9 Best Wired Routers in 2023 [Seamless Secured Connections]

If you are aiming for a consistent home network, you must consider getting the wired routers in addition to the more obvious wireless options. Nothing against the standard wireless routers but the wired variants are better bets if you need stable speeds, hardwired security standards, and the ability to pair multiple ISP plans at once.

Plus, they can be handy networking resources if you are into vast IT networks, hardcore professional gaming, and online streaming — tasks that cannot afford volatile connections. Not just that, they are easy to set up, compatible with almost every ISP, offer excellent speeds, and boast security safeguards like DoS protection, IP filtering, and SPI firewall.

But if you are a newbie, identifying a good wired router can get tricky. If you aren’t aware of the router specs, you often end up getting a device with lesser WAN ports, restricted LAN ports, no multi-gig port for advanced gaming, subpar wireless capabilities in case you need to connect devices, and basic security safeguards.

Plus, there are fewer choices to look for in the market, making it even harder to locate the perfect wired router for the job. Lack of clarity and the associated pain points are the reasons why I have initiated this discussion in the first place; putting together a detailed list of wired routers, according to the specs sheet and budget.

9 Best Wired Routers of 2023

For what it’s worth, wired routers are extremely capable networking assets, especially if your work involves consistent internet speeds and minimal attenuation. In the subsequent segments, I’ve listed out the top 9 routers, currently retailing in the existing space, simply to make your search, a wholesome one.

As far as the listing is concerned, I have stacked some of the more beefed-up routers at the beginning followed by the mid-rangers and eventually concluded the same with standard, budget-specific devices that are good enough for low-bandwidth workspaces.

1. Best Overall: Ubiquiti EdgeRouter 4

The Ubiquiti EdgeRouter 4 is arguably the most powerful wired router on the list, courtesy of three LAN ports and other functional orifices in play. From an unbiased perspective, this product is best suited if you want to connect a small office space to the internet, with minimum connection drops.

Also, the EdgeRouter 4 trumps the older EdgeRouter Pro, courtesy of a new and improved quad-core chipset, capable of amplifying performances by at least 50 percent.

Why is it best suited?

This metal-clad router is relatively sleek with dimensions set at 9.02 x 5.37 x 1.22 inches. The standard rectangular form factor keeps heat dissipation to a minimum, which is one of the primary reasons for purchasing this as the router of choice.

However, the biggest reason for buying this 1.75-pound router is the availability of four high-speed ports, including 3 Ethernet slots for connecting to gaming consoles like Xbox One, Sony PlayStation, and smart TVs, and one SFP port with Gig capabilities and improved power efficiency.

As far as the port bandwidth is concerned, each connection is capable of throughputs reaching 10/100/1000Mbps, depending on the ISP.

Suggested Read:

• Best Routers for Xbox One
• Best Routers for PlayStation 4/5

Speed & Performance

The EdgeRouter 4 allows you to reach maximum data transfer rates of 4Gbps. Driving the excellent speeds is the MIPS64 chipset, clocking at 1GHz. The snappy processor along with high-speed ports, 1GB RAM, and 4GB eMMC storage makes this router good enough for low-latency gaming, lag-free video conferencing, and setting up a wide service provider network whilst deploying this as a switch.

Security Features

Coming to the security safeguards, Ubiquiti boasts comprehensive firewall policies for granular IP filtering. Plus, the NAT rules are quite comprehensive, allowing you to change packet addressing insights as per the source and even destination.

Other relevant attributes include VLAN support, static routing protocols, QoS support for prioritizing network access, and even the DPI protocol for better packet identification.

Conclusion

Overall, the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter 4 is the best wired gigabit router, boasting advanced network monitoring attributes and highly seasoned routing features. Also, as compared to other routers on the list, the rack mount functionality and app-based setup and control make the EdgeRouter a standout performer.

2. Best Wired VPN Router: Linksys LRT214

If you are planning to connect every important device to the internet using wires, the Linksys LRT214 has to be your wired router of choice. This is the perfect large business networking resource, courtesy of the evolved security standards, led by a DMZ port to protect internet networks.

Why is it best suited?

This router comes equipped with 6 ports, 4 of which are Gig-level Ethernet slots that connect to the smart devices and gaming consoles. There are two WAN ports in play for connecting multiple ISPs and accessing multi-gig speeds.

Plus, the router is aesthetically appealing with dimensions standing at 7.52 x 5.12 x 1.57 inches. Not to mention the 1.58-pound weight that is still quite manageable for someone looking to carry this router around.

Speed & Performance

From a theoretical perspective, this router allows you to reach maximum speeds of up to 4Gbps. For protected networking, i.e. with firewall activated, you can reach speeds of up to 900Mbps, whereas the IPSec tunneling throughput stands limited at 110Mbps.

What adds to the functionality of this router is the VLAN tagging; a feature that allows data packets to move freely across secured VLANs, thereby making remote work possible.

Security Features

The LRT214 from Linksys comes equipped with a full security suite, including OpenVPN support, an integrated firewall with URL filtering flexibility, and the ability to set almost 55 secure tunnels via IPSec and OpenVPN functionality.

Plus, the interactive web interface supports easy setup and ensures that businesses do not require external administrators to manage the existing router.

Conclusion

The Linksys LRT214 is one of the more formidable VPN routers on the list, with the IPv6 support and excellent Firewall making it outwit other products on the list, in terms of business-specific utility.

3. Best Cisco Router for Home: Cisco RV160

Staying connected with different network components via a dedicated dashboard can be quite productive for smaller businesses. If you have similar requirements, the Cisco RV160 is the perfect wired router to consider for homes and MSMEs.

I would recommend the same over the likes of the Nighthawk Smart router, owing to the better-wired throughput and an optional 802.11ac standard for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz access.

Why is it best suited?

This router comes equipped with four Ethernet ports, including one standard Gig-level WAN port and three LAN ports. Not to mention the availability of the SFP port for faster and more power-efficient data transfers.

As far as the structural presence is concerned, this router is quite easy to carry around. Coming to the dimensions, the RV160 measures 11.26 x 9.75 x 4.1 inches, which is in line with user expectations! At 1.39 pounds, this router is pretty light and one of the portable products on the list.

Speed & Performance

As far as the cumulative speeds are concerned, this router is capable of reaching maximum speeds of up to 4Gbps. But then, if you are looking for more secured access, 600Mbps of NAT throughput is something you can expect followed by 50Mbps of IPSec tunneling speeds.

However, purchasing this functional router lets you deploy the same as a standard router with 802.11ac standard, network switch for expanding the local area network, and even as a data hub or rather an access point for setting up an office-specific internet canopy.

Other performance-driven use cases for the same include functionality as a restaurant-specific router, small business networking device, and a home-office internet outliner.

Security Features

Cisco takes router security seriously by bringing in innovative features like Guest Wi-Fi support, IPSec tunnels to improve website-to-website connectivity, and the Cisco Umbrella for keeping privacy breaches to an absolute minimum.

Conclusion

Overall, if you are interested in a standard VPN-powered wired router for home network that comes with an SFP switch and the ability to establish around 10 IPSec tunnels for encrypted usage, the Cisco RV160 is the one to go with. Plus, when compared to other routers, its holistic wireless capabilities, courtesy of two protruding external antennas, make it stand out.

4. Best PoE Support: Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X

The EdgeRouter X from Ubiquiti is one of the better wired routers on the list if you are interested in PoE connectivity to make data transfers even more holistic. However, configuring this router isn’t exactly straightforward and it would be recommended to use the same for setting up clandestine business hubs and gateways.

Also, as compared to the premium EdgeRouter 4, the EdgeRouter X is one of the better bets if you want a device with a dedicated PoE pass-through port, for keeping the smart cameras and VoIP phones powered on, without an external power source. 

Why is it best suited?

This is probably the top wired router on the list if some of the devices you need to connect to do not have dedicated power sources. Plus, this router measures 5.59 x 2.95 x 0.91 inches and weighs close to 0.5 pounds, making it easily one of the lighter routers on the list.

But then, it is the port arrangement that steals the show, courtesy of the 5 data transfer ports, including two PoE slots. Also, the data transfers are initiated at maximum speeds of up to 1000Mbps provided the ISP permits the same.

Speed & Performance

As per the system setup, this router is more than capable of reaching theoretical throughput of almost 5Gbps. However, the hands-on speeds are still dependent on the plans offered by the internet service provider and also the hardware setup of the EdgeRouter X.

At the core, you get a standard dual-core chipset, working in tandem with 256MB of RAM and 256MB of NAND storage for storing the configuration details. Therefore, if you plan on setting up an IoT module indoors and only have bandwidth-intensive devices to deal with, this is the perfect router to consider as it cuts through congestion, rather seamlessly.

Security Features

The NAT and Firewall rules are at par with any premium router. Plus, you get access to network monitoring and administration support for having better control of the network. However, I was quite happy with the multiple routing protocols in play, which allow you to set networking priorities, depending on the complexity of the task at hand. 

Conclusion

Overall, the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X is one of the better wired routers on the list that outpaces other products with a few elusive traits up its sleeve, including the DHCP support, QoS functionality, and an intuitive UI for a seamless setup.

5. Best Multi-WAN Router: TP-Link Safestream

The TP-Link Safestream is one wired router in play that can help you connect multiple ISPs with ease. Therefore, I would recommend this device for setting up smaller offices as your one ISP plan might not be enough to cover multiple devices.

Not to mention the diverse benefits of this router over the likes of the TL-SG105 that is primarily a switch and splitter with minimal routing capabilities.

Why is it best suited?

The Safestream from TP-Link makes the cut owing to the availability of 5 ports, with one being a fixed LAN followed by a fixed WAN port, and the remaining three being interchangeable units for better compatibility. However, the maximum wired bandwidth for the same is 100Mbps across each port.

Plus, this router measures 6.2 x 4.0 x 1.0 inches when it comes to dimensions and weighs close to 0.25 pounds, making it one of the more portable units on the list.

Speed & Performance

Based on the wired throughput, this router can muster maximum speeds of up to 500Mbps. However, as you are dealing with wired connections, network congestion is hardly a factor, more so with fast processing, 128MB RAM, and 16MB of flash storage added into the mix.

As far as the use cases are concerned, Proxy and snooping support make this router good enough for setting up business data hubs.

Security Features

The security standards are pretty diversified with session limiter, bandwidth controller, DoS defense, and MAC binding support being the most obvious traits in play. Plus, this is one of the few routers to offer load balancing support for helping the router automatically detect the most prior tasks that need internet access.

Conclusion

To sum it up, the TP-Link Safestream outwits other products on the list with its static routing functionalities and the ability to pair multiple ISP plans at once.

6. Best for Home Network: D-Link DSR-250

If you have a multi-gig internet plan in place, there is no better wired router for setting up an entertainment savvy home than the D-Link DSR-250. Plus, you can even consider this product for low-latency online gaming, without losing sleep over security concerns.

Also, as compared to the mid-range DSR-150, the DSR-250 seems like a better bet owing to the significantly higher firewall throughput.

Why is it best suited?

This router appears on the list, courtesy of 8 Gig LAN ports. Plus, you also get access to a standalone WAN port and a standard USB port for sharing data between networks. Also, if you plan on using this product as a switch, it is possible to set close to 20k concurrent connections.

Also, this is one of the lighter routers around at close to 0.3 pounds, with dimensions set at 4.75 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches. Plus, the surface dissipates heat like a pro, despite handling an overwhelming volume of work.

Speed & Performance

The D-Link DSR-250 is capable of reaching 8Gbps of theoretical speeds. However, if you are planning to use it for business networks, it is the 750Mbps of firewall throughput that makes a difference. Also, you can opt for secure VPN access with 50Mbps of throughput.

Other performance-enhancing traits include QoS support for selecting the most bandwidth-intensive devices, Dynamic DNS selection, and more.

Security Features

Besides VPN implementation, point-to-point secured tunneling, and IPSec support, this router comes with additional security safeguards for the business setups, including GRE and URL filtering. Not to mention the interactive web interface that supports seamless router setup and configuration.

Conclusion

To sum it up, the 8 port wired router from D-Link clearly stands apart from the rest courtesy of multiple Ethernet ports, which allow you to pair almost every bandwidth-intensive device in the room to the internet.

7. Best Value for Money: TP-Link ER605

For the given price point, there aren’t many wired routers that can compete with the TP-Link ER605. Most importantly, this model competes directly with TP-Link’s AC1750, but I feel that the ER605 makes a better claim to the top spot, courtesy of the additional set of WAN ports.

Not just that, I feel that this router is the best possible choice for someone who wants to experience multiple Gig internet plans from different ISPs, without having to compromise on the budget.

Why is it best suited?

This router makes room for one dedicated LAN and one dedicated WAN port, whereas the remaining ports can be used, in any given way, depending on your preferences. Most importantly, each port supports wired bandwidth of up to 1000Mbps.

As far as the aesthetics are concerned, this is quite a handy router to have, with dimensions reading 6.22 x 3.94 x 1 inches and weight fixed at 0.79 pounds.

Speed & Performance

While the maximum speeds are set at 4Gbps, you can expect acceptable firewall throughput of up to 800Mbps. Most importantly, this router lets you set up an SDN network for select businesses, which is highly secure and efficient in terms of managing throughput.

Other relevant specs related to this router include remote access and the ability to work as an access point or a network expanding switch.

Security Features

When it comes to security standards, the ER605 readily scales beyond other selections, courtesy of DoS defense, URL filtering, advanced firewall support, secure VPN implementation, and the ability to connect securely to the IPSec tunnels, at acceptable speeds.

In addition to the mentioned traits, TP-Link also makes room for load balancing support, VLAN for better traffic management, auto channel adjustment, and seamless network monitoring.

Conclusion

To sum it up, the TP-Link is probably the only router on the list with support for multiple WAN ports, and that too without letting go of Gig bandwidth access. Also, when compared with other routers on the list, the ER605 scales beyond others courtesy of the full gamut of security safeguards.

8. Best with SFP Port: MikroTik hEX S

Not many wired routers on the list offer multi-Gig support and this is the reason why MikroTik hEX S features on the list, as one of the preferred routers for an improved gaming experience. Also, this router competes directly with the wireless MikroTik hEX RB750Gr3 but comes out on top owing to the built-in PoE support.

Why is it best suited?

While there are many wired routers on the list to feature PoE support, the MikroTik hEX S makes a lasting impression, courtesy of the high-speed SFP port that is capable of transferring data at 1.25Gbps, provided the ISP permits the same in the first place. Apart from that, you have 5 Gig Ethernet ports to work with, followed by a decent firewall transfer rate of up to 470Mbps.

Most importantly, this product boasts a desktop-friendly structure, measuring 4.45 x 3.5 x 1.1 inches and weighing close to 0.75 pounds.

Speed & Performance

While the router promises on-paper throughput of up to 6.25Gbps, I could test it for 470Mbps with the Firewall access and encryption turned on. However, driving these performances is the 880MHz, dual-core SoC, and 256MB of RAM.

In addition to these attributes, you also get access to a standard USB 2.0 for data sharing across networks and the Dude Server setup for monitoring and managing the MikroTik network remotely.

Security Features

MikroTik boasts IPSec tunneling as a part of the security suite followed by standard VPN configuration. What furthers the performance of this router is the RouterOS compatibility followed by the availability of microSD support.

Conclusion

The MikroTik hEX S lives up to most of my expectations, especially with a multi-Gig port in play. This SFP port is also the reason why some of you might be inclined towards purchasing this router over some of the other products on the market.

9. Best Budget-Friendly: TRENDnet 4-port

The TRENDnet 4-port is a simple yet efficient router that hardly costs a dime. For the given price, you still get a decent enough router that can be used for emailing, standard gaming, and basic business processes.

Also, as compared to older TRENDnet wired routers, this model boasts selective duplex ports to manage directional data transfer better.

Why is it best suited?

This router from TRENDnet makes it to the list, courtesy of the 5 port setup with four Ethernet slots boasting Auto-MDIX functionality. Plus, this product weighs close to 0.35 pounds and measures 6 x 4.3 x 1.3 inches, making it one of the slimmest and lightest on the list.

Not to mention the 100Mbps of maximum port bandwidth, regardless of the Firewall and IPSec transmission.

Speed & Performance

Coming to the data transfer rates, this router promises 400Mbps of cumulative throughput whereas I could only test the same for 100Mbps as NAT throughput. Other performance-specific traits include port forwarding support, 20 static routing selections, Dynamic DNS selection, and UPnP support for seamless setup and configuration.

Security Features

As far as the security standards are concerned, you get access to VPN pass-through, URL filtering support, and firewall configuration for keeping online threats out.

Conclusion

Overall, the TRENDnet 4-Port router is one of the more valued wired routers on the list, courtesy of the competitive price tag and unfailing support to almost 253 devices, for being connected to a standalone ISP plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

Wired routers aren’t easy to find. While some are strictly programmed to support wired connections, there are a few with comprehensive or even single-band wireless support. However, I have narrowed down the search further by tapering down the list according to a handful of vital use cases:

• If you seek a comprehensive router for small and mid-size office setups with equal focus on wireless support, the Cisco RV160 seems like a relevant choice
• For excellent wired throughput and OpenVPN access, there isn’t a better product than the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter 4
• However, if you seek additional PoE support with Gig bandwidth in play, the EdgeRouter X is still the best option available
• Finally, if you want multi-WAN support and that too with 1000Mbps of port throughput in play, the TP-Link ER605 is the better bet

Apart from the listed options, you can pick any other wired router of choice, depending on the number of LAN ports, security standards and their relevance to the tasks at hand, and certainly the budget.