A router for a two-story house is an essential piece of hardware for providing a reliable, secure, and fast internet connection to all the devices on both floors. For a two-story home, a router should have a range of at least 2,000 square feet, but ideally up to 3,500 square feet. To ensure strong coverage, it’s important to choose a router with the right features, such as dual-band technology, beamforming, and MU-MIMO.
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It also helps protect your network from malicious threats and unauthorized access. With a router for a two-story house, you can easily connect any device to the internet, no matter which floor it is on. You can also set up a separate guest network for visitors, so they don’t have access to your personal information. With the right router and a few simple steps, you can enjoy the internet with fast speeds, security, and reliability.
Comparison Table:
| Products | Speed Upto | Connectivity | Recommended of Devices | Special Feature |
| Amazon eero mesh WiFi system | 350 Mbps | Dual-band WiFi radios | Up to 30+ | Works with Alexa, Amazon WiFi simple setup |
| ASUS WiFi 6 Router | 3000 Mbps | Wi-Fi, Ethernet | Up to 100+ | AiProtection Pro protects all the connected devices |
| TP-Link AC5400 Tri-Band Router | 5334 Mbps | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet | Up to 150+ | Advanced security |
| Google Nest Wifi System | 600-700 Mbps | Ethernet | Up to 200+ | Parental controls to manage online time for kids |
| NETGEAR Orbi Tri-band Router | 3Gbps | Wi-Fi | Up to 25+ | Essential Internet Security & Smart Parental Controls |
| NETGEAR Nighthawk AX8 Wifi 6 Router | 6Gbps | Wireless, Wired, USB | Up to 100+ | Supports WPA2/WPA3 wireless security protocols |
Best Router for Two-Story House – Our Top Picks!
This guide will help you find the best router for a two-story house by highlighting the features you should look for and providing reviews of popular models.
1. Amazon eero mesh WiFi system
Our Review:
The Amazon eero mesh WiFi System for Two-Story House is a game-changing product for those looking to upgrade their current home Wi-Fi networks. With its powerful features, it is the perfect solution for anyone who wants a reliable and secure connection to their devices in any area of their home.
It brings internet up to 4,500 sq. ft., allowing users to have a reliable and fast connection in any part of their home. With internet speeds up to 350 Mbps, users can easily stream HD content, play online games, or surf the web without having to worry about lag.
This router also works with Alexa, allowing users to control their network with voice commands. This is a great feature for anyone who wants an easy way to extend the range of their network or to quickly pause their children’s internet access.
Furthermore, this router is powered by a dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz connection and a 700 MHz quad-core processor, 512MB RAM, and 4GB flash storage. This ensures a reliable connection with no lag or buffering. The system also has security protocols such as WPA2 encryption and Family Profiles so users can rest assured that their network is secure and their children are safe from online predators.
Also, it is also incredibly convenient and easy to use with the eero app. Through the app, users can easily control their network, set up guest access and parental controls, troubleshoot any issues, and view their broadband usage and devices connected to their network.
2. ASUS WiFi 6 Router
Our Review:
The ASUS WiFi 6 Router for Two-Story House is the perfect wireless router for anyone looking for maximum range, powerful performance, and advanced security features. With a maximum range of 3000 sq ft, this router is perfect for larger homes, providing enough coverage and signal strength to provide connectivity throughout the home.
When it comes to performance, this router is hard to beat. It supports a 160MHz bandwidth and 1024-QAM, allowing for blazing-fast speeds of up to 575Mbps on the 2.4GHz band, and 2402GHz on the 5GHz band. This ensures that you are experiencing maximum download speeds, making streaming and gaming a breeze.
Security is always a priority and this router does not disappoint. It comes with advanced WPA/WPA2 wireless encryption, parental controls, and guest access, ensuring that your network and data are kept safe from intruders.
It even has AiProtection Pro, which provides an extra layer of security, protecting all the connected devices on your network. The ASUS Router App also makes setting up and managing the router a breeze. The app allows you to easily set up and manage your router with your smartphone, making it easier than ever to control your network. It also allows you to keep an eye on your network and make changes as needed.
Moreover, this router works with Amazon Alexa, so you can use voice commands to control your network. This is great for hands-free control, allowing you to easily manage your network without having to use your hands.
3. TP-Link AC5400 Tri-Band Router
Our Review:
If you’re looking for a powerful router to support a two-story house, then the TP-Link AC5400 Tri-Band Router is a perfect choice. It’s packed with features that make it one of the best routers on the market.
First and foremost, the TP-Link AC5400 Tri-Band Router offers an impressive three-band setup, with 2.4 GHz (1000 Mbps) + 5 GHz (2167 Mbps) + 5 GHz (2167 Mbps) speeds. This ensures that the whole house is covered with a fast, reliable signal, regardless of where you are.
The 1.8 GHz 64-bit quad-core processor + 3 co-processors also makes the router incredibly fast and responsive. Combined with 1 GB of RAM, you can be sure that all your devices will work smoothly and quickly, even when streaming or downloading large files.
Its 8x Gigabit Ethernet ports mean that you can connect multiple devices directly, without having to rely on wireless signals. This is especially useful if you have a lot of devices that need a reliable, hardwired connection.
Moreover, two 3.0 USB ports also allow you to connect external storage devices, so you can easily share files between devices on your network. Plus, the 8x external antennas give you even more coverage and boost the signal, so you can stay connected no matter where you are in the house.
Also, this Router also features Bluetooth connectivity, so you can easily set it up without the need for any extra cables. And, if you have any Amazon Echo devices, you can also use them with Alexa for even more convenience.
We like features some great security features, such as next-level antivirus and robust parental controls. This ensures that your network is protected from any malicious threats and that your kids can use the internet safely. Plus, the Quality of Service (QoS) feature allows you to prioritize certain types of traffic, so you can get the most out of your connection.
4. Google Nest Wifi System
Our Review:
As a homeowner with a two-story house, I was looking for a reliable wifi system that could cover a wide area and handle a lot of connected devices. I was also looking for one that had some advanced features that would make it more secure and user-friendly.
After researching various wifi systems, I came across the Google Nest Wifi System and decided to give it a try. The first feature that impressed me was its coverage. This wifi system can cover up to 4400 square feet, which is more than enough for a two-story house.
It also has the capacity to handle up to 200 connected devices, so I don’t have to worry about running out of bandwidth. The 15W power adapter is also a great feature, as it helps to ensure that the system is always getting enough power. This is especially important for larger houses, as it can help to ensure that all areas get the same level of coverage. W
hen it comes to speed, the Nest Wifi System has a maximum data rate of 1 Mbps, which is more than enough for a two-story house. It also has two Ethernet ports, so I can easily connect multiple devices, such as a gaming console or a streaming device, directly to the router.
One of the features I really appreciate is the automatic updates and advanced security. This system will automatically update itself with the latest security patches, which helps to ensure that my devices are always protected. The parental control feature is also great, as it allows me to set restrictions on the types of content my children can access.
Overall, the Google Nest Wifi System is an excellent choice for a two-story house. With its powerful features and advanced security, you can be sure that you’re getting the best wifi system for your home.
5. NETGEAR Orbi Tri-band Router
Our Review:
When it comes to finding a reliable router for your two-story house, the Netgear Orbi Tri-band Router is a perfect choice. With its ability to provide up to 5,000 square feet of consistent coverage, you can be sure that you’ll be able to access the internet no matter where you are in your house.
Plus, with speeds up to 3Gbps and a frequency of 5GHz, you won’t have to worry about lagging or slow speeds, making it ideal for streaming, gaming, and other online activities. The Netgear Orbi Tri-band Router also offers a LAN port bandwidth of up to 3 megabits per second, allowing you to easily transfer data from one device to another without any lag.
Also, with its essential internet security and smart parental control features, you can keep your family safe while they’re online. The Router is also incredibly easy to set up and manage. With the Orbi App, you can easily configure the router and manage your network with just a few taps. And, with its ability to connect up to 25+ devices, you can be sure that all of your family’s devices are connected to the internet.
What really sets the Netgear Orbi Tri-band Router apart is its tri-band, smart connect feature. With this feature, you can have one WiFi name for all of your devices, and it also uses beamforming and MU-MIMO technology to help optimize your connection. This means you can get the most out of your internet connection and enjoy the best speeds available.
6. NETGEAR Nighthawk AX8 Wifi 6 Router
Our Review:
The NETGEAR Nighthawk AX8 is an advanced WiFi 6 router that is ideal for two-story homes. With its expansive coverage of up to 2,500 square feet, this router can keep your home connected from end to end.
This ensures a reliable connection and fast speeds, delivering up to 6,000 Mb per second of data transfer. This is perfect for streaming, gaming, and downloading large files. The router also supports internet plans up to 2Gbps, making it ideal for households with multiple devices connected at once.
It also offers superior performance with features such as dual-band 5GHz and 2.4GHz, 160MHz, and beamforming technologies. With these features, you can ensure you get the highest speeds and the most reliable connection.
Furthermore, this router has Amazon Alexa Voice Control, making it easy to control your home network with your voice. The router also comes with essential internet security and smart parental controls. This allows you to set limits on your children’s access to the internet and protect their online safety. It also allows you to block certain websites, so you can have peace of mind knowing that your family is safe while they are online.
In addition, the router is easy to set up and manage with its Nighthawk app. The app also allows you to customize the settings of your router with just a few simple clicks. The router is also equipped with a 1.8GHz quad-core processor, making it one of the fastest and most efficient routers available in the market.
What things do you keep in mind when Installing Router for Two Story House?
When installing a router for a two-story house, there are several things to keep in mind:
1. Consider the size of your house: If your house is a standard two-story house, a single router may not be enough to achieve good Wi-Fi coverage.
2. Identify the source of your internet: It is important to identify whether your internet service is coming through telephone lines, coaxial cable, fiber optic, or ethernet cable. This will determine the kind of router that you need to buy and the type of setup that you need to do.
3. Check the area coverage you need: Based on your house size, the number of devices you will use, the router’s bandwidth, and the type of router you buy, you should calculate the coverage area that you need. For a two-story house, it can be anything from 3,000-6,000 square feet.
4. Check for channel overlap: Wi-Fi routers operate on open channels, and the overlap of channels hinders the connection and quality of signals considerably. It’s best to check for any overlap with the help of a Wi-Fi analyzer app before you install your router.
5. Choose a perfect spot: A router should be placed in a central location at least 5-6 feet above the ground. This will help in providing good coverage to both floors of the house.
6. Install quality antennas: To get better coverage and performance, it is important to install high-gain antennas on the router.
7. Setup the name & password: Set a unique SSID (network name) and a strong password to your router, so that it is not accessible by any unauthorized device. Also, any security measures that are available on the router, such as advanced firewall functions, antimalware protection, and encryption.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, choosing a router for a two-story house is no simple task. The key is to select a router that provides reliable connectivity throughout the entire home and is powerful enough to stream media and other high-speed activities. Your router should be able to handle a range of devices and the demands you put on it.
If you have multiple devices that need constant connections, consider investing in a tri-band router. It will provide much stronger and more reliable connections than a dual-band router.
I am the founder and CEO of Ownrouter. I have been in the industry for over 15 years, and I am passionate about routers. I have a degree in computer science from the University of London and worked as a network engineer for a large ISP. I am also a member of the board of directors for the Open Source Router Project. Learn more