There’s nothing more unpleasant than flaky Wi-Fi – okay, maybe we exaggerate a little, but stuttering in an online game or buffering while streaming your favorite show can be rather annoying.

There could be a valid reason why your Wi-Fi is patchy, especially if you live in a larger house where the signal drops off in some rooms (or if there are completely ‘dead zones’ with no chance of accessing Wi-Fi), and here is where one of the best mesh Wi-Fi systems can come in handy.

These systems effectively introduce numerous routers, one of which is the main unit connected to your internet connection, while the others operate as satellites, extending the Wi-Fi signal from the primary device across your home (or business). Typically, you just need two units, or perhaps three for a bigger home.

You certainly have a lot of options when it comes to mesh systems to meet whatever your needs are, but we believe that the Google Nest Wifi Pro is the best choice for most people. Google’s service is at the top of our rankings for a variety of reasons, the most notable of which being its superb performance. It’s without a doubt one of the greatest Wi-Fi routers on the market overall, in fact.

If Google’s mesh solution or other high-end alternatives are out of your price range, there are plenty of decent mesh Wi-Fi systems available at a lower cost. Those on a tighter budget may wish to consider the TP-Link Deco M5, a low-cost solution that focuses on providing dependable coverage across the home rather than high-performance throughput. However, the M5 will still provide plenty of wireless muscle for regular use and media streaming, making it an excellent value proposition.

Top 5 Mesh Wifi Systems for Large Homes

The best mesh Wi-Fi systems are becoming increasingly popular, with more options available than ever. Since we constantly test and review Wi-Fi routers, we’ve compiled a list of the best ones we’ve found, with options for every requirement and budget.

1. Google Nest Wifi Pro

• Speed: Wi-Fi 6E, 2.4GHz/5GHz/6GHz simultaneous tri-band
• Connectivity: Dual Gigabit Ethernet ports
• Features: Matter support, parental controls

Google Nest Wifi Pro is the next edition of the company’s successful mesh Wi-Fi system, succeeding the Nest Wifi. So, what does the ‘Pro’ version of Google’s formula do differently? The most visible change is the addition of Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E capabilities, which improves performance (as compared to Wi-Fi 5 with the prior Nest WiFi).

Furthermore, the Nest Wifi Pro offers tri-band Wi-Fi as an upgrade to dual-band, providing not only 2.4GHz and 5GHz, but also a 6GHz band, resulting in improved coverage and quicker speeds.

Other than a slightly tweaked design – these remain smart-looking devices that’ll fit unobtrusively into your home – the mesh router units are much the same otherwise, except that they’re now standalone devices. This means each unit is identical and has a pair of Ethernet ports – whereas previously, the satellites didn’t. However, on the other hand, something has been dropped – namely the integrated smart speaker functionality that the Nest Wifi had onboard.

Mind you, not everyone will miss that feature, and the better news is that smart home fiends are well-catered for here given the support for Matter which Google has introduced with the Pro version.

Okay, so the Nest Wifi Pro has notched up the pricing somewhat on the Nest Wifi, but overall it does a sterling job of giving you a better level of mesh Wi-Fi coverage, and more grunt on the performance front too, which is always welcome. And, if you’re tired of the color white, this also comes in Linen, Fog and Lemongrass colors. As far as the best mesh Wi-Fi routers go, this Google system is still the one to beat.

2. TP-Link Deco M5

• Speed: 802.11ac 5GHz down: 76.69 Mbps
• Connectivity: 2 x Gigabit ports per Deco M5 unit, 1 x USB Type-C port, Bluetooth 4.2
• Included mesh nodes: 1-3
• Features: Quad-core CPU, MU-MIMO ready, Router-based antivirus, Alexa compatibility

If you want to expand Wi-Fi around your home without spending a lot of money, consider the TP-Link Deco M5. It is not as fast as other top mesh Wi-Fi systems on our list. This system focuses on coverage rather than fast throughput. However, it dramatically increased our throughput during testing.

Furthermore, if you’re not too concerned with achieving the maximum theoretical throughput, which you’ll most likely never be able to fully utilize, this shouldn’t be a problem. Setup, like the other gadgets here, is simple, even if you’re not tech-savvy. The TP-Link Deco M5 is among the best wireless mesh routers for those who don’t want to get too technical. And, as it is much cheaper than the rest of the options here, it’s also the best mesh Wi-Fi system for budget-minded households.

3. Netgear Orbi WiFi 6e (RBKE963)

• Speed: 6.0GHz (2.4GHz + 2x 5GHz) quad-band WiFi 6E
• Connectivity: 1x 10Gbps Multi-Gigbit Ethernet WAN port, 1x 2.5Gbps Multi-Gigabit Ethernet LAN port, 3x 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports
• Features: NETGEAR Armor, Standards-based WiFi Security, WPA3 support

The Netgear Orbi Quad-Band WiFi 6E is not for the faint of heart, but if you need to cover a very large space, up to 9,000 square feet, then this might be the mesh Wi-Fi system for you. Not only can it cover an incredibly large space, but it’s more than capable of handling the most crowded of networks, supporting up to 200 connected devices at a time. And, thanks to its Wi-Fi 6E connectivity – the “E” stands for extended – you get access to an incredibly fast 6.

Read Also: How to Setup and Configure Your Mesh Wifi System

By setting one of the Orbi satellites in our back office, which suffers with poor Wi-Fi, it get us our maximum Wi-Fi speeds right off the bat, maintaining 100Mbps for the Ookla test and 12.5MB/s without fuss. Setting the whole system up is a breeze as well, thanks to the Orbi app being easy to use.

4. Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8)

• Speed: 802.11ax 4804Mbps down
• Connectivity: 2.5 Gigabit Wan, 3 x Gigabit LAN, Gigabit Wan, USB 3.1
• Included mesh nodes: 2
• Features: MU-MIMO, Traffic Analyzer, Adaptive QoS, AiProtection Pro

The Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) is a Wi-Fi 6 mesh router, and while it is one of the more expensive options available and only allows for two router units, this Asus system provides blazing fast speeds as well as plenty of setup flexibility, such as the ability to set up one or two networks using the 2.4 and 5GHz bands.

During our tests, it was able to push our 50Mbps internet connection all the way, even reaching 60Mbps at one point. It also maintained download speeds of 7.3MB/s even on the slower 2.4GHz band in an area of our facility that had previously seen poor connectivity.

Setup isn’t quite as straightforward. However, with excellent security features to boot, this is a fantastic choice if you’re looking at the best mesh Wi-Fi systems.

5. Amazon Eero 6+

• Speed: Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (2.4GHz/5.0GHz)
• Connectivity: 2x Gigabit Ethernet (WAN/LAN)
• Features: Support for Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 and Thread

Eero has always been excellent at releasing affordable, reliable routers, and the latest addition to its line, the Eero 6+ doesn’t fall far from the best value tree. It’s competitively-priced and an improvement over its predecessor with its fast and reliable coverage that’s good enough for larger homes. 

Despite sticking with dual-band Wi-Fi 6, it’s almost twice as fast as its predecessor with its 3.0Gbps top speed. It, of course, performs beautifully in practice, reaching the maximum speed supported by our office broadband connection on Ookla and Steam during testing. Included in the price are new features, such as some additional Ethernet ports, support for the latest smart-home technologies, and support for Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 and the new low-power wireless technology called Thread.

Sadly, parental controls require a paid subscription and the Eero app feels a little limited in functionality. But, you’re getting a lot of value for your money here.

Best Mesh Wifi System for Large Space

Linksys Velop WiFi 6 AX4200

• Speed: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2.4 GHz/5 GHz
• Connectivity: 3 x Gigabit LAN, 1 x Gigabit WAN, 1 x USB 3.0
• Features: 4×4 MU-MIMO, Next-Gen OFDMA Technology, Tri-Band Dynamic Backhaul

The Linksys Velop WiFi 6 AX4200 demonstrates that Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems may be both inexpensive and accessible. It provides a superb solution for large households on a budget while maintaining impressive performance and ease of use.

This cutting-edge mesh system is an excellent choice for increasing the speed and connection of your home network. During our tests, it flawlessly transferred the Wi-Fi signal to the second node, which we placed closer to a more difficult-to-access spot in our space while maintaining the same speeds.

Those who aren’t as computer savvy will also appreciate that easy-to-use Linksys app. It explains everything from connecting to your existing broadband router in order to use its Internet connection to where to place any additional nodes in order to get the best Wi-Fi reception.

Asus ZenWiFi Pro ET12

• Speed: Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E with 2.4GHz/5.0GHz/6.0GHz
• Connectivity: 1x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet (WAN), 1x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet (LAN), 2x Gigabit Ethernet LAN
• Features: Quality of service (QoS), Asus AiProtection Pro

Larger homes and offices need a much more robust mesh system like the Asus ZenWiFi Pro ET12. This Wi-Fi 6E mesh system might be a bit of an overkill for most users, but there are still many that will benefit from the level of performance and range it brings – particularly those that have massive spaces and high network demands to cover. 

With it, you’re getting a top speed of 11Gbps as well as a 6,000-square-foot range (if you get the router and a node set). It delivers in practice as well. During our testing of the two-pack set, the first ET12 gave us the maximum speeds provided by our office broadband service and the second unit allowed us to maintain those speeds, even in the hard-to-reach areas.

Asus ZenWifi XT9

• Speed: Tri-band WiFi 6 (2.4GHz and 2x 5.0GHz)
• Connectivity: 2.5Gb WAN, 3x Gigabit Ethernet; 1x USB 3.2
• Features: Free parental controls

The Asus ZenWifi XT9 may be an expensive proposition for smaller homes and budget users, but those who have larger areas to cover and a much busier network, this tri-band Wi-Fi 6 router is a wise investment. Its impressive range and strong performance should see larger homes through their bigger demands.

The 7.8Gbps speed will meet the demands of most of the bigger households, and its 2.5Gbps Ethernet is just as future-proof. We were able to get smooth, steady speeds of 150Mbps and 19Mb/s for Ookla and Steam, even on the slower 2.4GHz band, during testing. And, that’s in an area where our regular router typically struggles to deliver. 

As a bonus, it comes with free parental controls – something many of its rivals actually charge a monthly subscription for. That makes it an even great value for families with kids.

How to Choose the Best Mesh Wi-Fi System

When choosing the best mesh Wi-Fi system for you, there are a few important considerations starting with the size of your coverage area and the speed you require depending on your daily average needs and the amount of devices that regularly use your network. Based on that, you need to take a look at the mesh Wi-Fi system’s range and performance.

Also take a look at the design, setup process, and ease-of-use for when you need to adjust settings during use. Other features like security protocols and parental controls are important as well, and gaming-focused extra if there are gamers in the family.

Of course, the price is a major factor. Remember that many of the best mesh Wi-Fi routers tend to be expensive. However, you will find more affordable options if you know where to look.

Conclusion

The best mesh Wi-Fi systems contain a variety of manufacturers, each with unique qualities, and the ideal brand for you will be determined by your personal demands. For example, Google and Netgear offer reliable connectivity and are perfect for whole-home coverage or small business use.

If you enjoy gaming, firms like Asus provide the best mesh Wi-Fi systems because they are specifically intended for online gaming. For increased security, firms such as TP-Link, Netgear, and Asus all provide comprehensive solutions to protect you and your data.