The head says it. This post includes a list of the current best dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers and mesh systems, specifically hardware without the 6GHz band.
If you want a router with all three bands, this list of the top “traditional” Wi-Fi 7 routers is a better choice.
Five best dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers: The real-world tested list
Why dual-band, you might ask?
Apart from “why not?”, the truth is that the 6GHz band is complicated, not universally or consistently available, has a short range, and is the source of many connection issues.
How the 6GHz band is regulated around the world
The 6GHz band has a total width of 1200MHz, ranging from 5.925GHz to 7.125GHz, and is divided into 59 channels of 20MHz each. These channels are grouped to create “sub-bands,” which also vary from one region to another.
In the U.S., the FCC has designated four sub-bands across the entire spectrum, including U-NII-5, U-UNII-6, UNII-7, and UNII-8, for Wi-Fi use, though portions of the band may be reserved for other applications. The E.U. Commission, on the other hand, allows only the U-NII-5 equivalent part of the frequency, or 480MHz in width, for Wi-Fi.
Generally, Wi-Fi 6E needs a 160MHz channel to deliver the best performance, and Wi-Fi 7 requires double that, 320MHz. Due to spectrum availability and other reasons, real-world hardware tends to use narrower channels in most cases.
Overall, the use of the 6GHz frequency is complicated and is the main reason a Wi-Fi broadcaster made for one region might not work in another.
The table below shows its current adoption worldwide. The “Considering” portion is generally slated to be finalized in 2025, though that’s not a done deal.
| Country | Status | Spectrum |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Andorra | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Argentina | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Australia | Adopted Considering |
5925-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Austria | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Bahrain | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Belgium | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Brazil | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| CEPT | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Canada | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Chile | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Colombia | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Costa Rica | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Dominican Republic | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Egypt | Considering | 5925-6425 MHz |
| El Salvador | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| European Union | Adopted | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Faroe Islands | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| France | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Germany | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Gibraltar | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Guatemala | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Honduras | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Hong Kong | Adopted Considering |
5925-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Iceland | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Ireland | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Isle of Man | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Japan | Adopted Considering |
5925-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Jordan | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Kenya | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Liechtenstein | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Luxembourg | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Malaysia | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Mauritius | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Mexico | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Monaco | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Morocco | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Namibia | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Netherlands | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| New Zealand | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Norway | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Oman | Considering | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Peru | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Portugal | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Qatar | Adopted Considering |
5925-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Russian Federation | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Saudi Arabia | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Singapore | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| South Africa | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| South Korea | Adopted | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Spain | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Switzerland | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Thailand | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Togo | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Tunisia | Considering | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Turkey | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| United Arab Emirates | Adopted | 5925-6425 MHz |
| United Kingdom | Adopted Considering |
5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
Addtionally, Wi-Fi 7 has improvements in all bands, and the MLO feature is available without the 6GHz.
So, choosing dual-band Wi-Fi 7 means you can enjoy all the benefits of the latest standard without the headache it might cause, at least in its current early stages.
This list is sorted in the recommended order, with the best routers at the top—the numbers indicate the ranking. Nonetheless, all of these routers have close ratings, as shown below.
By the way, you can use multiple units of all routers below, except for the Netgear RS200, to build an equally straightforward mesh system, preferably via wired backhauling.
1. Asus RT-BE86U
The RT-BE86U is Asus’s second dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router, following the RT-BE88U below. It offers an excellent combination of performance, features, and cost. The practical and nostalgic design can also be a bonus for long-time fans of Asus.
Like all Asus routers, the RT-BE86U features AiMesh, and a set of two or more units will give you a true 10Gbps wired network. It’s currently also one of the top routers to have as a mini NAS server.
Pros
Top-tier dual-band Wi-Fi with MLO support and excellent real-world performance
Tons of valuable features, including AiMesh 2.0, Gaming, Guest Network Pro, and VLAN
One 10Gbps and four 2.5Gbps flexible network ports with Dual-WAN and Link Aggregation support
Universal setting backup and restoration; open source firmware; fanless design
Relatively compact design, comparatively affordable
Cons
No 6GHz band; no 2nd 10Gbps port
2. TP-Link Archer BE230 (BE3600)
The main reason the TP-Link Archer BE230 made it to this list is the fact it’s incredibly affordable. At $99, it makes Wi-Fi 7 a commodity. In return, it’s a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router with modest Wi-Fi specs. Still, with two 2.5Gbps ports, it’s an excellent router for many.
Pros
Excellent performance for the specs; super affordable
Wi-Fi 7 and Multi-Gig support; robust web user interface with a good set of network features and Wi-Fi settings
Useful (optional) mobile app; EasyMesh-ready; compact and practical design
Cons
No 10Gbps ports or Dual-WAN; modest Wi-Fi 7 specs
Online protection and advanced parental controls require subscriptions
3. Asus RT-BE88U
The Asus RT-BE88U is notable for two reasons. First, it’s a top-tier Wi-Fi 7 machine without a 6GHz band. Second, it has 10 network ports, the highest number among home routers, of which six are multi-Gigabit.
Like the RT-BE86U above, it’s part of a long-standing lineage that will keep some Asus fans happy.
Pros
Top-tier Wi-Fi 7 for 2.4GHz and 5GHz band with 4K QAM and MLO support; excellent performance
Tons of valuable features, including AiMesh 2.0, Gaming, Guest Network, Pro, and VLAN
Ten built-in network ports, six of which are Multi-Gig ports and SFP+ with Dual-WAN and Link Aggregation support
Universal setting backup and restoration; open source firmware; fanless design
Cons
No 6GHz band; no 2nd 10GBASE-T port
4. Netgear Nighthawk RS200
The Nighthawk RS200 is Netgear’s first dual-band Wi-Fi 7 standalone router. It comes with top-tier hardware and has excellent performance of its specs.
Pros
Fast and reliable Wi-Fi for the specs; two 2.5Gbps ports with excellent wired performance
Robust web interface with (optional) complimentary mobile app
Practical, fan-less, aesthetically pleasing design; runs cool and quiet; comparatively low power consumption; friendly pricing
Cons
No 6GHz band or 10Gbps ports, only two 2.5Gbps ports; no standard Remote Management via Dynamic DNS; limited built-in free features
Disjointed web user interface and mobile app; online protection and Parental Controls require the Nighthawk mobile app and premium subscriptions
5. Netgear Nighthawk RS100
The Nighthawk RS100 is the second dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router from Netgear. Unlike the RS200 above, though, it’s the bare minimum and is the only one on this list that has only one Multi-Gig port, the 2.5Gbps WAN, making it a Gigabit router in most cases. In return, it’s reliable and affordable among the Netgear options.
Pros
Compact, fanless design with low power consumption
Robust web interface with (optional) complimentary mobile app
Cons
Bare minimum dual-band Wi-Fi 7 specs with a single 2.5Gbps port and matching modest real-world performance; no USB port
Minimum free features, no web-based remote management, disjointed web user interface vs. mobile app; comparatively expensive
Online protection requires the Nighthawk app and a premium subscription
The final thoughts
Dual-band Wi-Fi 7 is the safe approach to the latest standard. It allows users worldwide to enjoy the latest without any complications,, and in most cases, dual-band is enough. If you have sub-Gigabit bandwidth needs, any of the routers above will do you a solid.
