Best Routers for Gigabit Fibre
Don't let your router be the bottleneck for your new ultra-fast connection.
The Bottleneck in Your Living Room
Imagine buying a Ferrari but putting budget tires on it. You have the engine power, but you can’t put it down on the road. This is exactly what happens when you pair a premium 900Mbps CityFibre connection with an old, budget router.
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) will send you a router, and often these are decent. But for true Gigabit speeds, “decent” isn’t always enough. If you find your speeds are slow over Wi-Fi, the router is almost always the culprit, not the fibre line.
What Makes a Router “Gigabit Ready”?
1. Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) Support
This is the baseline requirement. Older Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) routers generally max out at around 400-500Mbps in real-world conditions, even if the box says “AC1200” or higher. To see speeds of 700Mbps+ on a phone or laptop, you need a router that supports Wi-Fi 6. This standard is more efficient at packing data into radio waves.
2. Processing Power (CPU)
Routing data at 1000Mbps requires significant computational work. Every packet of data needs to be inspected and sent to the right device. Budget routers with weak dual-core processors can choke under this load, especially if you have 20+ devices connected. Look for routers with Quad-Core processors (1.5GHz+) and at least 512MB of RAM.
3. The WAN Port
Most routers have 1 Gigabit WAN ports. This is fine for a 900Mbps package. However, due to overheads, a 1Gbps port actually caps out at ~940Mbps. If you want to see the magic “1000Mbps” or higher numbers (and your ISP offers 1.2Gbps or 2Gbps packages), you need a router with a 2.5Gbps WAN port.
Top Router Recommendations
- The All-Rounder: Amazon eero Pro 6E — Many ISPs (like TalkTalk and Vodafone) now bundle eero devices. They are incredibly user-friendly, support Mesh expansion, and handle Gigabit speeds effortlessly. The “Pro” models have a dedicated third radio band for backhaul, which is essential for speed.
- The Enthusiast Choice: ASUS RT-AX86U Pro / GT-AX6000 — ASUS routers are legendary among gamers. They offer incredible customisation, robust QoS (Quality of Service) to prioritise gaming traffic, and very strong Wi-Fi signal propagation.
- The Power User: Ubiquiti UniFi — If you are tech-savvy, moving to a dedicated system like the UniFi Dream Machine allows you to separate the router from the Wi-Fi access points. This is enterprise-grade gear for the home, offering ultimate stability and control.
A Note on Location
Before you spend £300 on a new router, check your placement. A router placed on the floor, behind a TV, or inside a cupboard will never perform well. Radio waves need line of sight. Elevate your router to waist height or higher, and keep it central in the home. A free router in a good location beats an expensive router in a bad location every time.