2023 Best Wi-Fi routers under $250 for big Arizona homes

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — It’s 2023, and few things are more annoying than dealing with a Wi-Fi dead zone in your home. The good news is fixing it is easy and, as Consumer Reports explains, doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money.

What’s the magic of a mesh router? It’s actually pretty simple: Mesh networks use several routers together to spread the Wi-Fi signal throughout your home and around obstacles. Some common ones include a fish tank, a big metal refrigerator, and the pipes in your home. These can all sort of block the Wi-Fi signal and prevent you from getting a decent connection.

Consumer Reports tests routers for what matters most: How fast they send a Wi-Fi signal over a distance, as well as data privacy and security.

The mesh networks Linksys AX3200 E8452 and TP-Link Deco W6000 AX3000 aced all of Consumer Reports’ distance tests. They can be set up using an app and have automatic firmware updates to help protect you and your data online. They both support Wi-Fi 6. But even a mesh network that uses the older Wi-Fi 5 may feel like an upgrade from your old router. And it’ll save you some money.

Everything is backward-compatible. So, if you buy a brand-new iPhone today, which has the latest Wi-Fi 6 chip in there, it’s going to work fine with the Wi-Fi 5 router, like the Google Nest Wi-Fi. Consumer Reports experts say it’s great for small or medium-sized houses. It also has automatic firmware updates and can be set up using an app.

If you want to spend even less money, Consumer Reports says a Wi-Fi extender can be useful in some situations, especially if you’re dealing with only one pesky dead spot in your home. They can cost $50 or less.

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