Updated: October 12, 2026
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Paying for 2 Gig internet but never seeing it on a wired PC? Check the router’s ports before you blame the provider. A 1 Gbps port caps a wired connection at 1 Gbps, whatever the plan says. Honestly, port speeds are the most overlooked spec on a router box.
Here are three single Wi-Fi 7 routers (not mesh kits) compared on what their makers publish, starting with the ports.
How we chose: research-based. We used the manufacturers’ product pages and data sheets (cited below). We have not physically tested these routers. Speeds and coverage are the makers’ own ratings.
Want whole-home coverage instead? See our Wi-Fi 7 mesh picks.
The short answer
- Every Ethernet port 2.5 Gbps: ASUS RT-BE82U, with 1x 2.5G WAN and 4x 2.5G LAN [3][4].
- 6 GHz and 320 MHz channels: NETGEAR Nighthawk RS300, the only tri-band router here [5][6].
- Lowest tier: NETGEAR Nighthawk RS100. Its internet port is 2.5 Gbps, but its four LAN ports are 1 Gbps [1][2].
- Our take: on a 2–2.5 Gig plan, if you want a wired PC or NAS to see more than 1 Gbps, it needs a 2.5 Gbps LAN port too, not just a 2.5 Gbps WAN port. That’s our reading of the port lists, not a speed test.
Side-by-side
| NETGEAR Nighthawk RS100 (BE3600) | ASUS RT-BE82U (BE6500) | NETGEAR Nighthawk RS300 (BE9300) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAN (internet) port | (1) 2.5 Gbps internet port [1][2] | 1x 2.5G for WAN [3][4] | (1) 2.5 Gbps Internet port [5][6] |
| LAN ports | (4) 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports [1][2] | 4x 2.5G for LAN [3][4] | (2) 2.5 Gbps Ethernet LAN ports; (2) 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports [5][6] |
| USB | None in NETGEAR’s port list | USB 3.2 Gen 1 x 1 [3][4] | (1) USB 3.0 port [5][6] |
| Wi-Fi bands | 2.4 GHz (2×2), 5 GHz (2×2) [1] | 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz [3][4] | 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz [5] |
| Rated Wi-Fi speed | Up to 3.6 Gbps [1] | 688 + 5764 Mbps (BE6500) [3] | Up to 9.3 Gbps [5] |
| Max channel width | Not listed on product page/datasheet | 20/40/80/160 MHz [3][4] | 320 MHz channels [6] |
| Coverage (maker rating) | Up to 2,000 sq. ft. [1] | Not listed on product page/datasheet | Up to 2,500 sq. ft. [5] |
| Processor | Quad-core 2.0 GHz [1] | 2.0 GHz quad-core [3] | Quad-core 2.0 GHz [5] |
| Price tier | Budget | Mid | Premium |
Port wording is quoted from each maker’s own spec list. Wi-Fi speeds are maximum signal rates, not real-world throughput; NETGEAR says actual throughput “will vary” [5].
Price tiers are relative to the products in this article. Each tier is based on the maker’s own US store listing, checked October 12, 2026 (ET). We don’t list street or retail prices because they change. “Not assigned” means we couldn’t find a price on the maker’s own US site. Check the current price before you buy.
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS100 (BE3600): 2.5 Gig in, 1 Gig out
- Ports: (1) 2.5 Gbps internet port and (4) 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports [1][2].
- Dual-band Wi-Fi 7, 2.4 GHz (2×2) and 5 GHz (2×2), up to 3.6 Gbps [1].
- NETGEAR rates it for up to 2,000 sq. ft. [1] and “up to 50 devices” [2].
- Trade-off: no 6 GHz band, and no LAN port above 1 Gbps, so a single wired device tops out at 1 Gbps per NETGEAR’s port list [1][2].
See the NETGEAR Nighthawk RS100 on NETGEAR
ASUS RT-BE82U (BE6500): 2.5 Gbps on every Ethernet port
- I/O ports: 1x 2.5G for WAN, 4x 2.5G for LAN, USB 3.2 Gen 1 x 1 [3][4].
- Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz); 688 + 5764 Mbps; 4096-QAM; 20/40/80/160 MHz bandwidth [3][4].
- ASUS lists Multi-link Operation and AiMesh support, so you can add ASUS nodes later [3].
- Trade-off: no 6 GHz band, so no 320 MHz channels (ASUS’s widest listed bandwidth is 160 MHz) [3][4].
NETGEAR Nighthawk RS300 (BE9300): 6 GHz and 320 MHz
- Ports: (1) 2.5 Gbps Internet port, (2) 2.5 Gbps Ethernet LAN ports, (2) 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, (1) USB 3.0 port [5][6].
- Tri-band 2.4/5/6 GHz, up to 9.3 Gbps; NETGEAR lists “320 MHz high-capacity channels” [5][6].
- Rated for up to 2,500 sq. ft. [5] and up to 100 devices [6].
- Trade-off: NETGEAR notes “Clients must support 6GHz band” and that the 6 GHz band “is limited to indoor range” [5].
See the NETGEAR Nighthawk RS300 on NETGEAR
How to choose
| If you… | Consider |
|---|---|
| Have a 1 Gig plan and mostly use Wi-Fi | NETGEAR Nighthawk RS100 |
| Want several wired devices above 1 Gbps | ASUS RT-BE82U |
| Have newer phones/laptops with 6 GHz Wi-Fi 7 | NETGEAR Nighthawk RS300 |
| Need more 2.5 Gbps ports than the router has | Add a switch: see our 2.5GbE switch picks |
Our take: in a smaller home, one good router is simpler than mesh. If you have dead zones, mesh is the better tool. (Opinion, not a test result.)
FAQ
Does a 2.5 Gbps WAN port mean I’ll get 2.5 Gbps?
Only on devices that can take it. A device on a 1 Gbps LAN port, like any of the RS100’s four LAN ports, is limited to 1 Gbps [1][2]. Wi-Fi speeds depend on your devices too [5].
Can I use one of these with Starlink?
See Starlink bypass mode: how to use your own router.
Related: Best Wi-Fi 7 Mesh Systems · Best 2.5GbE Switches · Starlink Bypass Mode
Related: eero 7 vs eero Pro 7 · Best Wi-Fi 7 PCIe adapters for desktop PCs
Real gear for a better everyday.
Sources (all checked October 12, 2026, ET)
- NETGEAR, Nighthawk WiFi 7 Router RS100 product page and specs: https://www.netgear.com/home/wifi/routers/rs100/
- NETGEAR, RS100 product data sheet (PDF): https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RS100/RS100_TS.pdf
- ASUS eShop USA (eshop.asus.com), RT-BE82U (part 90IG0990-MA1B0T) product page and specifications: https://eshop.asus.com/us/90ig0990-ma1b0t-rt-be82u.html
- ASUS, RT-BE82U tech specs: https://www.asus.com/us/networking-iot-servers/wifi-routers/asus-wifi-routers/rt-be82u/techspec/
- NETGEAR, Nighthawk WiFi 7 Router RS300 product page and specs: https://www.netgear.com/home/wifi/routers/rs300/
- NETGEAR, RS300 product data sheet (PDF): https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RS300/RS300_TS.pdf
