Eliminate Wi-Fi Dead Spots With the Best Mesh Routers

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Buyer’s Guide to Finding Quality Mesh Router

Every house seems to have those annoying spots where the Wi-Fi signal strength isn’t that good. Streaming your favorite show in such spots gets tough, and online gaming can seem impossible. Thankfully, this problem can easily be solved with the help of mesh routers. A mesh router system consists of the main router and several smaller nodes. By strategically placing these little nodes around your place, you can create a sort of mesh or web that gets you a lot more Wi-Fi coverage. While this ensures a faster and more stable connection for all the devices at your place, to achieve this at all you’re going to need a high-quality mesh set. With so many options available across the online marketplace, to help you out we’ve curated a list of the leading mesh routers of 2023!

Get the Gryphon Tower Mesh Router and use your devices with confidence everywhere in your house. The tower’s powerful Wi-Fi reaches up to 3,000 square feet to cover most apartment sizes and many full homes. The next-generation firewall will protect your connection from malware and ransomware, as well as against phishing and hacking scams. 

For a large family, parental controls are a must. This mesh router has all sorts of parental controls, including active content monitoring, app and website blocking, individualized time limits, and valuable usage insights to learn more about what your kids are doing during screen time. These features plus a super easy setup process make this mesh router the best overall on this list.

Pros

• Covers 3,000 square feet
• Protects against malware
• Excellent parental controls

Cons

• Unstable connection reported by users

Coming to you from Amazon, this mesh router comes in various sets to choose from. Capable of covering up to 5,000 feet, regardless of the option you go for you’ll get a mesh system that can be paired with Alexa to manage Wi-Fi access with ease. It is also regularly updated to keep your user experience satisfactory and the Wi-Fi speed optimal.

This mesh router utilizes TrueMesh technology to route the traffic intelligently, so you don’t have to deal with buffering or drop-offs. It can also be easily expanded by adding more compatible eero nodes where needed. 

Pros

• Can be paired with Alexa for convenience
• It can easily be expanded
• It is easy to set up

Cons

• Could do with more pack size options

The MX800 Velop mesh WiFi system from Linksys is another top-quality contender to consider if you’re thinking about setting up a mesh WiFi network in your home. This device is available in a wide range of coverage sizes to suit different homes, from 2,000 square foot up to 8,100 square foot, so you can pick the model that best meets your needs. 

This mesh WiFi system is also high-performing, delivering gigabit WiFi speeds of up to 4Gbps for all devices around your home and even into the backyard, too. Plus, it supports up to 80 devices at a time, so you can connect all of your phones, tablets, computers, consoles and more, without any worries.

Pros

• Speeds of up 4Gbps
• Easy setup and control 
• Automatic firmware updates 
• Parental controls and guest access for security

Cons

• It is a bit pricey

The runner-up on our list is this mesh router by TP-Link, which you can get in sets of two and three. Featuring add-on units, it can be connected with 75 or more devices simultaneously and is designed to provide the fastest connection speeds to your device by switching between nodes as you move around.

It also boasts parental control features to block unwanted websites and limit the time a device can stay online. Furthermore, you can create unique profiles to further personalize parental control for each device. 

Also featuring Wired Ethernet Backhaul, you can achieve faster speeds!

Pros

• Can be expanded with add-on units 
• Features parental control features 
• Can be connected with Alexa 
• Extremely easy to set up

Cons

• Could do with larger pack size

NETGEAR’s Mesh Router allows you to choose from 5,000 and 7,500 feet of coverage. Capable of covering 100 devices simultaneously, it can also be further expanded by adding more satellite nodes, with each new node covering an extra 2,500 feet.

This option can be set up quickly using its Orbu app, which can also be used for monitoring data usage, accessing Wi-Fi settings or testing internet speed. It also comes with a one-year limited warranty for you to enjoy, as well as a 30-day free trial of NETGEAR Armor.

Pros

• Provides up to 7,500 feet of coverage
• Can be easily expanded with nodes
• Comes with one-year warranty
• Can connect 100 devices

Cons

• It is a bit pricey

Next, we have this mesh router by the tech giant Google. Allowing you to choose various sized sets that can cover 4,500 and 1,500 feet, its setup process is also very simple. Furthermore, the featured parental controls can help restrict adult content and screen time on connected devices. 

With the controls also extending to allow you to pause Wi-Fi to any device on your network, this mesh router is also expandable and naturally grants more flexibility in installation. Adding to its functionality, you can also prioritize your devices, check network speed or set up guest networks.

Pros

• It can be expanded with more nodes
• Has excellent parental control 
• Allows you to pause Wi-Fi 
• Easy to set up

Cons

• The coverage could be better

ASUS is the OG when it comes to high-end computer parts and accessories, and when purchasing you can get this pick in various sized sets. Also allowing you to choose between Wi-Fi 6 Tri-Band and AX5400 router versions, its setup process only requires three steps, making its installation all the simpler.  

Coming to you with network security that works to safeguard your privacy on all connected devices, it also boasts advanced parental control—making it an excellent choice for homes and work environments. 

This mesh router also has three LAN ports and a USB 3.0/2.0 port.

Pros

• Comes with advanced parental controls
• Offers three sets to choose from

Cons

• It is a bit expensive

Do I need a separate main router when setting up mesh routers?

The best part about mesh routers is how they allow the user to make any of the nodes the main router. All the other nodes in the system will have the same password and name as the main node.

Will my mesh router pair with my smart assistant?

Most high-end routers, such as the Amazon eero Mesh Router from our list, can be connected to a compatible smart assistant. You can usually check the product description to see if a mesh router will connect with your smart assistant or not.

Can I place nodes very far away from each other?

If the nodes are too far away from the main router and fellow nodes, dead spots may be created. For this same reason, it’s best to keep them inside each other’s range.

How long does the average mesh router last?

On average, you can expect your mesh router to last anywhere from three to five years. This number is based upon updates in technology, as well as your eye for maintenance.

How do I maintain my mesh router?

Some ways to improve your mesh router include but are not limited to checking for radio interference, choosing a quicker DNS service and checking the speed of your mesh router every so often.