Best Wired Router 2024: which one to choose and where to buy

The Fortinet FortiGate 60F represents a significant advancement in network security, tailored specifically for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) seeking enterprise-level protection without straining their budget. This next-generation firewall (NGFW) combines cutting-edge security features with the essential performance and functionality necessary for business growth. It stands out for its Security Driven Networking approach, ensuring that businesses can confidently scale while safeguarding their critical assets. The FortiGate 60F series is a testament to Fortinet’s commitment to providing robust security solutions that are both accessible and effective for SMBs.

In terms of threat protection, the FortiGate 60F series excels with its integration of AI/ML-based FortiGuard security services and the comprehensive Security Fabric platform. This range of integrated security services includes a robust firewall, VPN (Virtual Private Network), antivirus, intrusion prevention, web filtering, and application control, offering comprehensive defense against various cyber threats. The unit’s unparalleled performance ensures efficient throughput and low latency, handling high traffic volumes while maintaining network stability and performance. Additionally, the UTP Bundle features include 24/7 FortiCare support, AI-powered FortiGuard Unified Protection with various services like IPS, Anti-Malware Protection, Web Security, Anti-Spam, and Premium Hardware and Software Support. These features collectively provide a seamless user experience, ensuring consistent and optimized access to applications and network resources.

The Linksys E8450 is a versatile and powerful wired router designed to cater to the demands of a modern household. It offers fast and expanded coverage capable of handling more than 25 devices simultaneously, making it an ideal choice for a home filled with mobiles, streaming devices, gaming consoles, and smart home gadgets. With an impressive coverage area of up to 2,500 square feet and top speeds reaching 3.2 Gbps, it ensures that every corner of your home has reliable and swift internet access. The router is particularly user-friendly, thanks to its browser-based setup and management system, which allows for a hassle-free installation and easy WiFi management.

In addition to its performance capabilities, the Linksys E8450 prioritizes security and convenience. It features advanced parental controls, enabling users to limit online time and block specific websites on their children’s devices. This ensures a safer internet experience for the younger users. Furthermore, the router supports simultaneous dual-band streaming, transmitting wireless signals on both 2.5Ghz and 5Ghz bands, which allows users to select the most suitable connection for their needs. WiFi 6 technology enhances this router’s appeal by offering faster speeds and increased range, accommodating more devices without compromising on performance. The Linksys E8450 also comes with an Amazon exclusive extended 18-month warranty and 24/7 customer support, ensuring peace of mind for its users.

The MikroTik RB750R2, also known as the hEX lite, is a compact and efficient solution for managing wired home networks. Encased in a sturdy plastic body, this small five-port Ethernet router is an ideal choice for those seeking a balance between functionality and aesthetics. It stands out in the market not only for its affordability but also for its MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) capabilities, a feature rarely found in routers at this price point. The RB750R2 (hEX lite) excels in simplicity and usability, making it an accessible option for both tech-savvy users and novices.

Designed with the needs of a SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) environment in mind, the RB750R2 (hEX lite) eliminates the need to compromise between cost and performance. This router offers a perfect blend of value and functionality, ensuring that users do not have to sacrifice quality for price. Its compact design and clean appearance allow it to integrate seamlessly into any setup, making it an unobtrusive yet powerful component of any home network. With the RB750R2 (hEX lite), MikroTik continues to uphold its reputation for creating routers that cater to a wide range of networking needs.

The Ubiquiti Networks ER-12, also known as the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter 12 Ports ER-12, is a high-performance Gigabit Router designed to cater to a variety of networking needs. This router is distinguished by its impressive processing capability, capable of handling up to 3.4 million packets per second, and supports a line rate of up to 6.8 Gbps. It’s an ideal choice for environments that demand high-speed data transfer and efficient packet handling. The router’s design is not just about raw speed; it also focuses on versatility and flexibility in deployment, featuring ten Copper Gigabit ports and two independent SFP ports. This diverse range of ports allows users to customize their network setup according to their specific requirements, whether it’s for a small office or a more complex enterprise environment.

Additionally, the EdgeRouter 12 stands out with its support for Layer-2 switching, enhancing its functionality and utility in various network architectures. This feature enables it to handle data traffic more efficiently and allows for more sophisticated network segmentations and connections. The EdgeRouter 12’s capabilities are further augmented by its compatibility with the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Rack-Mount ER-RMKIT, making it a suitable option for rack-mounted setups. This compatibility ensures that it can easily integrate into a standardized rack system, providing a clean, organized, and professional installation. With its combination of high-speed performance, flexible port options, and rack-mount compatibility, the Ubiquiti Networks ER-12 is an excellent solution for anyone looking to build a robust, efficient, and scalable network infrastructure.

The TRENDnet TWG-431BR wired router is a versatile and powerful device designed to meet the needs of demanding network environments. Equipped with 5 Gigabit ports, it offers flexible configuration options, including modes for 4 WAN ports and 1 LAN port or 1 WAN port and 4 LAN ports. This adaptability makes it ideal for a variety of network setups. The inclusion of a USB 3.0 port and an RJ-45 console port further enhances its connectivity options. One of the standout features of the TWG-431BR is its Gigabit Multi WAN capability, which allows the router to support up to four separate WAN internet connections. This feature is crucial for efficiently load-balancing traffic, as it distributes network traffic across the best available link, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.

Additionally, the router is designed for high availability networks. By grouping multiple TWG-431BR routers together, users can create a network with router redundancy, significantly minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous network availability. Security and management are also key aspects of this router. It functions as a VPN router, creating encrypted VPN tunnels using various protocols like IPSec, PPTP, L2TP with IPsec, and SSL VPN, enabling secure remote access to local network resources. The router’s advanced content filtering capabilities, powered by Router Limits, allow for comprehensive management of screen time, web content, and device-level controls. Furthermore, the router supports multiple management methods including web browser (HTTP, HTTPS), CLI, SSH, and Telnet, offering flexibility in network management. Lastly, the TWG-431BR comes with a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty from TRENDnet and is NDAA / TAA compliant, ensuring it meets the regulatory standards in the U.S. and Canada.

The HUNSN RS03 is a robust wired router, boasting an Intel Atom D525 processor. This versatile router supports a wide range of operating systems, including various FreeBSD-based router systems, Linux distributions, and Windows OS, ensuring broad compatibility for different network environments. It’s particularly user-friendly, offering easy configuration and management, making it an ideal choice for both experienced and novice network administrators. Additionally, the HUNSN RS03 is well-suited for use with popular open-source software solutions like pfSense, Untangle, and OPNsense, thanks to its compatibility with these platforms’ firewall functionalities.

Designed with practicality and efficiency in mind, the HUNSN RS03 is housed in a compact 13-19 inches 1U chassis and consumes only 50W power, accompanied by a power cord. It comes equipped with high-quality components, including big brand memory and SSD/HDD, ensuring reliability and quality assurance. The unit is ready to operate straight out of the box, which simplifies setup. The hardware features include 6 Intel Gigabit LAN ports, COM, VGA, and 2 USB ports, all within a frame measuring 310 x 210 x 50mm. Furthermore, it utilizes an original industry network motherboard, characterized by low power consumption and minimal heat generation. A dedicated turbo silent cooling fan is integrated to guarantee stable, long-term operation without overheating issues.

The Linksys LRT214 wired router stands out as an efficient and robust solution for both small and medium-sized business networks. It features multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports, ensuring high-speed connectivity essential for handling demanding business applications and large file transfers. This router is particularly notable for its capacity to support up to 50 IPsec tunnels, which are vital for creating secure site-to-site and client-to-site VPN connections. Additionally, it offers 5 OpenVPN tunnels tailored for iOS and Android users, enhancing its versatility in a mobile-centric business environment.

Performance-wise, the Linksys LRT214 impresses with its 900 Mbps firewall throughput and 110 Mbps IPsec throughput, making it well-suited for businesses with substantial internet traffic. The router is designed to meet a diverse array of business network requirements with its feature-rich firmware. It operates efficiently in a temperature range of 0ºC to 40ºC (32ºF to 104ºF), ensuring reliability under various working conditions. For storage, it withstands non-operating temperatures from 0ºC to 70ºC (32ºF to 158ºF), offering durability and resilience in different environmental conditions.

The TRENDnet TW100-S4W1CA wired router is a versatile and efficient solution for home or small office networks. Featuring four 10/100Mbps Auto-MDIX LAN ports and one 10/100Mbps WAN/Internet port, this router is designed to deliver reliable, high-speed connectivity. It stands out for its ability to share high-speed Cable/xDSL Internet connections, making it an ideal choice for environments where multiple users need simultaneous access to the web. By utilizing just one TW100-S4W1CA 4 Port Router, one IP address, and a single Cable/xDSL modem, it enables dozens of network users to browse the internet at the same time without compromising on speed or stability.

In addition to its high-speed internet sharing capabilities, the TRENDnet TW100-S4W1CA also excels in security. It acts as a robust firewall for your PC, safeguarding your system from potential hackers through its Network Address Translation (NAT) Firewall. This feature is particularly important in a world where online security threats are ever-present. Furthermore, the router supports remote management, allowing for straightforward configuration and control via a web browser. Its Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) feature ensures seamless recognition and integration of various devices, enhancing the user experience. This function, coupled with Application Level Gateway support, facilitates a range of internet applications such as email, FTP, gaming, and more, making the TRENDnet TW100-S4W1CA a comprehensive solution for both internet connectivity and network security.

The Cudy R700 is a versatile and robust wired router designed to cater to a variety of networking needs. It stands out as a Gigabit Multi WAN Router, featuring a configuration that includes 1 Gigabit WAN Port, 3 Gigabit WAN/LAN Ports, and 1 Gigabit LAN Port. This unique setup allows users to optimize bandwidth usage by configuring up to 4 WAN ports, thereby streamlining internet access through a single device. This makes the Cudy R700 an ideal choice for environments where multiple internet connections are utilized, ensuring efficient management and distribution of network resources.

In addition to its impressive connectivity options, the Cudy R700 excels as a powerful VPN Router. It supports a wide range of VPN services, including PPTP Server & Client, L2TP Server & Client, OpenVPN Server & Client, WireGuard Server or Client, IPsec Site to Site VPN, and Zerotier Master & Slave. This extensive VPN support ensures secure and private internet access, making it suitable for both personal and professional use. The router also features an intelligent load balancing function, which evenly distributes data streams according to the bandwidth capacity of each WAN port. This maximizes the utilization rate of broadband connections, making the Cudy R700 a smart choice for those who require consistent and reliable internet performance. Additionally, its easy internet access control allows for the standardization of users’ online behavior and the specification of internet access rights, further enhancing its functionality in diverse settings. The router’s compact desktop design, coupled with a durable metal casing, ensures it fits seamlessly into different environments, making it both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

The TP-Link ER605 V2 is a versatile wired router designed to cater to both small businesses and home networks. It features five Gigabit Ethernet ports, including one Gigabit WAN port, two Gigabit WAN/LAN ports, and two Gigabit LAN ports, offering ample connectivity options and the flexibility to optimize bandwidth distribution across three WAN ports. This device is especially useful for environments that demand high-speed internet connectivity and efficient bandwidth management. Additionally, the router includes a USB port for WAN backup, supporting mobile broadband through 4G/3G modems. This feature ensures continuous internet connectivity, even in the event of a primary connection failure, by automatically switching to a mobile broadband connection. Users can find a comprehensive list of compatible 4G/3G modems on the TP-Link website, ensuring easy integration and setup.

In terms of security, the TP-Link ER605 V2 is equipped with abundant features to safeguard your network and data. Advanced firewall policies, DoS (Denial of Service) defense, and IP/MAC/URL filtering are just some of the tools available to protect against external threats. For businesses requiring secure remote access, the router supports multiple VPN protocols, including up to 20 LAN-to-LAN IPsec, 16 OpenVPN, 16 L2TP, and 16 PPTP VPN connections, providing a highly secure and flexible solution for connecting remote employees or offices. The router’s security is further enhanced by a SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) Firewall, VPN Pass through, and support for various protocols such as FTP, H.323, PPTP, SIP, and IPsec ALG. With its comprehensive security features and support for IEEE standards like 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, 802.3x, and 802.1q, the TP-Link ER605 V2 stands as a robust and reliable choice for any network requiring a secure and high-performance wired routing solution.

The Netgate SG-1100 wired router is an ideal choice for businesses seeking a reliable and efficient networking solution. It comes equipped with lifetime software updates, ensuring your network stays up-to-date with the latest features and security enhancements. Additionally, customers benefit from Netgate TAC Lite technical support and a one-year hardware warranty, providing peace of mind and expert assistance whenever needed. This router is pre-loaded with pfSense Plus software, making setup straightforward and quick. Users can easily unbox the router and start customizing it to meet their secure networking requirements without any complex procedures.

Performance-wise, the SG-1100 stands out with its powerful dual-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor, clocked at 1.2 GHz. This robust hardware enables near gigabit routing for common home iPerf3 traffic and offers more than 650 Mbps of firewall throughput, handling substantial data loads with ease. Its efficient operation is further highlighted by its low power consumption and compact form factor, allowing it to operate silently and unobtrusively, whether placed on a desktop, wall, or rack. The router also offers flexible configuration options with its three 1 GbE switched ports (WAN/LAN/OPT), facilitating nearly a gigabit of bi-directional traffic and allowing for diverse network setups to suit various business needs.

The Netgate 6100 wired router is a robust solution tailored for business environments, offering a blend of high performance and reliability. It comes pre-loaded with pfSense Plus software, enabling immediate use for firewall and VPN applications, and is capable of transforming into a stout BGP edge router. Its performance is impressive, as track testing reveals capabilities like 18.7 Gbps Layer 3 routing, 10.1 Gbps firewall performance, 7.9 Gbps NAT handling, and 2.1 Gbps of AES-GCM IPsec VPN throughput. This makes it highly suitable for secure networking needs.

In addition to its raw power, the Netgate 6100 excels in connectivity and ease of use. It offers versatile WAN connectivity with up to 10 Gbps connections and high-performance LAN connectivity with the first implementation of 2.5 Gbps LAN ports. The heart of the device is a 2.2 GHz Quad Core Atom CPU, complemented by integrated QuickAssist Technology and 8 GB of DDR4 memory, ensuring it can handle demanding business applications. Despite its power, the router maintains a compact size, with a low power draw and silent operation, making it ideal for desktop or wall-mounted placement. It also includes practical features like a dual USB/RJ45 serial port console and a locking power connector. For peace of mind, it comes with software updates for the product’s lifetime, Netgate TAC Lite technical support, and a one-year hardware warranty.

The MikroTik hEX S RB760iGS is a compact and efficient wired router, ideal for environments where wireless connectivity is not a necessity. This device is equipped with five Gigabit Ethernet ports, ensuring high-speed internet access for multiple devices. It is powered by a robust dual-core 880 MHz CPU, paired with 256 MB of RAM, making it fully capable of handling complex configurations supported by RouterOS. The router’s versatility is further enhanced by its 1.25Gbit/s SFP cage, providing additional connectivity options.

In addition to its basic features, the hEX S boasts a variety of advanced functionalities. It includes a USB 2.0 port and a microSD slot, which significantly improves read/write speeds for file storage. Notably, the router supports IPsec hardware encryption, delivering speeds up to 470 Mbps, ensuring secure and efficient data transmission. Furthermore, it comes with The Dude server package, a powerful network monitoring tool. The PoE output for Ethernet port #5 adds to its flexibility, allowing it to power other PoE capable devices. The combination of these features makes the MikroTik hEX S RB760iGS an excellent choice for users seeking a high-performance, secure, and versatile wired routing solution.

The HUNSN RS41 is a versatile wired router that boasts an impressive array of features for its compact size. At its core is the Intel Celeron N4505 processor, providing robust performance and compatibility with a variety of operating systems including FreeBSD-based router systems, various Linux distributions, and Windows OS. This flexibility makes the RS41 an ideal choice for diverse networking environments. Adding to its appeal is the ease of configuration and management, a critical aspect for both seasoned IT professionals and novices. The router supports Intel AES New Instructions, ensuring enhanced security and encryption capabilities. Notably, it is designed for UEFI support only, ensuring a modern firmware interface.

In terms of hardware, the RS41 shines with its compact, durable aluminum body and a 12V3A power supply accompanied by a power cord. It comes ready to use straight out of the box, equipped with high-quality, big-brand memory and SSD/HDD, assuring reliability and longevity. The router is thoughtfully designed with an array of ports and connections including 2 USB 3.0 ports, Type-C, HDMI, DP, a SIM slot, RST, 4 LAN ports, DC_IN, and 2 USB 2.0 ports, all within a frame measuring 163 x 126 x 53mm. A standout feature is its quiet, fanless design. The RS41 operates silently at 0.00db noise, making it an ideal choice for small offices or any environment where noise reduction is a priority. Additionally, it is equipped with a clear CMOS button and console, along with power on/off functionality, enhancing its user-friendliness and ease of maintenance. With its compatibility with firewalls for pfSense Plus, OPNsense, and other popular open-source software solutions, the HUNSN RS41 is a top choice for users seeking a powerful, versatile, and quiet wired routing solution.