Best Mesh Wi-Fi Systems: Wi-Fi 6E for Seamless Home Coverage

The best mesh Wi-Fi systems of 2025

A Wi-Fi mesh system is one of the smartest upgrades you can make for your home internet. If you’ve ever battled frustrating dead zones, endless buffering, or video calls that constantly drop, a mesh system is your solution. Unlike a traditional router that broadcasts from a single spot, a mesh setup uses multiple access points spread throughout your home, blanketing every corner with a strong, uninterrupted Wi-Fi signal. Whether you’re working on multiple devices, streaming 4K movies in the living room, or gaming in the basement, a mesh system guarantees reliable Wi-Fi wherever you are.

These systems are built for today’s busy households, featuring dual-band or even tri-band connectivity to expertly manage your bandwidth across all devices, plus automatic updates for always-current firmware. Many also support blazing-fast internet plans and offer wired connections for extra stability when you need it most for gaming or work. With simple setup, intuitive app controls, and excellent future-proofing, the best mesh Wi-Fi router systems can finally banish those clunky Wi-Fi extenders and deliver truly fast, dependable Wi-Fi across your entire home.

Table of Contents
Best mesh Wi-Fi systems for 2025
What to look for in a mesh Wi-Fi system
Other mesh Wi-Fi router systems we tested
How we test Wi-Fi routers
Mesh Wi-Fi system FAQs

Best mesh Wi-Fi systems for 2025

What to look for in a mesh Wi-Fi system

Linksys’ CEO Jonathan Bettino explained why mesh systems are a significant “advancement in Wi-Fi technology” compared to a single-point router. With just one transmitter, the signal can weaken the further you move away, or if your home’s layout creates obstacles. As he put it, “You can have a small [home], but there’s thick walls […] or things in the way that just interfere with your wireless signal.”

Historically, the go-to solution for Wi-Fi dead zones was a Wi-Fi extender. However, Bettino described these devices as having a “terrible user experience” and noted their exceptionally high return rates. Mesh Wi-Fi, in contrast, provides “multiple nodes that can be placed anywhere in your home,” offering what feels like “ubiquitous Wi-Fi” – essentially, a router in every room.

The idea of having a “router in every room” is mesh Wi-Fi’s greatest selling point, especially given our reliance on a constant internet connection. Each node constantly communicates with the others, creating a single, seamless network for all your connected devices. You won’t see separate networks for 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands; instead, there’s just one network name to connect to.

Now is a great time to invest in a mesh Wi-Fi system, thanks to the latest standard, Wi-Fi 6E, which represents a major leap forward. Matt MacPherson, Cisco’s Chief Technology Officer for Wireless, called Wi-Fi 6E a significant “inflection point,” as it utilizes a much larger portion of the wireless spectrum than previous generations. He noted that if you’re using that spectrum with a Wi-Fi 6E device, “you’re going to get significant gains [in speed].”

MacPherson also suggests that Wi-Fi 6E will likely “carry you for a long time” because its “top throughputs now typically exceed what people can actually connect their home to.” In simpler terms, with a theoretical per-stream speed of 1.2 Gbps, Wi-Fi 6E is fast enough to outperform all but the very fastest consumer internet services.

What do all these Wi-Fi numbers and letters mean?

I’m sorry folks, we need to get boringly technical for one paragraph, but I promise you it’s worth it.

Wi-Fi is governed by the International Standard IEEE 802.11. Every few years, as the technology improves, a new letter gets added to that name. Until 2019, routers were sold under these confusing IEEE names, forcing users to decipher a product labeled 802.11 b/g/a/n/ac and so on.

Thankfully, common sense prevailed, and these letters were rebranded as numbers. So, instead of 802.11 b/g/a/n/ac, we now have Wi-Fi 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Currently, we’re in the middle of a Wi-Fi generation where most available gear supports either Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E.

What’s the difference between Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E?

Wi-Fi uses different chunks of the radio frequency spectrum. Wi-Fi 6 operates on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands to transmit data. In the past, your home router might have offered you separate networks for 2.4GHz or 5GHz. Nowadays, all these spectrums are unified into a single network. Wi-Fi 6E takes this a step further by adding the ability to use the 6GHz band. This is a significant amount of extra wireless real estate that is far less congested than the older 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

You’re going to talk about wireless frequencies now, aren’t you.

Indeed! Each Wi-Fi band comes with its own trade-offs. Slower radio frequencies offer greater range but less speed. For example, 2.4GHz signals travel far across your home but aren’t particularly fast. On the other hand, 6GHz is incredibly fast but can easily be blocked by sturdy objects like brick walls. Many of your Wi-Fi-enabled devices, especially smart home gadgets, use only the 2.4GHz band because of its better range and lower cost. However, this means the 2.4GHz band is often overcrowded and slow, making it ideal for your doorbell or robot vacuum, but far from ideal for high-bandwidth activities like Twitch streaming.

So, what am I looking for?

Right now, the market is full of mature Wi-Fi 6 and 6E devices, and most new systems available are capable of delivering the faster speeds they promise. This guide focuses on Wi-Fi 6E gear because we believe it offers more than enough performance to meet almost everyone’s at-home Wi-Fi needs.

What about Wi-Fi 7?

We are just starting to see the first generation of Wi-Fi 7 devices hit the market, but we don’t recommend rushing out to buy one just yet. The Wi-Fi 7 standard is so new that there’s very little reason for the average person to invest in it for their home. The hardware is tremendously expensive, and while Wi-Fi 7 will eventually offer significant benefits over 6E, it’s not as transformative an upgrade as 6E was. Furthermore, Wi-Fi 7 is so new that almost none of your existing home devices will be able to take advantage of its advanced features. I’d estimate you won’t need to think about upgrading to Wi-Fi 7 for at least five years, if not longer.

Range and speed

All Wi-Fi routers proudly advertise a theoretical broadcast range and a theoretical top speed, sometimes even external antennas to boost signal directionality. But honestly, these numbers often don’t mean much in the real world. Manufacturers can’t account for your ISP’s actual speeds, your home’s unique construction and layout, or where you decide to place your Wi-Fi gear. Raw speed isn’t the only factor either; you likely need a lot less than the internet speeds your provider boasts. What truly matters is how consistent your connection is between rooms and across different devices. For instance, Netflix only requires about 15 Mbps to stream a single 4K video. While it’s cool to boast about hundreds of Mbps, factors like latency and reliability are far more crucial for a happy internet experience. And unless you have gigabit internet that can actually hit speeds up to 1 Gbps, you probably don’t need a mesh router that offers that spec.

Backhaul

Mesh Wi-Fi systems function by connecting every hardware node to a single wireless network, allowing them all to communicate with each other. Imagine four people in a bustling, noisy restaurant trying to order their dinner from an overwhelmed staff member, all at once. Now, picture four more people at that same table simultaneously trying to tell a funny story. It’s no surprise that it might take a long time for the right information to reach its intended recipient.

To combat this, higher-end mesh routers offer dedicated wireless backhaul: a specific slice of the spectrum reserved for node-to-node communication. So, instead of everyone talking at once in the same chaotic space, these conversations are essentially separated, significantly reducing the invisible clutter in the air. With less confusing cross-chatter, everything moves faster, providing a substantial performance boost to those systems.

Connectivity

These days, even your washing machine can have a wireless connection, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the benefits of wired internet. No matter how fast Wi-Fi gets, a hard line will almost always be faster and more reliable. Plus, some devices, like Philips’ Hue bridge, still require an Ethernet connection. Many routers can also use these hard connections for backhaul, further reducing wireless congestion.

This is particularly convenient for spread-out systems and power users, though it does mean running more wires through your home. The most common standard is Cat 5e, or gigabit Ethernet, which, as the name suggests, offers a top speed of 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps). Since Ethernet cables are backward compatible, you should easily find one that works with your system. However, to get the absolute best performance from your mesh routers, it’s worth investing in an Ethernet cable that matches your router’s standard — if it’s Cat 5e, use a Cat 5e cable. You can verify your router’s specifications on the manufacturer’s website.

Flexibility and scalability

Mesh routers allow you to easily add (or remove) modules from your home network to perfectly suit your needs. D-Link’s Alan Jones advises users to “check how scalable the prospective product is” before making a purchase. This sense of scale doesn’t just apply to the number of nodes on the network, but also to how many simultaneous connections the system can comfortably handle.

It’s also worth looking into ASUS’ AiMesh products, which have the unique ability to combine mesh Wi-Fi gear with their standard “spider” Wi-Fi routers. This means if you have a particularly tricky area in your home, you can simply bolt on an ultra-powerful standalone Wi-Fi router to a compatible mesh system.

Placement

Mesh networks replace one large piece of hardware with a series of identical nodes that you strategically scatter around your home. You connect one node to your modem (typically via Ethernet), and then distribute the others throughout your space for optimal coverage. A good rule of thumb is to place each node no more than two rooms away from the previous one, rather than trying to stretch them to the furthest ends of your home.

Remember, every physical obstacle between a Wi-Fi node, its siblings, and your devices will negatively impact your overall performance. You should aim to place them, at a minimum, at waist height on furniture in open air, away from too many obstructions. The reason many mesh Wi-Fi products are designed to look like inoffensive white doodads is precisely so you won’t feel the need to hide them behind your TV.

Other mesh Wi-Fi router systems we tested

Amazon Eero Pro 7
Eero has built its reputation on creating user-friendly yet powerful mesh systems that pack a lot of value into a relatively small and affordable package. Setup is remarkably easy, the accompanying app is clean and simple to use, and you get the added benefit of backward compatibility with older Eero hardware. Unfortunately, a persistent issue with all Eero systems is that many essential management features, such as parental controls, are locked behind the company’s Eero Plus subscription, which costs $100 per year.

Amazon Eero 6E
The Eero Pro 6E is an “easy” device – the kind a complete novice can set up independently and enjoy for years. It requires minimal effort to get everything running, and the app features a clean user interface with plenty of helpful guidance. However, just like with the Eero Pro 7, the fact that so many basic management tools are paywalled is frustrating, especially when rival offerings from Google provide many of these features for free.

Netgear Orbi 960
The Orbi 960 (RBKE963) stands as Netgear’s flagship mesh Wi-Fi product, which the company boldly touts as the “world’s most powerful Wi-Fi 6E system.” It’s also one of the most expensive consumer-level kits on the market, setting you back a hefty $1,499.99 for a three-pack. While it is undoubtedly a fantastic piece of gear, it’s worth noting that the subset of people who could, would, or should buy it remains far smaller than you might expect. Ultimately, I believe that if you’re paying luxury prices, you should expect a luxury product and experience. There were many instances during testing where I looked for a feature that was either only accessible via the web client or hidden behind a paywall. While a significant portion of your investment goes into the superlative hardware, having to pay extra for what I consider table-stakes features at this price point is frankly insulting. If you’re in the market for a new Wi-Fi system and aren’t prepared to spend nearly $1,500, it’s worth considering our other top picks for the best Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems.

How we test Wi-Fi routers

My home spans approximately 2,200 square feet across three stories, with my office situated on the third floor. It’s a relatively long and thin layout, featuring the living room at the front of the house, the kitchen at the back, and the three bedrooms on the first floor. Its age means there are plenty of solid brick walls, old-school lathe and plaster, as well as aluminum foil-backed insulation boards contributing to energy efficiency. Consequently, there are two significant Wi-Fi dead zones in the house: the bathroom and the third bedroom behind it, due to the presence of a lot of old and new pipework within the walls and floors.

For mesh routers with two nodes, I place the first in my living room, connected via Ethernet to my cable modem, with the second positioned on the first-floor landing in what is the (ostensible) center of the house. For three-node sets, the third goes into my kitchen. I’ve found this layout to be optimal for ensuring the bulk of my house is covered in Wi-Fi. Fundamentally, my home presents enough challenges that if a system succeeds here, it has a very good chance of succeeding in your place.

Each mesh system is evaluated based on its ease of setup, Wi-Fi coverage, reliability, speed, and any additional features it advertises. I examine how user-friendly each companion app is from the perspective of a novice, rather than an expert, because you shouldn’t need to be a network engineer to manage your home Wi-Fi. My tests include checking for dead zones, moving from room to room to measure connection consistency, and streaming multiple videos simultaneously to replicate common usage patterns.

Mesh Wi-Fi system FAQs

This is the section of our mesh Wi-Fi buyer’s guide where we tackle the stuff that most people might skim past. If you’re not familiar with technology, it can feel intimidating when people discuss these topics as if you’re expected to already know everything. So, here’s a very simple, very basic rundown of some things you might have missed, explained in the most straightforward terms.

What’s the difference between a Wi-Fi router and a mesh router?

A Wi-Fi router is a single box, usually placed near where your internet connection enters your home, that broadcasts information using radio waves. A mesh router, on the other hand, is a set of smaller devices. One sits next to your internet connection, while the others, known as nodes, are scattered around your home. A single Wi-Fi router is great if your home is small, your internet needs aren’t too demanding, or if your home doesn’t have many radio-blocking obstructions that prevent signals from reaching every corner. But, much like walking away from a radio transmitter, the signal will eventually degrade with distance.

That’s precisely the problem a mesh system is designed to solve. It takes the signal from your modem and extends it to the other mesh devices throughout your home. This way, instead of having one big router in one part of your house, you have several smaller ones that ensure you get excellent Wi-Fi connectivity everywhere. It also helps prevent your connection from dropping as you move around – a mesh router system makes it seamless to, for instance, walk from room to room watching Netflix without missing a single frame.

What’s the difference between a Wi-Fi extender and a mesh system?

Oh boy. Wi-Fi extenders, sometimes called repeaters, are small devices meant to push Wi-Fi a little further than your main router can reach. They’re often cheap, compact, and frequently come as little boxes that plug directly into your wall sockets, hoping to boost Wi-Fi into a signal-sparse corner of your home. They are, and I can’t put this delicately enough, often a big pile of rubbish and usually not worth your time. Especially now that the price of mesh routers has become affordable for most budgets.

What is a wireless backhaul?

As we explained earlier, mesh Wi-Fi systems work by connecting every hardware node to a single wireless network, allowing them all to communicate with each other. Imagine four people in a bustling, noisy restaurant trying to order their dinner from an overwhelmed staff member, all at once. Now, picture four more people at that same table simultaneously trying to tell a funny story. It’s no surprise that it might take a long time for the right information to reach its intended recipient.

To combat this, higher-end mesh routers offer dedicated wireless backhaul: a specific slice of the spectrum reserved for node-to-node communication. So, instead of everyone talking at once in the same chaotic space, these conversations are essentially separated, significantly reducing the invisible clutter in the air. With less confusing cross-chatter, everything moves faster, providing a substantial performance boost to those systems.

Is it better to hard wire instead of using a mesh Wi-Fi system?

This is a great question that doesn’t have a simple answer.

It is (almost) always preferable to connect devices with a physical wire, in this case, Ethernet, rather than relying solely on Wi-Fi. Wired connections offer faster speeds, are more reliable, and your data is less vulnerable to the unpredictable laws of physics. Honestly, I spent about a year trying to figure out how to build an iPhone-to-Ethernet connector back in the bad old days of unreliable Wi-Fi.

However, your ability to hardwire depends heavily on your DIY skills and/or how much money you’re willing to spend on contractors. Wiring your entire home for Ethernet, especially if you don’t have the infrastructure already, can be a costly and time-consuming process. This is particularly true if you want to avoid unsightly wires running along your baseboards, under carpets, or across hardwood floors.

If you’re building a new home or are capable of serious DIY, then hardwiring is a fantastic option. It also works wonderfully hand-in-glove with mesh networks, as you can connect your nodes directly to the wired network for even better speeds and reliability.

But, to be frank, advancements in Wi-Fi technology mean I’d only opt for extensive hardwiring if I truly believed I needed the kind of speed and rock-solid stability it offers. Unless you’re a Twitch streamer running your own 24/7 content studio, it’s probably overkill for most households.

When we started renovating our 140-year-old home, I had Ethernet installed in the living room, the master bedroom, the second bedroom, and my office, all at the front of the house. Unfortunately, I can’t use it for my current mesh setup because I’d need to run the wiring through the middle of the house to achieve the optimal node placement. If I ever had the wiring done again, I would ensure it covers the whole house, as I know I’d instantly see a meaningful improvement in both my connection speed and reliability. But I wouldn’t spend several thousand pounds to have it done purely for the sake of it.