How to pick the Best Mesh Wi-Fi

Is your Wi-Fi router powerful enough to match with your home needs? The answer here is usually no. Most routers, especially the ones supplied by ISP, are generally not powerful enough. They will leave numerous dead zones in your house, and this can be very frustrating. I mean, why would you have to stream content from your smartphone at a specific part of your bedroom simply because most of the other space has poor reception yet you are paying so much for the internet? Secondly, the internet of things is in full force at the moment. So, how exactly are you supposed to build a proper smart home if certain parts of your house have poor reception?

There are several ways of dealing with a weak Wi-Fi signal. This includes the use of Wi-Fi extenders or repeaters. These usually work just fine, but they are not exactly the best if you are trying to enhance connection in a multi-story house. In such an instance, Mesh Wi-Fi gets the job done a lot better. In addition to that, mesh Wi-Fi are very easy to set up, and most of them are very good looking, and hence they can comfortably sit at any part of the room and add some beauty to your décor while ensuring that your internet speeds are kept as high as possible.

What’s the best Mesh Wi-Fi?

The best mesh Wi-Fi is the Netgear Orbi, and it’s very easy to see why. This system looks stunning; it connects seamlessly from one room to the next and one floor to another making sure that every inch in your house doesn’t just have Wi-Fi coverage for the sake of it but at high speeds. What’s more, is that the Wi-Fi system is developed with superb protection against malware and hackers, thus protecting your privacy at home. If you have around $300 to spend on a mesh Wi-Fi, then this is definitely the one you should get.

Here is a deeper dive into what the Netgear Orbi has to offer:

NETGEAR Orbi

Netgear Orbi is an award-winning mesh Wi-Fi offering unparalleled performance. The Wi-Fi is rated at 5000 square foot coverage. This is more than capable of handling even the biggest of homes – in most cases – and if your upstairs is filled with dead zones, the Orbi will blanket them completely. Should you move into a million-dollar palatial, you can extend the coverage of the network by simply buying more Orbi Satellites.

The Netgear Orbi is also one of the most consistent mesh Wi-Fi we’ve ever tested. The manufacturer says that the speeds can go as high as 30GBPS. In real sense, you won’t achieve such speeds, but in our tests, the speeds were consistently high. We streamed 4k content and play games very smoothly. And here is the thing; in most cases, internet speeds suffer greatly as you increase the number of connected devices. Also, when one device is say streaming high-res content or gaming online, most of the connection to other devices gets slow. Netgear Orbi has solved this through patented tri-band tech. Therefore, everyone in the house should be able to stream and do all their online business without interfering with other people’s connection.

Everyone is conscious about privacy and internet connection. To give you the peace of mind, the Orbi is protected with Netgear Armor featuring ransomware and an antivirus protecting your network from malware and other cyber threats. The antivirus will block malicious links or sites that could potentially compromise your connection. The protection offers unlimited coverage for all the devices connected at home i.e., smartphones, TVs, gaming consoles, PCs and even smart home gadgets like your Ecobee Smart Thermostat, Arlo Pro 2 cameras, Amazon Eco Dot smart speakers and many more. You will never have to worry about someone or programs listening, watching, or collecting your data. The Smart Armor also comes with Bitdefender Total Security, Data Theft protection and will do vulnerability assessments frequently to ensure that your network and all connected devices are fully secure.

The Netgear Orbi comes with parental control function where you can control what content the children in the home can access. You can also adjust the time when certain devices, apps, or websites can access the internet. There is also the option of creating a Guest Network. This will securely create a separate network whose credentials you can share with your guests without exposing your main network at any dangers.

Other Features

Works with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa
Receive notifications on security threats on your smartphone or computer
View and customize the Wi-Fi trough Orbi App
Each Orbi comes with 4 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports

Google Wi-Fi System 3-Pack

The Google Wi-Fi system is another impressive mesh Wi-Fi system that can effectively replace your router. The Wi-Fi system is developed to work with all the major ISPs giving you a strong signal from any part of the room or house.

This system comes with three packs. A single Google point is rated at coverage of up to 1500 square feet. Therefore, the three points will extend your Wi-Fi coverage to 4500 square feet. This is more than enough to cover most homes and even offices. But in case it isn’t, you can buy more points and increase the coverage even further.

The Google Wi-Fi system does an impressive job in delivering strong signals, but there is more smart tech taking place in the backgrounds to keep your internet speeds fast consistently. Through Network Assist, the system will make sure that your devices are always connected to the fastest band and clearest channel, thus keeping your internet speeds high.

You can conveniently control the Wi-Fi from your smartphone. The app allows you to prioritize the devices connected, share the Wi-Fi credentials with your guests, see which devices are connected, pause the Wi-Fi for your kid’s gadgets, and so on. This should give you overall control of the Wi-Fi system, allowing you to see what’s going on and customizing it to align with your needs.

One major issue with the Google Wi-Fi system is that security has not been prioritized as much as we would have loved it to be. The system is even known for collecting analytical data. If you can live with the compromise, then Google Wi-Fi is definitely a great option for you.

Other Features

Each point is fitted with two Gigabit Ethernet ports
Requires internet connection to set up
Customize the Wi-Fi system conveniently through Google Wi-Fi App

Eero Wi-Fi System

The second generation of Eero Wi-Fi System is twice as fast as the previous one. The system features smart TrueMesh technology delivering strong signals to cover up to a 4-bedroom home with ease. Through this tech, the system can route traffic between the beacons to reduce drop-offs and to buffer, thus allowing you to binge-watch without any issues at all.

The Eero Wi-Fi System comes with three packs; the Eero Pro and two Eero Beacons. The Eero Pro is fitted with two Ethernet ports that you can use to connect your modem or other devices. It’s also developed with 5GHz radio, and hence you can also connect devices to it wirelessly. Meanwhile, Eero Beacons are plugged to your outlets, increasing the network coverage significantly. They are stylish and compact and hence can be used virtually anywhere. Whether it’s in the bedroom, hallway, or even basement, the Eero Beacons will do so effectively without drawing too much attention.

Security has also been prioritized here. The Wi-Fi system features powerful encryption to keep your network and connected devices safe. The company also rolls out system updates frequently. These help to counter any vulnerabilities detected or emerging cyber threats. You could also get Eero plus, a commercial plan that comes with VPN, password management, ad blocking, and many other perks.

Setting up the Eero Wi-Fi System shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes, and neither do you require any technical skills to get it done. The whole process is super easy, thanks to the Eero App that will guide you through. You can also use the app to run speed tests, customize the Wi-Fi settings, pause the internet, set parental controls, share the network, etc.

Other Features

Works with Alexa
Supports both wired and wireless connections
Bluetooth LE 4.2