A mesh Wi-Fi system is the ideal update for your home network since it removes Wi-Fi dead zones and provides a robust connection in any room of your home. Even better, unlike one of the best Wi-Fi extenders, you will have a seamless Wi-Fi network across your entire home, eliminating the need to switch networks as you walk from room to room.

If you’re going to move from an apartment to a house, your current Wi-Fi router is unlikely to provide a strong signal in every room. Instead, if you have a large home (at least 3,000 square feet) or one with unusual architecture that has more than two storeys or brick walls in its interior, you’re likely to experience Wi-Fi dead zones. If this is the case, your home could be an ideal location for a mesh Wi-Fi system.

Here’s all you should know about mesh Wi-Fi setups especially when you add an in-built smart speaker.

This Orbi Systems covers homes up to 7,500 sq ft as it pairs the Orbi WiFi Router and Satellite with Orbi Voice, a smart speaker and satellite like no other. They work together to power your whole home with fast WiFi, play music or control your smart home devices simply by asking.

Below are some benefits:

1. Exceptionally Rich, Room-filling Sound

Audio by Harman Kardon® gives you impactful sound for a truly captivating listening experience

2. Interruption-free WiFi

Less buffering and dead zones mean seamless listening to more of your favorite music, movies, and audiobooks along with gaming and browsing–- without interruption

3. Customize Your Coverage

Place your satellite wherever you need it most to create a powerful WiFi mesh system for a single seamless network throughout your home

4. Amazon Alexa™ Built-in

Alexa can play your favorite from Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and more

The Basics of a Mesh Wi-Fi Router

A standard Wi-Fi router produces a single access point that broadcasts Wi-Fi signals over a limited region, whereas mesh networks connect two or more access points (also known as satellites) to your router.

A mesh Wi-Fi router uses one access point as the router or base station, which connects to one of the best cable modems for internet access. Meanwhile, the other nodes serve as satellites, receiving internet from the base station and distributing it to neighboring devices.

All of these units share data back and forth and provide multiple sources of Wi-Fi. One of the best things about a mesh system is that unlike with Wi-Fi extenders, they all share the same network, so you won’t have to switch to a new network as you move throughout your house.

Several major companies in consumer networking equipment provide mesh-router systems. Google’s Nest Wifi was formerly one of our top selections due to its exceptional performance, ease of setup, and the fact that each access point functions as a Google Home speaker. However, the new Nest Wifi Pro foregoes its predecessor’s smart speaker capabilities in favor of Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.

The Netgear Orbi brand is another long-time favorite, with strong performance across a growing ecosystem of products ranging from the latest Netgear Orbi WiFi 6e to the first Orbi RBK50.

For more affordable mesh networking, we really like the TP-Link Deco X20 as it provides great Wi-Fi 6 speeds for the whole house without costing much more than a standalone unit. If you want upgrade to the latest wireless standard though, the TP-Link Deco XE75 supports Wi-Fi 6E at a reasonable price. We also recently rounded up the best cheap mesh routers for those on a tight budget and these devices can fill your home with Wi-Fi for less than $100.

Given their increased popularity, you may be wondering whether a mesh router might work for you. If that’s the case, here’s an overview of this new take on home networking to help you decide if a mesh Wi-Fi system is the right choice for your needs.

The router is at the heart of all typical Wi-Fi networks, broadcasting a wireless signal to all of the devices you want to connect to the internet.

A router, as the name implies, seamlessly routes internet traffic between a connected modem and Wi-Fi-enabled devices such as PCs, tablets, and smartphones. Most consumers entirely forget about their routers until their Wi-Fi signal fails.

The main issue with traditional routers is that the reach of the Wi-Fi signals they send out is limited. Large buildings that require internet access on multiple floors often have areas with little or no service, often referred to as dead zones, when the main network uses a standard single-point router.

Mesh routers can help eliminate dead zones though. Instead of broadcasting Wi-Fi signals from a single point, mesh router systems feature multiple access points. One node links to the modem and acts as the router, while the other access points or satellites, capture the router’s signal and rebroadcast it to each other.

Read Also: How to Troubleshoot Common Mesh Wi-fi Issues

For those who aren’t sure if they need a mesh Wi-Fi system, or plan on moving into a larger home soon, you don’t have to commit to a pack of two or three mesh units to benefit from the expandable coverage of mesh Wi-Fi.

Many of the latest standalone routers can actually be set up as base stations for mesh coverage and then you can expand your Wi-Fi further by adding more nodes from the same manufacturer down the line. This way you don’t have to get rid of your current equipment.

Pros and Cons of Mesh Routers

Pros

Besides creating a strong, reliable Wi-Fi signal throughout your whole home, mesh Wi-Fi systems have a few other notable benefits which include:

1. Easy Network Management: One main feature that distinguishes mesh routers from traditional routers is the easy network access they provide. Many mesh routers are totally automated which allows for easy management through a mobile app, even when you’re not at home. Setting up a mesh router with a smartphone app is far easier than plugging a computer directly into a router and configuring it through your browser.

Many mesh router apps allow users to quickly scan their speeds, cut off Wi-Fi access to certain networks, create guest networks, test the quality between various connection points and even connect to smart home devices. Some high-end traditional routers have similar features, but you’ll usually need to be connected to the local network using a desktop web interface to turn them on.

2. Streamlined connections: With traditional routers, Wi-Fi extenders are often used to repeat the signal so a Wi-Fi connection can reach even further. However, even the best Wi-Fi extenders require you to create a separate network (with a separate name) for the range extender. This means you’ll likely have to manually switch Wi-Fi connections as you move around your house.

A mesh router on the other hand, doesn’t require constant reconnections, even as you move from room to room. You also won’t have to deal with as much lag as the access points all broadcast the same signal, rather than having to route requests through multiple networks.

3. Tight security: Along with easy management, mesh routers often come with improved security. Thanks to the aforementioned easy network management, it’s not hard to keep your devices safe as many automatically check for and install firmware updates.

Cons

Like most pieces of networking equipment, mesh Wi-Fi systems aren’t without their drawbacks. Here are a few of the bigger ones.

1. High costs: A good two piece mesh-router kit will likely cost $200 or more, with additional satellites costing $100 to $600 each. The standalone models on our list of the best Wi-Fi routers generally range from $80 to $250, while Wi-Fi extenders can run anywhere from $20 to $100. That’s a big price difference, even for the most basic mesh-router setup. Fortunately though, we’ve also rounded up the best cheap mesh Wi-Fi systems that can all be had for under $100

2. Wasted resources: In small homes and buildings, mesh routers are often a bigger solution than what is needed. Covering 3,000 to 5,000 square feet with a simple two-unit mesh network is overkill for many homes.

If you don’t regularly have Wi-Fi connectivity issues or your internet demands aren’t extensive, a mesh router may be excessive. A few Wi-Fi dead zones can be easily fixed with a range extender, by putting your existing router in a more central location or by upgrading to a better traditional router with longer range.

3. More equipment: Although most mesh-router system access points are small and discreet, you may actually need several of them to take full advantage of their capabilities. This means finding places for multiple devices throughout your home. This could be annoying for those who prefer to keep their networking devices limited to one or two inconspicuous locations.

Many standard routers cannot completely cover large houses with numerous storeys and walls that obstruct wireless signals. At the same time, if you’re interested in smart home features, mesh routers provide simple remote management via mobile apps, which is a major advantage.

On the other hand, if you live in a tiny house or apartment and your Wi-Fi connection drops only sometimes, you may probably avoid a mesh router. To eliminate Wi-Fi dead zones, a basic Wi-Fi extender or long-range router would suffice.

With the correct networking equipment, you won’t have to battle with slow internet speeds or Wi-Fi dead zones. If you’re weary of always having to reset or tweak your router’s antennas, now is a good time to change to a new standard router with wider coverage, a mesh router kit, or a range extender – whatever device best suits your needs and budget. All are designed to deal with barriers and can connect homes via a range of frequencies.

There are numerous wireless networking products that can significantly improve your home Wi-Fi signal, so evaluate your Wi-Fi requirements first to determine which option is ideal for your home. The best speed test apps can also be really useful when determining whether or not you need a mesh Wi-Fi system.

Is Mesh WiFi Better Than Extender?

Digital connectivity reigns supreme, and a strong and dependable home Wi-Fi network is required. Dead zones and poor signals can be the scourge of our online existence, so it is critical to invest in the appropriate technology to expand and reinforce your network. Wi-Fi extenders and mesh Wi-Fi are two common ways to improve your Wi-Fi coverage. Below, we’ll compare mesh Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi extender to help you decide which is best for your needs.

To decide which option is better for your home network, it’s essential to consider your specific needs and priorities:

1. Coverage area

Mesh Wi-Fi excels at providing consistent coverage throughout larger homes, making it the best choice for eliminating dead zones across a wide area.

Wi-Fi extenders are more suitable for specific areas with signal issues, making them a cost-effective solution for localized dead zones.

2. Network management

Mesh Wi-Fi simplifies network management by creating a single network name (SSID) and automatically routing devices to the strongest signal, ensuring a seamless transition as you move around your home.

Wi-Fi extenders require manual network switching when moving between the main router and the extender’s coverage area, which can be less convenient. However, if you’re using separate devices in different areas within your home, you might simply dedicate them to their individual networks if possible to solve this problem.

3. Scalability

Mesh Wi-Fi systems are designed to be expandable, allowing you to add more nodes to the network as needed. This scalability ensures that your network can grow with your requirements.

Wi-Fi extenders are less scalable, as adding multiple extenders can lead to network congestion and reduced performance.

4. Performance

Mesh Wi-Fi tends to offer more consistent and high-performance coverage, making it the preferred choice for demanding applications like online gaming and 4K streaming.

Wi-Fi extenders may experience some signal degradation due to the retransmission process, which can affect performance for bandwidth-intensive tasks.

When comparing mesh Wi-Fi vs. Wi-Fi extenders, a mesh network may be the more commonly preferred alternative due to its fluidity and consistent signal quality. However, the option is determined by your specific needs and budget. If you have a large home with several dead zones and need high-performance coverage, investing in the best mesh Wi-Fi system is probably the best option.

On the other hand, if you’re searching for a low-cost solution to increase the signal in a specific room or region, a Wi-Fi extender is an excellent choice that still performs well in its own right.

Finally, whether you use mesh Wi-Fi or a Wi-Fi extender, both technologies have their uses in addressing Wi-Fi coverage concerns. The trick is to evaluate your home’s specific needs, network requirements, and budget to determine which option is ideal for your scenario. By making an informed decision, you may have seamless and dependable connectivity throughout your house.