What Wi-Fi router should a small office buy?
Published
Short answer: For most small offices, skip the single consumer router. Buy a business-grade setup instead: a router (or gateway) plus one or more access points, supporting at least Wi-Fi 6 and WPA3, with a cable to each access point where you can run one. Choose Wi-Fi 6E or 7 only if your computers and phones support them, and size the system to your space and walls, not your internet speed.
How to choose
- Start with the space, not the internet plan. Walls, floors and distance decide coverage. Plan for an access point in each area where people work, rather than one router trying to reach every desk.
- Pick the Wi-Fi generation. Wi-Fi 6 is a sensible minimum. Wi-Fi 6E adds the 6 GHz band, which gives more room and less interference. Wi-Fi 7, introduced in 2024, adds wider channels and can use more than one band at once for up to twice the throughput of Wi-Fi 6.
- Check your devices can use it. You only get 6E or 7 speeds on devices whose own Wi-Fi adapters support them. On Windows, Wi-Fi 7 needs Windows 11 version 24H2 or later. To see what a PC supports, run "netsh wlan show drivers" in a Command Prompt.
- Use cables between access points where you can. An access point connected to the router by an Ethernet cable is faster and more reliable than one relaying the signal wirelessly. Mesh systems are fine where running cable isn't practical.
- Insist on these security features. WPA3 encryption, a separate guest network for visitors and personal devices, the ability to change the admin password, automatic firmware updates, and the option to turn off WPS.
- Choose something you can manage in one place. Business systems let you see, update and change every access point from one app or dashboard, so adding a room or changing a password is done once for the whole office.
When to call a pro
Call a pro if you have more than one floor, thick walls or brick, a lot of video calls, or you're not sure where cable can run. An On-site Visit ($119) is enough to test coverage and recommend equipment, and we don't sell hardware, so the advice isn't a sales pitch. Installing a new office network is an Office Setup ($249 remote / $299 on site).
Related: Wi-Fi and networking · Prices · More guides
Sources
- Wi-Fi Alliance: Wi-Fi 6, 6E and 7
- Microsoft: Faster and more secure Wi-Fi in Windows
- CISA: Home Network Security
- CISA: Securing Wireless Networks
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