What are the best mesh network Wi-Fi systems?

Options
Considered

User
Recs.

Jun 19, 2022

Last
Updated

Netgear Orbi RBK50 vs eero Home WiFi System vs Google WiFi

vs AmpliFi HD vs Plume WiFi vs Google OnHub

Specs

Weight

766.5 g (27.04 oz)

Ports

1x Gigabit Wan, 3x Gigabit LAN for router, 4x Gigabit LAN for satellite

Security

WEP WPA WPA2 WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)

Network standards

802.11 b/g/n/ac

Max theoretical throughput

3 Gbps (AC1733 + AC866 + N400Mbps)

Dimensions (LxWxH)

169.4 x 59.9 x 225.7 mm (6.67x 2.36 x 8.89 in)

Max coverage

8,000 square feet

MU-MIMO

Yes

Firewall

NAT SPI

Wi-Fi bands

Simultaneous dual band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

Quality of Service

Yes

Parental controls

Yes

Setup options

Browser-based, Netgear Orbi App setup

IPv6 compatible

Yes

Antennas

RAM

CPU

USB

Antenna

Weight

Ports

Security

Network standards

Max theoretical throughput

Dimensions (LxWxH)

Max coverage

MU-MIMO

Firewall

Wi-Fi bands

Quality of Service

Parental controls

Setup options

IPv6 compatible

Antennas

RAM

CPU

USB

Antenna

Weight

Ports

Security

Network standards

Max theoretical throughput

Dimensions (LxWxH)

Max coverage

MU-MIMO

Firewall

Wi-Fi bands

Quality of Service

Parental controls

Setup options

IPv6 compatible

Antennas

RAM

CPU

USB

Antenna

Weight

Ports

Security

Network standards

Max theoretical throughput

Dimensions (LxWxH)

Max coverage

MU-MIMO

Firewall

Wi-Fi bands

Quality of Service

Parental controls

Setup options

IPv6 compatible

Antennas

RAM

CPU

USB

Antenna

Weight

90 g (3.17 oz)

Ports

1x Gigabit Wan

Security

WPA2

Network standards

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

Max theoretical throughput

1.2 Gbps (N300 + AC867)

Dimensions (LxWxH)

64 x 58 x 34 mm (2.5 x 2.3 x 1.3 in)

Max coverage

1,800 square feet

MU-MIMO

Firewall

NAT SPI

Wi-Fi bands

Simultaneous dual band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

Quality of Service

Parental controls

Setup options

iOS and Android WiFi app

IPv6 compatible

Antennas

2 internal antennas

RAM

CPU

USB

Antenna

Weight

771 g (27.2 oz)

Ports

1x Gigabit Wan, 1x Gigabit LAN

Security

WEP WPA WPA2

Network standards

802.11 b/g/n/ac

Max theoretical throughput

1.9 Gbps (N600 + AC1300)

Dimensions (LxWxH)

247 x 128 x 132 mm (5.0 x 5.2 x 7.9 in)

Max coverage

MU-MIMO

Firewall

Wi-Fi bands

Quality of Service

Parental controls

Setup options

IPv6 compatible

Antennas

RAM

1GB DDR3

CPU

1.4GHz Dual-core CPU

USB

1x USB 3.0

Antenna

Congestion sensing WiFI radio, Smart high-performance WiFi antennas

Pros + Cons

Pro
Double the performance of most of its competitors even up to 30ft away and through dense walls

Keeping the Orbi router around 30 feet and two walls away, the Orbi extension projected 429.1 Mbps to a laptop one floor above. This is almost double the performance other mesh network systems provide. In the Purch Labs material-penetration tests, the Orbi's transmissions were powerful enough to penetrate a metal-frame wall, a ceiling and a soundboarded wall with very little drop-off. This tri-band AC3000 device can deliver theoretical throughput speeds of 1,266Mbps (400Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 866Mbps on the 5GHz band). The third 5GHz band can reach maximum speeds of 1,733Mbps. In real life testing the Orbi router turns in a score of 480Mbps, and the satellite delivers 470Mbps.

Comment

Pro
Good covarage

The Netgear Orbi WiFi system can cover up to 6,000 square feet home. The router itself can cover 2,000 square feet and one satellite unit covers additional 2,000 square feet. It’s possible to add a second extender for a total coverage of 6,000 square feet. The idea is that you would put the main router near your ISP's modem and then just add the extender where it’s needed the most.

Comment

Pro
Simple setup

Setting up the Orbi is very easy, you don't need to have any prior knowledge on how to set up a mesh network or how Wi-Fi works. All you need to do is to turn on the main router, download the Orbi app, and follow few simple steps. Then you need to find a place for satellite where you can get best possible coverage. Connection between main router and satellite will be done automatically.

Comment

Pro
Amazon Alexa integration

Netgear Orbi supports some integration with Amazon Alexa. Admittedly for now it only supports simple stuff like turning on or off the guest network, but the potential is there.

Comment

Pro
The desktop app allows a good degree of customization

Besides the obvious, like changing the password and network name, the Orbi desktop app, once connected allows users to customize things like adjust the router's maximum transmission unit or perform port forwarding and configuring IPV6 addressing. You can also set up a guest network using the desktop app.

Comment

Con
Expensive for bigger homes

Orbi Home WiFi System is available for just under $400. It includes a router and an extender which will cover 4,000 square feet. However if this isn’t enough for you and you need better coverage, you can get a third device for an extra $250, which makes it a total of $650.

Comment

Con
Only three months of tech support are included for free

Although Netgear offers one year warranty for the Orbi, they only offer three months of free tech support.

Comment

Con
May occupy too much space for some people

The host and extensions measure at 8.9 inches x 6.7 inches x 3.1 inches which may be too large for some homes.

Comment

Con
Lacks performance with multiple units

With a second Eero unit on the network, the connection is much slower, at close range, it averages 180 Mbps. When the distance is increased, the speed is 150 Mbps. With three units it averages just 70 Mbps at close range and 25 Mbps at a distance. To get the best performance, you need to place satellite units around the main router.

Comment

Pro
Voice controlled features for owners of Amazon’s Alexa-controlled Echo speaker

If you own an Echo, eero’s custom Alexa feature lets you tell eero that it’s dinner time and you need to pause someones internet. Or it can find your phone, based on the eero that it’s connected to.

Comment

Pro
Intelligent mesh networking software that adapts to your home network

Eero uses a mesh networking software called TrueMesh. It learns information about your network – modem, eeros, and connected devices. It determines how to pass traffic with the best efficiency, notices if there are any changes in your network, and automatically optimizes ways to transmit data.

Comment

Pro
Good covarage

With three units, it can cover about 4,000 square feet with an average speed between units of 100 Mbps or higher. You can make them cover a larger area, up to 6,000 square feet, but the real-world WiFi speed will be reduced to less than 50 Mbps.

Comment

Pro
Good performance with single unit

Eero can deliver theoretical throughput speeds of 1 Gbps. In real life testing, as a single router, at 10 feet eero averages 447 Mbps. At 75 feet away it averages 182 Mbps.

Comment

Con
Can get expensive for bigger homes

Eero WiFi System is available for just under $400. It includes three access points which will cover 4,000 square feet. However if this isn’t enough for you and you need better coverage with decent WiFi speeds, you can get more devices for an extra $199 each. This makes it at least a total of $600, depending on the size of your home.

Comment

Pro
Smart features prevent congestion and manages complex settings

Google WiFi uses built in software, called Network Assist technology, that works behind the scenes to deliver the best possible WiFi connection. When you're walking around the house, Network Assist seamlessly transitions your device to the closest WiFi point for faster connection. It also automatically connects your device to the fastest available band based on your location.

Comment

Pro
Easy to setup trough Google Wifi app

The Google WiFi app makes setup very simple. Once you've downloaded the app, you'll have to scan the QR code on the bottom of the WiFi point, which creates a secure connection between the device and your phone. After that all you have to do is to enter the name and password and the app will do everything else in the background.

Comment

Pro
Up to 4,500 sq. ft. of coverage

Each hardware unit is called a WiFi point and you can have up to three units. One unit will cover 1,500 square feet, and three units will cover 4,500 square feet. So depending on the size of your home you can choose how many WiFi points you need and place them where they are needed the most.

Comment

Pro
App helps you monitor and control your home Wi-Fi

The Google Wifi app for Android and iOS allows complete monitoring and control of your network in a user friendly app. You can see which devices are connected and how much bandwidth each is using. You can prioritize devices for faster speeds when it matters most, even pause your kids' internet for dinner time.

Comment

Con
No web-based interface

The WiFi system can only be set up and controlled via the Google WiFi mobile app. A Google account and a mobile device are required for setup and management.

Comment

Con
Wireless signal extension causes loss of signal

Each time you extend the signal wirelessly, signal loss will occur, which basically means slower speeds. You can mitigate this by placing the satellite units around the first router unit, but it will also mean worse coverage.

Comment

Pro
A small or midsize home can be covered with just the router

AmpliFi router on its own has a range of 90 feet, which should be more than enough for a small or midsize home.

Comment

Pro
Easy network management through a companion app

It has an intuitive companion app that enables instant setup, includes powerful reporting metrics, and provides easy guest access. If there’s a network problem, you can resolve it via your app. There’s also constant reporting on network security.

Comment

Pro
A snap to set up

To set up the router you just need to download the app and follow the step-by-step guide. The whole process takes a few minutes.

Comment

Pro
Looks cool

The AmpliFi HD router has a unique design. It is a small white cube, with a round 1.6-inch touchscreen, that can show date, time or your upload and download speeds.

Comment

Pro
Great throughput

The Amplifi HD averages around 705 Mbps of throughput at a close distance of 5 feet. At 140 feet, that throughput drops to 177.5 Mbps — more than enough to share a 100 Mbps broadband connection, which is the top speed that majority of computers, phones or tablets can handle.

Comment

Pro
Excellent coverage

The Amplifi HD provides industry leading wireless connectivity coverage of up to 20,000 square feet. The included router and two extenders are best suited for large homes.

Comment

Con
Mesh access points don't look as appealing as the router itself

The two mesh access points looks like antennas that you would put on the roof of your home. They are 9.6 inches tall and can take up much space on your outlets.

Comment

Con
Currently lacks MU-MIMO for efficient network management

In situations where two people would try to start video streams at the same exact time on different devices, one of them would be prioritized over the other and it would have to wait until the first had buffered a few bits of data for itself. But usually, you won’t notice a slowdown. This technology will be implemented with AmpliFi HD in the nearest future.

Comment

Con
Mesh networks can be overkill in many instances

Mesh networks are a very good choice for bigger homes but they can be overkill in many instances. If you're living in an apartment or smaller home, the Amplifi HD system won't be the best solution.

Comment

Pro
Self improving, adaptive network

Plume WiFi uses cloud-based technology to figure out how you’re using the internet. It checks for interference from other devices and what devices are connected to each pod. It uses this information and over time optimizes its network to achieve the best possible performance.

Comment

Pro
Fits in with a variety of decors

Pods are available in three colors - champagne, silver, and onyx. This gives you the option to match routers with your interior.

Comment

Pro
Compact design

Plume WiFi system consists of hexagonal pods. Compared to most routers, Plume pods are very tiny and one can easily fit in the palm of a hand. They're just 2.5 inches across and 1.5 inches deep.

Comment

Con
Poor range

With six pods, the system can cover a home of 1,800 square feet. Range of a single pod, with clear line of sight, is about 20 to 30 feet. If there are any obstacles, range decreases to about 15 feet. Beyond 15 feet you might lose connectivity. You’ll need a separate pod for every room and for each pod you'll need a separate outlet. If you have a bigger living room, you might even need two pods.

Comment

Con
Lacks additional features

The Plume has almost no features, that are common in other WiFi systems. There are no options like bandwidth priority, or parental controls.

Comment

Con
Lacking performance

Plume WiFi is capable of a theoretical combined throughput of 1.2 Gbps. Realistically at a close range of 5 feet and a clear line of sight, the router registers throughput of 230 Mbps. When the distance is increased and there is no clear line of sight, throughput drops to 60 Mbps.

Comment

Pro
Great coverage

With a range of up to 2,500 square feet, the OneHub is superb for modest-sized or larger homes.

Comment

Pro
First-class performance

The OnHub can provide a maximum theoretical throughput of up to 1.9Gbps across its both bands. Up to 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 1.3 Gbps on the 5GHz band. Realistically, at a close range of 15 feet (about 4.6 m), the router registers a throughput of 308Mbps. When the distance is increased to about 100 feet (30m), the throughput drops to 179Mbps.

Comment