5 Best Routers for Nintendo Switch in 2021 (Reviews and Guide)

With a flurry of Nintendo Switch gaming devices hitting the market every few months, each better than the last because of all the new features incorporated into the new designs, choosing the best option for you might be a huge challenge, especially because you are always looking for the next big thing.

Take the current market, for example, some gamers swear by the original Switch, then there is the recent release of Nintendo Switch Lite, and the anticipated release of Nintendo Switch Pro. With these and many other options on the market, even the most accomplished gamers would find it hard to settle on one Nintendo Switch.

However, my years of experience show that even with the flurry of conflicting and sometimes confusing information, the biggest mistake you could make would be in the lines of gaming routers.

While the choice of the best Switch model will depend on several considerations, the one mistake you cannot afford to make is to buy the wrong router.  You need to make sure that you have the best router for your Nintendo Switch.

In this review, we’ll look at all the best options of routers for Nintendo Switch. Keep reading for the details.

Comparison Table: Best Routers for Nintendo Switch

Best Routers for Nintendo Switch	Best For	Speed	WiFi Protocol	Price
Asus RT-AX88U	Best Nintendo Switch Gaming Router	6Gbps	802.11ax	Check Price
TP-Link Archer AC5400X Tri-Band Gaming Router	Best Tri-Band Gaming Router	5.4Gbps	802.11ax	Check Price
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000	Highest Speed Gaming Router	11Gbps	802.11ax	Check Price
NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR700 WiFi Router	Best Gaming Performance	7.2Gbps	802.11ac/ad	Check Price
Netgear Nighthawk AX4	Budget-Friendly Gaming Router	3Gbps	802.11ax	Check Price

 

Best Routers for Nintendo Switch

These routers are the best gaming routers, and they will ensure that you play without any delays. They are also designed to ensure the best level of multiplayer gaming online.

1. AsusRT-AX88U – Best Nintendo Switch Gaming Router

A high-speed WiFi 6 router that comes loaded with some of the most robust features and software, all powered by a solid 1.8GHz quad-core processor with 256MB flash memory and 1GB RAM, this router is one of the best routers on the market today. The router comes with all the features you might be looking for in a gaming router, and then some.

It is a powerful 4×4 AX6000 gaming router that boasts high data rates of up to 1148Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and higher speeds of 4804Mbps on the 5GHz band. Speaking of WiFi 6, you will be happy to know that this WiFi protocol, also known as the High-Efficiency Wireless (HE) or the 802.11ax protocol is the latest WiFi protocol and it boasts significantly high/ increased throughout speeds, bigger client capacity, less network congestion, and a wider range.

But that is not all that the WiFi 6 protocol has to offer, and this technology comes with additional features/ configurations, including OFDMA/ Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access, a function that further boosts the performance of the router by breaking down the WiFi channels into more dedicated sub-channels. As a result, this setup would allow for the sharing of the channel by as many as 30 users.

The other unique features on this protocol include the Target Wake Time/ TWT, designed to reduce power consumption, QoS for bandwidth optimization; as well as MU-MIMO streaming, also for easy usage by multiple users. Note that this router is backward compatible with older devices.

The other features that make this Asus RT-A88U one of the best gaming routers include the eight Gigabit LAN (Ethernet) ports on the rear, one WAN port, a WPS button, and a USB 3.1 port. The LAN ports allow for a stable wired connection to your gaming console, PCs, etc.

You might also like the fact that this router supports a 160MHz channel bandwidth, Smart Connect, that will automatically choose the best radio band to ensure optimal throughput. It’s also Asus AiMesh-compatible, which means that you could use this router along with other Asus routers to create a larger, whole-home WiFi system that boasts the best roaming.

The other features of this router include USB storage settings, traffic analyzer, Guest networking, AiCloud settings, and adaptive QoS.

While all the features covered above are essential for a good gaming experience, it’s not all that it offers. As one of the best gaming routers, this router is designed to offer the best possible gaming experience hence the WTFast routing tech that ensures low pings and reduced latency by seeking out the shortest, most secure paths between the game server and the gaming device. It also offers access to the Gamers’ Private Network thanks to the GameBoost function, all effective in enhancing the router’s power.

Pros

• High speeds of 6Gbps
• Excellent gaming performance
• It’s easy to install
• Comes with 8 LAN ports for wired connections
• Robust QoS settings for bandwidth optimization
• Advanced malware protection
• WiFi 6 system, hence higher speeds, larger clients’ capacity, and improved throughput

Cons

• Expensive
• Few AX clients

View Price on Amazon

2. TP-Link Archer AC5400X Tri-Band Gaming Router – Best Tri-Band Gaming Router

While the 2.4GHz band is the most popular frequencies used, it is not the most powerful band, especially if you are a gamer because it gets very crowded often.

The 5GHz band, on the other hand, is the least crowded band, and though it doesn’t have coverage as wide as the 2.4GHz band, the high speeds make it a good option for heavy internet use, for example, gaming. This also means that you get to enjoy the best gaming performance if your router is closer to the router.

But what happens when you need a more dedicated band for specific applications, for example, your multi-player Nintendo Switch? Well, in such cases, you’ll need an additional band, which is why the tri-band design of this router is a huge win for me.

The tri-band system means that you have access to one more 5GHz band dedicated to gaming on Switch. Note that this router is designed to run at 1000Mbps on the 2.4GHz band, and the two 5GHz bands run at 2167Mbps, respectively.

The other features that make this router an excellent pick for Switch gamers include the powerful 1.8GHz 64Bit Quad-core processor and the 1GB RAM that will accelerate the router’s loading.

Then you have the eight Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections, one Gigabit WAN port, as well as Link Aggregation that allows you to combine two Ethernet ports for higher connection speeds. Airtime Fairness and MU-MIMO enhance the response times and also maximizes the total throughput.

It also features additional features like RangeBoost for a high-strength reception, and Beamforming, which allows for sending of targeted WiFi, keeping all your devices connected. It also features Dynamic QoS for dynamic optimization and traffic prioritization, hence the reduction/ elimination of latency.

Pros

• 8 LAN ports for wired connections
• Powerful 1.8GHz quad-core processor
• Easy operation
• Great 5GHz dual-band speeds
• Large coverage
• 8 Antennas for improved performance and coverage
• MU-MIMO, Beamforming, QoS, Airtime Fairness enhance its performance

Cons

• The 2.4GHz speeds could be better
• Not future proof

View Price on Amazon

3. ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 – Highest Speed Gaming Router

Next up is the Asus ROG Rapture AX11000, a router designed for all the serious gaming minds around, thanks to its super-high internet speeds. Whether you the most serious gamer around or you need the most powerful router to ensure the best internet connectivity throughout your large home, this router has your back.

Running on the WiFi 6 protocol, this router is, without doubt, the fastest router on the market. It boasts great performance at close range, and the performance only gets better with distance, which is why this router is a good option for anyone looking for the perfect router for large spaces. The only caveat is that you will pay more for this router.

Its gargantuan design boasts eight screw-on antennas that will easily rotate/ swivel, and its soft, rubber feet will protect furniture. You cannot mount it on the wall, though.

It is a tri-band 802.11ax router whose design taps into all the latest WiFi technologies, such as OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access), as well as the dynamic frequency selection function with the ability to make use of any one of the 15 (fifteen) 5GHz bands, giving you access to the clearest signal—powering all that is the router’s 1.8GHz quad-core processor, 256MB storage space, and 1GB RAM.

Thanks to the powerful processor, this router pushes on high internet connection speeds of 4,8Gbps on each of the 5GHz bands and 1.2Gbps on the 2.4GHz band. It’s also been rated highly in terms of its overall speeds that peak at 10.8Gbps on the WiFi 6 system.

As a gamer, this router will bring all your dreams to life thanks to its low-latency design, which will blow away all alien attacks, four downstream Gigabit Ethernet ports for faster-wired connections, along with one 2.5Gigabit Base T-Ethernet which further boasts the router’s connections.

Then you have LED indicators on the exterior (front) of the router, and these will tell you whatever is happening inside the router at all times.

The security functions of this router are also designed to keep everything in perfect working condition, with the Asus Gamers’ Private Network allowing you to enjoy a lower latency while eliminating potential packet losses. Unfortunately, it lacks the geo-filtering feature, which would reduce lags.

Pros

• AiMesh-compatible
• Parental control and advanced security features
• Adaptive QoS for bandwidth prioritization
• Great performance
• Several customization options
• 5G Ethernet port for enhanced wired connections’ performance
• The overall performance increases with the distance
• Fast WiFi 6 router with a large client capacity
• Ease of use
• High speeds of 10.8Gbps

Cons

• Pricey
• Bulky
• No wall mounting option

View Price on Amazon

4. NETGEAR Nighthawk ProGaming XR700 WiFi Router – Best Gaming Performance

As the name suggests, Netgear Nighthawk’s XR700 is one of the best pro-gaming routers in the market, which offers top WiFi speeds, along with robust data-sharing tools, reliable firewall, as well as the best networking software on the market. It’s also designed to offer excellent coverage in a large home, and its wired connections offer high speeds reaching 10Gbps.

One of the features that stands out from this router is the wedge-shaped and its black swooping strip, as well as the top inset mesh, which prevents overheating if it’s overused. These design features mean that you have a router that will look good anywhere in your house. You might also like it because of the recessed insets allowing for easy wall mounting.

This XR700 features a 1.7GHz quad-core processor, 512MB storage, and 1GB RAM. And since it is a tri-band router, it offers reliable speeds of 800Mbps on the 2.4GHz band, 1733Mbps on the 5GHz band, and on the 60GHz band, speeds of 4600Mbps. All these leave you with top speeds of 7.2Gbps. It also comes with six Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections.

Note that all the features of this router, including its dynamic QoS, are designed to enhance your gaming traffic, reduce network congestion, as well as lag spikes, jitters, and jumps. And since it has a geo-filter, you get to connect with the Switch players that are closest to you – this means domination and faster response times.

You might also like this router because it makes it very easy for you to monitor the game pings and network performance, all in real-time, meaning that is someone is hogging your bandwidth, you will know about it.

The connection to the most secure gaming VPN server means a higher level of protection for your network.

Pros

• Stabilized pings and reduced lag spikes, hence the best level network performance.
• Easy setup
• Simple system monitoring
• 7Gigabit ports for wired connections
• High-performance 10-Gigabit SFP+ for blazing speeds and easy NAS streaming.
• Port aggregation for higher gaming power
• Powerful processor
• AD WiFi system means smooth gaming and reduced network congestion
• Easy prioritization of gaming traffic
• Geo-Filter for improved connection and lag elimination
• Impressive tri-band design
• Dashboard comes with extras
• Great data-sharing tools

Cons

• Expensive
• Switching between the two interfaces is awkward
• Bulky

View Price on Amazon

5. NetgearNighthawk AX4 – Budget-Friendly Gaming Router

WiFi 6 is, without doubt, one of the best and the fastest WiFi protocols on the market. It’s also the latest WiFi protocol, which means that there aren’t too many WiFi 6 protocols and that this protocol is also quite expensive.

Now, while the high price tag is expected, Netgear Nighthawk understands that not everyone can afford the high-end router options, hence this AX4 WiFi 6 router. It is not only affordable, but it also comes with advanced functions and features to ensure that best gaming performance.

Some of its features include high wireless speeds of up to 3Gbps and a coverage of up to 1500sq. Ft and the 4-stream design means more gaming power and capacity for more devices. You might also like this router because it’s backward compatible with all the existing WiFi devices on the market.

Its wired Ethernet ports allow for easy plug-in connections to gaming consoles, computers, streaming players, etc. It features 4 gigabit Ethernet ports.

Then you have the advanced technological features loaded into this router, including a powerful dual-core processor, Beamforming+ for enhancement of the signal strength and traffic, two amplified antennas for improved range and signal strength, OFDMA for improvement of the maximum throughput, and Amazon Alexa controls for easy controls.

It also features reliable USB connections from two USB 3.0 ports and parental controls for network and internet access control/ management.

Pros

• Easy/ automated firmware updates
• Fast speeds
• Excellent throughput
• Ease of use
• Larger device capacity and higher speeds
• No gridlock
• WiFi 6 is faster and smart home ready
• No congestion
• Affordable

Cons

• It could use more Ethernet ports
• No features for traffic prioritization.

View Price on Amazon

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Buying Guide for the Best Router for Nintendo Switch

There is a lot that goes into the routers that have been designed ideally for gaming, which means that you must review the features of the router and weigh them against your needs. Whether you are buying your first gaming router or upgrading to the next-best routers available, this guide is an excellent place for you to kick off your search from.

Below are the important considerations you need to bear in mind when looking for a router for Nintendo Switch.

• WiFi Protocols

The most powerful routers on the market today run on the WiFi 6 protocol, the latest WiFi version, which is also the fastest protocol, with a larger capacity and higher throughput speeds. It’s also called 802.11ax, and you also get to enjoy better range performance plus reduced network congestion. As a result, most of the top-rated routers for gaming run on this protocol.

But this doesn’t mean that you should only look for WiFi 6 routers – there are many other options for you, and you’ll enjoy great gaming performance with 802.11ac routers too.

It’s also worth noting that the routers using the WiFi 6 version also come with advanced features like OFDMA, which increases the router’s maximum throughput by breaking down the main channels into sub-channels hence a larger client capacity.

The other technologies you need to keep in mind when buying a router, regardless of the version, include MU-MIMO, which allows for multiple user/ player usage, dynamic QoS, which allows for bandwidth optimization, and Beamforming for enhanced throughput.

• Speeds

For the best gaming performance, you need to look for a router that boasts the highest gaming performance, and this is often made possible by high-speed routers. Do not underestimate the speed of the router.

Other Considerations

• Ethernet and USB ports – the best options have more ports for more flexibility
• Access Controls – does the router feature parental controls and Guest access options?
• Security – Make sure that the router you settle on comes with the most robust security functions such as VPN or WPS/ WPA2.
• Bands – Pick dual or tri-band routers

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FAQs

Why choose WiFi 6 Routers for Gaming?

These routers have a larger client capacity, they are more than 3X faster than previous WiFi router versions, there’s less congestion, and they are smart home ready. They are also backward compatible with older WiFi versions.

Do you Need NAS for Nintendo Switch?

Yes. NAS devices are faster, they save on storage, it offers great cloud access, and it’s a media server with great capabilities.

What is WiFi 802.11ad?

This is one of the newer and highly advanced wireless technologies with the shortest range of 60GHz instead of 5GHz. It’s extremely fast and a great option for gaming.

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Conclusion

With the details of the best routers for Nintendo Switch reviewed above, we hope that you will make the best decision when choosing the right router to match your gaming needs.