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Choose based on what needs to communicate: use VPC peering for a small number of direct VPC-to-VPC links, Transit Gateway for a regional routing hub, PrivateLink when a consumer needs a particular private service, VPC Lattice when the problem is application- or service-level connectivity, and Cloud WAN when you need a global, multi-Region network. These options solve different connectivity problems and can be combined.
Start with the shape of connectivity you need
Before choosing a service, define the traffic and routing requirement. “Connect these VPCs” can mean full network reachability, a managed hub between many networks, or access to one service without exposing its provider’s network. Those are different designs.
- Reachability: Do workloads need broad network-level communication, or should a consumer reach only a defined service?
- Direction: Is communication bidirectional, or does a consumer initiate connections to a provider service? AWS identifies traffic direction as a key architecture criterion.
- Scope: Is this a pair of VPCs, a growing regional network, or a multi-Region network?
- Addressing and isolation: Do VPC CIDR ranges overlap, and should consumers be kept separate from the provider’s broader network?
- Operations: Who will manage routes, attachments, endpoints, service networks, access policies, and monitoring as the design grows?
- Protocol and service needs: Confirm the required protocols and whether the workload is service integration or general IP connectivity.
Compare cost, observability, scalability, isolation, and operational effort against the actual workload. Current charges and limits should be checked in AWS documentation before approval; a connectivity pattern that is simple to describe is not necessarily the least expensive or best-performing one.
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| Option | Best-fit connectivity shape | Routing scope | Key boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| VPC peering | Direct VPC-to-VPC connectivity | One VPC pair per peering connection | Not transitive; each communicating pair needs its own peering |
| Transit Gateway | Hub-and-spoke connectivity among VPCs and other attached networks | Regional hub | Route-table configuration determines which attached networks can communicate |
| PrivateLink | Private consumer access to a particular provider service | Service access, not broad VPC routing | Consumer-initiated service connections; not general bidirectional VPC connectivity |
| VPC Lattice | Application-to-application or service-level connectivity | Application/service layer | Verify implementation-specific capabilities and limits in current documentation |
| Cloud WAN | Global network connectivity across multiple Regions | Global, attachment-based network | Verify current policy, attachment, availability, quota, and pricing details |
When to use VPC peering
Use peering for a small number of direct links
A VPC peering connection is a one-to-one relationship between two VPCs. It is a straightforward choice when those VPCs need direct network connectivity, the number of relationships is modest, and their owners can coordinate routing and security changes.
#1 Best Overall
- DUAL-BAND WIFI 6 ROUTER: Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax) technology achieves faster speeds, greater capacity and reduced network congestion compared to the previous gen. All WiFi routers require a separate modem. Dual-Band WiFi routers do not support the 6 GHz band.
- AX1800: Enjoy smoother and more stable streaming, gaming, downloading with 1.8 Gbps total bandwidth (up to 1200 Mbps on 5 GHz and up to 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz). Performance varies by conditions, distance to devices, and obstacles such as walls.
- CONNECT MORE DEVICES: Wi-Fi 6 technology communicates more data to more devices simultaneously using revolutionary OFDMA technology
- EXTENSIVE COVERAGE: Achieve the strong, reliable WiFi coverage with Archer AX1800 as it focuses signal strength to your devices far away using Beamforming technology, 4 high-gain antennas and an advanced front-end module (FEM) chipset
- OUR CYBERSECURITY COMMITMENT: TP-Link is a signatory of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Secure-by-Design pledge. This device is designed, built, and maintained, with advanced security as a core requirement.
Account for the non-transitive topology
Peering does not make one VPC a transit path to another. If VPC A peers with VPC B and VPC C, B cannot use A’s peering connection to reach C. A separate B–C peering connection is needed for that pair to communicate. As the number of VPCs and relationships grows, maintaining a mesh of individual links can become difficult.
When to use Transit Gateway
Use a regional hub as networks grow
Transit Gateway is a managed transit hub for VPCs and on-premises networks. Its attachment model includes VPCs, VPN connections, Direct Connect gateways, and peering with other transit gateways, among other attachment types. This can consolidate connectivity that would otherwise require many direct links.
Plan connectivity through route tables
Transit Gateway supports transitive routing between attached networks when its route tables are configured to allow it. An attachment alone does not mean every connected network can reach every other one; define the intended routes and segmentation as part of the design.
Rank #2
- Dual-band Wi-Fi with 5 GHz speeds up to 867 Mbps and 2.4 GHz speeds up to 300 Mbps, delivering 1200 Mbps of total bandwidth¹. Dual-band routers do not support 6 GHz. Performance varies by conditions, distance to devices, and obstacles such as walls.
- Covers up to 1,000 sq. ft. with four external antennas for stable wireless connections and optimal coverage.
- Supports IGMP Proxy/Snooping, Bridge and Tag VLAN to optimize IPTV streaming
- Access Point Mode - Supports AP Mode to transform your wired connection into wireless network, an ideal wireless router for home
- Advanced Security with WPA3 - The latest Wi-Fi security protocol, WPA3, brings new capabilities to improve cybersecurity in personal networks
Do not assume the hub is best for every pair
A regional hub is a reasonable option to evaluate for a growing network or hybrid connectivity, but it is not automatically the least expensive or the best-performing choice for every VPC pair. AWS guidance notes that cost, bandwidth, and latency requirements can favor peering in some cases. Compare the actual topology and current pricing rather than choosing by default.
When to use PrivateLink
Expose a service, not a provider network
PrivateLink fits a provider-consumer model: a consumer needs private access to a defined service, rather than broad reachability into the provider’s VPC. The consumer initiates connections to that service, so PrivateLink is not a substitute for general bidirectional network routing.
Consider overlapping CIDR ranges
PrivateLink can be useful when provider and consumer VPC address ranges overlap. Endpoint network interfaces in the consumer VPC provide access to the service without requiring the consumer to route into the provider’s address space.
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- SET UP AND MANAGE YOUR NETWORK WITH THE NIGHTHAWK APP: Download the free Nighthawk app on iOS or Android for guided setup. Manage WiFi, run speed tests, pause devices, and set up guest networks from anywhere. Active internet required.
- READY FOR THE DEVICES YOU ALREADY OWN: Your phones, laptops, and TVs work right out of the box. WiFi 6 delivers speeds up to 1.8 Gbps across 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Backward compatible with WiFi 5 and earlier.
- COVERAGE IN EVERY ROOM: Covers up to 1,500 sq. ft. for up to 20 connected devices. Walls, floors, and interference can reduce range. Larger or multi-story homes may benefit from a NETGEAR Orbi mesh WiFi system.
Check the specific service and Region
Confirm which endpoint type the service requires and whether it is available in the needed Region. AWS’s connectivity whitepaper notes that endpoint services are available in the Region where they are created; do not assume that an endpoint service in one Region is available in another.
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Evaluate VPC Lattice when the requirement is application-to-application or service-level connectivity and service policies or access logs are relevant. AWS comparisons position it at the application layer and assess it alongside options such as PrivateLink, peering, and Transit Gateway using dimensions including cost, scalability, isolation, observability, and operational effort.
Before specifying a design, verify the current VPC Lattice documentation for supported targets and protocols, cross-account and cross-Region behavior, service-network design, and quotas. Those details can determine whether it fits a particular application, and should not be inferred from the high-level positioning alone.
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- 𝟔-𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦, 𝐃𝐮𝐚𝐥-𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐢-𝐅𝐢 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝟔.𝟓 𝐆𝐛𝐩𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐭𝐡 - Achieve full speeds of up to 5764 Mbps on the 5GHz band and 688 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band with 6 streams. Enjoy seamless 4K/8K streaming, AR/VR gaming, and incredibly fast downloads/uploads.
- 𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - Get up to 2,400 sq. ft. max coverage for up to 90 devices at a time. 6x high performance antennas and Beamforming technology, ensures reliable connections for remote workers, gamers, students, and more.
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- 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 - TP-Link is a signatory of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Secure-by-Design pledge. This device is designed, built, and maintained, with advanced security as a core requirement.
When to evaluate Cloud WAN
Cloud WAN is the option to evaluate when the requirement is a global network spanning multiple Regions. AWS’s comparison distinguishes its global, attachment-based scope from Transit Gateway’s regional hub scope and includes segmentation as a comparison dimension.
For a design decision, confirm current core-network policies, supported attachments, regional availability, quotas, and charges in AWS service documentation. Global scope is the reason to evaluate Cloud WAN, not by itself proof that it is the right fit or that a particular policy design is supported.
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- Write down the reachability requirement. If the requirement is direct network communication between a small number of VPC pairs, evaluate peering. If consumers need only a service, evaluate PrivateLink. If the requirement is application/service-level connectivity, evaluate VPC Lattice.
- Map the network scope. For a regional hub joining multiple VPCs or hybrid attachments, evaluate Transit Gateway. For a global multi-Region network, evaluate Cloud WAN.
- Check whether paths must be transitive. Peering does not provide transit between third-party VPCs. Transit Gateway can provide transitive routing when attachments and route tables are configured accordingly.
- Test isolation and addressing constraints. Decide whether consumers should see only a service or broader network routes, and identify overlapping CIDRs. These answers can favor PrivateLink over network-level connectivity.
- Validate service requirements. Confirm protocol, endpoint type, supported targets, Region, cross-account or cross-Region needs, and current quotas against the live AWS documentation for the selected service.
- Compare operating cost and effort. Include current service charges and the work of managing routes, attachments, endpoints, policies, and monitoring. Revisit the choice as the number of networks and relationships changes.
Why a design may combine these services
The five options are not mutually exclusive. A regional network can use Transit Gateway for routing among attached networks while exposing a particular provider service through PrivateLink. A small set of VPCs may retain direct peering where that is simpler, even if a hub serves other connectivity needs. Application-level requirements may warrant evaluating VPC Lattice alongside underlying network connectivity. Choose each component for the boundary it is meant to provide, and document how routes and service access interact.
Best Value
- Dual band router upgrades to 1200 Mbps high speed internet (300mbps for 2.4GHz plus 900Mbps for 5GHz), reducing buffering and ideal for 4K stream
- Full Gigabit Ports - Gigabit Router with 4 Gigabit LAN ports, ideal for any internet plan and allow you to directly connect your wired devices
- Boosted Coverage - Four external antennas equipped with Beamforming technology extend and concentrate the Wi-Fi signals
- MU-MIMO technology - (5GHz band) allows high speeds for multiple devices simultaneously
- Access Point Mode - Supports AP Mode to transform your wired connection into wireless network, an ideal wireless router for home
How to treat published limits and throughput figures
AWS’s comparison lists the following figures, but its publication year is not stated in the search result and the figures have not been independently verified against live service quotas. Treat them as comparison-document figures, not guaranteed current limits; confirm current quotas and service documentation before relying on them.
| Service and measure | Figure listed in the AWS comparison | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| VPC peering: active peers per VPC | 125 | AWS comparison figure; publication year not stated in the search result and not verified against current quotas |
| Transit Gateway: attachments per Region | 5,000 | AWS comparison figure; publication year not stated in the search result and not verified against current quotas |
| Cloud WAN: attachments per core network | 5,000 | AWS comparison figure; publication year not stated in the search result and not verified against current quotas |
| VPC Lattice: VPC associations per service | 500 | AWS comparison figure; publication year not stated in the search result and not verified against current quotas |
| PrivateLink: throughput per Availability Zone | Up to 10 Gbps, with automatic scaling up to 100 Gbps | AWS comparison figure; publication year not stated in the search result and not verified as a current service limit |
| VPC Lattice: throughput per Availability Zone | 10 Gbps | AWS comparison figure; publication year not stated in the search result and not verified as a current service limit |
| Transit Gateway attachment throughput | Up to 100 Gbps (burst) | AWS comparison figure; publication year not stated in the search result and not verified as a current service limit |
These values are version-sensitive. Do not use them as design guarantees without checking the applicable live quota or service documentation for the deployment’s Region and service configuration.
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