Top 8 Best DD-WRT Router

If you’re in need of a straightforward Wi-Fi that is best for a smooth home experience, the DD-WRT router is certainly for you. This sort of router is an open-source, and Linux-based alternative firmware. The best DD-WRT routers of 2020 are perfect for those who seek to improve and take charge of their home networking hardware. An extensive research will help discover many more facts about the DD-WRT router.

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Best DD-WRT Router Comparison

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A Review of the Best DD-WRT Routers in 2020

1. NETGEAR R7000

NETGEAR as a company is seasoned in manufacturing some of the best wireless routers you can find in the market. Now, the NETGEAR R7000 is a DD-WRT compatible router made by the company. We are a big fan of this router because of its fantastic connection speed. When this router is completely unlocked by the DD-WRT firmware, you’d enjoy a smooth experience.

Key features and specs

• Beamforming technology
• Dual-band router with up to 1900 Mbps (600+1300) speed
• 1GHz Dual Core Processor
• Three high-powered antennas

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2. ASUS AC5300

One of the best routers in today’s market is the AC5300 tri-band router. We love it because it has two bands with a speed of 5Ghz. It also has one with 2.4Ghz. This DD-WRT router rewards owners with stable internet connection. This router covers a maximum range of 5,000 square feet. Moreover, its ASUS’ AiMesh technology allows you to connect to several ASUS routers, which can bolster the range of your WiFi.

Key features and specs

• 1.8GHz, 64bit Quad-Core processor and 4×4 802
• 8 ports
• Dual USB 3.0 connection
• AiMesh technology
• Inbuilt support
• 5,333 Mbps speed

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3. NETGEAR R6700

The Netgear 6700 DD-WRT is another top pick of ours because of its numerous features. It’s beamforming feature ensures reliability and bolsters speed. It has five Ethernet port and one USB port. You can also control this home network via voice command.

Key features and specs

• Beamforming
• WiFi Connections for 2.4 and 5GHz
• Five (1 WAN & 4 LAN) Gigabit Ethernet ports
• One USB 3.0 port
• 450+1300 Mbps speeds
• Dual Core Processor

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4. Linksys WRT AC1900

The DD-WRT AC1900 is an “open source” router. Although it doesn’t look as elegant as other routers, it houses a dual core 1.6GHz processor. This gives you maximum speed over Wi-Fi bands of about 1,900Mbps. It also possesses four antennas, and with a USB 3.0 port.

Key features and specs

• Dual core 1.6 GHz Marvell Processor
• Dual Band AC1900 Mbps
• 4 External Antennas
• Fantastic for 7 to 9 devices for 4k streaming and gaming

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5. NETGEAR R7900

With its 802.11ac Tri-Band Gigabit, you get a router with unmatched . This device rewards owners with fast connections for numerous wireless devices. Beamforming also ensure reliability and gives you a smooth experience.

Key features and specs

• 3.0Gbps
• Tri-Band WiFi—with 450 + 1300 + 1300 Mbps
• Gigabit wired
• Dynamic QoS
• 6 antennas
• 1GHz dual core processor
• 3offload processors

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6. GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2

The GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 is fantastic for travel. Although it appears miniature, it is a pretty impressive router. It is the perfect combination of durability and portability. Need to know more about this router? See its features, pros and cons below.

Key features and specs

• 300Mbps
• 3G/4G USB Modem Compatible
• 128MB RAM
• 16MB Flash ROM
• Two ethernet ports

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7. Linksys WRT AC1200

Linksys is known manufacturer one of the most popular brands in the game. The Linksys AC1200 the manufacturer’s DD-WRT compatible router. It has two detachable and adjustable antennas which bolsters range and connectivity. Its four gigabit ports also does it bit to secure range.

Key features and specs

• Speed of up to 1200 Mbps
• 1.3GHz dual-core CPU
• 2 adjustable and detachable antennas
• Four gigabit ports

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8. DLink EXO AC1750

This EXO offers the combo of great Wi-Fi speed that’s up to 450 Mbps (2.4GHz) plus q300 Mbps (5GHz). It possess new mesh Wi-Fi that gives room easy configuration, management and optimisation.

Key features and specs

• WiFi mesh ready
• Voice control
• Test speed
• Auto update
• Dual core processor

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Things to look for in the best DD-WRT routers

Buying a DD-WRT comes with adequate information. Before making a purchase you need to consider the following factors:

Speed

No one wants a terrible router. Sure you want a router that is fast and won’t disappoint you in the long run. Although DD-WRT routers are not the fastest, ensure you get one that offers optimum speed. So, do well to get a DD-WRT routers whose speed rating is pretty high.

Ports and bands

Before purchasing a router, you should ensure that the device had a good number of ethernet ports. These ports help to hardwire this mission-critical device. Besides, a dual band router is the minimum on the wireless side of your router. You should also future-proof the situation of your router. To do this, choose a router that has other features like multi-User Multiple Input, and Multiple Output (MIMO).

Range

Another crucial aspect you should consider is the range of a wireless router. In simple term, range is a measure of the maximum distance that a router can broadcast signal. Thing is, you most definitely need a router that can broadcast WIFI signal in a wide space or over a vast place.  Although the DD-WRT is not made to increase the range of your router, it makes sure it gets to the maximum range, as much as it can.

Cost

Everyone is concerned about the cash they spend on different products. As a buyer, you should also put cost into consideration. One major determinant you should consider before purchasing a router is that the purchasing measure. How would you resolve cost and quality? Do well to take a deep dive on several routers that are within your pocket. You should consider the router that promises the best value for your budget.

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What are the benefits of DD-WRT routers?

Here, you should know that DD-WRT firmware removes restrictions on a router. How so? It provides advanced capabilities that can reward you with a smooth internet experience.

The following are some of the benefits of owning a  DD-WRT router:

1. It’s Linux-based, non-proprietary firmware offers stability.

2. It’s advanced quality of service is in charge of bandwidth allocation to your numerous network connections.

3. This kind of router has an adjustable antenna strength that helps to bolster your wireless spectrum.

4. It’s WDS wireless bridging, also known as the “Repeater Bridge” mode, allows for easy expansion of one’s network via a second wireless router.

5. It possesses a built-in Domain Name System that speeds up the connection of the router to numerous sites.

6. DD-WRT router has viewable graphs and statistics that reveals the performance of your router. Besides monitoring its network performance, it also measures the bandwidth levels of your device.

7. You can also configure this router as a Wi-Fi hotspot for both your business and neighbors. You can achieve this by utilizing a verification page via the integrated NOCATSPLASH.

8. The DD-WRT router also supports VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network).

9. It has a functional Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server.

10. Lastly, this router allows you to configure OpenVPN connections, directly from the router. This allows you use local network resources, and provides a great way to use the web, limiting other from peeking at your data.

Can upgrading to a DD-WRT router speed up my Internet?

Of course, yes! This happens when a DD-WRT router is used properly. The thing is your router possesses several advanced wireless settings. These settings allow you to boost and extend the range of your wireless signal.

Do well to use your router as the primary access point. Moreover, you should utilize these advanced controls to bolster the strength of your antenna. You could also use your DD-WRT router as a secondary router. This works to boost the signal strength of your primary router.

Most Internet service providers throttle specific services like Netflix. They successfully do this because in the absence of encryption, they have access to the sites you use. Having the ability to see your favorite sites, they go ahead to throttle your activities. There’s a solution to this. Utilizing the strength of a VPN will prevent service providers from seeing your sites, and throttling it.

Another thing you should know is that the DD-WRT router allows you to add and replace to its firmware with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This is because the DD-WRT is an open-source router solution  that allows various third-party wireless routers to function. Besides, some service providers sell DD-WRT routers that are pre-configured for their VPNs. You don’t have to set the VPN yourself.

You can also learn how to configure your DD-WRT router here.

Precautions you should consider

1. DD-WRT routers possess a good number of advanced features. These features have the ability to slow down the speed of some network.
2. In some cases, the features don’t work on all routers.
3. Your router might often reboot when it is performing some actions like re-establishing a WDS link.
4. It mostly contains bugs.
5. More often than not, a DD-WRT is best for advanced users other than newbies in the game. Why? The reason for this is that a DD-WRT router user should have at least a little technical knowledge before you can set up the router and manage it successfully.

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Conclusion

Button line: The NETGEAR R7000 settles as our top pick for the best DD-WRT router of 2020. It offers the combination of fantastic speed, affordable price, and it can cover a vast area. Unlike some DD-WRT routers that offer only little features at an expensive price, this router balances great features for a worthy value.

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