Best Router for AT&T Uverse of 2021

Best Router for AT&T Uverse of 2021

If you are an AT&T customer, chances are that you are using their Uverse internet, which by all means is said to be pretty good. However, that said, how good your internet ends up being doesn’t depend solely on the provider. The kind of hardware you have in your home will also make a difference.

Sure, you can use the hardware provided by your internet provider, but let’s face it, that it is usually subpar, to say the least. If you want the best signal coverage and incredible speed, you will likely need to buy your own router, which is a problem of its own; there are so many routers out there that it can make your head spin.

This article reviews five of the best routers for AT&T Uverse and discusses essential purchasing tips to answer your questions. Let’s get to it and help you find a router.

Best Routers for AT&T Uverse: Reviews

Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Wi-Fi Router

If you need excellent coverage, incredible speed, and the ability to connect many devices, you might want to check out the Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Wi-Fi Router. This may very well be the best router for AT&T Uverse on the list today.

Product Highlights

One thing that stands out about the Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Wi-Fi Router is the excellent coverage. Using the triple-range extending antennas, you can expect this router to provide coverage for an area of roughly 1,800 square feet, which should be enough for most homes of average size.

The three antennas can be adjusted for direction, so you can direct the signal to specific areas. The so-called Beamforming+ technology that is integrated helps improve the range and the performance of the Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Wi-Fi Router.

In terms of overall speed, the Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Wi-Fi Router is no slouch either, with the dual-band design allowing for 600 + 1,300 Mbps of data transfer speed; this is a high-speed and high-performance router that should provide you with lightning-fast internet.

What’s also quite impressive is how it comes with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports. It also features four 1 GB ethernet ports. This allows you to connect up to 30 devices to this router, which is nothing short of impressive.

Parents will also love this particular Wi-Fi router because it comes with advanced parental controls. This means that you can shut the internet off for specific devices, you can see how much data is being used, you can set time limits for various devices, and you can even check the website and search histories.

Moreover, to help keep you and your family safe, the Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Wi-Fi Router uses BitDefender and the world’s best cybersecurity protocols (30-day free trial). Although this may not be the most affordable Wi-Fi router, we think it is one of the best.

The Good

The good part about the Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Wi-Fi Router is more or less everything. It has excellent signal coverage and range, it is fast, it allows you to connect a plethora of devices, and it even has fantastic security features and parental controls. You really cannot ask for much more than that.

The Bad

The only slight downside that we can see here is that if your house is larger than 1,800 square feet, you will most likely need to purchase additional range extenders. Also, some people have mentioned that setting it up and connecting it to devices can be a challenge, although the jury on that one is still out.

Pros

• Decent coverage
• Dual bands
• Very fast
• Security features
• Parental controls
• 1GHz dual-core processor
• OpenVPN Connect App

Cons

• Netgear has relatively poor customer service
• Setting it up can be a challenge

Motorola MR2600 Smart Wireless Router

Suppose you are looking for a budget-friendly router that won’t cost you a small fortune yet will still provide you with a reasonably good performance and coverage. If so, the Motorola MR2600 Smart Wireless Router is an excellent option to consider.

Product Highlights

One thing that stands out about the Motorola MR2600 Smart Wireless Router is that it is flat, dark, and unassuming, plus relatively compact, so it fits neatly into any space and blends in quite nicely. Although it is relatively inexpensive in terms of price, it’s not made out of cheap materials, and in fact, it is pretty durable. The bottom of the router features good clearance, so it shouldn’t overheat.

The Motorola MR2600 Smart Wireless Router can connect with many devices in multiple ways. This unit comes with USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, with the USB 3.0 port featuring DLNA media-sharing capabilities. The four gigabit LAN ports are ideal for connecting to all of your preferred devices.

The Motorola MR2600 Smart Wireless Router features 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands, which is more than good enough for most purposes. Moreover, this unit comes with four adjustable range extender antennas to adjust to direct the signal to specific locations.

The Wave 2 MU-MIMO technology allows for maximum range and speed. Thanks to the 4x4 antennas, this router should cover around 2,000 square feet. That Wave 2 MU-MIMO technology provides high-speed streaming on multiple devices.

On the 2.4 GHz band, you get up to 800 Mbps, and on the 5 GHz band, you get over 1,700 Mbps for a combined speed of around 2,600 Mbps. In other words, this is a fast and high-performance router that won’t cost you a small fortune.

The Motorola MR2600 also comes with parental controls, a user-friendly firewall, IPv4 and IPv6 support, a fantastic dual-core processor, and more.

The Good

Simply put, you get a high-performance router for a reasonable price. It may not be the most advanced or high-performance model, but for the price, there’s really nothing to complain about.

The Bad

What is not exactly impressive about the Motorola MR2600 Smart Wireless Router is that it has few settings and barely lets you configure anything. Moreover, there are also no automatic firmware updates (you have to look for them yourself). Finally, this router tends to drop connections and needs to be reset regularly.

Pros

• Durable design
• Won’t overheat
• Very fast
• Good signal range and coverage
• Good parental controls
• Wave 2 MU-MIMO technology
• Plenty of ports
• Good price

Cons

• Limited configuration abilities
• Needs to be reset fairly regularly

Google Nest Mesh Wi-Fi Router

If you have a large home or building that requires a solid Wi-Fi connection no matter where you are, this Google Nest Mesh Wi-Fi Router is something to look into. When it comes down to it, this unit has a better range than virtually any and all other routers at this time.

Product Highlights

The best part of the Google Nest Mesh Wi-Fi Router is the signal range and strength that it can achieve. Now, be aware that you get two routers, one which connects directly to your modem and the other of which can be placed in your home and effectively works as a range extender. Between the central and the secondary units, you can expect coverage of around 4,400 square feet.

However, you can buy more of these so-called points or routers/range extenders, possibly connecting dozens of them. Each one of these points, when properly placed, can extend the range of the Wi-Fi signal by 1,600 feet. Therefore, if you have various points in your home, you could theoretically extend the range to tens of thousands of square feet.

Admittedly, the Google Nest Mesh Wi-Fi Router is not the best in terms of speed, although it could certainly be worse as well. The theoretical maximum speed is 2,200 Mbps, with speeds of 400Mbps on the single 2.4GHz band and 1,733Mbps on the 5GHz band. On average, you can expect somewhere between 200 and 300 Mbps with this router, which is OK, although not great.

What is impressive about the Google Nest Mesh Wi-Fi Router is that it is fast enough to handle multiple 4K streams, plus it can connect to up to 200 devices at once. Each of the routers also features LAN ports and dual gigabit Ethernet ports. This unit automatically updates itself; it has some of the best security around, and using parental controls is effortless.

The Good

Hands down, the best feature of the Google Nest Mesh Wi-Fi Router is that it covers such a massive area. Even with a single router (instead of the two-pack), it can cover well over 2,000 square feet. The two-pack, which is what most people get, can cover nearly 4,500 square feet. The range is the most impressive feature by far.

The Bad

What is not overly exciting about the Google Nest Mesh Wi-Fi is the speed when obstacles are involved. Although the range is fantastic, the realistic speed is not. Moreover, it should be noted that people have had difficulties setting up this router, which can literally take hours.

Pros

• Great range
• Dual bands
• Smart technology
• Auto updates
• Good support
• Allows you to connect many devices

Cons

• Expensive
• Speed is not always great

Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router

If you need lightning-fast internet, maybe because you are a gamer, and you’re tired of dying or crashing due to lag, this high-end Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router could be suitable for you. Up to this point, it is by far the speediest router on the list. That said, high-end performance comes with a high-end price tag.

Product Highlights

This is a tri-band router. It comes with a 2.4 GHz band, a 5 GHz band, and a second 5 GHz band. As we said, it is one of the fastest units. Even the 2.4 GHz band features a speed of nearly 2,200 Mbps.

The really impressive part is that the 5 GHz band allows for data transfer speeds of 5.3 Gbps; yes, that is gigabytes, not megabytes. As you can see, it is fast. This is one reason why this router is ideal for gamers connected with hundreds of other people and streaking super high-definition content. It’s one of the most impressive units.

With 5-gigabit Ethernet ports, the Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router provides you with solid wired connections. Keep in mind that this unit also comes with a USB 2.0 port and a USB 3.0 port for increased connectivity options.

Moreover, the Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router also utilizes MU MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output), which provides high-speed Wi-Fi multiple devices simultaneously without any of them slowing down. In fact, the Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router can provide up to 25 devices with high-speed Wi-Fi at once. This thing is not going to cause lag or force you to endure constant buffering.

What is equally as impressive as the speed of the Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router is its range. This router features a set of 6 range-extending antennas. Each antenna can be adjusted for position, so you can direct the Wi-Fi signal to certain parts of your home. These 6 antennas allow for 3,000 square feet of coverage, which should be enough even for very large homes.

The Good

In terms of speed, the Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router is the best model we have looked at so far, and in terms of coverage, it’s pretty also impressive. This is a super high-performance router with enough speed and range for most needs, even for high-speed gaming.

The Bad

What is not so great about the Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router is its price. Although it’s a great router, you’ll pay for that greatness.

Pros

• Tri-band
• Six adjustable antennas
• Fantastic coverage
• Awesome speed
• Very easy to set up

Cons

Very expensive

Gryphon AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi Router

This has to be one of the most unique routers, particularly in terms of appearances. It looks like it came straight out of Star Trek, and we think it’s pretty cool. Not only does the Gryphon AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi Router look stunning, but it also has a wide array of impressive features and functions, with a very high level of security being one of them.

Product Highlights

The Gryphon AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi Router is a high-class router in terms of security. In fact, this is one of the most highly rated routers out there when it comes to security. Some of the security features include 24/7 protection from intruders and hackers, daily security scans and comprehensive security updates, advanced malware detection and elimination, and advanced intrusion detection and protection.

These, combined with a couple of other features, make it perhaps the most secure routers you can buy for this price. This unit even scams your connected devices for security threats.

On a side note, the Gryphon AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi Router also features very advanced parental controls, so parents can monitor and control their children's internet usage.

What also needs to be said is that the Gryphon AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi Router is a very high-performance tri-band router with 2.4 GHz and dual 5 GHz bands.

The top speed is about 3 Gbps, making this a very high-speed router. Moreover, it comes with a 4x4 MU-MIMO that can provide multiple devices with super high-speed internet simultaneously, without any connections being slowed down.

Next, the Gryphon AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi Router can provide 3,000 square feet of signal coverage, which should be more than enough for most purposes. However, where things get really interesting is the mesh system. You can upgrade this to a mesh system, which means having multiple units in your home, all of which are strategically placed to significantly increase signal coverage beyond the original 3,000 square feet.

The Good

The good part about the Gryphon AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi Router is that its combination of massive signal range and super high-speed performance means that it is ideal for even the most hardcore gamers and streamers. It is fast and far-reaching, which are the two things you want in any router. However, the most impressive thing by far is how safe and secure this router is.

The Bad

One thing that is not great about the Gryphon AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi Router is that although it looks like it came straight from a sci-fi movie, it’s actually kind of big and bulky. There is also the fact that you cannot direct the antennas as needed, not to mention that it’s not a very affordable unit.

Pros

• Very fast
• Great coverage
• Mesh expandable
• Awesome security features
• Looks really cool
• Great connectivity options

Cons

• Bulky
• Expensive

Wi-Fi Router Buyer’s Guide

Before you shop, there are essentials to keep in mind. Let’s take a look at all of these factors, so you can make the best possible purchase for your needs.

Wi-Fi Standards

Perhaps the most crucial consideration is what kind of Wi-Fi standard the router in question has. It all started with IEEE802.11a or 802.11b as the main standards, but these are now outdated.

The standard to look for in new routers is 802.11ac, which allows for several gigabits of data transfer speeds, unlike previous standards that topped out at around 600 Mbps. Another keyword to look for is Wi-Fi 6.

Wi-Fi Bands

The next important thing in a router is the number of bands or radio frequencies it has. Older units may only have 2.4 GHz bands, but newer units should have dual bands with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, with many modern models, have tri-band capabilities, usually a single 2.4 GHz band and dual 5 GHz bands.

Having a tri-band router is beneficial because it means setting up multiple networks, allowing you to connect a wide range of devices across various networks without slowing down the speed.

Overall Speed

Something that you always want to look out for is how fast the router is. Keep in mind that speed is often listed as the overall speed when the multiple bands are combined.

However, this is a bit misleading because a single device such as your computer can only connect to a single band at once; therefore, you want to keep an eye on the fastest one's speed.

Some routers may still operate at under 1 Gbps, but most modern ones should allow for well over a gig of transfer per second. As you can see from our reviews today, some routers can do well over 5 Gbps.

Antennas, Range, and Mesh Capabilities

Equally as important is the possible range. Some routers can only go a few feet, whereas others can cover several thousand square feet.

The larger your house is, and the stronger you need the signal to be, the more important this is. Some routers, particularly mesh or point systems, can cover tens of thousands of square feet as long as you have the hardware for it.

Meshing capabilities are crucial for very large structures where you need massive coverage, so this is also something to look for. Moreover, although this is not always the case, more antennas are usually better. For instance, a six-antenna unit will cover more area than a router with just one or two antennas. Also, the antennas must be adjusted for position to direct the signal to a specific part of your home.

MU MIMO

MI MIMO stands for Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output. Not all routers have this, but it is a handy feature. Without getting too technical, this allows a router to connect with many different devices across various bands without compromising the signal strength or speed for any one connection.

Beam Forming

If you are looking for a high-tech router that will provide you with maximum performance, look for beam-forming technology. In simplest terms, this means that instead of blanketing the whole area with the same Wi-Fi signal, the same strength, beam-forming tech allows the router to direct the signal to certain devices.

A router with this tech can determine which devices need the most speed and will compensate accordingly. This way, you always get the fastest speed no matter what.

Broadband Provider Compatibility

Nowadays, most modems and routers should be compatible with virtually all broadband service providers. However, this is not always the case. Always check with your internet provider to see which modems are compatible and which are not.

Connectivity and Ports

If you are a gamer or want wired connections for certain devices, look for a router with plenty of ports and connectivity options. Having a router with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports is very useful.

You also want to look for WAN and LAN connection points. If you are a gamer and want to connect your console via a wired connection, look for a router that features gigabit Ethernet ports.

Security Features

Hackers and criminals are everywhere, and they’re always trying to steal your information. To ensure that you, your family, your info, and your finances stay safe, look for a router that has top-notch security features.

These security features can take the form of 24/7 protection from intruders and hackers, daily security scans and comprehensive security updates, advanced malware detection, and elimination, and advanced intrusion detection and protection.

Design, Cooling, and Durability

You may want to pay attention to how it is designed. This is not as important as any of the other considerations, but that said, you don’t want to buy a cheap router just to have it fall apart or stop working after a couple months.

So, look at a router with a solid shell that could handle a fall without shattering. Moreover, look for one with a good cooling system because routers can overheat when performing at peak capacity.

FAQs

You may have some questions about routers and related topics, and right now, we will do our best to answer all of them.

What is a Router?

A router is a device used to communicate between your internet and the other devices in your home. Quite simply, as the name implies, routers route the internet connection to your other devices. Routers can connect multiple devices to a single internet connection.

What is a Modem?

A modem connects you to the internet. A modem is connected to a specific internet provider, and the modem then feeds that network into your home. The issue is that modems can only connect to one device at a time, which may be via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

What’s the Difference Between Routers and Modems?

The main difference between routers and modems is that modems connect you to the internet. Modems are where your internet originates from.

On the other hand, routers don’t directly connect to your internet provider but connect to your modem. The modem gets the connection, and the router distributes the connection throughout your home.

Do I Need a Router and a Modem?

In today’s modern world, many routers will be a combination router and modem, so you only need one device. However, remember that modems can only connect to a single device at a time, so you will need a router to connect multiple devices if you have a basic modem. The modem can connect to one thing - the router - which can then connect to all of your devices.

Can I Get Internet With Just a Router?

The short answer is that a router only connects to an existing signal and then distributes it. However, you need a modem to create that signal or connection between your home and the internet provider.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that there are many options to choose from, too many. Today, we have listed five of the very best routers that you can use with AT&T Uverse, but there are dozens more.

Hopefully, you can find at least one router here that you like, as we have tried our best to provide you with a diverse selection, some of which are more affordable and less feature-rich, as well as high-end options.

Whatever you do, keep our buyer's guide in mind because you want to pay attention to these factors before buying.

If we had to make a recommendation in terms of the best router for AT&T Uverse, it would have to be the Linksys EA9500 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router. This router is high-speed, and it provides impressive coverage.