Roku is one of the best-loved streaming media players. It provides 4K streaming at its best but of course, you will a fast internet connection. For the best streaming experiences with your Roku, you will need the best wireless router for Roku.
Everyone wants a fast Wi-Fi connection. A good and reliable internet provider is important for a fast connection. Your wireless router together with a cable modem is the foundation of your home internet connection. With poor to the average internet connection, all that you will be getting is choppy buffering and streaming.
A router is a device that distributes internet connection to all devices that need one in your home including your PCs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, smart-TV sets and of course your streaming media device – the Roku.
Which wireless router should you get, then? Here is a list of some of the best wireless router for Roku so you do not go wrong with your choice.
NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi Router (R9000)
The Nighthawk WiFi router series from Netgear is their best-selling, best quality albeit the most expensive. The NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi Router (R9000) is capable of great upload and download speeds. Its connection rarely drops and it can send signals to any part of your home.
This wireless router comes with a modern and stylish design with 4 black antennas designed for maximum Wi-Fi signal range. It features a Wi-Fi speed of 7.2 Gbps and a Quad Stream Wave2 WiFi plus 60 GHz 802.11ad WiFi. It also comes with a powerful 1.7 GHz quad-core processor.
A user says watching a Netflix show in your room upstairs with this wireless router in the basement will still give you fast loading times and you will never experience dropped connections. It is capable of download speed of 800Mbps. This is more than enough speed you may need for 4K viewing.
This NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi Router comes with a QoS to priority bandwidth for superb streaming and gaming experiences. Simultaneous streaming is also possible because it supports MU-MIMO. It also comes with the Nighthawk app for easy management of internet related tasks.
TP-Link Wireless Wi-Fi Router (Talon AD7200)
The TP-Link Wireless Wi-Fi Router (Talon AD7200) is a tri-band wireless router that is the first in the world to use the new Wi-Fi standard new 802.11ad. It delivers transfer speeds of up to 4,600Mbps which is 4 times faster than fastest ever 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
This wireless router is a full-fledged AC router so it can provide for all your Wi-Fi needs. It comes equipped with everything expected from a high-end and modern router. It is equipped with 8 antennas and a 1.4 GHz dual-core processor.
A user says works great and is easy to set up. It does not have any lags while streaming movies.
The TP-Link Wireless Wi-Fi Router (Talon AD7200) is MU-MIMO capable and supports the 802.11ad protocol.
TRENDnet Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router (TEW-828DRU)
The TRENDnet Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router (TEW-828DRU) is an AD7200 Multi-band router equipped with the 4-Stream technology. It can deliver at signals at maximum speeds of up to 7200Mbps over2.4GHz (800Mbps), 5GHz (1733Mbps), and 60GHZ (4600Mbps) bands. This capability increases real-time signal performance allowing you to stream HD videos without any buffering.
This wireless router ensures speed is directed to a specific location instead of being spread through the entire area it is supposed to cover. This allows you to get the best network performance with a faster band. Your slower devices will be relegated on a separate band.
A user says he always had problems with his wireless router in certain rooms in his home. He has tried multiple routers and even range extenders, all of which did not work. He says he bit the bullet and decided to buy this high-price wireless router. He now says a strong internet connection in all the rooms in his home and even outside was worth the price.
This TRENDnet Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router (TEW-828DRU) is equipped with a 1 GHz dual-core processor and is able to simultaneously handle several devices. It is equipped with the 802.11ad, the latest and most powerful wireless technology.
ASUS Tri-Band WiFi (RT-AC5300)
This ASUS Tri-Band WiFi (RT-AC5300) comes with superb Wi-Fi coverage. It is a high-end wireless router that comes with powerful features perfect for network gaming and other online activities.
This wireless router features a powerful yet easy-to-use interface. It also comes with detailed QoS settings. It features a spider-like design that does not look too appealing but the 8 antennas can be pointed directly to any area in your home giving the router superior range.
A user says it may be expensive but it is an amazing and powerful router. It comes with an intuitive feel and looks.
The ASUS Tri-Band WiFi (RT-AC5300) supports MU-MIMO. It can broadcast Wi-Fi signals to every corner of your home but it focuses more on media streaming and gamers.
Choosing the Best Wireless Router for Roku
If you move around a lot in your home with your mobile devices and laptops, you are better off with a wireless connection.
While wireless routers are more expensive than a basic router, they are more advanced and have better performance. They come with more features, too.
What do you need to consider when shopping for a wireless router?
Dual-Band, Tri-Band or More
The wireless router should be able to broadcast wireless signals on two or more frequencies. Dual or tri-band routers deliver wireless signals on the 5GHz frequency which is faster and used less often than the 2.4GHz frequency. Dual-and tri-band routers provide faster wireless network ideal for full high-definition and 4K streaming.
Maximum Bandwidth
The wireless you choose should not be below AC1200 because anything lower means it is an older router with outdated technology. It will not give you the stability, speed, and security you need to connect your Roku and other devices.
Plenty of RAM and Fast Processor
The quantity of RAM and speed of the processor matters a lot because most homes have numerous devices that need wireless connectivity. Online gaming and video streaming, as well as other online activities, transfer a lot of data through the network. The wireless router needs a lot of processing power to cope with such online activities.
MU-MIMO or 802.11ac Wave 2 Support
MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output) refers to the simultaneous transmission to multiple wireless clients or the real-time transfer of data to network clients through multiple data streams.
MU-MIMO belongs to the standard of the 802.11ac Wave 2. The wireless router should, therefore, offer Mu-MIMO or support 802.11ac Wave 2 to ensure faster WiFi connection even when multiple wireless devices connect at the same time.
Management via Apps
Apps are always a part of newer routers. They make setting up the wireless router and making the necessary adjustments to your WiFi network a breeze. These apps also monitor devices connected to the network and allow you to prioritize a particular device.
Quality of Service (QoS)
This feature allows you to optimize the performance of your wireless router. It allows you to adjust the settings to make it perform best for video streaming or for any online activity. You can adjust the settings to give a certain application more bandwidth.
More than the features above that you need to look for when choosing a wireless network, you need to make sure that it will work with your internet service provider. While wireless routers can work with any broadband internet provider, it will not hurt to check.
Conclusion
Of the wireless routers mentioned, the NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi Router (R9000) is the best wireless router for Roku. You will almost never experience any drops in connection and it comes with superb upload and downloads speeds. It is powerful enough to send signals to any part of your home without endless buffering.
very nice information about wifi router. very helpful post. thanks for sharign.
Thanks.