Linksys routers were ranked highest in consumer satisfaction in the 2018 J.D. Power wireless router satisfaction report.
The report gathered statistics from 846 current owners and ranked routers based on Wi-Fi range, reliability, upload/download speed, restoring connectivity, security capabilities, price, ease of use, variety of features, user interface design, and customer service. The experience index was measured over a 12-month period.
Among the companies tested, Linksys ranked highest in overall router satisfaction with a score of 848 out of 1,000. Its biggest metrics were reliability, ease of setup, signal strength, security, and customer experience. Asus and TP-Link were tied in second place at 843. Netgear came in fourth at 839, while Belking ranked fifth with 833.
The report also highlighted that average overall customer satisfaction in wireless routers improved by eight points; up from 833 in 2017 to 841 in 2018. The largest improvement came from intuitiveness of software user interface, which grew by 16 points overall.
Ian Greenblatt, technology, media, and telecom practice lead at J.D. Power, said that over 46 per cent of users purchased routers based on price. Customer support was also an important factor; Greenblatt stated that customers who had their issues resolved reported double the satisfaction scores than those who didn’t (808 vs 498).
“Although wireless routers can be straight-forward, manufacturers that continue focusing on the basics of customer service such as pricing and problem resolution will remain the leaders of the pack,” mentioned Greenblatt.