Matching Router Capabilities to Your Internet Speed Tier

Understanding Router Speed Ratings

What Those Numbers Mean

Router boxes list speeds like "AC1900" or "AX6000." These numbers represent the combined theoretical maximum speeds across all bands, not what any single device will receive. They're also lab conditions—real-world speeds are typically 40-60% of advertised maximums.

For example, an AC1900 router might be listed as providing 600 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and 1300 Mbps on 5 GHz (totaling 1900), but in practice, a single device might get 400-500 Mbps at close range under ideal conditions.

WiFi Standards Matter

Different WiFi generations have different speed capabilities:

• WiFi 5 (802.11ac): Up to 3.5 Gbps theoretical, 400-850 Mbps realistic per device
• WiFi 6 (802.11ax): Up to 9.6 Gbps theoretical, 850-1,200 Mbps realistic per device
• WiFi 6E: Adds 6 GHz band, up to 2 Gbps per device on that band
• WiFi 7 (802.11be): Up to 46 Gbps theoretical, 2-5 Gbps realistic per device

The key point: older WiFi 5 routers struggle to deliver speeds above 500 Mbps wirelessly, even if your internet plan is faster.

Matching Router to Internet Plan

For Plans Up to 300 Mbps

A quality WiFi 5 (AC) router with at least AC1750 rating will work fine. You don't need the latest technology. Make sure it has gigabit Ethernet ports (1000 Mbps), not fast Ethernet ports (100 Mbps), which would limit wired connections to 100 Mbps regardless of your plan.

Budget: $60-$120 for a solid router that will deliver your plan's full speed.

For Plans 300-600 Mbps

This is the sweet spot for WiFi 6 (AX) routers. While high-end WiFi 5 routers can technically handle these speeds, WiFi 6 provides better performance with multiple devices active simultaneously and offers future-proofing as you add more smart home devices.

Look for AX3000 or higher ratings. Ensure the router has gigabit WAN and LAN ports.

Budget: $100-$200 for a router that won't bottleneck your service.

For Gigabit Plans (1000 Mbps)

You need a router with a gigabit Ethernet WAN port at minimum. For wireless gigabit speeds, you must have WiFi 6 or newer with support for 160 MHz channels. WiFi 6E routers using the 6 GHz band can reliably deliver close to 1 Gbps wirelessly to compatible devices.

According to Intel, the 6 GHz band can deliver up to 2 Gbps, so it can comfortably handle a gigabit internet plan. However, your devices must also support WiFi 6 or 6E—older laptops and phones with WiFi 5 will still be limited to their maximum capabilities (typically 400-850 Mbps).

Budget: $150-$300 for a quality WiFi 6 or WiFi 6E router capable of handling gigabit speeds.

For Multi-Gig Plans (Over 1 Gbps)

If you have 2 Gbps or higher service, you need a router with a multi-gig WAN port (2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps, or 10 Gbps). Standard gigabit Ethernet ports max out at 1 Gbps and will bottleneck faster plans. WiFi 7 routers are ideal for these plans, as they can handle multiple devices at very high speeds simultaneously.

Budget: $300-$600 for WiFi 7 routers with multi-gig ports.

The Wired vs. Wireless Reality

Even with a router that supports your internet speed, wireless connections will rarely match wired speeds. This is normal and expected. WiFi speeds depend on distance, interference, walls, and device capabilities.

You can achieve around 1,680 Mbps at close range using a WiFi 6 router with 160 MHz channels, versus 850 Mbps with 80 MHz channels. But as you move farther from the router or through walls, speeds drop significantly.

For devices that need consistent high speeds—desktop computers, gaming consoles, smart TVs—use Ethernet cables whenever possible. Save WiFi for mobile devices like phones, tablets, and laptops.

Sustained Speed Expectations

Even with a wired connection to a gigabit plan, your sustained speeds will typically be 800-950 Mbps, not the full 1000 Mbps. This is due to hardware and software overhead—it's normal and not a sign of a problem.

Don't Forget Your Modem

Your modem also needs to support your internet speed. For cable internet:

• Plans up to 300 Mbps: DOCSIS 3.0 modem (8+ channels)
• Plans 300-1000 Mbps: DOCSIS 3.1 modem
• Plans over 1 Gbps: DOCSIS 3.1 with multi-gig Ethernet port

If you have fiber internet, you'll typically use an ONT (Optical Network Terminal) provided by your ISP, which connects to your router's WAN port.