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The short answer
In an apartment, coverage is rarely the issue. What you need is a router that handles congestion: Wi-Fi 6 or newer for better airtime efficiency, strong 5GHz performance since 2.4GHz is usually unusable in a block, and 6GHz if you can stretch to it because almost nobody is using it yet.
Buying a high-power router for a flat is solving the wrong problem. Range is not your constraint when the furthest room is fifteen metres away. The constraint is that thirty other networks are transmitting in the same channels, and Wi-Fi is polite: devices wait for a clear moment to transmit, and in a crowded block those moments are scarce.
What actually helps in a flat
Wi-Fi 6 or newer
Wi-Fi 6 introduced scheduling improvements that let a router serve many devices within the same airtime rather than one after another. In a congested environment with a lot of small transmissions, that is a genuine improvement rather than a marketing one. It also improves battery life on phones and smart devices through target wake time.
6GHz, if the budget allows
Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 add the 6GHz band. It has far more channels, it does not travel through walls well, and in a block of flats both of those are advantages: your neighbours’ 6GHz does not reach you, and there is room for wide channels. For a flat, this is the single most effective upgrade available, provided your devices support it.
Good 5GHz performance
2.4GHz in a block is generally a write-off: three usable channels shared among dozens of networks, plus microwaves and Bluetooth. Keep it for smart home devices that need nothing else. Everything that matters should be on 5GHz, so the router’s 5GHz radio quality is what you are buying.
Things that do not help
More antennas, higher advertised speed classes, and gaming-branded features rarely change the experience in a flat. Neither does a mesh system in most cases, since a second node in a small flat adds interference and another hop without extending anything useful.
Before buying anything, scan the channels. A Wi-Fi analyser app will show which channels your neighbours use. Moving your 5GHz network to a clear channel, and using a narrower 40MHz width instead of 80MHz, often produces a bigger improvement than a new router.
Routers worth considering
TP-Link Archer AX21 AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 router
The sensible default for a flat. It brings the airtime efficiency improvements of Wi-Fi 6 without paying for range you do not need, and it handles a typical flat’s device count comfortably. If your current router is an ISP box from several years ago, this is a meaningful upgrade for modest money.
TP-Link Archer AXE5400 tri-band Wi-Fi 6E router
This is the one to buy if congestion is your actual problem, which in a block it usually is. The 6GHz band does not pass through walls well, and in a flat that limitation becomes the feature: your devices get a clean band that stops at your walls. Devices need to support it to benefit.
TP-Link Archer BE230 dual-band BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 router
A reasonable way into Wi-Fi 7 without paying flagship prices. The improvements over Wi-Fi 6 in a congested environment come from better scheduling and wider channels, and they are real if modest. Worth it if you are replacing a router you expect to keep for years.
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS90 Wi-Fi 7 router for up to 2000 sq ft
If your flat is large, split across levels, or has thick internal walls, this is where extra capability earns its price. It also has the processing headroom for a household with many devices, which is the other case where a stronger router changes the experience rather than just the specification sheet.
TP-Link Archer A6 AC1200 dual-band gigabit router
Worth considering only if the budget is tight and the current router is genuinely poor. You will not get the congestion handling of Wi-Fi 6, and you will get stable dual-band operation and proper settings control, which an ISP box often does not provide.
What we liked
- Wi-Fi 6 handles many devices far better
- 6GHz is clean and stops at your walls
- Full control over channels and settings
- Usually better than the ISP-supplied box
What we didn't
- More power or antennas does not help in a flat
- 6GHz needs compatible devices to benefit
- Replacing the ISP router adds a configuration step
- Neighbours' congestion is outside your control
Settings that matter more than the hardware
Scan and pick a clear 5GHz channel
Use a Wi-Fi analyser on a phone in the evening, when everyone is home. Choose a channel with the fewest overlapping networks, and prefer the upper channels, which fewer routers default to.
Use 40MHz rather than 80MHz if congestion is severe
Wider channels are faster in clean air and worse in crowded air, because they overlap with more neighbours. This is counterintuitive and frequently correct in a flat.
Set 2.4GHz to 20MHz and channel 1, 6 or 11
Then put only smart home devices on it. Do not expect much from that band in a block.
Put the router in the open and central
Not in the TV cabinet or behind the sofa. In a flat, a metre of position change can matter more than the model.
Put the ISP box in bridge mode
Running two routers creates double NAT, which causes intermittent problems that are hard to diagnose later.
Wire what you can
A TV, console or desktop on Ethernet is taken out of the airtime competition entirely, which helps everything else on the network.
Do I need a mesh system in an apartment?
Usually not. In a typical flat, one well-placed router covers everything, and a second node adds interference. Consider mesh only for a large flat or one with a difficult layout such as a long corridor with thick walls.
Will a new router make my internet faster?
It can improve speed on Wi-Fi if the current router is a bottleneck or badly congested. It cannot exceed what your broadband line delivers, so test with a wired connection first to see what you are actually paying for.
Is 6GHz worth it if only my phone supports it?
It can be, because moving one heavy device off 5GHz frees airtime for everything else. The benefit grows as more devices support it.
Should I use my ISP's router or my own?
Your own is usually better for control, settings and Wi-Fi quality. Keep the ISP box in bridge or modem mode if your connection requires it, which many do.
Why is my Wi-Fi slow only in the evening?
Because your neighbours are all using theirs at the same time, and because your broadband segment may be contended. Changing to a clear channel helps the first problem; only the provider can help the second.
How to choose
Buy Wi-Fi 6 as the minimum and 6E or Wi-Fi 7 if congestion is bad and your devices support it. Ignore range claims and antenna counts. Then do the work that costs nothing: scan for a clear 5GHz channel, narrow the channel width if the band is crowded, keep 2.4GHz for smart devices only, and put the router out in the open. In a block of flats, those settings often matter more than which box you bought.
