We all have struggles with our Wi-Fi. There are all sorts of hacks and best practices to help you get the best signal out of your router, but at a certain point a home can just be too big for a single router to handle. You’ll end up with rooms that get awful signal because there’s too much distance and too many walls between devices and the router. Even worse, devices with poor connections on your network can negatively impact the other gadgets on the Wi-Fi. If this is your predicament, a mesh Wi-Fi system can help you get out of it.In many cases, a Wi-Fi range extender may be simpler to turn to if most of your house is covered and you’re just struggling to get that last little bit of coverage to a corner of your house. But, if you’ve got a lot of space and many obstacles in the way of signal, a Wi-Fi mesh system is probably a better bet. These sytems spread out around your house, creating an even network. They also take a lot less fuss to get set up, since they generally configure the network themselves. And, despite being composed of multiple nodes, they can create a single network, so your devices will easily switch to whichever node is delivering the strongest signal without you needing to lift a finger.Here is a wide selection of mesh routers to choose from, so you can pick the model that’ll work best for your home setup, whether the priority is a wide coverage area or a boost to online gaming speeds.
TL;DR Here are the Best Wi-Fi Mesh Systems
1. Eero Pro
Best Wi-Fi Mesh System
Wi-Fi Technology: Tri-Band IEEE 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5.2GHz, and 5.8GHz Beacons: Dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Processor: 700MHz quad-core processor Memory: 512MB Storage: 4GB Features: 2×2 MU-MIMO, beamforming, Thread 1.1 Border Router, Bluetooth LE 4.2
Eero was the first consumer mesh kit, and after a few iterations and lots of software updates, its still one of the best you can buy. Right now, Eero comes in two main varieties: you can buy a package with one Eero Pro and one to two Eero Beacons ($276 or $400, respectively), or you can buy an Eero Pro system for $480, which contains three Eeros.The Eero beacons are cheaper plug-in units that communicate over Wi-Fi only, while the larger Eeros contain Ethernet ports that allow you to wire them together for better performancethat is if you have Ethernet wiring in your home (or are willing to add it). If you choose not to wire up, the Eero Pro units use a tri-band system, allowing one band for backhaul between nodesmeaning better performance than traditional dual-band repeaters and mesh systems. The Eero Beacons are dual-band, however, and will use one of their regular bands for backhaul instead.
Eero also offers a pretty useful subscription service called Eero Plus. While the Disney Circle service has some great parental control options, Eero Plus focuses a bit more on general usage, offering some basic parental controls alongside ad blocking, a VPN service, a password manager subscription to 1Password, a subscription to MalwareBytes, and some other security odds and ends. For $99 a year, thats a pretty good deal.
Note that Eero is now owned by Amazon, and while they claim they have no intention to change the privacy policy at this time, its something to consider if youre rather privacy-focusedif you prefer a system that doesnt require a cloud service, you should check out Netgears Orbi below.
2. TP-Link Deco M5
Best Budget Wi-Fi Mesh System
Wi-Fi Technology: Dual-Band IEEE 802.11ac Wi-Fi 5 (5GHz), IEEE 802.11b (2.4GHz) Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5GHz Signal Rate: 400Mbps (2.4GHz), 867Mbps (5GHz) Processor: Quad-core CPU Features: MU-MIMO, Auto Path Selection, Self-Healing, AP Steering, Band Steering, Beamforming, Bluetooth 4.2
If $300+ is higher than your budget allows, TP-Link offers a more reasonably priced mesh system called Deco. At $150 for two units or $175 for three, the Deco M5 is one of the less expensive kits youll find, but it comes with some caveats. First, its dual-band, which means you dont get quite as efficient backhaul as tri-band units. Second, it doesnt have a web interface and must be managed from a smartphone appsome people will mind, some wont.Third, and perhaps most importantly, many reviewers have found that it doesnt work as well in multi-hop configurations as other systems. Instead, it works best when the main unit is in the center of your house, connected to the router, and the other notes are all connected to the main unit. If your house isnt laid out that way, and you want to daisy chain the satellite nodes, youll be better off with one of the other systems above.
It does have built-in security and parental control features, though, which is a nice touch. If the caveats dont bother you and youd rather save some money, the Deco M5 is worth a try.
3. Trendnet AC2200 WiFi Mesh Router System
Best Mid-Range Wi-Fi Mesh System
Wi-Fi Technology: Tri-Band IEEE 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) Frequency: 2.4GHz, 2 x 5GHz Features: MU-MIMO, Samba support, Beamforming, Band Steering, USB 3.0, Parental controls
If you’re going to build out a mesh network, you may as well do so with a decently strong foundation. That’s just what the Trendnet AC2200 WiFi Mesh Router System offers. It’s nodes delivers strong connectivity options with tri-band AC Wi-Fi. They split the network into one 2.4GHz band and two, high-speed 5GHz bands.The routers can intelligently give your faster devices serious speeds by deprioritizing slower devices with weaker connections. They’ll also make sure your devices are getting the fastest connection possible, using Band Steering to automatically switch between 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. You can add storage to your network with the USB 3.0 ports on each node as well.
4. Netgear Orbi
The Best Non-Cloud Mesh Wi-Fi Option
Wi-Fi Technology: Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5GHz Signal Rate: 866Mbps (5GHz), 400Mbps (2.4GHz) Processor: 710MHz processor Memory: 512MB Storage: 512MB NAND Flash Features: Implicit & Explicit Beamforming, MU-MIMO
While Netgears Orbi system had some growing pains in the beginning, but several software updates have brought it up near the top of the pack, offering stellar performance at a competitive price. Orbi comes in many varieties, but the $300 Orbi Ultra-Performance kit is probably the one youll want to go with. Youll get two full-featured units, each of which boast tri-band Wi-Fi with one band dedicated to backhaul between nodes.Each unit also has four Ethernet ports so you can wire up any stationary devices, and doesnt rely on a cloud service like most mesh systems, which is becoming rarer and rarer these days. Netgear even makes an Orbi satellite with Alexa built-in, which is a cool accessory (though its speeds match Orbis slower units, not the Ultra-Performance kit linked above).
Finally, Orbi also comes with the ability to subscribe to Disneys Circle service, which is chock full of fine-grained parental controls like time limits, bedtime, rewards, and more. If you have kids, this can be a valuable addition for $5 per month.
Netgears track record with the Orbi is a bit spottier than Eeros, though, and despite a few more features, a seemingly higher-than-normal number of customer complaints makes us hesitant to recommend it as the go-to for everyone. Netgear has improved their system a lot, though, and time will tell if theyve gotten better at releasing new features without glitches.
Ultimately, both systems have their advantagesOrbi with its higher number of Ethernet ports and parental controls, Eero with its security features and smaller designand which one you choose will depend a lot on what you need.
5. Linksys MX10 Velop AX Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System
Best High-End Wi-Fi Mesh System
Wi-Fi Technology: Tri-Band IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5GHz Signal Rate: 10,600Mbps (combined), 5,300Mbps (per node) Processor: 2.2GHz quad-core processor Memory: 1GB Storage: 512MB NAND Flash Features: 4 x 4 MU-MIMO, WPA-3 encryption, USB 3.0 port
You can get an even more powerful Wi-Fi mesh network if all the pieces on the network are running Wi-Fi 6. That’s just what Linksys’s new MX10 Velop AX Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System offers. The system includes two nodes, each capable of offering up to 5,300Mbps in bandwidth on their own. You’ll get tri-band wireless with two bands dedicated to the 5GHz frequency for maximum speeds.Wi-Fi 6 supports the latest encryption, so you can keep your home network safe, and each node has enough bandwidth to support 50 devices. If you want to expand your network in the future, you can simply add more MX5 Velop nodes to the system.
6. Samsung SmartThings WiFi
Mesh Wi-Fi With a Smart Home Hub Built-In
Wi-Fi Technology: Dual-Band AC1300 IEEE 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5.2GHz, and 5.8GHz Signal Rate: 866Mbps (5GHz), 400Mbps (2.4GHz) Processor: 710MHz Qualcomm quad-core processor Memory: 512MB Storage: 8GB Flash Features: 2×2 MU-MIMO, Bluetooth 4.1, Zigbee, Z-Wave
If you have a lot of smart home gear in your house, you might consider Samsungs SmartThings WiFi mesh system for $240. After a not-so-great attempt at the concept with Samsung Connect Home, Samsung partnered with Plume (another popular mesh company) to create a mesh Wi-Fi system with a smart home hub built-in.Its similar in appearance to the Eero, with two Ethernet ports on the back (but no ability to use Ethernet for backhaul), dual-band coverage (which is an unfortunate downside), and support for Zigbee and Z-Wave built-in. That last part is the real kicker, as you dont need a separate hub for all your smart devicesyou can just connect them directly to the same units providing Wi-Fi across your home.
Thats pretty compelling, especially for the price, and while it isnt quite as easy to manage as other optionswhile also lacking some of the security and parental control features Eero and Orbi offertech-savvy smart home users will probably appreciate the consolidation of hubs.
7. Portal Mesh Wi-Fi Router
Best Wi-Fi Mesh System for Gaming
Wi-Fi Technology: Dual-Band Qualcomm 9563 IEEE 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5GHz Processor: 750MHz processor Memory: 256MB Storage: 48MB
Gaming over a Wi-Fi mesh system is a little more demanding than just streaming Netflix and so you’ll want some more serious hardware. Luckily, this is exactly the sort of thing the Portal Mesh Wi-Fi Router was designed for. With just two Portal units, you’ll be able to enjoy speedy 1.7Gbps speeds with a wireless network that spans 6,000 square-feet.The Portal is also supremely easy to set up and you’ll only need a smartphone, which you can also use as a second screen to watch your Internet speeds in real-time. If you’d rather run hard lines to your devices, the Portal also features four Ethernet ports, plus an additional gigabit WAN port.
8. Ubiquiti UniFi AP AC Lite
Best Mesh Wi-Fi If Youre Tech Savvy
Wi-Fi Technology: Dual-Band IEEE 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5GHz Signal Rate: 300Mbps (2.4GHz), 867Mbps (5GHz)
Consumer mesh is somewhat new, but multi-point Wi-Fi networks have been around for agesits how businesses run Wi-Fi networks across large buildings. If youre a bit more tech-savvy and want crazy bang for your buck, enterprise hardware like Ubiquitis UniFi Lite access points can be great. They only cost $80 each and will work with your existing router.Like the others, they work best when wired together via Ethernet, but you can also link them together wirelessly through the Wireless Uplink feature, using one of its two bands for backhaul. It’s a bit more complex than consumer-focused mesh networks like the above (or Ubiquiti’s consumer-focused AmpliFi), but if youre comfortable managing a more complex network setup, though, Ubiquiti access points are a fantastic value for your money.
9. Nighthawk Mesh WiFi 6 System
Best Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Router
Wi-Fi Technology: Dual-Band AX1800 IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5GHz Signal Rate: 1,200Mbps (5GHz), 600Mbps (2.4GHz) Processor: Qual-Code 1.5GHz processor Memory: 256MB Storage: 128GB Flash Features: Dynamic QoS
The Nighthawk Mesh WiFi 6 System is one of the first mesh routers designed to support Wi-Fi 6 and it surprisingly doesn’t cost much (or even costs less) than most of the other options on this list. That 802.11ax support means this Wi-Fi mesh system is powerful enough to deliver up to 1.8 Gbps of throughput. Additionally, the Nighthawk Mesh WiFi 6 System supports the recently instated EasyMesh standard, so it’s easier to connect to other EasyMesh-certified products even those not made by Netgear.For gaming and streaming, users can enable a Dynamic QoS feature that corners off and prioritizes your network bandwidth for these two tasks. You get a router and a satellite in the box (or two satellites if you opt for the bigger combo) and each unit can cover up to 1,500 square feet, so you shouldn’t have any trouble creating an expansive home network with the Nighthawk Mesh WiFi 6 System.
10. Google Nest Wifi
Best Wi-Fi Mesh System for Smart Homes
Wi-Fi Technology: Dual-Band IEEE 802.11s Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5GHz Wifi Point: Dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) IEEE s Processor: 1.4GHz quad-core processor Memory: 1GB Storage: 4GB Flash Features: 4×4 MU-MIMO, Bluetooth LE, WPA-3 encryption, Transmit beamforming, Google Assistant built-in, 40mm speaker driver
Google’s Nest Wifi mesh network system is ready to make your smart home that little bit smarter. Aside from offering the benefits of a powerful mesh network, each Nest Wifi point also doubles as a Google Assistant smart speaker. That means you’ll not just be expanding your network as you add Nest devices, but you’ll also be ensuring easier control over your smarthome.This system is designed with smart homes in mind, and is aiming to support the 802.15.4 Thread on the 2.4GHz band for future smart home connectivity, and each point in the system can support up to 100 connected devices.
11. Netgear Orbi AX6000
Fastest Mesh Wi-Fi System
Wi-Fi Technology: Tri-Band IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) Frequency: 2.4GHz, 5GHz (x2) Signal Rate: 2400Mbps (5GHz), 2400Mbps (5GHz between nodes), 1200Mbps (2.4GHz) Beacons: Tri-band (2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 5GHz) IEEE 802.11ax Processor: 2.2GHz quad-core processor Memory: 1GB Storage: 512MB Features: MU-MIMO, beamforming, Guest Network, Dedicated node connection
If you’re going to get a new router, you may as well get one that’s ready for the speeds of the future. The Netgear Orbi AX6000 mesh Wi-Fi system is just that. This setup creates a mesh network that can support a 2.5Gbps WAN connection as its backbone, so you can turn your high-speed fiber or mulit-gig cable connection into a potent Wi-Fi signal throughout your home. This is where the Netgear Orbi AX6000 system gets its edge on the competition.The router and satellite node connect to one another with a dedicated 5GHz connection supporting 2.4Gbps speeds, ensuring extreme bandwidth is available regardless of which node your phones, computers, and tablets connect to. Each also features a second 5GHz and a 2.4GHz band for your device to connect. All of this is done using the new Wi-Fi 6 standard for extra fast speeds that won’t get bogged down by slow devices on the network.
What to Look for in a Wi-Fi Mesh System
The first thing you should consider when getting a Wi-Fi Mesh system is whether you need one in the first place. Wi-Fi mesh systems are mostly useful for large houses, apartments, or just homes with a lot of wallsall situations where a single wireless router would have trouble providing a strong signal everywhere.If you live in a studio or one-bedroom apartment, you’re going to be better off with just buy a single router and the same goes for single floor houses. However, if you start encountering odd Wi-Fi dead spots in your home this is exactly what Wi-Fi Extenders and Wi-Fi Mesh systems are designed to combat. Wi-Fi Extenders are a good solution if you already own a router and just need to strengthen your wireless signal in part of your living space, but they require you to manually switch networks. Wi-Fi Mesh systems on the other hand automatically switch you between the base unit and satellites to ensure you’re getting the best signal at all times.
How to make the most of your Wi-Fi Mesh System
Mesh Wi-Fi is an impressive technology, but each unit in the system is still a wireless access point at the end of the day. That means you need to consider many of the same home network best practices with each node as you would with a standard wireless router.To ensure each node is able to perform it’s very best, you should carefully consider positioning. You’ll want to keep nodes out in the open (don’t stuff them in closet), ideally high up, and away from any barriers that can block the signal, especially metal barriers.
Some systems may automatically try to optimize the network, but if you live in an area with a dense population, this can be difficult. If you really want to get the most out of your network, you should try see how many networks you can already detect in your home, and consider setting up your home network on different channels than the ones you see all your neighbors using.
Another smart step you can take to get the most out of your Wi-Fi is actually to use Ethernet connections wherever you can. If you have a smart TV right next to a node, you should plug it directly into the node. This will give the TV a more stable connection, will cut down on the signal clutter in the area, and will improve the wireless connections for other devices that don’t have a wired connection as a backup.
You also need to treat your mesh Wi-Fi like any other wireless network and give strong consideration to its security. You’ll want to give it a strong password and disable unnecessary extra features like WPS, which could let people get around your password with the press of a button. You might also consider whether you want to create an additional guest network you can let visitors access that is walled away from the main network and can have more frequent password changes.
Whitson Gordon is a writer, gamer, and tech nerd who has been building PCs for 10 years. He eats potato chips with chopsticks so he doesn’t get grease on his mechanical keyboard.
Mark Knapp is a regular contributor to IGN and an irregular Tweeter on Twitter @Techn0Mark
Home>>Arts>>If you’ve got a big home and your router isn’t cutting it, you should consider a Wi-Fi mesh system.
Arts