Going with a rented or purchased WiFi router provided by Frontier FiOS is an easy way to go.
After all, you will know that the router is compatible with your internet service and you could even get help setting it up. However, you’re not getting the best router for Frontier FiOS but rather an average router.
Using the router that is provided by the company could limit your options as a user, which could also limit your internet speeds and security. Why pay the same price to your FTTP (ISP) as you would for a better and more efficient router?
Shopping for the best router for Frontier FiOS can be pretty daunting. You will need to make sure that it has all of the speeds, and the features you need. The BlueGadgetTooth team have reviewed the best routers that you can get to use with Frontier FiOS, as it is far better to buy your own wireless router than it is to just go with the one that they offer.
Use Your Own Router For Frontier FiOS
Using your own wireless router instead of renting one is the way to go when it comes to using Frontier FiOS.
You will get better far performance, eliminate pesky monthly rental fees, and you will have more customization options and control over what the router does. And you can get a router to meet your needs.
- Better Performance: One of the best perks of purchasing your own router for Frontier FiOS is that you will naturally get better performance. You can opt for routers with a stronger Wi-Fi connection and a more efficient use of the bandwidth. Depending on how many people use your service, efficiency can be extremely important.
- Eliminate Rental Fees: You are already paying for your internet service, why should you have to pay a rental fee every month? Having $5 or $10 tacked onto your monthly bill will slowly add up over time. Buying your own Frontier FiOS compatible router will pay for itself in time, whereas if you rent you continue to pay indefinitely.
- More Control: Every household or business will have different network needs as far as what they need or expect from their router. If you have your own router, you will be able to choose one that meets your needs. Whether you need a better firewall, more versatility, or a bandwidth that can be prioritized, you can find a better router than the one they offer.
Frontier Approved Modems (Routers Actually)
Your new router has to be one of Frontier FiOS compatible routers or it will not work at all. That’s right, router, not modem. FiOS technology doesn’t actually use modems so don't search for Frontier approved modems because you need a router only.
You might have to call Frontier to get the Ethernet output enabled on your ONT (Optical Network Terminal) box, but then you just need to set up your router and you are good to go.
Unlike some other FTTPs, you can use nearly any type of router with Frontier FiOS. The router just needs to route packets between networks and have a reliable firewall.
Don’t worry though, we have reviewed the top Frontier FiOS routers out there to make your decision easy.
8 Best Routers For Frontier FiOS (2022)
Device | Speeds | Ports | Rating | Check Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Netgear RAX40 Editor's Choice | 3000 Mbps | 4 Ports | 100% | |
2. Netgear RAX80 High Performance | 6000 Mbps | 5 Ports | 99% | |
3. Netgear R6700 Budget Friendly | 1750 Mbps | 4 Ports | 96% | |
4. Asus RT-AC86U | 2900 Mbps | 4 Ports | 93% | |
5. Google WiFi System Extended Coverage | 1900 Mbps | 2 Ports | 97% | |
6. Netgear XR700 For Gaming | 7200 Mbps | 6 Ports | 98% | |
7. Motorola MD1600 DSL Modem Router | 1600 Mbps | 4 Ports | 97% | |
8. Synology RT2600ac Extra Security | 2600 Mbps | 4 Ports | 96% |
1. Netgear Nighthawk RAX40 WiFi Router
Best Router For Frontier FiOS (Editor's Choice)
If you are looking for the best router for Frontier FiOS, you can’t do better than the Netgear Nighthawk RAX40.
This is an AX3000 router, which will make it one of the fastest routers that you can get anywhere on the market. This means this router will be able to make the best use of the fiber optic technology that you can get from Frontier.
Design
Let’s start with its design. The design of the RAX40 is sleeker than other high performance routers that can handle these levels of speeds.
But, do not let its slim size fool you into thinking that this is not the high performance router that it is. Additionally, this router comes with two antennas and while that is certainly less than other routers, that does not detract from this router’s capabilities.
The RAX40 comes with a shared USB connection that will allow you to create personal cloud for your network. This is nice if you would like any device within the network to have access to the same files. The USB port is a 3.0 as well, which means that it will be able to operate at high speeds. There are also four 1 Gigabit Ethernet ports to work with.
The device does have security technology on board as well, supporting WPA2 and WPA3. It also will give you Denial of Service protection, a VPN, and a guest network, in addition to the standard firewall that comes with it.
Performance
Moving onto its performance, the RAX40 can offer speeds up to 3 Gbps. This will depend greatly on the type of fiber plan that you have setup with Frontier, but no matter what your speed package includes, this router will make the most of it.
This router can handle from 20 to 30 devices as well as 16 Wi-Fi clients simultaneously. Thinking about it, this router is really representative of the modern home network. With most people having one or more devices that use Wi-Fi, it makes sense to have a router that is literally made to make that happen.
This router also works with existing devices, supporting new and old devices easily. Using its two antennas, the RAX40 proves that it is not any less powerful than other routers that might have more antennas. This goes to show that no matter how many antennas a router has, if they are not powerful, they will not make a difference. The uplink and downlink OFDMA allows efficient data transmission across multiple devices at the same time.
2. Netgear Nighthawk RAX80 WiFi Router
High Performance
If you are in the market for a high performance router for your Frontier FiOS internet, we suggest the 8-stream Netgear Nighthawk RAX80.
Design
The design of the RAX80 includes fins to extend your range and the power of your signal. While this might look more interesting, it does make the router very hard to hide if you wanted to try to conceal it.
The RAX80 comes with 5 1-Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired devices, so you really should have space to plug in whatever device that you need to in order to have that steady connection.
The RAX80 has smart parental controls, so you can manage not just the device, but also the internet access across the network, which can be important if you have any children who log on, giving you an added amount of peace of mind.
Performance
The RAX80 comes with MU-MIMO technology, further allowing multiple users to stream at the same time. It comes with a 64-bit, 1.8 GHz quad-core processor, giving you a huge amount of power. When you combine it with Beamforming+, this router has solid range that should be able to reach your whole network.
The 8 simultaneous streams going at once that the RAX80 provide allows many devices to stream at the same time without losing any speed, giving you all of the power that you need to keep your network up and going as efficiently as possible.
Ultimately, this router is made to tackle networks that have a heavy amount of streaming from multiple sources at the same time. It is really ideal for the high activity modern home.
3. Netgear R6700 Smart WiFi Router
Budget Friendly Frontier FiOS Router
Design
Looking for a router on a budget does not mean that you are not going to get the quality you would otherwise. The Netgear R6700 Nighthawk AC1750 is the best budget-friendly router you can get for Frontier FiOS.
With fast access to USB HDD with USB 3.0 port, and four Ethernet ports to choose from, you should be able to connect twelve or more devices easily without lag. And it should work well with the Frontier FiOS with an easy setup wizard to help you customize your router’s settings.
Performance
You will not be disappointed with the performance of the R6700 Nighthawk. This router offers prioritized bandwidth to allow for gaming, streaming, and downloading without any hiccups or lags. The 1 GHz Dual-core processor means better performance, keeping up with whatever the router has thrown at it.
With this router, you will find coverage anywhere in your home, so you do not have to be right next to the router to get the best speeds, making this a great choice if you have multiple mobile devices connected to it.
There are three bands available, but how they are used depends on your setup. You can set all three bands to show up as 1 SSID, or you have use the smart connect and have two SSIDs for the 5GHz bands. Regardless, you will have the ability to control what devices are connected to specific bands.
The Nighthawk AC1750 also has an access control feature that can restrict what devices can connect to it. Meaning even if someone has the password, he or she cannot just jump on your Wi-Fi. This can help keep your bandwidth clear and secure.
4. Asus RT-AC86U Wireless Router
Design
This is a great router for Frontier FiOS if you're looking for a high performance gateway.
This beast is designed with the latest technology for streaming. With easy management of your network through the Asus router app, you have the ability to setup the network, control the usage, or enable parental controls.
With its 1.8 GHz dual-core processor, this router is meant to take on a high amount of traffic. The AC2900 also features an innovative feature called AiMesh, which offers an array of help, including troubleshooting or expanding your hardware in the future. It also allows you to connect this router to an older Asus router if you are building a bigger network.
There are three antennae coming out of the top of the AC2900, which does make it a bit of an eyesore, but if you can find a good spot for it in your house, it might not be an issue.
Performance
One of the best performance enhancements that you can find with the Asus AC2900 is the MU-MIMO technology, allowing you to stream on multiple devices simultaneously without a lag or buffering.
Gamers can even maximize the performance using Adaptive QoS and Gamers Private Network by WTFast to ensure that you don’t miss anything.
With a 1.8 GHz, 32-bit dual-core processor, the AC2900 is meant to hold up to whatever type of usage you need from your router, whether you are streaming videos, gaming, or simply just browsing.
You get great control with the AC2900 using the Smart Connect technology, which gives you the option to move Wi-Fi clients automatically from the high 5 GHz band to the low 5 GHz band, leaving the best and fastest speeds with the devices that need them. This can be especially beneficial when you are streaming with a high data transfer and you do not want a signal interruption. You can turn off the function if it is giving trouble. Gamers, tech savvy users, heavy video streams and more will love this powerhouse.
5. Google Wi-Fi Mesh Router
Extended Coverage
Some networks need more coverage than others. If your network is large or has a lot of awkward corners and you need the ability to endlessly extend your Frontier FiOS coverage, you should consider the Google Wi-Fi System.
Design
If you look at the Google system’s appearance, you will see that the design has no external antennas, making it easier to conceal than other routers. This can be really beneficial if you need to add on points as you go.
This system comes with three individual Wi-Fi points which will eliminate dead spots throughout your network. What’s great about this system is that you can purchase additional points if you need to extend your coverage even further, making this ideal for large spaces.
Performance
Using the three points that come with this system, the Google Wi-Fi system can cover up to 1,500 square feet without dead spots. The Google router system also has network assist technology giving you a strong signal from point to point, which will extend when you add more points.
The biggest advantage to a mesh system like this is that if you need more coverage, you can always get more points to extend it further, making it as large as you want.
Each of the three points has its own LAN port as well as being a Wi-Fi point, so you gain two Gigabit Ethernet ports in each point, giving you endless options to directly wire in a device at any point, giving you limitless ports and access points.
6. Netgear Nighthawk Pro XR700 Router
For Gaming
If your network has a large amount of gaming activity, we recommend the Netgear Nighthawk Pro XR700 for Frontier FiOS. This is a quad-stream router that has few lag spikes, jumps, or jitters.
Design
The design of the XR700 is a little bit bulky and it does take up quite a bit of space, making it difficult to put on a desk if that was what you were hoping for. That said, otherwise, the design is pretty slick. It has a red element that makes it stand apart from other routers.
Additionally, you will get four high-gain antennas from the XR700. These help you extend the reach of your router. They also can be positioned in the directions that you would prefer to ensure that your signal is reliable.
Performance
The performance of the XR700 is outstanding. It can reach speeds up to 7.2 Gbps, using its 1.7 GHz quad-core processor, as long as that is the speed that you can get from your Frontier FiOS package.
It also has the lowest ping that you can get, which is important if you are playing Fortnite, Call of Duty, and even OverWatch. Every millisecond counts in gaming and the XR700 ensures you come out on top with connectivity.
Additionally, the XR700 has geo-filtering which will help your router connect to the closest servers and players, giving you efficient response time and allowing you to dominate.
You also can monitor your network and game ping in real time, so you will be able to see what is dragging down your bandwidth and adjust accordingly. Since it has advanced QoS, you can ensure that the bandwidth hogs are not affecting your game play.
7. Motorola VDSL/ADSL2+ Modem Router
Best Frontier DSL Modem Router
Design
The Motorola AC1600 has a sleek design that makes it easy to place and easy to hide in your house while not taking up much room. If you are looking for a router that still has a modem capability, this is the router for you. And yes, it is a Frontier approved modem.
With four Gigabit Ethernet ports built-in as well as built-in dual-band, you should be able to easily connect all of your devices. It also does come with a WPA/WPA2 wireless security as well as its firewall.
This AC1600 has an easy setup on the Frontier FiOS, but you still might need to contact Frontier to get a password for your DSL, depending on your service and you might have to get the correct username from Motorola if it is not listed inside of the box.
The configuration settings on this modem/router combination are pretty extensive, giving you plenty of opportunity to customize the router to meet your household needs.
Performance
This is a modem/router combination too that is meant for speed. For users who are after the best DSL modem performance, this is a great choice. The dual band gives you both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz to work with.
Security-wise the AC1600 provides a firewall, WPA/WPA2 wireless security as well as the ability to have a VPN. So you shouldn’t be too concerned about having your modem/router combination broken into.
The multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports mean that you should be able to connect the most demanding devices to it easily, ensuring that all of the devices are receiving the best speed possible. It also is not likely to drop a signal, giving you the reliability that you need and should expect from a router. You won’t be disappointed.
8. Synology RT2600ac WiFi Router
Extra Security
If you are looking for more security for your Frontier FiOS internet, we suggest the Synology RT2600ac.
You might be unfamiliar with this brand of routers, but that does not make it any less important or helpful.
Design
Starting with the design of the Synology RT2600ac, it rests horizontally with a black casing, which is pretty standard for a router.
It has four high-gain antennas that can be moved to the direction that needs the strongest signal possible.
Typically horizontal routers run the risk of overheating, but this router does not, because it sits at an angle to ensure that there is adequate ventilation. You still want to keep it in a well-ventilated location, but it is not as much of a concern.
The router comes with one USB 2.0 port and five Ethernet ports to give you connectivity for the devices that really need it. The operating system uses the Synology Router Manager for setup, but it is not always user-friendly, so if you are not tech savvy, you might be frustrated with this router.
Performance
Taking a look at its performance, the RT2600rc comes with a 1.7 GHz dual-core processor, which will give you excellent overall performance capabilities. The range of the router is up to 3000 square feet, which is pretty impressive.
Let’s move onto its security features. The router is routinely updated with the latest security protocols, keeping the latest malware or cyber threats out of your network.
There is also intrusion protection, denial-of-service protection, and a reliable firewall management system. The router has a VPN server to give you the level of encryption that you need as well.
How To Use Your Own WiFi Router With Frontier FiOS
- Since fiber internet does not use a modem, the first thing to do is make sure that your router will work with FiOS. It should be listed as an approved router.
- You will connect the router to your ONT box using an Ethernet cable, which is what brings the fiber internet to your house. Plug the router into a power source as well.
- Open a browser on a computer connected to your internet and go to the IP address listed. There should be login credentials with the router.
- Once inside the settings, customize your router to meet your needs. Then, connect your devices and you are good to go.
What To Consider When Choosing A Compatible Router For Frontier FiOS
When choosing a new router for Frontier FiOS, you need to review a few points before you can really commit to one router over the other.
Frontier FiOS Compatible: This is especially important, because if it is not compatible with Frontier FiOS, it is going to do nothing for you. Luckily, the routers we reviewed are all compatible with FiOS.
Number of Bands: The amount of bands that you need depends a lot on what you are doing with the router, including how many users there are. Dual-band routers are the most efficient and make the best use of your bandwidth.
WiFi Speed: You should not settle for a slow speed router. Many routers on the market offer speeds up to 1000 Mbps, and considering you are not going to get that from your ISP, it means you are going to get the most speed from your connection possible.
Network Security: Your router needs to have a firewall and user controls. Being able to limit what devices connect to the router can help you stop unauthorized access or control what devices in your household can use it. It is a big point with parents trying to limit screen time.
Wireless Coverage: Who wants to have to sit right next to the router to get service? You should be able to move around your house without any kind of lag or dead spot. This depends on the size of the house of course, but you should reasonably be able to get a strong signal from another room.
Final Words
Probably the most important thing you should do when you begin the hunt for a router is to ask if it is one of many Frontier FiOS compatible routers. There is no reason to put yourself through a lot when you might discover the router you were looking at might not work at all.
The best Frontier FiOS router for you will depend greatly on what your needs are and how many users will be on it. The Netgear RAX40 is definitely the best router for Frontier FiOS as it can offer an easy setup as well as the best speeds you can get.
You should never rent a router, unless you know you are going to be moving and changing service providers in the near future. Even in that case, however, you should be able to find a budget friendly router that works with most Internet service providers, like the Netgear R6700 and still avoid renting.
It all comes down to speed and performance, however. Check out our guide, look at what you need to get from your router and go from there.