The short answer
Replace the router if it no longer receives firmware updates, only does 2.4 GHz or 802.11n, cannot hold the number of devices you own, or still drops connections after a factory reset with a fixed channel. Slow internet on its own is not a reason — that is usually your provider or your device.
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Router upgrades are one of the most oversold fixes in home tech. A new router genuinely transforms some homes and changes nothing at all in others, and the difference is predictable if you know what to look at.
Reasons that do justify replacing it
- No firmware updates for years. This is the strongest single reason, and it is a security argument as much as a performance one. An unpatched router is the most exposed device on your network.
- 2.4 GHz only, or 802.11n and older. There is no configuration that overcomes a missing 5 GHz band in a crowded building.
- More devices than it can hold. Older routers keep a limited client table. Once a home passes roughly 25 devices, the cheapest ones start being pushed off — smart plugs and bulbs go first.
- Drops persist after a proper reset. If you have fixed the channel, split the bands, updated firmware and factory reset, and it still drops, the hardware is the remaining variable.
- Your ISP router is the bottleneck. Provider-supplied units are built to a price and are often the weakest link in an otherwise fine setup.
Reasons that do not
- Slow speeds on one device. That is the device’s adapter, driver or band. A new router changes nothing.
- Slow internet everywhere. Test with a cable straight into the modem. If that is slow too, the problem is your line, not your Wi-Fi.
- A single dead room. That is coverage. A better router in the same bad position rarely fixes it — mesh nodes or a wired access point do.
- Evening congestion. New hardware does not create new airtime on a crowded channel.
What to buy, by situation
A straightforward replacement for an ageing router
TP-Link Archer AX21 (AX1800 Wi-Fi 6)
The default sensible upgrade from anything pre-2018. Wi-Fi 6, dual band, gigabit ports and enough capacity for a normal household of phones, laptops, a TV and a stack of smart home devices. It is not exciting and that is rather the point — it fixes the common problems without costing what a mesh system does.
If your problem is coverage rather than capacity
A single router cannot cover a long or multi-storey house whatever you spend. Mesh systems use several nodes that hand devices between them automatically.
Amazon eero 7 dual-band mesh system
Mesh is the right answer for dead zones, and eero is the least fiddly of the mainstream options to set up. Place nodes where signal is still good — roughly halfway to the dead area — rather than in the dead zone itself, which is the mistake that makes people conclude mesh does not work.
If you already own an eero and just need more reach
eero 6 mesh extender (add-on node)
Cheaper than starting again. Adds coverage to an existing eero setup, which is the sensible route if one room is the only remaining problem.
If money is tight and the old router is simply dead
TP-Link Archer A6 (AC1200)
Wi-Fi 5 rather than Wi-Fi 6, and perfectly adequate for a smaller home with a connection under about 200 Mbps. Worth choosing only if the price gap over the AX21 is meaningful to you, because Wi-Fi 6 handles crowded device counts noticeably better.
There is no benefit in a router rated far beyond your connection. If your package is 100 Mbps, almost any current router saturates it. Spend the difference on coverage — mesh nodes or a wired access point — rather than on headline speed numbers you will never reach.
Before you buy anything, try these
- Move the router somewhere central, high and open.
- Set the 2.4 GHz channel to a fixed 1, 6 or 11.
- Split the bands into separate network names.
- Update the firmware.
- Test with a cable straight into the modem to see what your line actually delivers.
If all five are done and the problem stands, then the hardware is genuinely the constraint and an upgrade will help.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a router last?
Five to seven years is typical before firmware support ends and standards move on. The hardware often keeps working longer than it should be trusted to, which is the security argument for replacing it.
Will a new router increase my internet speed?
Only if the router was the bottleneck. If a wired test at the modem shows your full package speed, the router is not limiting your connection and a new one will not raise it.
Should I use my ISP's router or buy my own?
Your own, generally, if the provider allows it. ISP units are built to a budget and update slowly. Keep the provider’s modem where it is required and run your own router behind it.
Is Wi-Fi 7 worth paying for?
For most homes, not yet. The gains need Wi-Fi 7 devices and an internet connection fast enough to notice. Wi-Fi 6 is the sensible value choice unless you have a multi-gigabit line.
Work through the five free steps first. If the router still cannot cope afterwards, you will know exactly what you are buying and why.
