5 Best DD-WRT Routers in 2024

DD-WRT is a popular third-party firmware for wireless routers and access points that provides a wide range of feature upgrades over stock router firmwares. These include improved network stability, superior VPN support, access restrictions, multiple wireless modes, Wi-Fi hotspot integrations for businesses, and processor overclocking, to name a few.

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At A Glance: 5 Best DD-WRT Routers in 2022

• NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router
  Our Top Pick
• Linksys WRT AC3200
• Linksys AC5400 Tri Band Wireless Router, Works with Amazon Alexa (Max Stream EA9500)

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Unfortunately, it’s not possible to install DD-WRT on every router. That’s why we’ve selected the top 5 best routers for 2018 that support DD-WRT and have high review scores because of their excellent performance and support for modern wireless technologies.

Best DD-WRT Routers

1. Netgear Nighthawk X4S

The Netgear Nighthawk X4S is a reasonably priced router that supports speeds of up to 2.53 Gbps thanks to its 1.7 GHz processor and MU-MIMO technology, which allows the router to stream data to multiple devices at the same time. The Netgear Nighthawk X4S can prioritize bandwidth so that latency-sensitive applications never wait for packets to arrive more than what’s necessary.

The router is equipped with four high-gain external antennas, each of which can be positioned individually to achieve the best signal coverage possible. You can easily set up and manage the router using the Nighthawk app, which is available on iOS and Android. The app features a well-designed dashboard with useful status information, and it even supports Circle with Disney, one of our favorite content filters for parents who want to protect their children online.

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2. Linksys AC5400

If you, like so many other consumers, trust Linksys and would like to purchase the best router the company sells, look no further: the Linksys AC5400 has everything you could ask for and more. This next-generation wireless router features three dedicated Wi-Fi bands for combined speeds of up to 5.3 Gbps, a powerful 1.4 GHz processor, eight gigabit Ethernet ports, two USB connections, and eight adjustable external antennas.

Just like the Linksys WRT3200ACM, this router can also be managed remotely using the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi app. Using the app, you can avoid lag by prioritizing devices that need the most bandwidth, and you can also create a separate network for your guests to keep your primary Wi-Fi password to yourself.

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3. Linksys WRT3200ACM

The Linksys WRT3200ACM is ready for both DD-WRT and OpenWrt, another popular third-party firmware for routers. This flexibility is made possible by the router’s enterprise-grade dual-core processor, which has been designed to handle even the heaviest network traffic and deliver the lowest latency.

Regardless of which firmware you choose, you can always count on the Linksys WRT3200ACM to deliver combined speeds of up to 3.2 Gbps across its two bands. The 2.4 GHz band is ideal for lighter Internet activities and offers speeds of up to 600 Mbps, while the 5 GHz band is perfect for online gaming and streaming and delivers speeds of up to 2.6 Gbps.

Even though the Linksys WRT3200ACM is among the most customizable routers on the market, the free Smart Wi-Fi app for Android and iOS devices makes configuration simple and allows you to manage your router from anywhere.

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4. ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC5300

This tri-band router from ASUS is ideal for gamers as it delivers data rates of up to 5334 Mbps across prioritized ports and offers a gaming-dedicated 5 GHz Wi-Fi band. The router’s performance can be attributed to the top-of-the-line 1.8 GHz 64-bit quad-core CPU that powers it, ensuring that lag is never an issue.

The ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC5300 is packed with so many useful features that you might even want to use it in its stock configuration. For example, the router can neutralize online threats before they infiltrate your network and attack individual devices. It can also automatically optimize your internet connections for maximum performance and prioritize real-time activities to eliminate lag.

Of course, the flawless performance of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC5300 comes at a cost, and you wouldn’t be the first person to find it unacceptably high. However, we can assure you that the price truly reflects what this state-of-the-art router offers.

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5. TRENDnet AC1900

This dual-band router from TRENDnet is an affordable performer that’s ready for next-generation wireless devices. It utilizes the 802.11ac standard to deliver speeds of up to 1,300 Mbps, and it comes with gigabit Ethernet ports for uncompromised wired internet access. Because the router doesn’t have external antennas, it fits even in very tight spaces and doesn’t offend the eye.

While the lack of external antennas does result in some signal loss, it’s not nearly as bad as you might expect. If you live in a regular apartment or a smaller house and you position the router well, we guarantee that you won’t even need a signal booster or repeater to cover every room.

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