With the proliferation of connected home products, having a router that can handle network traffic among multiple devices is more important than ever. That said, not everyone needs the kind of networking power that you get from a $200-to-$300 router, and not everyone can afford one. With the $59.99 D-Link AC1200 Wi-Fi Router (DIR-842), you get dual-band Wi-Fi, relatively good throughput, and loads of management settings, including parental controls, guest networking, and Quality of Service (QoS) prioritization, all for well under $100. It's our top pick for budget Wi-Fi routers.

Design and Features
The DIR-842($59.99 at Amazon) is smaller than most of the latest midrange and high-end models, such as the Linksys EA7500 Max-Stream AC1900 MU-MIMO Gigabit Router ($119.99 at Amazon) and the Asus RT-AC88U Dual-Band Router ($218.56 at Amazon) . The glossy-black enclosure measures 1.25 by 8.9 by 6 inches (HWD) and has four external antennas. The antennas are not removable, which means you can't replace them if one breaks, or if you want more powerful antennas.

There are eight LED status indicators on the top of the router for Power, Internet activity, Wi-Fi activity, WPS activity, and wired-port activity (one for each port). Around back are four Gigabit LAN ports, a WAN (Internet) port, a WPS button, and a Power button. There's a Reset button on the bottom of the router. Under the hood are 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios that offer theoretical throughput speeds of up to 300Mbps (2.4GHz) and 867Mbps (5GHz), and a 660MHz processor.

You can change the DIR-842's settings using the Web-based management console or download the iOS or Android app and manage things using your phone or tablet. The management console offers numerous basic and advanced settings and is easy to navigate. The Home screen displays a simple network map of connected clients and the router's IP Address, Subnet Mask, and Default Gateway. There's an intuitive Setup Wizard, as well as Wireless, Internet, and Network settings. Basic Wireless settings let you enable or disable each band, name your SSID's, and change passwords. Advanced Wireless settings include Security mode settings (WEP and WPA-Personal), 802.11 Mode settings, Wi-Fi Channel selection, Channel Width, and Transmission Power settings. Here, you can also set up access schedules and guest networks.

Advanced settings include D-Link's QoS Engine, which uses an easy drag-and-drop method of assigning network priority to various clients, IPv4 and IPv6 Firewall settings, Port Forwarding and Website Filter settings, and Static Route settings. The Management screen offers System Logs, Firmware Upgrades, Network Statistics (traffic monitoring), and Password Administration settings.

Installation and Performance
Once you connect the DIR-842 to a PC and an Internet source, the router automatically launches the Web-based Setup Wizard, which helps you configure your network and Wi-Fi settings and set a router password. The entire process takes less than 5 minutes and is very user friendly.

See How We Test Wireless Routers

For a budget router, DIR-842 tested quite well. Its score of 75Mbps on our 2.4GHz close-proximity (same-room) test was much faster than the Amped Wireless High Power Wireless-N 600mW Gigabit Router (R10000G)($19.90 at Amazon) (59.2Mbps) and the Tenda F3 N300 Wireless Router ($18.36 at Amazon) (48.5Mbps), another top pick, and just a hair faster than the Netgear AC1200 Smart Wi-Fi Router (R6220)($39.99 at Amazon) (74.1Mbps). It received 41.5Mbps on the 30-foot test, barely edging past the Tenda F3 (40.6Mbps) and the Amped Wireless R10000G (38.6Mbps), but slightly behind the Netgear R6220 (48.3Mbps).

On our 5GHz tests, the DIR-842 and the Netgear R6220 were neck and neck. The DIR-842 scored 332Mbps on the close-proximity test and 111Mbps on the 30-foot test, while the Netgear R6220 scored 331Mbps (close proximity) and 104Mbps (30 feet). To put these scores in perspective, our Editors' Choice midrange router, the $200 Linksys MaxStream EA7500, received 495Mbps and 298Mbps, respectively, and our Editors' Choice high-end router, the $300 Asus RT-AC88U, got 537Mbps and 302Mbps.

Conclusion
With the D-Link AC1200 Wi-Fi Router (DIR-842), you don't have to spend a lot to cover your home with effective dual-band wireless networking. The router is a snap to install, and delivers fast throughput for the money, especially on the 5GHz band, but it lacks USB connectivity. Granted, it's not as affordable as the Tenda F3 N300 Wireless Router, but for an extra $30 you get 802.11ac technology, an extra LAN port, and speedy 5GHz performance. As such, the DIR-842 is our Editors' Choice for budget wireless routers.

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Further Reading

• Business Choice Awards 2020: Routers and Servers/Network Attached Storage
• Reader's Choice Awards 2020: Routers and Network Attached Storage
• 12 Tips to Troubleshoot Your Internet Connection
• How to Access Your Wi-Fi Router's Settings
• Save 35 Percent on TP-Link AC1750 Smart Wi-Fi Router