6 Best Routers for Fiber Internet in 2023 [Top Picks]

If you’ve subscribed to ultra-fast internet from Verizon FiOS, Earthlink, CenturyLink, Optimum, Google Fiber, or AT&T Fiber, underwhelming equipment can spoil your experience. To maintain excellent speeds, throughput, and coverage, getting a high-quality Fiber Optic router is necessary.

But then, finding the best router for fiber internet is a bit tricky! You have to browse hundreds of options and select one that best suits your needs. You need to know the networking terms, must-have features, and more.

Fret not. I’ve done all the research and testing on your behalf and got you this list of the top Fiber internet routers for 2023:

1. Best for Fiber 5 Gig: Netgear RAXE500
2. Best for Gaming: ASUS GT-AX11000
3. Best for Streaming: TP-Link AX90
4. Best for Home/Office: Netgear RAX50
5. Best Gigabit Mesh WiFi: Linksys MX8000
6. Best Budget Option: TP-Link AX55

6 Best Routers for Fiber Internet in 2023

Furthermore, the list is prepared by keeping in mind the needs of a diverse user base and budget ranges. Hence, it includes some high-tech premium, reliable mid-range, and budget-friendly option that doesn’t compromise. So, without further ado, let’s get in.

1. Best for Fiber 5 Gig: Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500

Here is probably the fastest fiber-compatible router to exist in the retail space. Nighthawk RAXE500 boasts state-of-the-art specifications like Wi-Fi 6E with an additional 6GHz band, powerful hardware setup, long wireless coverage, and a top speed of 11 Gbps.

Why is it suited for Fiber Internet?

With such high-speed capacity, I tested it with the highest Fiber plan, 5 Gbps by AT&T Fiber, and the results were very impressive. Its 5GHz & 6GHz bands monitored an eye-watering 4.7 Gbps for downloads and 1.7 Gbps for uploads. All thanks to the least network congestion on the new 6GHz band.

All internet tasks feel like a piece of cake, 4K movies were downloaded in a flash. 4.7 Gbps download speed would let you stream Netflix in UHD on 70-80 devices at once. But the best part is its 6GHz backhaul band, so you are bound to get clearer signals throughout the day.

At the same time, I was very content with the performance of the weaker 2.4GHz band. This band’s respective download and upload scores raked at 2.5 Gbps and 785 Mbps, which is even higher than the maximum throughput of most fiber routers. I kept on playing Destiny 2 with my friends for hours but didn’t have any speed drops or hiccups.

Wired Speed

There are four Gigabit LAN ports and one 2.5G WAN port that provides an opportunity for Ethernet backhaul. The latter port even supports multi-gig speeds, and my Dell laptop connected to it got speeds of 4.9 Gbps and 2 Gbps for download speeds. Such are the speeds I haven’t encountered by any routers, and they let you do anything on the internet.

WiFi Coverage & Connections Capacity

RAXE500 is beautifully designed, shaped like an alien mothership, with no protruding antennas. But its 4 powerful internal antennas can extend signals to an area of up to 3,500 Sq Ft, on par with top mesh systems. My 2,500 Sq Ft test centre was completely encased by powerful signals, even in the parking area.

The antennas are further in-built with beamforming technology which blends the signals and sends them to the client device. Besides that, combined with technologies like MU-MIMO and OFDMA, the router sends powerful WiFi signals through walls. So I could experience unmatched speeds on over 40 devices while gaming.

Security Features

Despite being a premium offering, it only integrates basic security features such as WPA3, VPN server, monitoring online time and pausing WiFi. WPA standards let you keep the datasets transferred between the devices encrypted, and the latter lets you access any website without compromising your identity.

But if you want to level up your security, Netgear Armor is a worthy addition. You get features like malware detection, elimination, firewall, and auto-blocking infected websites by sparing a few extra dollars every month. Armor also offers a series of parental controls.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Nighthawk RAXE500 is undoubtedly the best fiber optic router. It ships with many powerful features that take user experience to a new level. However, all of this comes at an exorbitant price, which is understandable, but I had hoped for a few advanced security measures at that price.

Want to know about a specific part? Check out my detailed review of the Netgear RAXE500.

2. Best for Gaming: ASUS ROG Rapture‎ GT-AX11000

If you live by the philosophy of “these go to eleven” then ASUS has the perfect router. ROG Rapture‎ GT-AX11000 has almost every feature one might ask for, be it a powerful processor, the latest technologies, or long wireless coverage. Besides, it’s a gaming router with several gaming-centric features.

And if you’re wondering how it differs from the previous recommendation, this one gets more coverage, has external antennas, is less pricey, and features the same speed capacity but it doesn’t boast a Wi-Fi 6E standard. Instead, it features Wi-Fi 6, and as per this comparison, 6 is almost identical to 6E. That means you’re going to save $100+ with this model!

Why is it suited for Fiber Internet?

Powerful hardware with a 1.8GHz chipset works harmoniously with the combination of tri-band and Wi-Fi 6 to get you faster speeds.

When paired with a 2 Gig Fiber plan, the download and upload speed scores with the 5GHz band were 1.91 Gbps and 654 Mbps, while 1.01 Gbps and 215 Mbps with the 2.4GHz band. Now the speeds were so high, I decided to look at the congestion testing, and the results were very impressive.

For example, I played Overwatch with QoS set to game priority and streamed ten 8K videos on the 5GHz band. The game ran at 111.467 fps, a rate much closer to a wired connection, while video frame rates dropped by just 3.3%, much lower than 35.8% on Ethernet.

Wired Speed

I plugged in my gaming console with the 2.5G WAN port. The download and upload speeds clocked at 1.98 Gbps and 700 Mbps, while the game played out at 113 fps, a tad faster than a wireless connection. So, it would be a safe bet to connect your gaming consoles and laptops to the ports and leave ample bandwidth for wireless connections.

WiFi Coverage & Connections Capacity

GT-AX6000 boasts an aesthetically pleasing design with 8 external antennas deployed circumferentially around its sides. The router had absolutely no trouble encasing my 3,700 Sq Ft 2-story house with strong signals. I moved around the house with my phone and didn’t notice drops in signals even once. The signals were also there in my garden and garage.

Besides, with OFDMA and beamforming technologies, the antennas could send powerful signals to all connected devices. The maximum you can connect up to is 60 devices, beyond which the speeds will start to drop.

Security Features

Unlike my previous recommendation, where premium security features needed a paid subscription, Asus offers it for free with its AiProtection. It boasts some powerful features like malicious website tracking, blocking, preventing unauthorized access, and more.

You also get some helpful parental controls like manually blocking any explicit or dangerous websites, scheduling online time, and monitoring your kids’ online activities.

Conclusion

To sum up, GT-AX6000 is the best gaming router for Fiber Optic internet that delivers top-notch speeds and coverage. It offers every required feature along with lifetime free network security. So, if you’re a professional gamer or power user, then plow away.

3. Best for Streaming: TP-Link Archer AX90

No list of best Fiber Optic routers is complete without including a TP-Link model. Its Archer AX90 is an excellent tri-band routing unit, which for the most part, is a souped-up version of the Archer AX73. Thrown in some excellent features and security, it’s a solid mid-range device available at a great price.

Why is it suited for Fiber Internet?

I tested the throughput of this fiber router on my powerful Dell laptop. Starting on its 5GHz band, I found the second band faster mainly because it has more bandwidth and more channels with less interference.

From 20 feet away, Archer AX90 had a download score of 1.7 Gbps, while uploads clocked at 625 Mbps. That’s quick, but I have tested a few gaming routers which are faster than this, including ASUS GT-AX11000. And AX90 showed its worth, with download speeds of 1.4 Gbps on the first floor. Besides, the tests on its 2.4GHz bands weren’t very successful.

Courtesy of multiple interferences and thick walls, download throughputs raked at around 547 Mbps, while uploads took place at 45 Mbps. But despite such speeds, I could easily play online games like Valorant and GTA V. I streamed 4K content on my phone and laptop without any buffering.

Wired Speed

Now, like most high-speed routers, AX90 boasts five Gig LAN ports and one 2.5G WAN port, letting you experience your games at even higher FPS. You can also do a world of tasks at 1.95 Gbps download speeds and 714 Mbps upload speeds, irrespective of their bandwidth requirement.

WiFi Coverage & Connections Capacity

With 8 tall-standing antennas, you should get maximum coverage of around 2,500 Sq Ft, making it one of the best routers for apartments.

And if you’re looking for more coverage, pair it with OneMesh, which comes with roaming technology for improved performance. Nevertheless, the standalone router can sheath an average-sized home or workspace easily.

AX90 also exhibits a decent connections capability, courtesy of QoS, beamforming, and MU-MIMO technologies. You can connect up to 25 devices concurrently and play games or watch movies without experiencing a speed drop.

Security Features

AX90 has the latest WPA3 security with features like natural password selection, password secrecy, and ease of use. There are also some basic parental controls like monitoring your kids’ online time and pausing the internet if they are spending more time. Like Netgear, TP-Link also allows you to upgrade your security with Homeshield Pro.

Conclusion

Archer AX90 is a feature-packed fiber optic WiFi router that pairs with most fiber internet plans. Other than that, courtesy of its powerful antennas and additional backhaul band, it can penetrate signals through walls and congestion. Its potential drawback is lesser speeds on the 2.4GHz band, which isn’t a big deal.

4. Best for Home/Office: Netgear Nighthawk RAX50

With the right balance of cost, features, and performance, Netgear RAX50 easily gets into the list of fiber-capable wireless routers. Being an upgrade version of RAX40, RAX50 is good for anything from media streamers to online gamers in a medium to large house or workspace.

Why is it suited for Fiber Internet?

RAX50 is one of the premier AX routers that makes the most of the high-performance Wi-Fi 6. Over the week of use, the device is reliable for tasks as big as streaming 4K videos and online gaming or as little as online shopping and email.

On the 5GHz band, the download and upload speeds clocked at 987 Mbps and 247 Mbps, respectively, while on the 2.4GHz, they were around 357 Mbps and 115 Mbps. The best thing about it was the speeds weren’t affected much by distance, and taking my client device 50 feet apart only had 30% speed drops.

Wired Speed

Netgear RAX50 boasts a decent arrangement of ports with four Gigabit LAN ports and one Gigabit WAN port. So, I connected my Dell laptop with one to get download speeds of 955 Mbps and 260 Mbps as upload speeds. And with some extra Mbps in your arsenal, it would be smart to connect your bandwidth-hogging devices.

WiFi Coverage & Connections Capacity

I tested this gigabit fiber router in my grandfather’s 100-year-old house with an area of around 1,800 Sq Ft, and its performance was on par with my expectations. It encased the entire house with strong signals. The maximum range it can cover is around 2,200 Sq Ft. Find the best location for your router and get quality signals everywhere.

With the available speeds, you can stream 4K movies on 15 devices concurrently without buffering or shop online and browse social media on 22-25 devices.

Security Features

Security isn’t something that’s exceptional in this device, and you get features like WPA2 and VPN-passthrough. I reckon that’s potentially enough for your residential settings. But if you are on a quest for added protection, get a subscription to Netgear Armor.

Conclusion

Netgear RAX50 combines the power of Wi-Fi 6 with powerful hardware and the latest technologies. But lesser speed support and outputs than my previous recommendation pushed it down the list.

5. Best Gigabit Mesh WiFi: Linksys MX8000

If you are tired of WiFi dead zones in a large house or commercial setting and need a powerful Gigabit-capable mesh system, then your quest is over with Linksys MX8000. An aggregated speed of 4000 Mbps and maximum coverage of 5,400 Sq Ft makes it a complete package. These features, alongside others, make it a viable upgrade over Linksys AX2200.

Why is it suited for Fiber Internet?

Featuring the latest dual-band Wi-Fi 6 support, this Linksys mesh supports Gig-level Fiber internet plans. In my tests, the maximum download and upload speeds raked at around 907 Mbps and 35 Mbps, respectively. While moving the client devices 50 feet away from the router, dipped the respective speeds by 30% to 615 Mbps and 20 Mbps.

All the tests were carried out on the 5GHz band. Also, the respective speeds for the 2.4GHz band were 467 Mbps and 15 Mbps. The speeds and powerful hardware make it ideal for streaming your favorite movies, videos, or music in UHD/4K quality.

Wired Speed

Besides, MX8000 is one of the few mesh systems with multiple ethernet ports. You get three Gig LAN ports on each node and an option to create a wired mesh network. And 980 Mbps as the maximum download speed is what you can expect from it, along with 60 Mbps as the upload speed. Such a setup allowed me to play games on multiple devices concurrently at 110 FPS without hiccups or lags.

WiFi Coverage & Connections Capacity

With a rated coverage of 5,400 Sq Ft, Linksys takes a few steps ahead of its competitors. Its 6 powerful beamforming internal antennas can penetrate signals through thick metal frames or concrete walls.

The tests in my 3,700 Sq Ft house and around 50 devices connected panned out really well. Trust me on this, the speeds were almost similar all around. And unsurprisingly, no dead spots were left inside the space.

Other than that, the Intelligent Mesh technology the device uses further boosts its data transmission capacity. In simple words, the devices in the garage or garden won’t have to wait very long to receive signals. Added to it, the next-gen OFDMA technology, the network flow remains constant in your big house, and your gameplay experience should get a boost.

Security Features

Security is where this mesh system severely lacks behind major players like Netgear Orbi RBK753S and Asus ZenWiFi XD6. You won’t get any advanced security features for free, nor there’s an option to upgrade the security by paying something extra.

A basic WPA3 security standard keeps your transferred data and user credentials safe. Moreover, it includes basic parental controls like schedule pauses, manual website block, and WiFi pausing but doesn’t have the option to set granular age-based filters.

Conclusion

Linksys MX8000 is a reliable mesh router to use with Fiber internet. It feels absolutely no trouble sending signals throughout space. Easy installation, basic security features, and other aspects add to its unique selling point. But the lack of advanced security and expensive price tag takes away a few brownie points.

For more details about this mesh system, read my full review of the Linksys MX8000.

6. Best Budget Option: TP-Link Archer AX55

TP-Link Archer AX55 is a great choice if you’re on a quest for a fiber optic WiFi router with reliable specs that don’t dig a hole in your pocket. Now with a new Qualcomm chip, Wi-Fi 6, and Homeshiled security, it becomes better than Archer AX50 in every aspect. So let’s find out in detail what this budget device offers.

Why is it suited for Fiber Internet?

AX55 has significantly improved over AX50 in terms of speeds and, more importantly, stability. It delivers replicable and consistent performance, even under stress for a week.

On the 5GHz band over the Fiber 500 Mbps plan, the download speed scores were 478 Mbps, and 25 Mbps were the upload speeds. On the 2.4GHz band, respective speeds were 215 Mbps and 10 Mbps. Compared to other TP-Link routers, it performed better than AX20, but there was a huge gap in the Archer AX73 performance.

But the speed output lets you take over any high-bandwidth tasks and complete them in no time. I even played Fortnite with my friends and watched 4K movies on Netflix without any hiccups or lags.

Wired Speed

Connecting your devices directly to the router with Ethernet ports provides you with a few extra Mbps, which you can utilize to take up some additional tasks.

WiFi Coverage & Connections Capacity

Although the company hasn’t mentioned anything about the coverage, my tests in the 1,800 Sq Ft house yielded positive results. All the pre-existing dead zones were gone, and I could stream my favorite shows in my room, located two walls away from the router. Besides, connecting 15 devices left no stress on the router, and all client devices ran at a similar speed, courtesy of an integrated MU-MIMO.

Security Features

Like most of my recommendations, its basic security feature includes WPA2/WPA3 mixed security standards. But the company lets you enjoy other advanced features by paying just $6 a month. Other than that, the free parental controls include monitoring total online time and switching off the network.

Conclusion

If you want a low-cost yet a good router for Fiber internet that comes with Wi-Fi 6 and all the essential features, Archer AX55 is the way to go. A plethora of advanced features, such as MU-MIMO, OFDMA, and more, make it a good investment. However, lower speeds and coverage than other models push it to the bottom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

Fibre optic internet has the fastest of plans and is super easy to set up. Just plug in and go! And with the Fiber routers I reviewed above, it should be a walk in the park. I hope you pick the one that best suits your needs. But if you are still confused, here are my suggestions:

• I feel that the best router for Fiber Optic Internet is Netgear RAXE500. Although the costliest, features like Wi-Fi 6E, 6GHz band, and powerful hardware makes it a worthy investment.
• Now, people with a constrained budget should get a mid-tier Netgear RAX50. It supports a 1 Gbps Fiber plan and gets you faster enough speed to execute bandwidth-intensive tasks.
• Last but not least, for people who want to have the reliability of Fiber internet but do not have much to spend, TP-Link AX55 is a viable option. A 500 Mbps plan can deliver decent enough download and upload speeds.

With that, I’d bid adieu. Tell me in the comments below about your chosen router, or you can mention any queries or doubts regarding these.