Want a Wi-Fi 6 router? Verizon customers can rent one for $15 a month
Verizon is the first carrier to offer its internet customers a Wi-Fi 6 router.
- 10 years product testing experience with the CNET Home team
Verizon is now offering its internet customers the option of upgrading their router to a new model that supports Wi-Fi 6 -- the newest, fastest version of Wi-Fi. Customers can lease the new Fios Home Router for $15 a month, or purchase it outright for $299.
The tri-band router features a 2.4GHz network and two separate 5GHz networks, one of which can be used for a dedicated Wi-Fi 6 backhaul connection between the router and any Fios Home Wi-Fi Extenders you've placed throughout your home. Those extenders, which customers can purchase for $199 each or rent for an additional $10 per month, create a mesh network that spreads a stronger Wi-Fi signal from room to room.
The big draw with Wi-Fi 6 is its ability to transmit data faster and more efficiently than previous versions of Wi-Fi. In our own in-house Wi-Fi 6 speed tests, we've clocked top wireless transfer speeds as high as 1,500Mbps, or 1.5Gbps, which is about 60% faster than the fastest current-gen, Wi-Fi 5 speeds in those same tests. That lines up with Verizon, which claims that the new router averages top speeds that are about 60% faster than previous Verizon routers.
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In our early tests of Wi-Fi 6 mesh networks, we're seeing noticeably faster speeds at range -- likely thanks to the faster Wi-Fi 6 connections between router and extender.
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"As more and more people adopt smart home technology and connect more devices, the need for a reliable router that provides more coverage throughout the home has become a necessity," said Heather McDavitt vice president of Verizon Consumer Products. "Verizon's new Fios Home Router and companion Fios Home Wi-Fi Extender are the perfect solutions for Fios customers who want to blanket their home with powerful and secure Wi-Fi."
That said, you'll want to keep in mind that your router can only move data around as fast as your internet plan allows, so you'll need a pretty speedy connection in order to see much of a difference. And, while Wi-Fi 6 routers are backward compatible with older Wi-Fi devices, you'll need new devices that support the new standard in order to benefit from those faster speeds. Outside of high-profile flagship devices like the iPhone 11 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 that include Wi-Fi 6 support, there aren't a whole lot of other gadgets like that just yet.
The Fios Home Router is available starting today, direct from Verizon.