Best WiFi Router in The Netherlands - Reviews and Comparison 2021

Bandwidth is a crucial factor when buying a WiFi router, and there are a few things you need to know about it. First of all, your router is not solely responsible for high-speed internet as that also depends on the bandwidth plan you take from the ISP. Apart from an ISP connection, modem, the layout and location of your home matters too.

Routers have different speed listed on their package, from 10 Mbps to 1900 Mbps and the higher the number, the higher the speed. True that! However, in the case of regular WiFi, you are good to go with 100Mbps speed throughout your home. So, it is best to go for a number as per the requirement as another truth is, the higher the number, the higher the speed and the higher the price!

Usually, a simple number isn’t labelled, but bandwidth is mentioned as N600, AC1750, AC3200, and this is the maximum throughput. Under this ‘AC’ is wireless standard and the number is speed. So, if it is a dual-band router with 2.4GHZ to 5GHz frequency, with a link rate of 450Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1300Mbps on the 5GHz band, then the label will be AC1750.

Here is the table for your better understanding.

A router has three frequency channels or range - single, dual, and tri-band. Typically, single-band routers operate at a lower frequency — 2.4GHz, dual-band routers support 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies and tri-band support an additional 5GHz channel. Most household appliances , including Bluetooth devices, microwave, cordless phone, operate at 2.4GHz frequency. Whereas, 5GHz band can transmit more data faster and is best suited for large spaces. If you have a large family who lives on the internet, consider a simultaneous tri-band router. This has an extra 5 GHz band or 60 GHz band to absorb part of the traffic.

You must have often heard, the more the antennas, the better it is. However, it is valid only to an extent. Yes, more antennas mean better signal directionality and optimum speed. Besides, the number of antennas, software that drives the antennas also matter. Specs like MIMO and MU-MIMO enhance a router's capacity to transmit and receive data, which makes a network faster.

The protocols are known by many names-wireless standards, standards, or specs. And they have alphanumeric names like 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, and 802.11ac. The modern and recent WiFi routers use 802.11ac and 802.11n as “a,” “b,” and “g” standards are considered out of date. While 802.11n is ideal for individuals and homes, 802.11ac is best if you want to utilise both the 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands. Also, it allows maximum data that rates up to 5,400 Mbps.

802.11ax, or WiFi 6

802.11ax or WiFi 6 is the evolution of 802.11ac, promising higher throughput - up to 4.8 Gbps, better range, less network congestion, and greater client capacity. Three techniques have a significant role to play in this, and they are as follows:

• OFDMA: It splits the WiFi channel into smaller sub-channels. Now, the total power is concentrated on the sub-channels resulting in a stronger signal and more extended range. 

• BeamForming: It is a technology that sends WiFi signals directly to a client and does not broadcast them in all directions. Therefore, the WiFi signal now goes to your wireless device, making the signal stronger and farther.

• BSS Colouring: In this, the WiFi signal uses its own colour, making it easy to distinguish itself from other WiFi networks. It further helps the WiFi network ignore other (noise) signals, so there is much less interference.

WEP, WPA, and WPA2 are the key acronyms for WiFi router security. They are WiFi protected access protocols that encrypt your network and asks an external device for a “key” to gain access. WEP is considered outdated as it is easy to hack, and WPA2 is the level of security that service providers recommend.

Parental control, NAT (Network Address Translation) and Firewall are also helpful to protect your home or office network.

Quality of Service is a unique technology developed to manage data traffic. It lets you define the priority levels for different kind of data. For example, if you want to watch TV series over the internet, but your kids are using the bandwidth to play games online, you both will enjoy your thing without any interruption with QoS.

• LAN Port

More LAN ports mean more computer connections using an ethernet cable for faster web access.

• USB Port

A USB port enhances the usability of a WiFi router. You can use this to share a storage device or even a printer. Simply plug in a thumb drive containing files and let the users on the network share and view individual files effortlessly. USB 2.0 port and USB 3.0 port are usually used for data transfer between the connected devices. Ensure the router has at least one USB port for easy connection of a printer or a USB stick. However, with two ports, you can do both things at the same time. 

• Dual WAN Port

A Dual WAN port can function as a backup for a separate internet connection. If the usage is high, then the second WAN port can help in balancing the connectivity load. This port can support cable, ADSL, or 4G broadband.

• Ethernet Port

A router must have at least four Ethernet ports to connect to wired devices such as desktop PCs, Network Attached Storage (NAS) drives, and home automation hubs.

This is a good-to-have feature. Earlier, to make changes in a configuration, we had to log in to a local router IP using an internet browser. However, modern WiFi routers come with a phone app that lets you control the router with a single tap.

Any WiFi router with a minimum of 2 antennas and 300 Mbps speed support is an excellent choice for home use. It is a good fit for a small office as well.

No, there is no separate type of router for those who have a fiber internet connection. You just need a router that has the WAN port (RJ-45 Ethernet port).

A WiFi router with a dual-band connection, 802.11ac wireless type, two antennas and bandwidth of up to 750 Mbps is a go-to router for any online gaming enthusiast. However, don’t forget these are the minimum requirements. More, the merrier. Also, it is good to have QoS as that will prioritise your gaming traffic.

If your place is full of streamers, downloaders, and gamers, your WiFi router should have MU-MIMO, at least dual-band, ethernet ports, 3-4 antennas, and a speed of 300 Mbps at 2.4GHz and 867 Mbps at 5GHz.

Many people believe that both are the same since they look similar. However, the functions performed by them is very different. Routers ensure the connection of multiple devices to a single internet connection. In contrast, the router needs to be connected to a modem to access the internet.

Hi-end wireless routers and access points claim to connect about 250 devices at once. This includes computers, cameras, tablets, smartphones, and various other internet-enabled devices.

WiFi extender is installed in case of weak WiFi signal issues. For example, the place of your device and where the WiFi router is kept are far from each other, or there is a thick wall between them blocking the signals, there a WiFi extender can be used to boost the existing WiFi signal.

It is advisable to get a WiFi extender when your router is doing fine, but there is a lack of coverage. It usually costs less than a new router, so they're definitely worth a try.​

ADSL modem router helps in connecting the ADSL phone line to the internet.

There is no WiFi router as best or worst as it solely depends on the router’s feature and your requirement. Therefore, consider the essential functions of a WiFi router like bandwidth, antenna, frequency channel, wireless standard, and security. Also, contemplate the size of your house/office, the number of devices to be connected and the purpose (streaming videos, gaming, etc.) for which you need internet.

Although the best location for a WiFi router is the centre-most point of any area. However, ensure no metal object or thick wall is surrounding it as that will block the signals. If you want to choose between upstairs and downstairs, then upstairs is the best options. There will be fewer obstacles upstairs than downstairs, and there are more chances that the router will be surrounded by brick walls downstairs than upstairs.

The life of a WiFi router depends on the quality of the router and its maintenance. Usually, a WiFi router can last between 5-10 years until and unless it gets obsolete due to technology.

Modern WiFi routers are designed in a manner that keeping them ON for 24*7 will not affect their life span. However, if you want to save some electricity or reduce the chances of your network being hacked, you can switch the router off.

Yes. Whenever you try to access content from a website, the responsibility of its delivery is on the server operated by another company. The server is connected to the internet. At times, many people, including you, are trying to connect to the same company’s website. This limits your speed on that particular website. If you try to connect to another website that does not have high usage, then you will experience faster speed.

Are you not getting enough coverage, or the speed seems slow? Well, here, the mesh system comes into the picture. It is a means of extending your WiFi via additional wired access points or WiFi extender.

When you buy a WiFi mesh system, you get multiple WiFi access points and not just a router. Like any other router, you connect the main router to the modem of your internet provider. The additional Wi-Fi access points connect wirelessly to the main router to extend the coverage.

Usually, a WiFi mesh system is bought in a package with two or three WiFi access points that can provide coverage throughout the desired area.

Mesh is suitable for those who want to get online quickly and easily. However, it offers fewer customisation options than traditional routers to keep the setup simple.

The price of a WiFi router depends on its type and features. Multiroom systems would cost around € 150 - 350. In contrast, medium standard routers will come under€ 100. And high-end gaming routers will cost you around € 280.

You should buy the fastest router only when you have more devices to connect and not when you want a larger range. The truth is, whether there is one band or three bands, your device connects to only one band at a time. So, it is not entirely correct to say that AC5300 is faster than AC3100. In fact, there is a high possibility that you won't even notice the difference between the two with a limited number of clients. Here is the table to explain you better.

As per the table, the AC3100 router is as fast as an AC5300 router since both have the same top speed on the 5Ghz band and 2.4Ghz band. Moreover, this is the maximum speed on paper. In the actual world, the speed of a Wi-Fi connection is always lower than the theoretical speed.

All in all, the fastest router is better when you want to connect ten or more devices. If you want more range, go for a mesh system.

Wi-Fi mesh systems come in a set of two or three node/routers. And you need a certain number of square meters per node. However, it is not necessary that the router has been made considering Dutch housing construction. Here, the thumb rule is home is one node per floor. If you cleverly spread them, you can achieve excellent coverage. 

WiFi standard 802.11ac is the same as Wi-Fi 5. In comparison, 802.11ax is Wi-Fi 6, while Wi-Fi 4 refers to the older 802.11n technology.

• Electronic devices, including WiFi router, already run warm, and heat from outside in any form is the last thing they need. High temperature can lead to component failures and weak soldered joints.

• A little dust won’t do any harm, but don’t let the dirt collect. Just like you go for a quick vacuum for PC and other devices, clean the WiFi router the same way.

• Keep the firm updated by going for the option automatic firmware update. Most router manufacturers offer this during the installation process.

• If your WiFi router is causing the signal issue, repositioning the router can be the solution. Sometimes, changing the router’s direction can improve dead spots. Change the position of the router by 90 degrees, and that might improve the coverage.

• Your WiFi router may experience interference with microwave ovens, garage remotes, baby monitors and Bluetooth devices. In such a case, move it. Also, don’t store it in the closet because more walls penetrate the signals and ultimately weakens them.

• Keep the WiFi router close to the devices. So, if the internet can be piped into your place from multiple rooms, then pick that room where you use your maximum devices.

• If the signal doesn’t reach that part of the house or office where they are required most, accessories like enhancers and amplifiers can improve the router’s coverage.

• Last but not least, you can always upcycle your WiFi router. So, when your wireless router quit working, it may still be used as a wired router. The Ethernet ports can move data faster than most WiFi. Use the port(s) to plug in printers, storage drives or computers. 

• Set complicated password for your router so that it is difficult for people to tell the password to others.

• Give limited access to the password.

• Change the password often.

• Keep changing the admin credentials of the router.

• Change the network name or SSID so that it doesn’t show the router brand or model. 

• Once all devices are connected, you can hide the network. In this case, either passers-by won’t see it, or they will see “Hidden network.” However, in both cases, it is impossible to connect to the network.

• You can always strengthen WiFi encryption. In fact, this is something you should always do.

• Keep the remote access off.

• Keep both the software and hardware firewall on.

• Turn off the router when not in use.

The device(s) begin functioning immediately after connecting a router. However, you may need to check the settings to choose the name of the wireless network and password. For this, use the web interface of your router. You can reach the web interface by entering the IP address in your browser. Next, log in to your router with a username and password. If you haven’t set this up yourself, get the required information from the sticker on your router.

You can use the app to set up more and more routers and use it to quickly switch on the guest network if you have guests.

TP-Link Deco M4 is the undisputed Mesh WiFi system, and that’s why it is our comparison winner. It is an AC1200 dual-band WiFi router that comes in one, two, and three-pack.

One router is enough to cover 140 ㎡, whereas, with a three-pack, you get a range in 370 ㎡ area. And if you add one more unit of the router, you will have more coverage. Wireless connections and Ethernet backhaul together give even faster network speed and seamless range. Thanks to the 802.11ac wireless technology, you get three times faster speed than older generation routers. Therefore, it provides lag-free connections on up to 100 devices.

Due to the Deco Mesh technology, the nodes form a unified network and work together. The connected devices automatically switch between Deco units when you roam around the place to achieve the fastest possible connections.

The Deco M4 offers fast and stable connections at 1167 Mbps speed, and the router is compatible with most Internet Service Providers(ISPs) and modems.

The robust parental controls let you make a profile for each member and set the time limit for the same. Using this feature, you can always ensure that your kids are in safe hands. Furthermore, the Quality of Service (QoS) technology allows you to prioritise devices and ensure that the data transfer of your favourite activities takes place smoothly.

The installation of a router has never been this simple before, and kudos to the Deco app. Start with connecting Deco to your modem and turning on both the devices. Next, download and launch the Deco app and follow the instructions given in the app to configure the router.

Our second chosen router is also a mesh router based on Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) technology. This latest Orbi router is not just stylish but super fast as well. In other words, it has four times more capacity than previous WiFi, giving speed to each of your increasing number of devices.

Our review is for a two-pack, but the router is also available in the pack of three. The two routers are enough to cover 465 m² and connect around 60 devices.

It has a simultaneous tri-band frequency and the second 5GHz band gives a dedicated backhaul link between the router and its satellites, thus, improving the speed. In fact, the third band frees up the other two bands for maximum speed for your devices.

The router node has one multi-gig (2.5GBbps) WAN port and four gigabit LAN ports. In fact, the satellite node also has four gigabit LAN ports. Unfortunately, none of the components is equipped with a USB port. So, you can’t connect a printer or other peripheral. Additionally, there are eight internal antennas, a 2.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and 512MB flash memory.

The router certainly gives an advanced performance as it allows to stream 4K / 8K UHD movies to multiple devices and offers a lag-free online gaming experience while using all your connected devices simultaneously.

The Orbi router is absolutely safe to use, thanks to WPA3 encryption. Furthermore, the 4x4 MU-MIMO simultaneous data streaming and signal beamforming can give maximum data speed of up to 1,200Mbps (2.4GHz band) and up to 2,400Mbps(each of the two 5GHz bands).

The router comes with essential parental control and a QoS function.

Last but not least, setting up the router is effortless, thanks to the Orbi app.

TP-Link Wi-Fi 6 AX6000 is another WiFi 6 router that is perfect for gaming. It is beastly in size, and the design is such that any gamer would like it. The router not just looks good but works perfectly as well.

There is a square LED indicator on the top of the device that continuously shows the connection status via different colours. The connecting ports are plentiful - eight gigabit LAN ports, a 2.5 gigabit WAN port, a power port, a power button, & a reset button. In addition to this, there is also a USB 3.0 A port and a USB 3.0 C port. 

The TP-Link Wi-Fi 6 AX6000 is powered by a 1.8 GHz quad-core processor and equipped with 1 GB RAM and 128 MB storage. The simultaneous dual-band frequency with 802.11ax wireless standard gives maximum data rates of 1148 Mbps (2.4 GHz band) and 4804 Mbps (5 GHz band).

The WiFi 6 has MU-MIMO as well as automatic band steering. Furthermore, you can quickly set up the WiFi, thanks to TP-Link Tether mobile app.

We know that Linksys WRT3200ACM is not one of those stylish routers but don’t go by the looks. This Simultaneous dual-band router is feature-rich and can connect up to 50 devices at once. With a wireless ac connection, you get maximum speed of 600 Mbps on a 2.4 GHz network, and 2600 Mbps speed on 5 GHz network.

The router comes with a 1.8GHz dual-core processor, 512MB RAM and 256MB of flash memory. The ports consist of four ethernet ports of gigabit version with a fifth port connected to your modem. A USB 3.0 port is also included for sharing files and connecting to printers or other peripherals.

The Linksys WRT 3200 ACM embraces open-source firmware like OpenWRT, which lets you install software other than the standard interface that the WRT3200ACM router comes with. Moreover, you can also install the VPN service on this router. Besides this, the router features MU-MIMO technology and Tri-Stream 160 technology. These two technologies ensure that you always receive fast speed data irrespective of the fact how busy your WiFi is.

The router set-up is pretty simple. Plugin and connect WRT3200ACM to the modem and PC via ethernet. Then go to the Linksys setup page and follow the configuring instructions. The manual configuration option is also there.

Are you looking for a fast ADSL/VDSL modem with DECT telephony, then AVM FRITZ!Box will not disappoint you. The AVM brings this combination at a very modest price to your doorstep.

The FRITZ! Box 7530 is a standard 2x2 AC1200 class model with two-stream WiFi AC.

It is a dual-band frequency router giving up to 1,800 Mbit/s (5 GHz) and 600 Mbit/s (2.4 GHz) speed simultaneously. The router has extensive possibilities with its wireless standard of 802.11b / g / n / ac and two internal antennas. The router offers parental control options, and VPN installation is also possible. Moreover, the extensive management options include connected storage (USB stick or hard drive) and good logs, which allows you to create a welcome page for your guest network.

The extensive DECT function for VOIP services is most rewarded here, which doubles the 7530 capacity as a telephone exchange.

The AVM Box 7530 has pushed the typical 100 Mbit/s speed limit with its VDSL Supervectoring 35b. It gives up to 300 Mbit/s speed.

All in all, if you want to make the most of Supervectoring or you need a sound basis for your VOIP telephony, FRITZ! Box 7530 offers a lot of value for money.

The RT-AC88U is the Asus' true dual-band router with eight Gigabit LAN ports. Amongst this, one of the LAN ports can be converted into a WAN port, so you get additional support for Dual-WAN. Also, the port aggregation function allows that two of the LAN ports can be combined into a single superfast connection.

This is definitely a gaming router with ultra-fast 802.11ac dual-band, speed of up to 3167Mbps and a 4x4 antenna. Besides low-latency online gaming, it is also ideal for streaming 4K UHD video playback and extremely fast file-sharing.

The gaming router has a slew of excellent network-monitoring features, a built-in VPN server, and a great security system to protect your home network from malware and intruders. This is not it. The router supports MU-MIMO, gives robust parental control, and includes NitroQAM technology for gamers. If that’s not enough, it increases gaming bandwidth with Adaptive Quality of Service (QoS), which straightway prioritises gaming packages and activities.

This is a true gamer router as it supports powerful consoles like PlayStation3, PlayStation4, PS4 Pro, PlayStationVita, Wii U, 3DS and Xbox One.

It is AiMesh supported, which means, connect it with other compatible ASUS routers to get a powerful and flexible whole-home Wi-Fi network.

RT-AC88U even provides a smarter home by supporting IP cameras, smart thermostats, and various devices you might not be aware of.

The top Wi-Fi data rates, fast transferring speed, powerful processor and everything else makes it worth your investment, especially if you are a gamer.

Synology MR2200AC aims to connect all your devices while keeping the network safe via its intelligent mesh Wi-Fi and best-in-class security features.

With MR2200ac, you get to experience the award-winning Synology Router Manager (SRM) and add more devices to expand your home network coverage.

It is the second and last router on our lust with tri-band. The router has a dedicated bandwidth of 400 Mbps on a 2.4 GHz network and 867 Mbps on both 5 GHz network.

It is indeed an intelligent system because the algorithms built in it implements the router in no time. Further, the system smartly configures and optimises itself and even repairs itself, thus ensuring you are always on the fastest possible route to the internet. Furthermore, the interface gives you control of your network in real-time, identifying bottlenecks become easy, and you get customised guest network options.

The router s certified to the latest security standards, including WPA3-Personal, WPA3-Enterprise and Opportunistic Wireless Encryption (OWE). Therefore, your network gets protection against snooping and other attacks. Not to mention, the parental control function is designed primarily to keep your children safe. Safety also includes securing devices that can leave your smart home vulnerable such as IP cameras, smart doorbells, alarm systems, and the router is ready to do that as well.

The router comes with some extensive functions like detailed QoS, super fast VPN, Time Machine backup, remote file sharing, media server.