Best Router for Google Fiber In 2024: The Top 5 Wifi Router

You want to avoid dead spots in your home network and have been searching for the best router for Google Fiber to help you do just that. You probably also use other Google devices, like a Nest thermostat or a Google Home smart speaker, to make your home smart and connected.

It’s important to note that not all Google WiFi customers will have this option. To begin, check to see if your WiFi plan supports the use of a router other than the one Google supplies. On top of that, due to the high speeds of Google Fiber, you’ll need a router that is compatible with WiFi 6, the most recent version of WiFi.

Don’t stop reading this article to find out what we think are the finest routers for Google Fiber. Check out our comprehensive guide to the finest routers available now!

Table of Contents

What is Google Fiber?

Google Fiber is the company’s fiber-optic-based broadband internet service. It was introduced in 2010 to give people in a few places in the U.S. access to the internet very quickly. The service’s fast speed (up to 1000 Mbps) and transparent monthly pricing make it stand out.

Is Google Fiber available where you live? Simply enter your address and zip code into the relevant fields on the Google Fiber website to find out if the service is available in your region and, if it is, to sign up for it.

Comparison Table For Best Router For Google Fiber

ASUS RT-AX3000

Our ratings

 4.9/5

Editor’s choice!

TP-Link Archer AX10

Our ratings

 4.5/5

ASUS RT-AX88U

Our ratings

 4.9/5

Netgear RAXE500

Our ratings

 5/5

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Orbi RBK752

Our ratings

 5/5

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Review of The Best Router For Google Fiber

These are the 5 best WiFi routers for Google Fiber, and we review them in depth.

1. ASUS RT-AX3000 – Best Overall

The ASUS RT-AX3000 is a powerful Wi-Fi 6 router without breaking the bank.

In practice, it can reach rates of 889.41 Mbps within a range of 5 feet when using the 5 GHz band with a Wi-Fi 6 capable device and 534.55 Mbps while operating at a greater distance.

Considering how cheap Google’s 1 Gbps service is, it’s an easy choice to make.

WPA3 is the most recent security standard, and using it will increase the safety of your Wi-Fi network without slowing it down. Beamforming and expanded channel bandwidth up to 160 MHz are also available as upgrades.

There are good parental controls that can limit what websites or devices a child can use. QoS (quality of service) can be dynamically redirected to where it’s needed most.

This has a great cost-to-performance ratio, but over longer distances, it starts to slow down. Therefore, we advise against using this router in any other type of building than a small to medium-sized residence.

Because it works with ASUS AiMesh, you can set up a mesh Wi-Fi network with other ASUS routers to make up for the signal getting weaker as you move farther away.

However, a cheaper mesh Wi-Fi system is a preferable option in this situation.

What we like

What we don't like

2. TP-Link Archer AX10 – Best Budget Friendly

Even though it doesn’t work as well as the RT-AX3000, the TP-Archer Link AX10 shouldn’t be ignored.

In the closest range (5 feet), it reached 651.97 Mbps, while in the farthest distance (25 feet), it reached 351.81 Mbps while using a Wi-Fi 6 compatible device on the 5 GHz band.

Unfortunately, you will still be charged by Google Fiber for unused bandwidth, even if you use a different router. However, if money is limited, it will be tough to beat such figures.

To say that 650 Mbps is insufficient for a household of four is an understatement. The AX10 can handle all of your internet needs, including streaming 4K video, downloading large files, and surfing the web.

We were hoping for a longer range given its four antennas. The standard two- or three-bedroom house should be fine with that. You’ll need to think about placement carefully, though, to keep bandwidth losses to a minimum.

The AX10 works with both multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), which is a more advanced method and great for your collection of high-tech gadgets.

However, there could be more options for parents to restrict access because you can only set up schedules and block specific URLs.

QoS is a part of it as well. The device hierarchy is the only thing that the quality of service feature may affect, as apps aren’t supported.

The TP-Link AX10 may not be the most cutting-edge option available. But it delivers steady performance at an almost incomparable cost.

What we like

What we don't like

3. ASUS RT-AX88U – Best Performance

The ASUS RT-AX88U is a lightning-fast router that can keep up with your Google Fiber connection speeds.

It is serious business; the 5 GHz spectrum boosts speeds to 927.17 Mbps at 5 ft. Everything about the performance is top-notch. When tested with Wi-Fi 5 client devices and Wi-Fi 6 client devices, it did very well in both cases.

This means that the 1 Gbps plan you purchased from Google Fiber will be utilized in full. You can tell that it was designed for the pickiest customers.

It gives you a dynamic level of service so that your most important tasks get the attention they need. MU-MIMO for higher data transfer rates and support for the ASUS mesh network.

Those who have young children can make use of the extensive parental controls.

There are just too many options to list here without a detailed specification sheet.

The ASUS RT-AX88U is our most expensive router option, but it’s worth it if you want the best wireless experience possible.

What we like

What we don't like

4. Netgear RAXE500 – Premium Option

The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 is designed for tech-obsessed people. Among the first of its kind, it is a high-end Wi-Fi 6E router. That could be good or bad news, depending on your perspective.

Wi-Fi 6E’s new 6 GHz band, along with the RAXE500, has the potential to deliver a mind-boggling 1203.59 Mbps. This would allow you to take advantage of Google Fiber’s newest plan, which provides 2 GB of bandwidth.

Because Google Fiber’s 1 GB base plan places restrictions on them, none of the aforementioned routers can achieve that speed.

Indeed, those are really significant figures. That means you should be prepared to pay a high price.

However, a Wi-Fi 6E-capable device and the 6 GHz band are required to achieve these speeds. Both of them are extremely rare and are only now entering the consumer market as of this writing.

In addition, 6 GHz wireless networks have poor range. The range is considerably worse than the 5 GHz band, so at 25 feet, we only saw 959.71 Mbps, which is still rather fast.

At that point, you’ll do better by switching back to the 5 GHz frequency. The RAXE500 achieved 301.08 Mbps at 50 feet in this scenario. Unfortunately, the asking price is modest.

We’re sorry to tell you that there are no good service options for the RAXE500. When using the 6 GHz band, you won’t need them anyway due to its lightning-fast speeds, so you won’t miss them.

What we like

What we don't like

5. Orbi RBK752 – Best Mesh System

If your house is very big, you will probably find that none of the above solutions are enough. While we are aware of the limited range of the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands, we must use them if we are to reach faster speeds.

This is especially true of Google Fiber, whose most basic plan still gives you an impressive 1 GB of download speed.

Certain routers, including those already listed, do support mesh networks. However, you would need to acquire a second router and link them together.

In this instance, a mesh Wi-Fi network is your best bet.

Several access points called “beacons” are spread out around your home, and they all send out the same wireless signal, creating an effortless flow from start to finish.

When comparing price and quality, the Orbi RBK752 system is hard to beat. It measured 805.61 Mbps on the 5 GHz band at a distance of 5 feet.

With a mesh network, you’re always close to an access point, so long distances aren’t a problem.

At 25 feet, it measured nearly 500 Mbps, in case you were wondering.

Mesh Wi-Fi systems could be less expensive overall, but they won’t be able to make use of Google Fiber’s full 1 gigabit per second of bandwidth on the most basic plan.

Additionally, there are more powerful alternatives available. Similar to the RBK852, the RBK752’s more advanced sister is from Orbi. However, for around double the price, you only get about a 10% increase in speed.

What we like

What we don't like

How to Buy a Google Fiber Router - Buying Guide

The Google Fiber plan is unlike any other internet provider out there. Make sure your router is compatible with the service’s technology if you happen to live in a coverage area. Choose a router that supports the wireless standard you want to use.

Speed

Keep in mind that Google only provides fiber connections at this time. Their service starts at 1 Gbps (1000 Mbps) and escalates up to 2 Gbps.

This means that the majority of Wi-Fi 5 wireless routers sold for less than $100 are unable to make use of Google’s full bandwidth allocation.

Select a router that works with the wireless standard you want to use. So it brings us to the next point.

Wireless Standard

As of this writing in 2022, Wi-Fi 5 is still the most widely used standard. But recently, we’ve noticed a rise in the number of affordable Wi-Fi 6 routers on the market.

That’s because there’s a good reason for it. Most homes still can’t even get close to Wi-Fi 5 speeds due to their best internet plans. Thus, a Wi-Fi 5 router is usually not an issue.

But if you’re using Google Fiber, you need to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6, so be sure to do so. You won’t be able to maximize the benefits of your internet package otherwise.

This article goes into detail about how Wi-Fi 5 restricts your 1 GB of bandwidth.

Bands

These days, a dual-band router is the standard. The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands are included.

There is more coverage with the 2.4 GHz spectrum, and more speed with the 5 GHz band.

With Google Fiber’s starting speed at 1 GB, this is not a particularly hot topic. In order to make use of it, you’ll need to be on the 5 GHz frequency band. If not, even at the shortest distances, your speed will be capped at less than 300 Mbps.

Now that Google Fiber has a 2 GB option, there’s something else to think about. Without a third band, it is impossible to make use of these speeds.

The newer 6 GHz spectrum or an existing 5 GHz frequency could be affected.

As we saw with the Netgear RAXE500, only Wi-Fi 6E can use the 6 GHz band, which can easily reach speeds of more than 1 GB.

While Wi-Fi 6E compatibility is not widespread just yet, that will change. For that reason, if you are thinking about this strategy, you should give it some thought.

Mesh wireless LAN

When wireless access points are linked together, they form a mesh network that can make your router’s coverage area much bigger.

Despite sharing the same basic idea, a Wi-Fi range extender requires a second connection every time you’re in range. Re-establish your connection to the router if this is necessary.

This is handled invisibly in the background by mesh devices, making every beacon you connect to appear as if it were simply another Wi-Fi signal.

Depending on where you are, it will connect you to the best available access point automatically.

Even though most homes only need one router, those with a large footprint might benefit from a mesh network, especially in places like the basement that are hard to reach and have spotty internet.

Features

Present-day routers provide a myriad of options. Every feature that contemporary routers offer is likely to be unused.

Quality of service and parental controls are two things that many families need, but the needs of each family are different.

With the Quality of Service feature of your router, you can give certain applications more network resources when they need them.

If streaming video is your first goal, the quality of the service will give priority to your streaming service.

The ability to connect guests to the network is also a must-have. Your visitors will appreciate the ability to access a dedicated network in your home.

Guests won’t be able to access sensitive data on your primary network. All of the routers described here can host separate user networks for guests.

How to set up a Router with Google Fiber

The step-by-step instructions for configuring a router, along with a few helpful hints.

Do I Need a Modem for Google Fiber?

Lucky for you, that’s not the case!

Since Google Fiber is a fiber jack connection, an ONT is provided free of charge. Ethernet-enabled Optical Network Terminal that performs the same job as a modem.

To use it with a reliable router and have an Internet connection, just connect the two.

There are several Google-branded routers available, however, the precise model varies by country. Most standard routers from an internet service provider (ISP) don’t work as well as the alternatives we’ll talk about here.

If you have a 1 Gbps connection, you need to move data quickly, so it makes sense to use one of the above devices as much as possible.

Best Google Fiber in 2022 - FAQs

Q. What type of router does Google Fiber come with?

Customers that subscribe to Google Fiber 2 Gig will receive a Google Fiber Multi-Gig Fast Router and a tri-band mesh extender as part of the package. Both devices are compatible with the Wi-Fi 6 protocol. The tri-band mesh extender offers an extra 5 GHz of spectrum for users to connect to, in addition to the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz band that are present in a dual-band device.

Q. Does a Google router replace the modem?

Google Wifi is a Wi-Fi mesh system that is meant to replace your current router and give you high-speed Internet access everywhere in your house. To access the web, a modem and an ISP are essential necessities.

Q. How much do routers cost?

Making use of the other Google services you get for free with your Google Fiber internet subscription is the simplest method to ensure you get your money’s worth. Wi-Fi routers from Google, such as the Google Wi-Fi and Google Nest, can be purchased separately for $70 and $300, respectively, and are optimized for use with Google Fiber.

Q. Which is better: a router or a fiber?

Even though routers and fiber optics cables may both transfer data at the same speed, fiber optics is better when a single network (traditional router) needs to serve multiple users because it can handle congestion better and transfer data faster. Congestion in the wireless network will slow down your download times.

Q. What is the difference between a traditional router and mesh Wi-Fi?

Broadband and fiber optic connections can be accessed from a single location with traditional Wi-Fi routers. The reliability of a connection, however, can be compromised if too many connections are made at once.

When the number of connections can be easily managed, traditional routers often provide better power and speed than mesh networks, but mesh networks have a greater range, greater reliability, and more access points. While traditional and wired routers tend to perform better for online gaming and video streaming, mesh networks are a great choice for households with several users and devices.