it says to turn on wifi but do you need a router?

[iMore Question]

re universal clip board

 

[BlackNightmare]

If I'm correct, you are trying to use Universal Clipboard on two Apple devices. In order to be fully functional, they should just be in close proximity, with both wifi and Bluetooth turned on, but a wifi access to the network should not be indispensable. Try other Continuity features, and test their functionality. Here's the iMore guide to set up Universal Clipboard: How to use Universal Clipboard with macOS Sierra | iMore