4 Best Mesh Wi-Fi Routers in 2020

If you have a large house, placing a single router just doesn’t work anymore. You’d witness the drop in signal strength whenever you’re in the corner opposite to the router. And that’s when mesh Wi-Fi routers come into the picture. These routers widen the Wi-Fi range and establish stronger connections with the primary router. In short, they help in keeping almost uniform and strong network coverage throughout the house.

As opposed to popular belief, mesh routers are simple to set up and easy to connect. You needn’t connect/disconnect to Wi-Fi networks as you move around the house. All these operations are taken care of automatically and require just the initial setup process.

If you are searching for a good mesh Wi-Fi router, here’s our roundup of the best ones.

Before that,

• Here are the best wire­less USB Wi-Fi adapters for PC.
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1. Amazon Eero Mesh Wi-Fi System

• Area: ~5,000 square feet
• Wireless Technology: 802.11ac/dual-band mesh kit
• Peak Throughput: 342.1 Mbps (at 5 feet)

Amazon Eero Mesh Wi-Fi System

Buy

One of the reasons you should pick up the Eero Mesh Wi-Fi System is that it’s simple and straightforward. Once you connect the nodes to the modem, the Eero app will walk you through the rest of the connection process. This mesh system is designed for medium-sized houses with an area around 5,000 square feet. The basic package includes three satellites or nodes. They look simple, and the odds are that they will blend easily with the rest of the home decor stuff.

Though the Eero Mesh Wi-Fi system is an Amazon product, it does not have Alexa integration.

When it comes to the performance, the setup establishes an able mesh system, with the top speed maxing out at around 488Mbps. Do note that unlike traditional mesh systems, it doesn’t have a dedicated router. Each satellite needs to be placed at around 30 feet of each other to maintain a seamless connection. Hence, it’s not suitable for larger houses.

It’s quite popular on Amazon and has received more than four thousand reviews on Amazon. Do note that it doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6 speeds.

2. D-Link EXO AC3000

• Area: N/A
• Wireless Technology: 802.11ac/dual-band mesh kit
• Peak Throughput: 400 Mbps (2.4 GHz) + 866 Mbps (5 GHz) + 1733 Mbps (5 GHz)

D-Link EXO AC3000

Buy

Another mesh system that offers a solid performance is the D-Link EXO AC3000. Like its counterpart above, this product also doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6 yet, but rest assured that it delivers great 802.11ac performance. It also bundles McAfee protection against malware and viruses and parental controls. Unlike the one above, you will have to get separate D-Link range extenders and routers to establish the mesh.

One advantage that it has over the Eero Mesh system is that it supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands. So yeah, you will able to get things done over voice commands. At the same time, setting it up is a breeze. The companion app guides you through the process.

As noted earlier, the EXO AC3000 delivers a solid performance. It maintains a strong connection even when you are at a considerable distance from the router, which was an issue with the Eero router above. And well, the whooping six thousand reviews back this claim.

However, the EXO AC3000 is not the most inconspicuous gadget out there, thanks to its big antennas and bigger footprint. This design makes it a tad difficult to place it discretely.

3. Google Nest Wi-Fi

• Area: N/A
• Wireless Technology: 802.11ac/dual-band mesh kit
• Peak Throughput: 2,200 Mbps (5 GHz), 1,200Mbps(5 GHz)

Google Nest Wi-Fi

Buy

If you are already into Google’s products like Home speakers and the likes, it makes sense to invest in the Google Nest. The Nest supports Wi-Fi 5 and is perhaps one of the most popular mesh Wi-Fi routers out there. It promises a solid performance, and as per the folks at CNET, it delivers one of the best performance among the current crop of Wi-Fi 5 routers. Both the routers and the ‘Points’ bundle a sleek and inconspicuous look. The crux of this router is that you can prioritize devices on the network. That comes in handy if you want to watch a high-res show on your TV or play a game.

The Google Home app is the point of access for this app. Thankfully, like most Google products, setting it up is a walk in the park. Once the router is plugged, you will need to connect it to the phone app and then connect the Points (the satellites) to establish the network. Simple enough, right? The good thing about using the Google Home app is that it’s simple and straightforward.

One of the most interesting features is the inclusion of microphones on the speakers that give you access to Google Assistant around your house.

The performance is top-notch, and when compared to Amazon Eero, the speeds are on the higher end. The only concern is that the Nest lets you connect only a single Ethernet cable in the router, and the Points do not have any Ethernet cable at all.

4. Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6 AX6000

• Area: Up to 5,000 sq. ft
• Wireless Technology: 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)
• Peak Throughput: 2,400 Mbps (5 GHz), 1,200Mbps (2.4 GHz)

Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6 AX6000

Buy

If you want a future proof product, you should check out the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6 AX6000. As the name suggests, it’s a Wi-Fi 6 mesh router and supports up to 100 devices. Now, that’s neat. Quite obviously, the new Wi-Fi tech means it’s priced considerably higher than its counterparts above. But you can rest assured that you will get both the speed and a stable connection on your devices.

The inclusion of Wi-Fi 6 brings many advantages to the table. For one, the router speed is around 250% faster. And it’s not the speed alone. Wi-Fi 6 can connect and manage several connected devices like smartphones, smart TVs, and other smart home devices that need Wi-Fi connectivity. And the stable connection ensures that you get wide coverage around your house.

The Orbi Wi-Fi 6 ships with two nodes. However, the stronger and fast connection means you shouldn’t have any issues in connection. The connection speed is impressive, and the router gives an impressive performance for its price.

The router and the nodes are larger than the other devices mentioned here. Thankfully, they look every bit modern and the odds are that they won’t stick out like a sore thumb at your home.

As Wide as the Sky

With the right Wi-Fi Mesh router by your side, you can roam around your house without worrying about signal drops or the Wi-Fi disconnecting altogether. Quite naturally, the initial costs will be a tad high compared to single routers or Wi-Fi extenders. On the upside, there won’t be any dead spots, and you will enjoy a stable connection at a much higher speed than the conventional setup.