Looking for the best router for 100Mbps Internet?
If you have a 100Mbps internet connection, you are ahead of most people in terms of broadband speed. True, there are some services that go much faster (usually up to 1 Gigabit per second, which is 10 times the speed of 100Mpbs).
However, there are still many people that struggle to reach anywhere near 100Mbps. Lots of cable and DSL services still max out in the 25Mbps and 50Mbps ranges, and then there are people in rural areas that have to setting for speeds in the 1-10Mbps range using technologies like fixed wireless, T-1, and satellite internet.
Thus, it is recommended to pick a router that can support your 100M Internet connection without slowing you down.
Best Router for 100Mbps Internet
Our Pick: ASUS RT-AC68U
- Dual band with the latest 802; 11 AC 3x3 technology for combined speeds of up to 1900 Mbps.AiProtection : AiProtection Pro, AiProtection, Malicious site blocking, Two-Way IPS, Infected Device Prevention and Blocking. WAN : Internet connection Type - PPPoE, PPTP, L2TP, Automatic IP, Static IP. Dual WAN, 3G/4G LTE dongle, Android tethering, Port forwarding, Maximum port forwarding rule : 64, Port triggeringc, Maximum port triggering rule : 32, DMZ, DDNS, NAT Passthrough : PPTP, L2TP, IPSec, RTSP, H.323, SIP Passthrough,PPPoE relay.
- 1 GigaHertz dual core CPU enables smart multitasking by dedicating separate lanes for Wi Fi and USB data; Network standard: IEEE 802; 11a, IEEE 802; 11B, IEEE 802; 11G, IEEE 802; 11N, IEEE 802; 11AC, IPv4, IPv6. Memory: 128 MB Flash; 256 MB RAM
- Effortless router setup with the ASUSWRT web based interface; Dual band connectivity for compatibility and performance
- Monitor and manage your network with ease from your mobile device using the intuitive ASUS router app
- A protection powered by Trend Micro provides multi stage protection from vulnerability detection to protecting sensitive data; Please refer the installation manual and the user manual before use which is highly essential; Dc output: 19 Volt with maximum 1; 75 a current; Guest network: 2; 4 GigaHertz x 3, 5 GigaHertz x 3
The team here at Infravio really likes the RT-AC68U and recommends it to our readers regularly. It features just the right mix of performance, features, stability, and quality – all at a reasonable price point.
Performance
The RT-AC68U sports the latest wireless standard, 802.11AC. It supports dual-band connectivity (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) with data rates up to 1900Mbps.
It also features a 1 GHz dual-core CPU and all of it’s wired ports support Gigabit. Gigabit support on the WAN (Internet) port isn’t required for people with 100Mbps Internet, but it is still a good idea to future-proof your router in case you upgrade your Internet service later.
Older routers without Gigabit support typically came equipped with 10/100Mbps Ethernet ports, meaning that they could run at 10Mbps or 100Mbps, but not 1000Mbps (Gigabit). Technically, if your Internet service clocks in at 100Mbps, you could get by with an older 10/100M router, but we don’t recommend it.
We say this because even though the 100M port on the router wouldn’t slow you down (since it is running at the same speed as your Internet service), the router’s older technology and lack of current feature sets could set you back.
For example, an older router likely wouldn’t support features such as 802.11AC, MIMO, and Beamforming – all of which can give you increased wireless range and speed.
There are a plethora of new features being released all of the time, so it is generally worth it to consider upgrading your router every few years, even if your existing router isn’t broken. If your old router happens to be an ASUS router, you may even want to re-use it in another area of your home and take advantage of ASUS AiMesh technology.
Features
The AC68U runs the ASUSWRT web interface, which features powerful reporting capabilities to see what is going on in your network. We also like that it is simple enough that a novice that quickly complete the basic 3-step installation and get online without worrying about configuring optional advanced features that they may never use.
The AC68U is fully compatible with ASUS’ mobile app (available for both Android and iOS) – which lets you view bandwidth usage, modify settings, enforce parental controls, see a list of all devices connected to your network, and much much more – all from your smartphone or tablet .
This router also optionally supports the Asuswrt-Merlin firmware product – which unlocks additional advanced features of the router and offers loads of additional monitoring capabilities. This is definitely an advanced feature and can be risky if you are a novice (flashing a router is always a bit risky).
Stability
The router has been very stable in our testing, and the majority of other reviews on this model echo our sentiment – it shows great reliability and doesn’t need to be rebooted frequently like some routers. That being said, it may need to be rebooted from time to time (every router does) and the AC68U has a great feature for this too – the auto reboot.
This is such a handy feature – you can configure the router to reboot itself regularly at a time you designate. For example – I have my router set to reboot every day at 2AM while I am sleeping.
It is well documented that most types of computing and networking equipment performs better and more reliably after a reboot – we call these ‘theraputic reboots’. The idea is to reboot the device BEFORE trouble starts.
Since these reboots can be scheduled to run at any time and on a recurring schedule, it makes for a nice ‘set it and forget it’ situation, where you can reboot the router daily at a time you won’t notice and still reap the benefits of a regular therapeutic reboot.
I never notice these reboots, and my router never needs to be rebooted manually because it is always running at peak performance due to the recent reboot.
Build Quality
The build quality on this router is great. It is both durable and stylish. It feels great when handled – you can tell that it is more than just a cheap chunk of plastic.
It also features removable antennas – a feature usually found only on higher end routers.
It also features ASUS AiProtection, which provides an additional layer of security. This service is included with the router free of charge for the life of the product and is NOT a subscription service.
Value
Overall, the AC68U offers a great mix to the 100Mbps internet user – performance, features, quality and reliability – all at a good price point.
We hope this article has helped you answer the question of what is the best router for 100Mbps Internet. Thanks for reading.
Andrew Namder is an experienced Network Engineer with 20+ years of experience in IT. He loves technology in general, but is truly passionate about computer networking and sharing his knowledge with others. He is a Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) and is working towards achieving the coveted CCIE certification. He can be reached at andrew@infravio.com.