle for security.
To find this out, look up YouTube tutorials on setting up the router. These tutorials will give you the inside scoop to using your router.
Conclusion – The Best VPN Router
Based on our findings, the best VPN router is the TP-Link AC1750. Despite having an unwanted connection to Alexa, it has the best overall security and ease of use features. TP-Link is a company with a solid reputation and cost-effectiveness.
Companies like ASUS and Netgear make up the more expensive models. These have more speed or additional features. Meanwhile, Cudy makes up the low-cost end but still manages to have a solid offering.
We hope that this list of VPN routers will help you decide. Thanks for reading!
