Best WiFi Router under 1500 in India: Wireless and LAN

Best Single Band and Dual Band Wireless WiFi and LAN router options in India around a budget of 1000 Rupees and Long term review of Mi 3c and TP-Link Wireless Router.

It all started in 2015 when I got a new Internet connection and looking to get a WiFi router to use the Internet in my Mobile and Laptop. At that time, I did not pay much attention to the features and Range of the router. I just bought the cheapest branded router available, This was TP-Link WR740N, The best Wireless Router available at that time at 750 Rupees. 

We had a 10 Mbps connection and thus got a basic router that fulfilled the requirement of providing WiFi to our devices such as Mobile and Laptops. This router had a great range because I placed it at the end of a bedroom and was able to get a good connection in the main hall. So at that time, there were no complaints regarding the router. Here is the setup for the router:

And after using this router for years, here are the Pros and Cons found till now (Since I am still using it!) in Tp-Link WR740N:

Pros of TP-Link WR740N:

• Built Quality: It is built very well and being dropped often while cleaning from the table, till now No sign of damage.
• Reliability: This is the main reason why I am still using it, it is very reliable and consistent in connection.
• Range: This router has a single antenna and still it provides a great range. As shown in the diagram, I am getting a device connected from another point of my house as well.
• Speed: As I have 1 50 Mbps plan, I am getting close to 45-46 Mbps speed in wired connection as well as wireless connection (This also depends upon the Network Provider as the actual speed is a bit less than indicated in the plan).
• Indicators: This comes with various indicators i.e. WiFi, Internet, Lock, etc. Which shows the current status and helps you identify where the problem actually is in case the Connectivity issues.
• Software U/I: Though it might seem complex at first, it provides all the information you need and easy to use once you know where the functions are located. The software is consistent and can be accessed via mobile as well. 
• Setup: The setup procedure was simple and can be done by watching a few YouTube videos or reading a Post if you are not that tech-savvy.

Cons of TP-Link WR740N:

• Frankly speaking, I haven't found any con in this router other than the range which sometimes feels short, but this is the best you can get at 750 Rupees Router!

Then after 3 years, The speed of 10 Mbps felt insufficient, and decided to upgrade to 50 Mbps. At that time I thought of upgrading the Router as well assuming that the current router might not work properly at high speed. After searching a bit, I came across the Mi 3C router which was just introduced and was selling like hotcakes.

Its look and features attracted me and I bought it for 1000 Rupees in 2018, but that was a BAD decision of purchasing the Mi 3C Router. It is just a fancy looking router which is not at all reliable while doing important tasks, Most of the time, I found it to be disconnected from the Internet and had to manually reboot it so that it connects with the Internet. 

After using it for more than 2 years, here are the implications:

Pros of Mi 3C:

• Looks: It looks simple and minimalistic, due to its compact size and portable design. The 4 antenna makes it look expensive than it actually is. Also, the single LED light in front gives it a subtle look.

• Setup Procedure: This might be the easiest to set up the router as you do not have to find anything while setting up, just provide your credential and it does all the setup automatically.

Cons of Mi 3C:

As you see, there are only 2 benefits of having a Mi 3C router, the rest is all regret!

• Connectivity: The router is known badly for its connectivity issues, it loses connection more frequently than any other router, you have to manually restart it to get connected to the Internet. 
• LAN Ports: There is only 2 LAN port on this router, which limits the number of devices connected. To add to this problem, the ports are very 'Sensitive' and disconnect the LAN device even if you hit or move the router slightly by mistake. 

• Reliability: It is not at all reliable and consistent in its performance. It frequently resets to Factory Default settings, so you have to set up the router all over again, Congratulations! 
• Range: You might think that the 4 antennas will provide a very strong range, you are wrong my friend! The range provided by these FAKE 4 antennas is just slightly better than the Single antenna TP-Link WR740N. 
• Build Quality: The build quality of this router is average and it will break if you hit it with a bit of force.
• Software: The software associated with this router is very Buggy and not consistent. I don't know why but it stops working properly whenever it gets any firmware update, so you are forced to update the firmware to get it working again. Initially, the software was available in only Chinese but now it is available in English.
• Noise: I know that routers do produce very low pitch noise while working, but this is on another level! At night (Of course when the other noise gets reduced) you can clearly hear the hiss emitting from the router.

Currently, I have a setup as shown in the diagram below:

In-room no.2 I have placed the Tp-Link Router as the main router (Connected with the WAN port) and in-room no.2, the Mi Router as a range extender of the main router. But even after this setup, I am getting the same strength of network and speeds from both the routers from my access point (drawn with a circle) 😁😁

To sum up, I would say that the Mi 3C is not a reliable Wireless Router if you are looking to get it for Home usage. I would suggest going for TP-Link WR841N Wireless router which costs you just above 1000 Rupees but provides you value for money package. If you are working from home, this router can be the best choice for consistent and reliable performance:

No doubt that at the same price point, the Indian manufacturer I-Ball provides the router I-Ball Baton, which has almost the same spec as TP-Link WR841N. And it is always good to support local manufacturers!: 

If you have a connection above 50 Mbps, I would suggest getting a dual-band (Not dual antenna, both are different) router as it utilizes the wireless bands more efficiently and gives you better speeds compared to a single band router. 

If you have an internet connection above speeds of 50 Mbps and you are a Hardcore Gamer or your data consumption is very high(Video calls, Meetings, Work from Home, Video streaming, Downloads), I would suggest you the TP-Link C20 AC750  Dual Band router which is most economical Dual Band Wireless Router:

So, the TP-Link C20 AC750 is the most affordable Dual Band Router available in India if you are looking to buy a router for Gaming, Work From Home, or high Wireless Data Usage.

Here are the links for each router mentioned in the Post:

• TP-Link TL-WR841N (Best for normal Home usage): Click Here
  
• iBall Baton (Suitable for Normal Home usage ): Click Here
  
• TP-Link C20 AC750 (Suitable for HIgh Wireless Data usage): Click Here
  
• Mi 3C (If you still wish to buy it 😀): Click Here

This concludes this post of Best Wireless Router available in India around 1000 Rupees, If you have any queries/comments, please provide it in the comment section.