Most best budget gaming router use the same networking hardware internally as traditional Wi-Fi routers, but you can usually distinguish game models from other appearances.

They usually adopt an external chassis design that is slightly different from that of similar products in general. Shop around and you may see unusual styles, such as stylish casings and even LED lighting effects.

On a more practical level, look for routers with at least four gigabit LAN ports so that you can provide wired connections to nearby game consoles, printers, and PCs. At least one USB port, preferably supporting USB 3.0, can easily connect peripheral devices you want to share over the network, such as portable hard drives, flash drives, and printers. The best gaming router wireless with two such USB ports provides greater flexibility.

Parental control is also important, especially when you have young children. They allow you to block access to certain sites, limit online gaming or overall network access to specific times and dates of the week, and monitor network usage for each client.

If you often have tenants who are proficient in digital technology, the guest network feature is also worth looking for, as it allows you to provide limited wireless access to the network using a separate SSID and password. This way, your guests can access the Internet, but they cannot see other network assets such as folders, files, printers, and the identities of other connected clients. (In addition, you can assign guests to a radio frequency band that will not interfere with your game.)