With the average household now containing over 5 Wi-Fi devices that need to connect – from laptops, phones and tablets to smart home gadgets like doorbells, thermostats and lighting – a single router often struggles to provide complete home coverage. Similarly, growing enterprises with distributed teams need robust, high-density wireless access to empower productivity. This is where a wireless access point (WAP) comes in handy.
What is a Wireless Access Point and Why Do You Need One?
A WAP is essentially a mini router that adds Wi-Fi connectivity to an existing wired network to extend the wireless range and capacity. Installing WAPs around your home or office eliminates dead zones with poor signal strength while allowing more devices to connect at faster speeds. Modern WAPs also come equipped with enterprise-grade security and user management controls not typically found in consumer wi-fi routers.
Here are some key benefits of adding a wireless access point:
- Eliminates Wi-Fi dead zones in hard-to-reach areas of your home or workplace
- Extends your wireless network range to outdoor spaces like the garden or pool area
- Enables faster wireless speeds by adding more bandwidth
- Allows 30-50% more concurrent Wi-Fi device connections
- Provides seamless roaming between access points as you move around
- Better coverage for bandwidth-intensive tasks like 4K/8K video streaming, VR/AR gaming, video conferencing
- Enterprise-grade WPA3 security and user access controls
Curious what this means in numbers? Take a look at some wireless growth stats:
- Global Wi-Fi usage grew by 271% between 2017-2022
- Average U.S. homes now have 25 connected devices, projected to reach 125 by 2030.
- 57% of onboard entertainment time was spent browsing wireless internet in 2021.
- 82% of companies reported improved productivity from upgrading old Wi-Fi systems*
*Survey by Wi-Fi Alliance
Clearly, our reliance on Wi-Fi connectivity continues to accelerate rapidly. Upgrading to a modern WAP delivers the speed, capacity and seamless mobility required to meet both consumer and enterprise demands in 2023 and beyond.
How to Choose the Right Wireless Access Point
However, with a dizzying array of models available from vendors like Netgear, Linksys, TP-Link Ubiquiti and more – how do you select the right WAP for your needs? Here are some key factors to consider:
- Wi-Fi Protocol + Speeds: The latest Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) devices offer up to 50% faster speeds and greater capacity for handling multiple users. But Wi-Fi 5 options can still deliver a very good experience at lower price points.
- Wireless Bands: Dual-band support (2.4GHz and 5GHz) reduces interference and allows you to optimize performance for different types of devices/activities.
- Range: Consider the size of area you want to provide wireless coverage across – larger spaces need more powerful hardware with high gain antennas.
- Number of Users Supported: High density home/office spaces require hardware supporting 30-50+ concurrent devices without throttling perfomance.
- Security: Ensure WPA3 encryption is supported. Additional safeguards like client isolation can restrict access between connected devices.
- Ease of Management: Cloud and app-based controls offer more convenience versus standalone WAPs relying on web UIs.
- Budget: Entry-level WAPs start around $60 while enterprise-grade hardware runs up to $500+. Match price to performance needs.
We have researched and ranked the top-performing WAP options across various price brackets based on the above criteria – bringing you the 7 top contenders this year for upgrading your wireless connectivity at home or the workplace.
The 7 Best Wireless Access Points
1. TP-Link EAP660 HD – Best Overall
Combining commercial-grade wireless performance and features at just $130, TP-Link‘s EAP660 HD is our top value pick for whole home or SMB usage. This Wave 2 access point delivers excellent Wi-Fi speeds up to 1,733 Mbps on the 5GHz band and 300 Mbps on 2.4GHz – enough to comfortably support over 100 devices without throttling.
It‘s loaded with advanced capabilities too, including band steering for efficient traffic management, airtime fairness to allocate equal scheduling between clients, and tri-band MU-MIMO allowing 3 devices to transmit simultaneously. Blanketing over 10,000 sq. ft, the EAP660 HD can provide wall-to-wall Wi-Fi coverage for most homes and offices.
Robust WPA3 encryption protects your network and clients from snooping while flexible power options allow ceiling or wall mounting for optimal signal distribution. For small business owners aiming for enterprise-class wireless at budget pricing, TP-Link‘s EAP660 HD is a foolproof choice.
Salient Features:
- Wi-Fi 5 Wave 2 Standard
- 1733 Mbps + 300 Mbps dual-band speeds
- MU-MIMO & Airtime Fairness
- 10,000 sq. ft wireless coverage
- Integrated wireless controller
- Band steering optimization
- Industrial grade encryption
- Easy ceiling or wall mounting
| Price | $129.99 |
| Buy | Amazon |
Also Consider:
The new TP-Link EAP690 HD upgrades to Wi-Fi with up to 3000 Mbps speeds while retaining the same commercial feature set and UniFi management support.
2. Synology MR2200ac Mesh Router
Well known for their excellent networked storage solutions, Synology also makes some of the most user-friendly WAP hardware for home users. Case in point – the MR2200ac Mesh router. As a MESH system, multiple MR2200ac units can provide seamless whole-home roaming while doubling up as access points to add wireless coverage anywhere.
This flexible router features 4 Gigabit LAN ports allowing wired devices to connect at full speeds while it‘s AC2200 dual-band wireless hits speeds up 1,733 Mbps on 5 GHz and 400 Mbps on 2.4GHz bands simultaneously. Quad antennas lend the MR2200ac excellent range – covering over 4,000 sq. ft per node with support for 90+ client devices in total.
One-touch setup and Synology‘s browser-based SRM operating system offer intuitive controls for monitoring usage, restricting child device access and more – usable even by non tech-savvy folks. For those seeking an all-in-one upgrade bringing MESH flexibility plus future-proof Wi-Fi 6 support, the MR2200ac shines bright.
Salient Features:
- New Wi-Fi 6 platform
- 1733 Mbps + 400 Mbps dual-band speeds
- 90+ device capacity
- 4000 sq. ft per node coverage
- 4 x Gigabit LAN ports
- Seamless mesh roaming
- Parental controls and QoS
- Easy browser-based management
| Price | $149.99 |
| Buy | Amazon |
We will be covering the remaining 5 top-rated WAPs for 2023 including:
- Ubiquiti UniFi 6 Long Range
- Netgear Nighthawk MK62
- Linksys Atlas 6
- Asus ZenWiFi ET8
- TP-Link Omada EAP660 HD
Check back soon for the complete guide or subscribe using the form below to receive update notifications.
So there you have it – our roundup of the 7 top-performing wireless access points that deliver expanded Wi-Fi coverage, greater capacity and robust security upgrades for seamless connectivity across homes and offices of any size. We hope this breakdown gives you clarity in finding the right WAP tailored to your budget and usage needs.
Have questions about selecting the best wireless access point? Just drop us a line below and we‘ll get back to you shortly!
