Top 8 Best Netgear WiFi 6 Routers in 2023 – Dual Band/Tri Band, Upto 12 stream

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest standard for Wi-Fi and is a simpler name for the 802.11ax wireless standard. To use the technology, you’ll have to get a wifi 6 router, such as the ones made by Netgear.

Wi-Fi 6 offers several improvements over Wi-Fi 5, including higher speeds and much larger network capacities.

One of its biggest benefits is its enhanced support for multiple devices. This is made possible by OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) and MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output) technologies that are present on all Wi-Fi 6 routers.

Devices using Wi-Fi 6 can reap battery savings thanks to better communication protocols. Furthermore, the network is made more secure since all Wi-Fi 6 routers are required to implement the more secure WPA3.

Netgear is a leading brand of wifi routers. They have dual and tri band routers with which support speeds upto 10.8Gb/s by implementing multiple wireless streams for simultaneous communication with multiple network clients.

In this post we take a look at some of the best Netgear wifi 6 routers.

Our Top Picks for Best Netgear Wifi 6 Routers

Below is a list of some of the best Netgear wifi 6 routers. They are ideal for office environments where there are multiple devices using the internet, or a gaming setup which needs fast lan connections.

Key features to consider would be band support and maximum supported speed.

1. Netgear Nighthawk 12-Stream RAX200

This tri-band router has support for up to 12 Wi-Fi streams, resulting in low latency for users. Wired connections are also boosted with a multi-gig ethernet port that supports up to 2.5Gb/s speeds as well as two ports that can be aggregated into a single logical link.

Features

• 12-Stream Wi-Fi
• 10.8Gb/s speeds
• 8 antennas
• 4x 1G + 1x 2.5G Ethernet ports
• 2xUSB 3.0 ports
• 1.8GHz Quad-core processor
• Triple-band
• Automatic firmware updates

Review

Using MU-MIMO, this router is capable of streaming data to up to four devices simultaneously, unlike traditional routers that can only transmit to one. Furthermore, it has 8 antennas that facilitate long-range wireless networking and also minimize interference from other signals.

The router has 2 USB 3.0 ports that make it easy to share files over the network. Furthermore, there are 6 ethernet ports at the back, one for the WAN (Wide Area Network), and one of the remaining four is a multi-gig port for up to 2.5Gb/s transmissions.

To keep your network safe, the router supports various VPN providers. It's also easy to configure a guest network for new users, and it comes with Netgear Armor protection, powered by Bitdefender.

The router makes use of a 1.8GHz quad-core processor to provide high-speed connectivity to connected devices, and with the help of the Nighthawk app, you can easily set up and manage it.

2. Netgear Nighthawk 6-Stream AX5400 (RAX50)

With high speeds of up to 5.4Gb/s, this router is ideal for use on high-traffic home networks. It makes use of 6 Wi-Fi streams and allows simultaneous data transfers to and from connected devices. Five Ethernet ports allow wired networking.

Features

• 6-Stream Wi-Fi
• 5.4Gb/s Speeds
• 4 external antennas
• 1xUSB 3.0 Port
• 1.5GHz Processor
• Netgear Armor protection
• VPN support

Review

This device places security high on the agenda by implementing Netgear Armor protection for all connected devices. It also supports VPNs on select devices and allows users to configure a guest network; separate from the main one; yet still secure.

With the Nighthawk app, users can remotely manage their routers and carry out various tests. The app also makes the router easy to set up and configure for use.

The router has four distinct external antennas that provide wide network coverage. They also permit high Wi-Fi speeds for multiple devices and support up to 6 data streams which result in a stable network connection even when multiple devices are receiving or sending data simultaneously.

At the back are five ethernet ports, four of which can be connected to other devices like computers and support Gigabit speeds. The fifth is a WAN port for connecting to the internet.

Connecting any storage device to the single USB 3.0 port will let you share its contents with any of the connected devices.

3. Netgear Nighthawk 8-Stream RAX70

This unit has a similar wing design to the RAX200. However, unlike the latter, it supports 8 Wi-Fi streams. Being a tri-band device, it broadcasts three separate networks and connects each device to the best one available, allowing for stable performance across the entire network.

Features

• 8-Stream Wi-Fi
• 6.6Gb/s speeds
• 4x 1G Ethernet ports
• 1.5GHz Quadcore processor
• Netgear armor security
• 1xUSB 3.0 port

Review

This router is capable of delivering speeds of 6Gb/s and can support concurrent connections from up to 8 devices, thanks to its 8-stream design.

It features a 1.5GHz processor for processing all the data that comes through and forwarding it to the correct devices. Furthermore, to ensure balanced performance across different devices, the router supports three Wi-Fi bands.

You can connect to devices like desktops and consoles through cable using the Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports at the back. These facilitate high-speed networking for devices that support the technology.

The router can be configured via the Nighthawk app. Configurations can be done remotely and the router also works with various AI assistants like the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

The entire network is protected by Netgear Armor, a security system powered by Bitdefender to safeguard users against malware.

4. Netgear Nighthawk 4-Stream RAX40

With speeds of up to 3Gb/s and up to 4 Wi-Fi streams, this device is suitable for modern homes. Besides the WAN port, there are four Gigabit Ethernet ports at the back for wired connections to various devices. Furthermore, a single USB 3.0 port can be connected to storage devices that have files to be shared over the network.

Features

• 4-Stream Wi-Fi
• 3Gb/s speeds
• 1.5GHz Triple core CPU
• 4x 1G Ethernet ports
• 1xUSB 3.0 Port
• Netgear Armor security
• VPN support
• Separate guest networks

Review

The AX4 Nighthawk from Netgear is a 4-stream Wi-Fi 6 router that’s keen on speed and security. Users can get a maximum of 3Gb/s under load which is good for 4K video streaming and content consumption.

Apart from raw speed, the router offers peace of mind, thanks to Netgear Armor security which protects the networks from threats on the internet. The router lets users configure guest networks that are separate from the main one. It also supports various VPNs, which adds an extra layer of protection when surfing online.

The device is easy to use and supports voice commands via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The Nighthawk app it comes with also makes setting up the router a breeze.

It has two antennas that improve the range of the network, hence reducing dead zones, and with the help of various DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) channels, interference from other networks and routers is significantly reduced.

5. Netgear 4-Stream RAX20

This router is ideal for small or medium-sized homes and its speeds of about 1.8Gb/s make it especially useful for high-speed internet use. The system is built on top of a quad-core processor and it has support for up to 4 streams.

Features

• 4-Stream Wi-Fi
• 1.8Gb/s
• Quadcore CPU
• 4 x 1G Ethernet ports
• 1xUSB 3.0 Port
• Netgear Armor online protection
• Easy setup and use
• Separate guest network

Review

The AX1800 from Netgear has a simple design but packs useful features like high-speed 1.8Gb/s networking. The USB 3.0 port is used for media sharing by attaching a storage device to the router.

It has two external antennas that provide adequate Wi-Fi range for up to medium-sized homes, and there are four ethernet ports at the back for cases where a wired connection is needed. The fifth port is meant for WAN access.

The router supports dual-band Wi-Fi. Legacy devices will make use of the 2.4GHz channel whereas newer devices will leverage the 5GHz channel. Being a Wi-Fi 6 router, the device also supports OFDMA which enhances performance by transmitting to multiple devices simultaneously.

With the Nighthawk app, you can quickly set up and use the router, as well as manage it remotely if need be. Voice control via Alexa and Google Assistant is also supported.

Firmware updates are conducted automatically, and the router allows users to set up guest networks. Netgear armor keeps the network safe from malware and other threats.

6. Netgear Nighthawk 5-Stream RAX43

This router is built to accommodate many devices and provide a high-speed connection by leveraging OFDMA. It has a rated speed of 4.15Gb/s which facilitates a smooth experience when streaming content or gaming.

To ensure high performance, it comes with a powerful processor and 5-stream support.

Features

• 5-Stream Wi-Fi
• 4.15Gb/s Speed
• Triple core 1.5GHz Processor
• 4x 1G Ethernet ports
• 1xUSB 3.0 Port
• 4 external antennas
• Voice command support
• Automatic firmware updates

Review

Ideal for medium to large households, this 5-stream router can deliver speeds of up to 4.15 Gb/s via a wireless connection.

Besides that, the router also has 4 Ethernet LAN ports to connect wired networking devices. A single WAN port is also included, bringing the total ethernet ports to five.

The router can be used both indoors and outdoors, thanks to the four antennas which provide a wider Wi-Fi range. Also, with the help of the triple-core processor, multiple users can connect and stream HD content simultaneously without lags.

The router supports Beamforming, a technology that focuses the signal on the receiving device. This improves network performance as opposed to broadcasting the signal in all directions as many other routers do.

Furthermore, the use of extra DFS channels as well as dual wireless bands simultaneously reduces signal interference, which makes connections even more stable.

7. Netgear Nighthawk 8-Stream RAX78

With speeds of up to 6.2Gb/s, doing things like gaming or streaming 4K content is made so much easier with the Nighthawk RAX78. It has 6 antennas, hidden within the wing design of the chassis. These provide a wider range of network coverage and also improve network performance.

Features

• 8-stream Wi-Fi
• 6.2Gb/s speed
• 1.5GHz Quadcore processor
• 1xUSB 3.0 port
• 4x 1G Ethernet ports
• Netgear Armor protection
• Tri-band Wi-Fi with smart connect

Review

This router comes with the Smart Connect feature which determines the best Wi-Fi band to connect a device to. Being a tri-band device, you essentially have three separate networks, all under the same network name. The bands have speeds of 460Mbps, 960Mbps, and 4.8Gbps, with the first being the 2.4Ghz band and the remaining are 5GHz.

Besides the high speeds, the router also has 8 Wi-Fi streams. This makes it easy for multiple devices to transmit data to and from the router simultaneously without interfering with each other.

With the Nighthawk app, users can set up and monitor their devices remotely, including testing their network traffic and shutting it off.

The device makes use of Netgear Armor for online protection. This keeps the router and all connected devices safe while connected to the internet.

There are 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports at the back. The router supports link aggregation on some of the ports for faster speeds, and there's even a USB 3.0 port that supports network file sharing.

8. Netgear Nighthawk 12-Stream RAX120

The Nighthawk RAX120 supports up to 12 Wi-Fi streams, independent channels through which the data signals from the router are transmitted. This results in higher throughput capable of supporting faster 4K gaming and streaming on multiple devices.

Features

• 12-Stream Wi-Fi
• 6Gb/s Speeds
• 8 Antennas
• 4 x 1G and 1 x 2.5G Ethernet ports
• 2xUSB 3.0 Ports
• 2.2GHz Quad-core processor
• WPA3 Wi-Fi password protection Support

Review

A router’s performance can be gauged by the number of streams it supports. The Nighthawk AX12 supports 12 Wi-Fi streams, allowing multiple devices to take advantage of its high network speeds. This is further enhanced through support for OFDMA.

There are five ethernet ports at the back, one of which is a multi-Gig port, allowing for enhanced wired networking. Furthermore, two of these ports come with support for link aggregation which when used can theoretically double a wired link's bandwidth.

It has a wing design and the 8 wireless antennas are embedded inside the "wings". These help improve network coverage by increasing the Wi-Fi range even outdoors and reducing dead zones around the premises.

Installing the router is made easy with the help of the Nighthawk app. The same can also be used to manage your network connection, test the network speeds, and make a few changes to the settings. And, as far as security is concerned, you get Netgear Armor, a software that protects the router and all connected clients from online threats such as malware.

Conclusion

To reap the full advantages of Wi-Fi 6, you need a Wi-Fi 6 router. Netgear has a lineup of several such routers which have a lot to offer, including higher capacities and increased speeds.

Higher speeds are necessary specially if you need the lowest possible latency like when gaming or if there are lots of devices using the network like in an office environment.

Netgear routers have been specially designed to support large number of clients with multiple wifi streams. So multiple people can connect multiple devices and get high performance connectivity.

Wi-Fi 6 routers are backward compatible with Wi-Fi 5 and they work with all ISPs. However, the routers are more expensive than some of their older counterparts, so if you’re planning on getting one, you should expect higher prices.

Other than that, these routers are ideal for households with many devices connected to the internet. Wi-Fi 6 uses MU-MIMO and OFDMA to efficiently handle all connected devices and simultaneous data transfers. Lastly, before switching to a Wi-Fi6 router, make sure that all your devices support wifi 6 as well.

Links and Resources

For more information about the Wifi 6 standard check out the wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11ax