When it comes to online gaming, nothing is more annoying than lag and high latency. Therefore, gamers should always connect the console or computer to the router or modem using a LAN cable. Sometimes this is not possible and gamers have to rely on a wireless connection. However, routers provided by the provider quickly reach their limits when vacuum cleaner robots, consoles, computers, tablets, smartphones
One thing in advance: Gamers do not necessarily need a dedicated gaming router. This is more of a marketing jargon that is of little use. No matter how good the router is, it cannot change anything about the data throughput of your line. So if you share your 50 Mbit/s line with several people and devices and all want to stream or gamble at the same time, stuttering is inevitable. The first thing to do here is – if possible – to rely on a higher bandwidth.
A new router only makes sense if the WLAN fails despite the high bandwidth, and this can be for a number of reasons. The most common is that your router is using an old Wi-Fi standard. In 2023 it should be Wi-Fi 6, because that enables higher transfer rates for many devices in the WLAN – of course only if the router offers enough antennas. After all, Wi-Fi 6 is backward compatible. So connect smartphone, TV
This is because both Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 operate in the 5 gigahertz band. Incidentally, the special feature of proven gaming routers is also buried in the antennas: compared to “normal” routers, they offer more of the same, which then also transmit in different frequency ranges. Typically, a router creates at least one 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) and one 5 GHz Wi-Fi band. Gaming routers then offer either a second 5 GHz band or even a 6 GHz band. The 6 GHz band is also called Wi-Fi 6E. Why is that important?
Because Wi-Fi 6E is not backward compatible compared to Wi-Fi 6! So PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and most computers cannot receive Wi-Fi 6E and will not find the frequency band. Here you need a new Wi-Fi antenna on the computer. So for most consumers, a dual 5GHz router makes more sense.
In addition, a new router should be mesh-enabled. A mesh network is an intelligent Wi-Fi network that always finds the best access point for the devices on the network without the need for smartphones, laptops
Each frequency range offers different strengths and weaknesses. The lower the wave (2.4GHz), the better the range. The higher the wave (5 or 6 GHz), the more data can be passed through faster. If the console and computer are close to the router, you should connect the two to the WLAN in the high frequency range. If the devices are further away, in the low. The reason why it makes sense to have several 5 GHz bands or a 6 GHz band is that the individual bands are of course also limited in terms of their data throughput.
If, for example, a Smart TV, several laptops and the console all transmit on the same frequency band, this can become blocked even though the bandwidth of your connection is not exhausted. In order to be able to gamble properly, a second frequency band in which you only place gaming computers or consoles helps. This guarantees a free line. You can also prioritize individual devices in the router settings. This also makes sense if you want to gamble in peace while other people in the household are blocking the line.
Enough of the gray theory, let’s take a closer look at the gaming routers according to the criteria mentioned. So we want a router that creates at least two 5GHz bands and one 2.4GHz band. Wi-Fi 6E would be desirable if we are already using devices that receive the new standard. Wi-Fi 6 is a must. Of course, the router should also be mesh-capable if we want to expand our network and it should also have at least four Ethernet sockets. If you need more because the smart home is overflowing with bridges and hubs, you should of course keep an eye on that.
A comparatively inexpensive gaming router starts with the TP-Link AX6600 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6. Gamers pay around 300 euros for the router and receive a model with four gigabit Ethernet ports and a 2.5 gigabit pro -second port. No private line can take full advantage of it yet, but at least gamers are prepared for the future. For Wi-Fi, TP-Link uses a tri-band, which is divided into two Wi-Fi 6 bands in the 5 GHz frequency range and one 2.4 GHz band. However, the gaming router does not yet offer Wi-Fi 6E. Overall, the router offers a data throughput of 6600 megabits per second (Mbit/s).
574 Mbit/s are distributed over the 2.4 GHz band, 1200 Mbit/s over the normal 5 GHz band and 4800 Mbit/s over the additional 5 GHz band. The router has a total of eight antennas. Of course, the router is also mesh-capable, but you have to be careful here: Not all repeaters from TP-Link are compatible with each other. With the AX6600, TP Link relies on OneMesh. TP Link deco mesh systems will not work with the router!
The Netgear Nighthawk WiFi 6E router AXE11000 is around 200 euros more expensive. The ne plus ultra of a gaming router is hidden behind the cryptic name. It also supplies a household with three WLAN bands. Of course, there is a 2.4 GHz band for the long distance, which offers a bandwidth of 1.2 Gbit/s. That’s almost twice as much as the TP-Link router, although both routers work with a total of eight antennas. This is joined by a 5 GHz band that offers a bandwidth of 4.8 Gbit/s.
As a reminder, the TP-Link router has two 5 GHz bands, one with a bandwidth of 4.8 Gbps and one with a bandwidth of 1.2 Gbps. There is also the Wi-Fi 6E band (6 GHz) with a bandwidth of 4.8 Gbit/s. In order to receive the band, you may need a new PCIe card with the appropriate antenna. What also distinguishes the Netgear router from the TP model are the USB sockets. TP still relies on the bulky USB-A sockets, the Netgear router has two USB-C sockets installed.
Asus is more known to gamers for their graphics cards and motherboards, but the manufacturer also offers proven gaming routers. Its top model is the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000. A special feature immediately catches the eye in comparison to its two competitors: The router offers four Wi-Fi bands, the previously presented only three. With the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000, the bands are divided into a 2.4 GHz (1148 Mbit/s), two 5 GHz (2x 4804 Mbit/s) and a 6 GHz band (4804 Mbit/s) on. This offers gamers the maximum design options and is also future-proof.
Gamers can reserve one of the 5 GHz bands for consoles and gaming PCs, the 2.4 GHz band provides the necessary range and the 6 GHz band is available for future devices. In addition to four Gigabit Ethernet sockets, the router also offers two 10 Gbit/s ports. This should be interesting for users who want to connect a server that requires a high bandwidth in the home network. Of course, the router also has a 2.5 Gbit/s WAN connection, which it uses to connect to the modem, and it is also mesh-capable with the appropriate Asus repeaters.
If you have now decided that you do not need a wireless router with eight antennas and four bands because there are only a few devices on the home network anyway, then a normal Wi-Fi 6 router will do just fine. A cheap representative of this type is the Wi-Fi 6 router: D-Link EXO AX AX1800. It is limited to the essentials and offers a 2.4 GHz band (574 Mbit/s) and a 5 GHz band (1200 Mbit/s). You’ll look in vain for USB sockets, but instead it has four Gigabit Ethernet ports for cable connections and, of course, the WAN socket for the modem. Warning: the router is not mesh-capable. It is therefore more suitable for small apartments.
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