The Best Mesh Wi-Fi Network Systems of 2024

The ASUS ZenWiFi XT8 blends performance, affordability, and near-infinite expandability

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NETGEAR Orbi Home WiFi System
Netgear Orbi Home WiFi System. Photo:

Amazon

A mesh Wi-Fi system provides expansive coverage around even the largest homes. Thanks to its expandability, you can extend it further into your yard, crawlspaces, or anywhere else that could benefit from a high-speed internet connection.

Here are the best mesh Wi-Fi router systems you can buy in 2024.

TL;DR: Fast Wi-Fi 6 performance across three frequency bands, and thousands of square geet, from just two satellites. You can add more for not-much more, too, and setup is a breeze.

Why We Recommend It

The Asus ZenWiFi XT8 isn’t the newest mesh router system, but it is arguably the best. It offers impressive coverage and fast connectivity over three bands (2.4GHz and 2 x 5GHz), giving it excellent support for tens or even hundreds of devices simultaneously.

It has built-in security and parental controls, which you can adjust via the handy app. The setup is straightforward.

Support is for the lifetime of the device, so you’ll always be able to get help if you need it, and the privacy tools don’t require any additional subscription.

It doesn’t have the latest Wi-Fi speeds—6E and 7—so you might want something more premium if you run the latest devices. Still, for most smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smart streaming devices, Wi-Fi 6 is plenty fast (and there’s backward compatibility with Wi-Fi 5 and slower speeds, too).

Pros
  • Fast Wi-Fi 6 performance

  • Great coverage over over 5,500 square feet

  • Expandability with additional satellites

  • Easy setup

  • Strong parental controls

  • Tri-band helps avoid congestion

Cons
  • Lacks newer Wi-Fi 6E and 7 speeds

  • Three-packs are less cost effective

It's available in two- and three-packs, though the former offers more value for money with its pricing. You can expand these configurations further by adding compatible routers, as this system supports AIMesh.

The setup of this mesh router system is also super straightforward. You connect it, download the app, and follow the on-screen instructions. You'll be up and running in minutes.

  • Who else recommends it? The Asus ZenWiFi XT8 tops the best mesh-Wi-Fi router lists at Wired and PCMag, and it has strong reviews at TechRadar and Tom's Guide, which all praise its impressive coverage and high-speed performance.
  • What do buyers say? The ZenWiFi XT8 has stellar reviews from consumers, with the majority highlighting its ease of setup and impressive performance. Not everyone enjoys the app's user interface, but that seems to be more a matter of personal preference.

TL;DR: A high-end, premium mesh router system with cutting-edge features, including Wi-Fi 7 performance. But it comes at a steep price.

Why We Recommend It

Want a mesh router system that has everything? Look no further than the Netgear Orbi 970. Its system has one to three satellite routers, which can cover up to 10,000 square feet and support over 200 simultaneous devices at up to Wi-Fi 7 speeds.

That’s enough to give you the full performance from a multi-gigabit internet connection and then some. You’ll transfer files over your network at speeds even Ethernet can’t compete with—though there are 10Gbps ports if you want them.

Pros
  • Incredible Wi-Fi 7 performance

  • Backwards compatible with older Wi-Fi standards and devices

  • Amazingly wide coverage

  • Quad-band design ensures there are no congestion concerns

  • Supports the latest security standards

  • Smart looking devices

Cons
  • Very expensive

  • Complete overkill for most homes

  • Some features require ongoing subscription

The quad-band design gives you multiple 5GHz frequencies. You get multi-link operation for Wi-Fi 7 where you can use multiple bands. There's also a traditional 2.4GHz for older and IoT devices and a 5GHz backhaul channel to make sure that congestion is never a problem.

The Netgear Orbi 970 also has impressive security features, like WPA3 support. You can use Netgear's Smart Parental controls to manage your network and its devices better.

The only real downside to this mesh router system is its cost. It's costly compared to the competition, but it's much more effective.

If you can afford it, this is the best mesh Wi-Fi system out there, but you can get some great mesh systems for much less.

  • Who else recommends it? The Netgear Orbi 970 was reviewed amazingly well at Wired and PCMag, with high praise for its performance on wired and wireless connections and expansive coverage. They lamented its cost, but if you want premium, it often comes at a price.
  • What do buyers say? There are thousands of positive reviews for the Netgear Orbi 970, with Amazon alone having over 80 percent at 4 stars or better. Reviewers love its speed and impressively uniform coverage in even larger homes, and its app gets a lot of love for how easy it makes the setup.

TL;DR: Incredible range at a budget-friendly price, and compact and easy to set up. But there are a few trade-offs: It lacks Wi-Fi 7 and backhaul channels.

Why We Recommend It

If you want massive Wi-Fi coverage at a more affordable price, the TP-Link Deco X20 is a great choice. For less than $200, you get three routers and satellites, letting you cover close to 6,000 square feet despite the affordable price.

It has Wi-Fi 6 speeds, which is plenty for most devices, though some support Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7, which you won’t be able to take advantage of.

Pros
  • Strong Wi-Fi 6 performance

  • Affordable pricing

  • Great range for the price

  • Compact design

Cons
  • Lacks latest Wi-Fi support

  • No backhaul channels

Still, you get 2.4GHz and 5GHz channel options, helping to thwart congestion. No backhaul channel is a shame, but that won't make a big difference for most homes.

What you do get with this are compact and understated routers that look good and can fit in just about anywhere.

The smartphone app makes setup easy and quick. It can support up to 150 simultaneous devices, making this a great mesh router system for a party.

Parental controls on this mesh router system are strong, and they don't require an additional subscription, although the TP-Link Premium HomeShield security system does for its more advanced features.

Who else recommends it? The TP-Link Deco X20 is well reviewed at Tom's Guide, PCMag, and TechGearLab, with praise for its performance at this price and ease of use and setup. The app gets particular props.

What do buyers say? The Deco X20 is one of Amazon's most popular mesh router systems, with over 13,000 reviews and over 85 percent at 4 stars or better. Fans love its value for money, delivering strong Wi-Fi 6 performance at a very affordable price.

How We Chose

To find the best mesh Wi-Fi router systems, we looked at the latest models from the top brands, our top-reviewed models, and contenders from other publications. We also compared user reviews to find models that everyone loves, not just the experts.

We combined this robust research with our hands-on experience with many of the best routers (mesh and otherwise) and factored in everything regarding budget and value for money.

What to Look For

When you’re looking for a mesh Wi-Fi router system, make sure that it supports the Wi-Fi generation that your devices do but also allows for the future.

Wi-Fi 6E might not be available on any of your devices now, but your next smartphone will support it.

Consider bandwidth and channel support, too. More of each will give you better support for multiple devices and more demanding tasks, like 8K streaming.

And look out for latency-enhancing features for gaming and other sensitive tasks.

Ultimately, though, it all has to fit into your budget. Make sure you can afford whatever mesh system you’re considering, and as long as it’s a quality router from a major brand, you should be OK.

Mesh Wi-Fi Brands We Considered

We considered all the top mesh router brands, including, among others:

  • Amazon
  • Asus
  • Google
  • Linksys
  • Netgear
  • TP-Link
  • Wyze
FAQ
  • What’s the difference between a mesh Wi-Fi system and a Wi-Fi extender?

    Mesh Wi-Fi systems and Wi-Fi extenders extend the reach of your wireless signal beyond your main router’s range. Mesh Wi-Fi systems are more tightly integrated, with the main and satellite devices expressly designed to work in concert.

  • Are mesh Wi-Fi systems faster?

    Technically speaking, a mesh Wi-Fi system won’t offer better performance than an equivalent standalone router when you’re sitting right beside it. Since speed always falls off due to a weaker signal as you move farther away from your router, mesh systems can make a difference in larger homes.

  • Do you need to replace your existing router?

    In most cases, the answer is yes. Although some mesh Wi-Fi systems can work with existing routers, you’ll generally get better performance and a much better user experience if you use a full mesh Wi-Fi system. If you’re a cable internet subscriber, you’ll still need to hang onto your cable modem.

  • How fast is a mesh Wi-Fi system?

    Since mesh Wi-Fi network systems are uniformly high-end, they are also pretty fast. If your home internet connection isn’t very fast, then there isn’t any benefit to choosing a speedier mesh system over a slower one. You can check your internet connection speed with free speed tests if you aren’t sure what it is.

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