Networking : Wireless Routers, Modems & Extenders
Wi-Fi & networking essentials
Only three easy stepsOnly three easy steps
Maximize your Internet speed & coverage for lessWhat you need for fast Internet
How fast of an Internet plan do I need?
Call your Internet provider to get a high-speed plan that provides a minimum speed of 100Mbps, and up to 1,000Mbps (1Gbps or higher) is recommended for the best experience.
How to select a cable modem?
Choose a cable modem that is compatible with your cable Internet provider and supports the speed of your Internet plan. For example, a modem that supports 1Gbps speed will support an Internet plan up to 1Gbps. The cable modem connects your home to the Internet, and connects to your wi-fi router or mesh system to provide wi-fi to your devices.
Note the cable modem you purchase will replace the cable modem you lease from your cable Internet provider, so you can send back the cable provider’s modem and stop paying the monthly cable modem rental fee.
Optionally, you can choose a cable modem router combo (also known as a gateway) which has a cable modem plus wi-fi router built in. If you buy this all-in-one device, you will not need to use a separate router or mesh system for wi-fi.
How to select a wi-fi router or mesh system?
Choose a router based on the wi-fi speed and coverage you need for your home. Higher speed is generally faster, assuming your Internet plan is fast. Routers provide good coverage for small-to-medium homes or apartments.
Choose a wi-fi mesh system if you have a home with multiple stories, a large floor plan, or outdoor devices like security cameras. A mesh system consists of a router and satellite(s) that work together to provide consistent coverage and speed inside and outside your home.
Networking routers
Reliable coverage for small-to-medium homes or apartments for less.
TP-Link Deco Wi-Fi 6E Whole Home Mesh Routers, 6 Ghz Band, Coverage up to 5,500 Sq. ft. (2-Pack)
Best sellerTP-Link Deco Wi-Fi 6E Whole Home Mesh Routers, 6 Ghz Band, Coverage up to 5,500 Sq. ft. (2-Pack)Now $199.00current price Now $199.00$249.00Was $249.00$99.50/ea1254.7 out of 5 Stars. 125 reviewsSave withShipping, arrives in 2 daysTP-Link Tri-Band 6-Stream Wi-Fi 6E Router - 6 Ghz Band - Speed up to 5.4 Gbps - Archer AXE5400
TP-Link Tri-Band 6-Stream Wi-Fi 6E Router - 6 Ghz Band - Speed up to 5.4 Gbps - Archer AXE5400Now $139.99current price Now $139.99$169.99Was $169.991624.6 out of 5 Stars. 162 reviewsSave withShipping, arrives in 2 daysTP-Link Mesh WiFi Router System | Upgrade Home Coverage up to 3,000 sq. ft. |Two - Mesh Routers| (Deco W2400)
Best sellerTP-Link Mesh WiFi Router System | Upgrade Home Coverage up to 3,000 sq. ft. |Two - Mesh Routers| (Deco W2400)$49.32current price $49.329354.3 out of 5 Stars. 935 reviewsSave withPickup tomorrowDelivery tomorrowShipping, arrives in 2 daysTP-Link Archer C54 | AC1200 MU-MIMO Dual-Band WiFi Router| Works with All Home Internet Providers
Best sellerTP-Link Archer C54 | AC1200 MU-MIMO Dual-Band WiFi Router| Works with All Home Internet ProvidersNow $25.00current price Now $25.00$28.00Was $28.005024 out of 5 Stars. 502 reviewsSave withPickup tomorrowDelivery tomorrowShipping, arrives in 2 daysTP-Link Tri Band Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Router System | 2- Mesh Routers | Coverage up to 5,500 Sq Ft | Deco W7200 (2-pack)
Best sellerTP-Link Tri Band Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Router System | 2- Mesh Routers | Coverage up to 5,500 Sq Ft | Deco W7200 (2-pack)$189.00current price $189.002824.4 out of 5 Stars. 282 reviewsSave withPickup tomorrowDelivery tomorrowShipping, arrives tomorrowTP-Link 6-Stream Dual-Band WiFi 6 Wi-Fi Router | up to 4.4 Gbps Speeds | Upgrade Any Home Internet | Archer AX4400
Best sellerTP-Link 6-Stream Dual-Band WiFi 6 Wi-Fi Router | up to 4.4 Gbps Speeds | Upgrade Any Home Internet | Archer AX4400Now $99.95current price Now $99.95$131.00Was $131.002094.4 out of 5 Stars. 209 reviewsSave withPickup tomorrowDelivery tomorrowShipping, arrives tomorrowTP-Link WiFi 6 Mesh Router Replacement System | 2- AX1800 Mesh Routers | Coverage up to 4,000 Sq. ft.
TP-Link WiFi 6 Mesh Router Replacement System | 2- AX1800 Mesh Routers | Coverage up to 4,000 Sq. ft.$99.00current price $99.002374.4 out of 5 Stars. 237 reviewsSave withShipping, arrives in 2 daysTP-Link Archer AX3000 | 4 Stream Dual-Band WiFi 6 Wireless Router | up to 3 Gbps Speeds
TP-Link Archer AX3000 | 4 Stream Dual-Band WiFi 6 Wireless Router | up to 3 Gbps Speeds$134.28current price $134.288114.3 out of 5 Stars. 811 reviewsShipping, arrives in 3+ daysTP-Link Archer AX1500 WiFi 6 Dual-Band Wireless Router | up to 1.5 Gbps Speeds
Best seller+2 optionsAvailable in additional 2 optionsTP-Link Archer AX1500 WiFi 6 Dual-Band Wireless Router | up to 1.5 Gbps SpeedsNow $65.00current price Now $65.00$80.00Was $80.007534.4 out of 5 Stars. 753 reviewsSave withPickup tomorrowDelivery tomorrowShipping, arrives tomorrow
Routers vs. mesh systems
Ultimate wi-fi solution
Selecting the best networking system
What is the difference between a modem and a router?
The difference between a modem and a router is that a modem connects to the Internet, and a router connects devices to wi-fi. You need a modem and a router to set up a home network. If you're connecting a single computer to the Internet with a wire, you can use only a modem. There's no case where you can use just a router. You'll always need a modem to decode the signal from your ISP. When you want to speed up your network, the router is usually what you want to focus on. It has bandwidth limits, and it distributes the signal to all your devices. Your router creates and manages your wi-fi.
How do I choose the right router for my home?
What is the speed package you are paying for? Knowing the download speed you are paying for can help eliminate entire lines of products. For instance, if you have or plan on having a speed package above 100 Mbps then you would want to avoid any router with fast ethernet 10/100 ports. This is because the speed on these ports is limited to a maximum of 100 Mbps. If you know you will never go above 100 Mbps then looking at devices with fast ethernet will save you money.
How many devices will you be connecting? You want to make sure you get a router that is capable of handling the load being put on it. The more devices the faster a processor you want the router to have. 5 or so devices and single-core processor will be fine. 10 or more and you will want at least a dual-core processor on your new router.
How many bands do I need? Single-band routers are 2.4GHz only. Dual and tri-band routers typically are 5GHz, with the difference being that tri-band splits the channel options into two separate bands. So now you need to know the devices connecting to the router. Are they capable of connecting to a 5GHz network or can they only communicate on 2.4GHz? If only 2.4GHz, then it's likely you will only need a single-band router. If they can connect to a 5GHz network, then we would definitely recommend a dual or tri-band router.
Does the number of antennas matter? Yes, in most instances it does. Generally speaking, you increase the network bandwidth with each new antenna added. This is because each antenna increases the number of streams your devices can connect to and communicate with. Speeds are affected by both the number of antennas of the router and the number of antennas on the client devices. The more antennas available, the more streams you can connect to and your throughput is increased as a result.
How can I extend my wi-fi coverage?
Range extender: A range extender is a wireless networking device that allows for a WLAN (wireless local area network) coverage area to be expanded beyond its normal range. Also called a repeater, these devices, usually a plug-in unit, take a signal from an existing wireless router or AP (access point) and transmits that signal farther than the original device was capable of doing. With today’s device being more reliant of a wireless signal, these devices help ensure total coverage throughout a user’s home. The chief complaint about range extenders is slow connection. The network's speeds are affected because the range extender can only communicate one way at a time, either receiving from the router then transmitting to the end user device or vice versa. For customers who are looking at getting more dedicated speeds, they may want to look into a mesh system as an alternative to a range extender.
Mesh wi-fi: Mesh wi-fi is a whole-home wi-fi system built to eliminate dead zones and to provide uninterrupted wi-fi throughout your home. Mesh systems enable devices in your network to have faster speeds, greater coverage, and a more reliable connection. While traditional routers broadcast wi-fi from a single point, mesh wi-fi systems have multiple access points. When one unit links to the modem, that unit becomes the main hub. The other units (called “nodes”) will capture and rebroadcast the router’s signal. The result is an efficient wireless network that provides a strong signal no matter where you are.
What is wi-fi 6 and wi-fi 6E?
Wi-fi 6 is the next generation standard in wi-fi technology. Wi-fi 6, also known as “AX wi-fi" or "802.11ax wi-fi,” builds and improves on the current standard. Wi-fi 6 was originally built in response to the growing number of devices in the world. If you own a VR device, multiple smart home devices, or simply have a large number of devices in your household, then a wi-fi 6 router might be the best wi-fi router for you.
Wi-fi 6E means wi-fi 6 extended to the new 6 GHz frequency band. Wi-fi 6E works with the same standard as wi-fi 6 but with an extended spectrum. Unlike the existing bands on which channels are currently crammed into the limited spectrum, the 6 GHz band exists without overlap or interference. Access to the 6 GHz frequency brings more bandwidth, faster speeds, and lower latency, opening up resources for future innovations like in AR/VR, 8K streaming, and more. The 6 GHz band is available only for wi-fi 6 traffic, allowing wi-fi 6 to meet its intended potential.
Add-ons
About Networking : Wireless Routers, Modems & Extenders - Walmart.com
Create a network that meets all your computing needs
If you own a small- to medium-sized business or need to operate an office out of your home, you may need to set up a network. Even if you don t use them for business maybe you have a large family you may have several computers that need Internet access at the same time. To do this, you can incorporate several devices that make computing in your home or business much easier, faster and more efficient. We have low prices, every day, on everything, so you can build the ideal network for your needs and save some money at the same time. Check out some of the essential components that'll keep your network running smoothly.
Routers
Routers allow several different computers to connect to an existing network. Although some routers still exist that require you to physically attach your computers to them, many of the updated models available today can connect to your computer wirelessly. This allows other devices, such as smartphones, tablets and Smart TVs, to also connect to the router via Wi-Fi. Note that, for the modem to let you access the Internet, you need to establish an outside connection to an Internet provider and then connected it to the modem, which you then connect to the router to create an Internet protocol address. Otherwise, the network only connects to the other devices that you connect to it to enable file sharing. There are certain key factors to know when selecting what router to purchase:
- Radio bandwidth Although some routers feature a single bandwidth, most are dual-band routers that let you connect to the Internet via one of two radio frequencies 2.4GHz and 5GHz. This allows your router users to be on different bands in the same home or business. It also facilitates faster speeds for whatever you're doing on the Web, such as downloading files or watching videos.
- Coverage This determines how strong the signal that the router puts out is, and it can mean that users on the outer edge of the coverage area may experience drops or lag in what they're doing.
- Ports The types of ports available, such as Ethernet ports, determine what you can connect to the router. Routers with Ethernet ports allow faster file-transfer rates. Those with USB ports let you connect other devices to the router, such as a scanner or printer.
Modems
Modems let routers or computers connect directly to the Internet via an outside source, such as a digital subscriber line (DSL) Internet service or cable Internet service. Cable connections occur with a coaxial cable connection; they're similar to what's used when connecting a television to a cable service box. DSL connections are made using a telephone connection, which is sometimes referred to as an RJ-11 connection, that runs to a telephone socket on a wall. Although very rare, dial-up modems are also still in production and use ordinary phone lines to connect to an Internet service provider (ISP). When choosing a modem, the key factors you want to look for include compatibility with your computer's or other device's operating system, such as Windows or iOS; the upload and download speeds it provides; security protection, such as WEP encryption and WPA/WPA2 security protocol; size of the modem and the cost of the modem.
Signal boosters and devices
For those who have older technology in their modems or routers, there are options to ensure better Wi-Fi reception in your home or place of business. You could move the router to a more central location, but that might not be feasible. A signal booster, also known as a Wi-Fi repeater, makes it possible to amplify the signal your router produces. For example, if the modem you use to connect your network to your ISP is in your garage or in an outlying office in your business, you can place a signal booster in the center of your location, which will repeat the same level of signal it receives to the other areas of your location. This can as much as double your router's coverage area.
If the router you're using is current and in the best spot to receive its signal but your coverage is still weak, then a Wi-Fi extender can solve your issues. Wi-Fi extenders allow you to send the router's signal through the electrical circuitry in your business or home. You then connect an adapter to an electrical outlet near where your router is and add a second adapter to an electrical outlet where you need the signal to improve. You can also do this with an Ethernet cable when connecting to an Ethernet device, such as a video game console or smart TV. You can even create a secondary Wi-Fi network in this manner. Look for Wi-Fi repeaters or extenders based on the coverage area in square feet to determine which one is right for your needs.
Other networking items
There are other devices you can use when setting up your own network:
- USB wireless network adapters These small devices plug into your desktop or laptop computer and let you connect to a network wirelessly.
- Network-attached storage If you have limited storage space on your computer and don't want to store your documents, photos, videos, MP3s or other files in an online cloud, you can use a network-attached storage device, also called a portable hard drive, that's connected to your router. That way, you can share what you've saved to the storage device with anyone connected to your network. These range in size from 250GB or less to 2TB or more.
- Access points An access point is either a standalone device or integrated technology in a router that allows Wi-Fi-capable devices to connect to a wired network.
- Ethernet switches Ideal for businesses, an Ethernet switch makes it possible connect several computers, servers, IP cameras and other devices to your local area network.