Home without a router is becoming less and less. But there is not a proper connection with everyone. Stiftung Warentest is now showing which models are particularly worthwhile. And has a surprise ready.
A home without WiFi – for many people that is hard to imagine. Whether the television, the music system or even many household appliances: Without a good internet connection, modern devices can hardly be used. The Stiftung Warentest has therefore now put eight WiFi routers through their paces.
The tested models are seven routers for DSL and one of the few that are offered free for cable connections. The transmission speed, the reception in the apartment as well as the handling, the telephony and the security were checked. Because handling and telephony were generally good, the network functions and security were the key factors in the placement.
Wlan router at Warentest: triple victory for the Fritzbox
The manufacturer AVM can be particularly pleased. Three models of his well-known Fritzbox share first place. The Fritzbox 7530 AX, the Fritzbox 7590 AX and the Fritzbox 6690 Cable all get the grade “good” (1.9). This means that the first two are the clear winners in the DSL category, and the 6690 is unrivaled as the only cable model.
Although there are differences in the details, all three Fritz boxes offer good WiFi, and the grades for telephony, handling and security are the best in the test. The most attractive model for DSL customers is certainly the Fritzbox 7530, it costs from 150 euros and offers everything for everyday use. The premium model 7590 is aimed at more demanding users with additional connection options and a stronger signal, but it is also significantly more expensive with a price starting at 240 euros. The cable model is available from 270 euros and is recommended if the router provided by the provider is not sufficient for your own requirements.
Strong alternative
The rating for the Telekom router Speedport Smart 4 is surprisingly good. In the WLAN category, it even achieves the best performance in the test. When it comes to the transmission speed of the WLAN, it even performs better than the Fritzbox 7530. In larger apartments, however, it is still preferable because of the more far-reaching signal. In terms of security and handling, the speed port is just behind the Fritz boxes, the security functions are not quite as strong, but still good. With “good” (2.0), the overall result is only slightly behind the test winners.
Together with the price from 130 euros, the Speedport Smart 4 is an interesting alternative: Anyone who lives in an apartment that is not too large and has their connection with Telekom gets a faster connection at a lower price. For everyone else, the Fritzbox is the better choice
Security problems with the noble model
But don’t be too excited about Team Magenta. Ironically, the significantly more expensive router Speedport Pro Plus performs significantly worse. Although it consistently scores “good” to “very good” for internet, telephony and security functions, the product test evaluates it harshly because the power consumption is too high. In the end, the overall grade remains “satisfactory”. That’s not good enough for a router that costs upwards of 275 euros.
You can find the complete test for a fee at test.de.
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