5/5
- Number of bands: 5GHz + 5GHz and 2.4GHz
- No. of antennas: 6
- Processor: AC3000
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5/5
- Number of bands: 5GHz + 5GHz and 2.4GHz
- Number of Gigabit Ethernet ports: 9
- Processor: AC5400 1.8GHz quadcore
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5/5
- No. of antennas: 8
- USB ports: USB 3.0
- Processor: GT- AX11000 1.8 GHz quad core
If there were only one feature that I had to choose in a router among the many, it would be the tri-band technology. Tri-band wireless routers are so popular these days because they are very convenient to use. One of the disadvantages of having a lot of devices (even though it’s great) is the congestion and fight over which device gets more importance and which one shouldn’t. But with the best tri-band router, you wouldn’t have to worry anymore.
These routers offer stability and fast connectivity. If you have a device that demands heavy internet and speeds, you can easily connect it to one of the 5 GHz frequency bands. However, if you have another one with the same needs, you can connect it to another 5 GHz band. In this case, you still get one 2 GHz band that no one uses. A win-win situation, right?
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Not only do you get an additional 5 GHz frequency band with the best tri-band wireless router, but there is also an increase in the total or maximum bandwidth of the router. With dual-band routers, you usually get an ‘AC’ router, but with tri-band routers, you can get your hands on the ‘AX’ technology. It is the latest technology that allows you to experience improved speeds and coverage.
But with so many options on the internet, one can feel overwhelming and confused as to which router is best for them. Well, this is what you and I are here for, right? We are going to introduce you to one of the best tri-band routers and give you our detailed review, its specifications along with its pros and cons. Let’s get started!
Best Tri-Band Routers Reviews
1. Linksys Tri-Band Wifi Router
If one wants to cover medium-sized areas, extend the range and coverage without any drop or inconsistency in the signal strength, one can buy this router. It offers good, evenly distributed signal strength and connection throughout its range. This router has three bands and each of them offers different speeds. The speed offered by each band is strong and the speed offered by the router when the three bands are combined is also good, which enables quick internet access and usage. The speed of the router does not depend upon the devices connected to it. It offers equal speed to both iOS and Android devices, making it one of the best tri-band routers available.
It has MU-MIMO technology that enables more than one user to steam simultaneously using this router. This router is good for spaces that are neither too large nor too small. People who require quick and consistent connection throughout like gamers and people running small-scale offices can definitely go for this product. The internet speed that this router offers also makes it a suitable choice for people whose work involves a lot of multitasking over the internet. It has decent design and futuristic features. However, the router does not work well (ie) does not offer great speeds when one needs to cover large areas.
Specifications:
- Browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer version 8 onwards
- Ethernet ports: 8
- USB: 3.0
- Number of bands: [5GHz+ 5GHz+ 2.4GHz]
- Processor: AC 2200, 716Mhz Quad Core processor
- Pros
- Great for gaming and 4K streaming
- Functions well for all devices connected to it
- Even connection strength
- High-speed internet
- Has 8 Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Cons
- Too large
- Cannot cover large areas
- Has a tall black frame that may seem irrelevant
2. Netgear Nighthawk R8000
The router is designed differently from other routers that can be found in the market. It has six antennas emerging from its body hence it takes up a lot of space. The antennas are flexible and can be moved in the direction one wants. It has 4 1G connections that impart high speed to the internet connection established between the router and the device. They help in establishing wired connections between the router and the device, for faster internet when compared to wireless band connectivity. The router uses both the Circle app, which can be configured for parental controls and Smart Connect, which helps one access the router’s usage and activity, making it one of the best tri-band wireless routers.
It offers high coverage and range and can be used in places where a large area needs to be provided with internet connectivity. It has three bands, which offer high individual speeds too. Since the device provides high speed and steady internet connectivity, it is suitable for purposes like video and audio streaming, gaming and data transfer. The router has MU-MIMO features that allow more than one user to stream at the same time. Further, the router offers steady and high signal strength.
Specifications:
- Browser and OS: Microsoft Windows 7, 8, Vista, XP, 2000, Mac, UNIX, Linux, Internet Explorer 5.0, Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome 11.0 or higher
- Number of bands: 5GHz + 5GHz and 2.4GHz
- USB Ports: USB 2.0 and USB 3.0
- Ethernet ports: 1 WAN +4 LAN
- Processor: AC3200 1GHz dual core processor
- Pros
- Steady, high-speed connectivity
- Inbuilt MU- MIMO
- Circle app and Smart Connect features
- Extensive coverage
- Supports a large number of devices
- Cons
- Expensive
- A router is too big
- Fragile antennas
3. TP-Link C5400X
If one wants a router that is specifically designed for gaming, one can definitely buy this router. The router looks cool but is quite large. It has 8 antennas which form high beams and imparts great signal strength and consistency to all devices connected to the router. It has 8 Gigabit ports. However, the router is sure to stand out from the rest, due to its radical design. It is specifically built for hardcore gamers. Its optimization is dynamic hence it reduces the occurrence of latency, making it one of the best triband wireless routers in the market.
This way, the user can prioritize over all the devices connected to the router and decide which device must obtain the highest, most steady signal strength. Hence it ensures interruption-free connectivity and steady bandwidth. It has Range boost features that help extend the range of the router and the reception strength. It has MU-MIMO technology that helps multiple users to stream simultaneously and achieve high throughput.
Specifications:
- Browser and OS: Microsoft Windows 7, 8, Vista, XP, 2000, Mac, UNIX, Linux, Internet Explorer 5.0, Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome 11.0 or higher
- Number of bands: 5GHz + 5GHz and 2.4GHz
- Number of Gigabit Ethernet ports: 9
- Processor: AC5400 1.8GHz quadcore
- Pros
- Steady, high-speed connectivity for gaming
- Inbuilt security features
- MU- MIMO technology
- Rangeboost features
- 8 powerful antennas
- Cons
- Setting up may be hard for some users
- Expensive
- Too large
4. Gryphon AC3000 Mesh Router
If one wants to cover a huge area without spending too much, one can consider this product. The router can be propped up vertically hence it occupies less space and cools faster and does not overheat easily. The design also helps the router blend easily with the interior décor of wherever it is placed. The device does not have external antennas. It has only internal antennas hence it does not occupy a lot of space and has better aesthetic appeal. The router is pretty easy to set up and use. It can also be linked to other Gryphon routers to extend coverage and comes with inbuilt security features like filtering content and detecting malware.
Since this is a mesh router, it has multiple access points distributed all throughout the mesh and each point can connect to a lot of devices. This way, the coverage is significantly increased and the router offers an excellent range. The three bands on this router enable high speed, consistent internet connectivity. It also has MU-MIMO technology, which helps more than one user stream simultaneously from the router. Hence multiple users can access the internet at the same time without any lag or interruption. Even near devices located far away from the router, great signal strength and consistency is found. Hence it can be called the best tri-band router 2022.
Specifications:
- Browser and OS: Microsoft Windows 7, 8, Vista, XP, 2000, Mac, UNIX, Linux, Internet Explorer 5.0, Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome 11.0 or higher
- Number of bands: 5GHz + 5GHz and 2.4GHz
- No. of antennas: 6
- Processor: AC3000
- Pros
- Built-in security features
- Great value for money
- Extensive coverage
- Does not overheat
- Aesthetic design
- Cons
- The latest firmware update cannot be checked
- Does not have documentation
- Parental controls are limited
5. Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router
It took us hours of research and probably overthinking as well to decide which is the best tri-band router 2020 that we want to include in our article. Luckily, as soon as we landed our eyes on the Linksys EA9500, we knew this was the winner. Just so you also know, this is not your traditional looking router, it might look like that in the first go, but when you see it closely, you can see the distinctive logo in the middle and the ventilation that has been proportionally laid out.
Linksys as a brand has really grown a lot in the past few years and it has offered nothing but amusement. It has also outdone itself with this router. The router looks powerful yet very subtle thanks to its external antennas that are perfectly aligned with each other and the router’s body. Apart from the design, the router is installed with an array of advanced and useful features.
It has been a while since this router has been released in the market, and it has a pretty good reputation. There have been reports that say buyers are extremely delighted with their purchase and would recommend it to others as well because this is a future-proof router.
Specifications:
- It has eight gigabit LAN ports as well as two USB 3.0 ports.
- It has a 1.4 GHz dual-core router that supports MU-MIMO & Beamforming technologies.
- It can connect up to 25 devices and provide good speeds on each.
- It has a combined throughput of up to 5400 Mbps on its three bands.
- It has a wide coverage of up to 3000 square feet.
- It is the best tri-band router that is also a quad-stream router.
- It has a simple and straightforward installation process with the help of the Linksys app.
- Pros
- It has powerful external antennas that provide great coverage for large homes.
- It looks stylish and has the latest technologies.
- It has impressive connectivity options.
- It is the perfect choice for gamers and HD video streamers as it doesn’t buffer.
- It can provide an even internet connection to a lot of devices at once.
- It is a fast router with various useful features which makes it future-proof.
- Cons
- It is bulky and large which takes up quite a bit of space.
- It is a little on the expensive side.
6. Netgear Nighthawk X10
It has a good design, with four large antennas resting on top of the router and can be placed only horizontally. It has 6 Ethernet ports, where one can connect devices through wires for faster, more stable internet connectivity. The router also has USB drives, so that storage drives can be shared even with other devices, like printers. It supports Wi-Fi according to the latest Wi-Fi protocols. It offers great coverage and is a pretty good choice for people who want to extend internet connectivity to large areas hence it is one of the best triband wireless routers.
The router has Beamforming technology, which helps the router ensure signal strength even near devices that are located far away from the router. It has MU-MIMO technology hence multiple users can stream simultaneously, without facing any interruption or lag. It also has 4K streaming support which ensures that device issues don’t interfere with the streaming. Hence this device is suitable for streaming high- quality audio and video and shows great performance.
Specifications:
- Browser and OS: Microsoft Windows 7, 8, Vista, XP, 2000, Mac, UNIX, Linux, Internet Explorer 5.0, Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome 11.0 or higher
- Number of bands: 5GHz + 5GHz and 2.4GHz
- Gigabit Ethernet ports: 7
- USB: USB 3.0
- Processor: 1.7GHz quad-core
- Pros
- Great performance
- Can handle a lot of devices
- Great coverage
- Equipped with QoS and Parental controls
- Has 6 Ethernet ports
- Cons
- Keeps rebooting often
- A router is too large
- Not impressively designed and neither has LEDs installed
7. ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000
If one is looking for a router that specially caters to gaming, one can definitely buy this product. Its design is unique and it takes up a lot of space. However, the bottom is flat hence the router does not slip and fall easily. It has 8 antennas which are high- powered. This way, the router has excellent reach and every point in the access range of this router experiences high speed, steady internet. It also has a 2.5 G gaming port, which helps the router deliver great performance during gaming, making it one of the best tri-band routers.
Further, this router also comes with inbuilt Asus AiProtection and the gaming interface is based on the ROG theme which offers quick and easy control for gamers. It offers huge game acceleration and increases game traffic while reducing the ping rate and latency. Hence this router is the best choice for hardcore gamers.
Specifications:
- No. of antennas: 8
- Browser and OS: Microsoft Windows 7, 8, Vista, XP, 2000, Mac, UNIX, Linux, Internet Explorer 5.0, Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome 11.0 or higher
- Number of bands: 5GHz + 5GHz and 2.4GHz
- No. of Gigabit Ethernet ports: 5
- Processor: AC5400 1.4GHz dual-core
- Pros
- High game acceleration
- Inbuilt security features
- High speed, consistent connectivity
- Amazing performance
- Sturdy build
- Cons
- Overheats often
- Cannot be propped up vertically
- Too large
8. TP-Link- AC5400
If one is a first time user who does not know how to utilize a tri-band router to the fullest, one can definitely buy this product. The highlight of this product is its ease of use, especially when it comes to accessing features like parental control, screening and monitoring router and internet usage. It has an aesthetic look with a black body and glossy coating. It offers great speed and performance and is suitable for gaming and applications that involve a lot of data upload and data download. The device has Ethernet ports that help it connect with other devices through wires, thereby increasing the internet speed on those devices, making it one of the best tri-band routers that can be bought.
It has enhanced security features like easy to use controls and inbuilt antivirus firewalls. It protects the user from potential malware. This router is most suited for residential usage and small offices. It does not have the capacity to connect to a lot of wired devices hence it may not be suitable for large- scale workplaces. This router provides steady, high-speed connections when the number of devices connected to it is limited. Its performance may drop when connected to a large number of devices by establishing wired connections. It has good features/ cost ratio.
Specifications:
- Processor: GT- AX11000 1.8 GHz quad core
- USB ports: USB 3.0
- No. of antennas: 8
- Number of bands: 5GHz + 5GHz and 2.4GHz
- Browser and OS: Microsoft Windows 7, 8, Vista, XP, 2000, Mac, UNIX, Linux, Internet Explorer 5.0, Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome 11.0 or higher
- Pros
- Great for VPN, gaming and browsing
- Inbuilt security features
- Easy to use
- Consistent, high-speed connectivity
- MU-MIMO technology
- Cons
- Setup may be difficult
- Attracts dust too easily
- Heavy
The Best Tri-Band Routers Buying Guide
- Usage
Tri-band routers are suitable only for people who use the internet intensively and require steady, high-speed connection and data transfer rates. If one is into hardcore gaming, streaming and editing high-quality audio and video files, one can buy tri-band routers. However, if one uses the internet only for browsing, email and social media, one does not need these routers.
- Coverage
This is a crucial factor that ought to be considered before setting up a tri-band router. If one wants to cover large areas, one can buy powerful tri-band routers. There are tri-band routers that cater to small spaces as well. Hence depending on the area to be covered and the number of devices to be connected, one can choose.
- The number of devices
Before buying, one must check the number and type of devices that the router can support. If one has to connect a large number of devices, one must check their compatibility and number of Ethernet ports (for high speed wired connections) on the router.
- Internet package
Though the tri-band routers can offer high speeds, they can never exceed the speed limit offered in the internet package the user has subscribed to. That is, one cannot obtain speeds higher than whatever one is paying for, through the subscription to their ISP.
FAQ’s
What are AC, AD and AX routers?
AC routers help the user exclusively utilize the 5 GHz band. This way, they help to connect the entire network with speeds as high as possible. AD routers focus on delivering high speeds at short distances. AX routers are faster than AC routers and focus on providing high-speed internet to large areas.
What are wireless bands?
Wireless bands are basically the means through which data transfer occurs. The bands make use of radio frequencies to transfer data between the router and the device.
Why are tri-band routers better than dual-band routers?
Since the tri-band router has one 2.4GHz band and 5GHz bands, it gives faster data transfer since it accepts router input faster. It operates with lesser interference from other routers/ devices and gives the best, competitive tradeoff between high speeds and large coverage.
Which band is better- 2.4 GHz or 5GHz?
If one wants very high speeds for streaming and gaming but restricts the range of the device, one can choose the 5GHz band. If one wants to cover large areas without the need to provide very high internet speeds, one can choose the 2.4GHz band.
How does a tri-band router work?
A tri-band router works by increasing the overall bandwidth. This way, it increases the upload and download speeds of one’s network and brings in more router input (from the device to the router) in a short period of time.
Final Verdict
Out of all the products listed here, the best tri-band router is the Gryphon AC3000 Mesh Router. It has aesthetic design, exhibits solid performance and extensive coverage. It does not overheat easily and is capable of providing strong and steady signals throughout the period of usage. It has a lot of inbuilt security features that act as firewalls against potential threats and detect malware and prevent the installation of malware on the router. It has good control features and one can easily track the usage of the router. It has high features/ cost ration and offers great value for money, hence it is the best choice for hardcore gamers, intensive residential and medium- sale office usage.