Buying advice

When to replace your router, and when not to

An old router gets blamed for most Wi-Fi trouble, but age alone proves little. A checklist built on evidence you can check: firmware support, port speed against your plan, Wi-Fi generation against your devices, missing security features, and the problems a new router won't fix.

By the RouterHaus team Published 10 min read

How we know: based on manufacturer support and end-of-life policies, FCC and FBI documents, Wi-Fi Alliance documentation, the RouterHaus catalog, checked . RouterHaus didn't test this hands-on.

Illustration: a router wearing a checklist tag that asks about updates, ports and bands; the updates check fails, and a new router waits to one side, labelled for use only if a check fails.
Illustration: RouterHaus

The short version

  • Replace on evidence, not age. Four things justify a new router: its maker no longer ships security updates for it; its internet port is slower than your plan; your devices can use a band or generation it lacks, and you'd notice the difference; or it lacks WPA3 or a feature you need.
  • Age is a poor guide. ASUS lists Wi-Fi 6 routers such as the RT-AX86U and RT-AX88U as end-of-life, while eero promises security updates for its Wi-Fi 6 eero 6 through at least October 31, 2031. Look up your model; don't guess from the year.
  • Many problems aren't the router. A slow plan or provider line, a router in a cabinet, thick walls, an old phone and bufferbloat all survive a router swap. Test wired at the router first.
  • The FCC's 2026 router action doesn't require you to replace anything. The FCC says people using routers affected by its Covered List action "do not need to do anything", and an FCC waiver lets makers keep sending previously authorized routers software and firmware updates, such as security patches, until at least January 1, 2029.

The checklist

Work down the list. Any "replace" answer is a reason on its own; the rest of the article explains each check and how to run it.

CheckHow to find outReplace if
Security updatesYour model and hardware version on the maker's end-of-life or support list (table below)The maker says it no longer ships security updates for it
Internet port vs planThe router's spec page; the WAN status page shows the speed it connected atYour plan is faster than about 940 Mbps and the internet port is 1 Gbps
LAN port vs your fastest wired deviceThe router's spec pageOne wired device needs more than about 940 Mbps from the internet and no LAN port is faster than 1 Gbps (a switch can't fix that)
Wi-Fi generation vs devicesYour phones' and laptops' spec pagesDevices you rely on have 6 GHz and the router doesn't, or the router is Wi-Fi 5 or older
Security optionsThe router's Wi-Fi security settingIt can't offer WPA3 Personal or WPA2/WPA3 Transitional, even after a firmware update
CoverageSignal and speed tests room by roomNot by itself: weak rooms usually need another access point, not a new router

Firmware support: what each maker promises

A router that no longer gets security updates is the clearest case for replacing it, because nothing else you do fixes new vulnerabilities. In May 2025 the FBI warned that criminals were taking over end-of-life routers with remote administration turned on, using variants of TheMoon malware, and turning them into proxies that hide other criminals' traffic. Its precautions include replacing an end-of-life router with an updated model if possible, applying any available security patches or firmware updates, and turning off remote management.

Makers publish very different things. From each maker's own pages, checked October 29, 2026:

MakerWhat it publishesHow long updates last
eeroA dated guarantee for every model it still sellsSecurity updates for at least five years from purchase new on eero.com or Amazon, or until the listed date if later: October 31, 2031 for the eero 6, 6+, Pro 6E and every Wi-Fi 7 model; March 11, 2030 for the eero Pro. "When software security updates end, your eero device will still work"
GoogleA minimum per modelAt least five years from when Google starts selling it on the US Google Store: October 27, 2027 for the Nest Wifi Pro. Google's table still marks Google Wifi (2016) and Nest Wifi (2019) as "currently receiving critical security updates" after their minimums passed
NETGEARAn End of Service (EOS) policy, a searchable EOS list, and "(EoS)" labels in its monthly security advisories"In general, EOS for NETGEAR products occurs three years after the last sale date"; after EOS, products "no longer receive firmware updates, including important security updates"
TP-LinkA US list of End of Sales dates by model and hardware version, and a global end-of-life policyEnd of Maintenance "is usually 3 years after the EOS date" unless the law requires otherwise; after it, TP-Link "will no longer provide support or maintenance", and the product's functionality "may be limited"
LinksysEnd-of-life and end-of-support dates, looked up by SKUAfter end of life, "Major Security" updates continue; after end of support, no security updates
ASUSAn end-of-life list of models "no longer manufactured or updated with firmware"; some entries marked "only EU"No US dates. ASUS's dated minimums are tied to regional regulations: its consolidated page (updated October 5, 2026) covers the UK and Australia, and a separate page covers Singapore. The list isn't a hard stop: ASUS posted firmware for the listed RT-AX86U and RT-AX88U in April and on October 22, 2026
Ubiquiti"Vintage" and "Legacy" product lists, without advance datesVintage products still get "critical bug fixes and security updates"; Legacy products "have stopped receiving updates"
GL.iNetA policy statement and end-of-life noticesSupport "up to TWO YEARS after their last manufacturing date, or longer if required by law"

How to use it:

  1. Find the exact model and hardware version on the router's label. TP-Link's US list is by version: Archer AX21 versions 1.20 to 3.6 reached End of Sales between May and November 2024, and the Archer A7 version 5.0 on May 29, 2024. By TP-Link's usual three-year rule, that A7's maintenance would end around May 2027 (our arithmetic; TP-Link may extend it).
  2. Search the maker's list. NETGEAR's October 2026 security advisory, for example, marks the R7000 and R7000P Nighthawk routers "(EoS)" and says "no security updates are planned" for models so marked; NETGEAR "strongly recommends that you retire these devices". The same entry still lists a fixed firmware version for both, so an end-of-service label and a last patch can arrive together. Ubiquiti lists its USG and USG-Pro gateways as Legacy.
  3. Update first, then decide. Install the latest firmware even on an end-of-life model: TP-Link's advisory on old routers (last updated May 12, 2026) says some received security updates "where technically feasible", and recommends upgrading to a supported product.
A black NETGEAR Nighthawk router with three tall antennas, a row of front status lights and a front USB port.
A NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900, a dual-band Wi-Fi 5 router. A model like this is judged by its status, not its looks: find its exact model and hardware version on the label, then on NETGEAR's end-of-service list. Photo: Evan-Amos, via Wikimedia Commons

A government label won't tell you this yet. The FCC's U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, whose registry is meant to show a product's support period, "does not include personal computers, smartphones, and routers".

The FCC's foreign-router rule isn't a replacement order. On March 23, 2026 the FCC added routers produced in foreign countries, except those granted a Conditional Approval, to its Covered List, which stops new models from getting FCC authorization. Its FAQ says consumers using these routers "do not need to do anything" and that there are no restrictions on using them, and previously authorized models can still be sold. The FCC doesn't list covered routers by make or model; it publishes the Conditional Approvals it has granted on its Covered List page. An FCC waiver of May 8, 2026 lets routers authorized before March 23, 2026 keep receiving software and firmware updates that mitigate harm to US consumers "at least until January 1, 2029". The waiver permits those updates; it doesn't oblige a maker to send them.

Your plan vs the router's ports

A 1 Gbps Ethernet port carries about 940 Mbps of actual data after overhead (arithmetic: with standard 1,500-byte packets, each frame takes 1,538 bytes of wire time and carries 1,460 bytes of data, or 1,448 when TCP timestamps add their 12 bytes). So:

  • Plan up to about 900 Mbps: a router with gigabit ports isn't the port bottleneck. If you're not getting your plan, look at the tests below before buying anything.
  • Plan faster than 1 Gbps with a 1 Gbps internet port: the whole household is capped near 940 Mbps. That's a real reason to replace.
  • Multi-gig internet port but 1 Gbps LAN ports: devices together can use the plan, but one wired device tops out near 940 Mbps.
  1. Internet plan 2 Gbps
  2. Provider's fiber terminal Multi-gig port
  3. Old router's internet port 1 Gbps: about 940 Mbps for everyone
  4. Phones and laptops Share what's left
When the router's internet port is slower than the plan, every device shares less than the plan; this is the one case where port speed alone justifies a new router.

Routing speed matters too, and most makers don't publish it, so a fast port isn't proof. The way to find out is a wired test through the router compared with a test from the provider's own equipment. Both topics are covered in detail in why a multi-gig plan may not deliver multi-gig speed and choosing a router for multi-gig fiber.

Wi-Fi generation vs your devices

A router and a device use the newest generation they both support, so a new generation helps only the devices that have it. Two situations justify replacing:

  • The router is Wi-Fi 5 or older and most devices are Wi-Fi 6 or newer. Apple lists its Wi-Fi 6 iPhones, from the iPhone 11 to the iPhone 17e, at 1,200 Mbps for an 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) link at 80 MHz; on a Wi-Fi 5 router they connect with the older 802.11ac instead.
  • Phones or laptops you rely on have 6 GHz and the router doesn't. Apple's Wi-Fi 6E and 7 devices, every Pixel since the Pixel 6 (US models) and laptops with Intel's AX210 or Wi-Fi 7 cards can use 6 GHz, which only Wi-Fi 6E and tri-band Wi-Fi 7 routers offer.

If neither applies, a newer generation is a nice-to-have. A Wi-Fi 6 router already serves Wi-Fi 6 devices at their full link rate. Which generation to buy, and where Wi-Fi 7 now costs the same as 6E, is in Wi-Fi 6, 6E or 7: which should you buy now?

Missing security and features

  • WPA3. The Wi-Fi Alliance says WPA3 support "has been required in all new Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices since 2020", so an older router may not have it. Apple recommends "WPA3 Personal for better security, or ... WPA2/WPA3 Transitional for compatibility with older devices", and says to avoid TKIP. A router that can offer neither, and isn't getting updates, should go. One that offers WPA3 only after a firmware update just needs the update.
  • 6 GHz. A router needs a 6 GHz radio to offer it, which means Wi-Fi 6E or tri-band Wi-Fi 7. WPA3 is mandatory there.
  • Features you'd use. Smart queue management for calls and games, a guest or IoT network, VLANs, a VPN server, mesh expansion, local management without a cloud account. If you need one and your router lacks it, that's a reason; see the router guide's features checklist. Check whether the feature needs a subscription on the new router.

What a new router won't fix

CauseWhat it looks likeThe fix instead
The plan or the provider's lineSlow even on a computer wired to the router, or at the provider's own gatewayContact the provider with wired test results
Placement and wallsFast near the router, slow or dropping in certain roomsMove the router, wire what stays put, add an access point: see fixing dead zones
A weak mesh linkOne mesh unit's room is slow even with good signal to itMove or wire that unit: see why mesh doesn't fix every slow room
The deviceOne phone or laptop is slow everywhere, others are fineUpdate it, or check its Wi-Fi generation; an old device keeps its own limits on any router
BufferbloatCalls and games lag only when someone uploads or downloadsSmart queue management, if your router has it: see the bufferbloat and SQM guide
Two routers in a rowPort forwarding, game chat or VPNs fail behind the provider's gatewayFix the setup, not the hardware: see double NAT

Try this before you buy

This order separates the provider, the router and the house with the fewest purchases. It needs a computer with an Ethernet port or adapter.

  1. Write down the symptom precisely: slow everywhere or in some rooms, all devices or one, all day or evenings, downloads or calls.
  2. Restart the modem and router. Ookla, which runs Speedtest, calls it stock advice that "solves an astonishing number of problems".
  3. Test wired at the router. Close other apps and test from a computer plugged into a LAN port. Well below your plan? Run your provider's own equipment test if it offers one. Ookla says that after a clean wired test and a restart "you should now have enough evidence to contact your ISP".
  4. Update the firmware and check its support status against the maker table. End of support is a reason to replace even if speed is fine.
  5. Check the port speeds the router's internet port and your computer actually connected at, against your plan (above).
  6. Test Wi-Fi next to the router, then in the problem rooms. Fine wired but slow next to the router on Wi-Fi points to the router's Wi-Fi or the device: try a second device. Fast nearby and slow far away is coverage.
  7. Test latency under load while someone uploads. Lag only under load is bufferbloat, not age.
  8. Only then decide, and let the failed check choose the replacement: a faster internet port, a 6 GHz band, an extra access point, or a supported model.
The order to check a slow network before replacing the routerBefore buying, after writing down the symptom (step 1) and restarting the modem and router (step 2), work through five checks. 3: Test wired at the router from a computer on a LAN port; if it's well below your plan, check the provider: run its equipment test, then contact it. 4: Update the firmware and check the maker's support list; if the router no longer gets security updates, replace it with a supported model. 5: Check the internet port's speed against your plan; if the port is slower than the plan, replace it with a router that has a faster internet port. 6: Test Wi-Fi next to the router, then in the problem rooms, and try a second device; slow right next to the router points to the router's Wi-Fi or the device, while fast nearby but slow far away is coverage, fixed by adding an access point. 7: Test latency while someone uploads; lag only under load is bufferbloat, not age, and the fix is smart queue management. 8: Only then decide, letting the failed check choose the fix; if none failed, age alone isn't a reason to replace. Steps 1 and 2: write down the symptom, then restart the modem and router. Check, in order If Then 3 Test wired at the router A computer on a LAN port Well below your plan The provider Contact it with test results 4 Update firmware, check support On the maker's list No more security updates Replace With a supported model 5 Check the port speeds Internet port vs your plan Port slower than the plan Replace With a faster internet port 6 Test Wi-Fi next to the router, then in the problem rooms Slow right next to it Router's Wi-Fi or device Try a second device Fast nearby, slow far away Coverage Add an access point 7 Test latency under load While someone uploads Lag only under load Bufferbloat, not age Smart queue management 8 Only then decide Let the failed check choose the fix. If none failed, age alone isn't a reason to replace. The order to check a slow network before replacing the routerBefore buying, after writing down the symptom (step 1) and restarting the modem and router (step 2), work through five checks. 3: Test wired at the router from a computer on a LAN port; if it's well below your plan, check the provider: run its equipment test, then contact it. 4: Update the firmware and check the maker's support list; if the router no longer gets security updates, replace it with a supported model. 5: Check the internet port's speed against your plan; if the port is slower than the plan, replace it with a router that has a faster internet port. 6: Test Wi-Fi next to the router, then in the problem rooms, and try a second device; slow right next to the router points to the router's Wi-Fi or the device, while fast nearby but slow far away is coverage, fixed by adding an access point. 7: Test latency while someone uploads; lag only under load is bufferbloat, not age, and the fix is smart queue management. 8: Only then decide, letting the failed check choose the fix; if none failed, age alone isn't a reason to replace. Steps 1 and 2: write down the symptom, then restart the modem and router. 3 Test wired at the router A computer on a LAN port If well below your plan: The provider Contact it with test results 4 Update firmware, check support On the maker's list If no more security updates: Replace With a supported model 5 Check the port speeds Internet port vs your plan If port slower than the plan: Replace With a faster internet port 6 Test Wi-Fi next to the router, then in the problem rooms If slow right next to it: Router's Wi-Fi or device Try a second device If fast nearby, slow far away: Coverage Add an access point 7 Test latency under load While someone uploads If lag only under load: Bufferbloat, not age Smart queue management 8 Only then decide Let the failed check choose the fix. If none failed, age alone isn't a reason.
Two results justify a new router on their own: no more security updates, or an internet port slower than your plan. Most of the others point to the provider, coverage or bufferbloat, which a new router doesn't fix. Diagram: RouterHaus

A fuller walk-through of slow connections is in why is my internet slow?

If you do replace it

Require four things: a model the maker still sells and supports, an internet port at least as fast as your plan (2.5 Gbps covers plans up to 2 Gbps), the 6 GHz band if your devices use it, and WPA3. Then check the maker's support policy in the table above before you pay.

Current candidates, by a stated rule: the two lowest-priced current Wi-Fi 7 models in each of four groups (routers and mesh systems, each with and without a 6 GHz band) whose internet port and at least one LAN-only port are 2.5 Gbps or faster. Mesh kits are ranked by price per unit. Only prices the catalog records from the maker's own store or list price count, not launch prices or prices marked not re-confirmed. Catalog checked October 20, 2026.

The two lowest-priced current Wi-Fi 7 models in each group: dual-band routers, tri-band routers, dual-band mesh kits and tri-band mesh kits (per unit), all with 2.5 Gbps or faster internet and LAN ports and a maker's store or list price.
ProductInternet portFastest LAN portMaker's routing, plan or wired-speed figurePrice
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS200
Router · Wi-Fi 7		 2.5 Gbps 2.5 Gbps Not published $229.99
Manufacturer store price, checked October 20, 2026
ASUS RT-BE86U
Router · Wi-Fi 7		 10 Gbps 2.5 Gbps Not published $269.99
Manufacturer store price, checked October 20, 2026
GL.iNet Flint 3 (GL-BE9300)
Router · Wi-Fi 7		 2.5 Gbps 2.5 Gbps Not published $209.99
Manufacturer store price, checked October 20, 2026
Ubiquiti UniFi Express 7 (UX7)
Router · Wi-Fi 7		 10 Gbps 2.5 Gbps Not published $219.00
Manufacturer store price incl. US store surcharge (list $199.00), checked October 20, 2026
TP-Link Deco BE23 (3-pack)
Mesh system · Wi-Fi 7		 2.5 Gbps 2.5 Gbps Not published $299.97
Manufacturer store price, checked October 20, 2026
TP-Link Deco BE25 (3-pack)
Mesh system · Wi-Fi 7		 2.5 Gbps 2.5 Gbps Not published $299.99
Manufacturer store price, checked October 20, 2026
TP-Link Deco BE63 (2-pack)
Mesh system · Wi-Fi 7		 2.5 Gbps 2.5 Gbps Not published $449.99
Manufacturer store price, checked October 20, 2026
NETGEAR Orbi 770 Series (RBE773) (3-pack)
Mesh system · Wi-Fi 7		 2.5 Gbps 2.5 Gbps Not published $699.99
Manufacturer store price, checked October 20, 2026

The first two rows and the Deco BE23 and BE25 have no 6 GHz band, so they suit homes whose devices don't use it. Mesh prices are for the pack shown: by our arithmetic, $99.99 a unit for the Deco BE23 3-pack, $100 for the BE25 3-pack, $225 for the Deco BE63 2-pack and $233.33 for the Orbi 770 3-pack. How many units you need is a coverage question: the methodology gives the rule of thumb, and how many mesh nodes you need works through it. Wider shortlists, including models with gigabit LAN ports, are in Wi-Fi 7 routers at $200 or less and Wi-Fi 7 mesh kits under $500.

Frequently asked questions

How many years should a router last?

There's no fixed number. Support periods differ by maker: eero lists security updates through at least 2030 or 2031 for every model it still sells, NETGEAR's end of service generally comes three years after a model's last sale date, and GL.iNet supports products up to two years after their last manufacturing date. Check your model's status rather than counting years.

Is it safe to keep using a router after updates stop?

It keeps working, but new vulnerabilities won't be fixed. The FBI warned in 2025 that criminals were compromising end-of-life routers with remote administration turned on. If you must keep one for a while, install the last firmware, turn off remote management and use a strong, unique admin password, then replace it.

Will a new router make my internet faster?

Only if the old router was the limit: an internet port slower than your plan, routing that can't keep up, or Wi-Fi that your devices outgrew. If a computer wired to the old router already gets close to your plan, a new router won't raise internet speed, though it may improve Wi-Fi in some rooms.

Do I need to replace a router because of the FCC's 2026 Covered List change?

No. The FCC says consumers using routers covered by the change do not need to do anything and can keep using them, and an FCC waiver lets previously authorized routers keep receiving updates that mitigate harm to consumers until at least January 1, 2029. The waiver allows updates but doesn't promise them, so check your maker's own support status.

My provider supplied the router. Should I replace it?

Run the same checks. If it fails one, ask the provider about a newer gateway first, since it may be included in your service. If you add your own router, avoid two routers in a row by using bridge mode or IP passthrough, as our guide to bridge mode explains.

Sources

Read on October 29, 2026. Product specifications and prices come from the RouterHaus catalog (checked October 20, 2026), published at /data.

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