If you are a Verizon customer and are getting your internet service from them, chances are that you are using their Wi-Fi. After all, while a wired connection is reliable, it’s certainly not very convenient. If you plan to use Wi-Fi and want good signal strength, you need to have the best possible router.
Not all routers are compatible with Verizon FiOS. Moreover, even from those that are compatible, not all of them are ideal for use. Today, we will discuss the salient features of choosing the right router for your Verizon FiOS internet.
However, we are really here to give you a list and some important specs of the best Verizon FiOS compatible routers available at this time. By the end of this article, you should be able to narrow it down to one that will meet your needs.
You might wonder why not just rent the router from Verizon along with your internet. After all, getting everything in the same place makes things easier, right?
Well, this might not be the case, and more often than not, you may benefit from purchasing your own router instead of using the unit that Verizon provides you with. So, why should you purchase your own Wi-Fi router?
The first reason is cost. Even if you buy the most expensive router available, you will make that cost back after a couple of years or even a few months. In the long run, it is more affordable to purchase a router than it is to rent one monthly.
Another reason why buying your own router can be beneficial is that you can buy a state-of-the-art model with all of the bells and whistles, including adjustable range-extending antennas, various bands frequencies, and incredible speed. Verizon routers might be fine, but they generally are not excellent.
The next reason why getting your own router is recommended is because you can generally achieve better coverage and extended signal range. This is important if you have a large home with thick walls where the signal will need to reach far and travel through obstacles.
The other reason to consider getting your own router is due to control. If you want to optimize your network, this is something you won’t be able to do with a rented router.
Before you shop for a router, there are a few things to look for before you buy. Let’s find out what you need to know to choose the best Wi-Fi router for your needs.
Now we will look at the best possible Verizon FiOS compatible routers your money can buy. Be aware that our list is nowhere near comprehensive, as there is not nearly enough time to look at every single router that works with Verizon FiOS. We have chosen the best possible options.
Most people would agree that the Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Wi-Fi router seems to offer the best performance. What’s remarkable is that this unit comes with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, so you can connect numerous devices to your network.
Another significant part about it is that the Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Wi-Fi Router features triple range extender antennas that you can point in specific directions for the best signal penetration and coverage. It is also Alexa compatible.
This beast can cover up to 1,800 square feet in terms of coverage, which is nothing short of impressive, assisted by the integrated Beamforming+ technology. You get 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1300Mbps on the 5GHz band in terms of bands and speeds. All in all, this has to be one of the best Wi-Fi routers out there.
If you want good Wi-Fi, and your main goal is to save money, the TP-Link AC1750 Smart Wi-Fi Router is a great option. It may be a very affordable router, but it still performs adequately, but that said, no, it’s not the best choice in terms of performance.
What is impressive about this unit is its speed, which is 1,750 Mbps, more than we would expect considering its price. And it features both the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz bands. It comes with three long-range extender antennas for increased coverage, although the range is not as good as the router listed above.
The Netgear Nighthawk X6 (R8000) Router is considered one of the most advanced units available, with nearly unparalleled performance when it comes to new and modern Wi-Fi routers.
What’s great is that this unit has ports for all sorts of connectivity options, including a WAN port, quadruple LAN ports, as well as a USB 3.0 and a USB 2.0 port.
Perhaps the most impressive part about the Netgear Nighthawk X6 (R8000) Router is that it is a tri-band router, featuring the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz bands, as well as the 802.11n band. When using the 5GHz band, you can expect a top speed of around 1.3 Gbps - yes, that’s gigabytes per second!
This is one of the fastest and most versatile Wi-Fi routers for Verizon FiOS when it comes down to it. The only downside is that the coverage area is not great, and once you get about 40 feet away from the router, the signal starts to degrade.
If you need fast internet and have a big house that requires excellent signal strength, the Google Nest Mesh Wi-Fi Router is a perfect choice. This is a so-called mesh system, which means that you can have as many points in your home as you want. The more points you have, the better the coverage will be.
The basic package comes with two points, which provides 4,400 square feet of coverage; however, remember that you can buy as many points (more or less just range extenders combined with wired ports) as you want, with each point adding another 1,600 square feet in coverage.
Moreover, the Google Nest Mesh Wi-Fi Router allows you to connect up to 200 devices at once, not to mention that more than one device can stream at 4K simultaneously. This router is not cheap by any means, but it does work very well.
We want to round off the list with the Netgear Nighthawk RAX120 Wi-Fi Router, a very new and advanced Wi-Fi 6 router with impressive data transfer speeds. The most important thing to note is that it can reach 6 Gbps.
That’s right - 6 gigabytes per second, which is extraordinary. The Netgear Nighthawk RAX120 Wi-Fi Router also features a vast array of ports, including multiple USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports.
However, be aware that the Netgear Nighthawk RAX120 Wi-Fi Router’s cooling system is not great, so it does tend to overheat, especially when the fan is blocked. Moreover, although it has range antennas, they are concealed within the unit and cannot be adjusted for direction, which means that coverage and signal range can be limited.
There you have the 5 best Verizon FiOS compatible routers. We provided you with a good mix of performance and affordability, but of course, the final choice is up to you.