Three years after the big breakthrough, Wi-Fi mesh solutions are quite mature. Last year we saw many big changes and new players compared to a year earlier, since then only one new player and a handful of new solutions from existing mesh builders appeared. However, the demand for good Wi-Fi remains pressing in a modern household. It is therefore high time to map out the current state of affairs on the mesh market.
The approach of this test is simple: you just want good WiFi in your home, preferably with as little hassle as possible. That's exactly the point of all these WiFi mesh systems in this test: that you have good range and good speeds everywhere with the help of a number of different units (also called nodes, satellites or access points) distributed throughout your house. Without pulling cables, of course - one of the biggest drawbacks to a traditional access point setup. Just make no mistake: no matter how well Wi-Fi has developed, nothing beats good cabling, if your home allows it.
Of course, there is more to a test than simply working with each of the solutions, but it is the simplicity of installation and use that makes many consumers move away from the traditional router and opt for a mesh solution. We therefore weigh these elements firmly in our final assessment and the final decision as to which systems are highly recommended.
Test procedure
Our setup is an exact copy of an earlier test. We test near the router, put a second ap on the floor above, and a possible third point on the top floor. Please note that most systems come in different quantities. Sets of three are also tested with one ap idle; the attic-1-hop test simulates the performance on the top (second) floor without placing an ap there, to map the underlying performance.
Although our test setup was created after extensive testing and re-testing, it is still only a single situation. Wireless performance remains highly situation dependent. It is therefore quite possible that the performance in our premises will be different than in another test; an inevitable evil. Even our carefully weighted test cannot guarantee that a product will work well in your environment; only a physical cable really guarantees security.
Not one kind of mesh
The way each manufacturer approaches mesh differs greatly. TP-Link, Netgear, D-Link, Google, Linksys, Engenius and Ubiquiti focus on complete packages consisting of two or three nodes that are completely self-contained. They can often be expanded with additional nodes, but not always, so keep that in mind. Of those brands, only TP-Link and Ubiquiti released a new model a year ago, both in the lower segment. Synology follows the same concept of a separate mesh system, but with them you buy each node individually.
While ASUS also sells complete mesh solutions, their main focus is on extending your existing router with mesh functionality, using additional satellites. FRITZ!Box builder AVM also chooses this approach. If you already have a fancy ASUS or AVM router, that may be an advantage. You keep your extensive router options and you don't have to replace your often expensive router. However, for new buyers who are primarily looking for just good WiFi and have no interest in more complex functionality, these are completely different beasts. To keep the comparison fair, we have therefore left these alternatives out of the comparison and assigned their own page.
Multiple intensive users at the different access points is asking for problems.AC class
We split mesh systems into two categories: dual band and triband solutions. The latter are characterized by an extra built-in wireless network specifically for the connection between the satellites. Dual-band solutions, recognizable by the AC1200, AC1300 or AC1750 classification, mainly serve to increase the range of your network, but have a limited capacity. Multiple intensive users at the different access points is asking for problems. This makes them primarily as affordable solutions for households with few (simultaneous) users.
For example, if the four of you want to work simultaneously in different places in the house, look for a system of at least AC2200 class. The extra capacity between the different points prevents one active downloader in the living room from frustrating the Netflix stream in 4K or the Fortnite enthusiast in the attic.
Two, or three?
A tricky question is whether you want to buy a set of two or of three. The answer gets closer when you consider that you prefer to use an extra satellite to amplify in a different direction from your router, not to create an endless chain of satellites; with every step you lose capacity and stability. If you use one satellite to increase the reach of the upper floors, and another to reach the garden towards the back of the house, then a 3-pack is sensible. In an apartment or loft where you simply want more range in one direction, a 2-pack is usually sufficient.
TP-Link Deco
The first and second year that we compared mesh systems, TP-Link came out excellent. Given the minor adjustments this year, of course, little has changed. TP-Links mesh solutions are simply very attractive, and they are often on the cheap side.
They score excellent where it counts: the installation is very user-friendly and suitable for total laymen; the same goes for their app experience. Performance is also best-in-class or top-of-the-range for any product, enough to render most competing kits in this test irrelevant in one fell swoop.
The new Deco M4 is especially 'guilty' of this: by far the cheapest mesh solution in this test, but together with its brother the M5 the best performing in their class. The cheaper M4 takes our editorial tip from the slightly more expensive Deco M5. The practically equally impressive Deco M5 still scores points with its built-in antivirus and recently also a web interface for the slightly advanced user. The comparable Deco P7 can be interesting if you know that powerline works well in your home, but for anyone looking for 'just good' Wi-Fi range, without the heavier capacity of AC2200, the Deco M4 is the most logical choice, thanks to the price breakthrough that this model brings about.
In the AC2200 class, the Deco M9 Plus is one of the best sets; together with the Netgear Orbi RBK23, he hands out the reins there. In terms of performance, the Deco M9 Plus is slightly faster, but it is also slightly more expensive. If you happen to be looking for a Zigbee network at home for some smart devices, TP-Link clearly has the advantage. Furthermore, it is difficult to designate a real winner and you can let your own brand or design preferences speak here.
TP-Link Deco M4 (Editorial Tip)
Price€149 (for 3 nodes)
Website
www.tp-link.com/nl 9 Score 90
- Pros
- Value for money
- Good coverage and performance
- User friendly
- Negatives
- AC1300; limited capacity
TP-Link Deco M5
Price€ 179 (for 3 nodes)
Website
www.tp-link.com/nl 9 Score 90
- Pros
- Price
- Good coverage and performance
- User friendly
- Negatives
- AC1300; limited capacity
TP-Link Deco M9 Plus (Editorial Tip)
Price€ 399 (for 3 nodes)
Website
www.tp-link.com/nl 10 Score 100
- Pros
- Coverage, Capacity and Performance
- User friendly
- Zigbee and bluetooth
- Negatives
- No
EnGenius EnMesh
Although EnGenius had made nice strides with their EnMesh with firmware updates, they seem aware of the fact that the cutthroat competition from TP-Link, among others, is actually impossible to keep up with a smaller manufacturer. The result: it is now difficult to find this set on Dutch shelves.
EnMesh is nowadays quite user-friendly, easy to install and offers some advantages with USB storage, but the performance is simply not as good as some other products and it does not compete in price. Acceptable bets aside, there's simply no reasonable argument to consider this set. We also don't find the optional access points with built-in camera particularly interesting, until the system really participates in crucial elements such as performance and price.
EnGenius EnMesh
Price€ 219,- (for 3 nodes)
Website
www.engeniustech.com 6 Score 60
- Pros
- Expandable with camera and mini apps
- USB storage
- Negatives
- Too expensive
- Not quick enough
Netgear Orbi and Orbi Pro
The Netgear Orbi RBK50 (or RBK53 for the kit of three) has been our test winner for the past two years, and again this year it earns the title of best tested. Striking for the oldest product in the test, but can be explained by the lack of alternative AC3000 solutions.
Our conclusion for the RBK50 remains the same: thanks to its extra thick backhaul, this is the best performing set and also the least sensitive in terms of positioning the extra nodes. That sounds like a small thing, but the fact that you have to worry the least about where to put the nodes with the RBK50/53 can in practice prevent you from having to put a turret in an undesirable place.
As a result of that extra bandwidth, those nodes are very large. They are also by far the most expensive. The RBK23 and Deco M9 Plus have fallen sharply in price since a year ago, but the RBK50/53 remains unchanged at almost double for three nodes. The added value in performance is clear though, so if you're looking for the best and price doesn't count, this AC3000 solution from Netgear wins. As a business user you can still consider the Orbi Pro SRK60; In terms of performance, roughly an RBK50, but with extra SSID for internal use and optional wall and ceiling installation, at an additional cost.
The mid-range consists of the Orbi RBK23 and its predecessors Orbi RBK40 and RBK30. We have included the older two in the table because they are still for sale here and there, albeit seldom at attractive prices. However, the RBK23 seems to hit the sweet spot well: excellent performance, competitive pricing in its class, and as a veteran Netgear has also managed the user-friendliness of the installation and the app well. The Deco M9 Plus is slightly faster for a slightly higher price, but as long as the RBK23 retains its small price advantage, we call these two the best choices in their class.
Netgear Orbi RBK50 (Best Tested)
Price€ 349 (for 2 nodes)
Website
www.netgear.nl 10 Score 100
- Pros
- User friendly
- Excellent performance
- Excellent range
- Negatives
- High price
- Physically very large
Netgear Orbi RBK23
Price€ 279,- (for 3 nodes)
Website
www.netgear.nl 10 Score 100
- Pros
- User friendly
- Performance and Range
- Competitive pricing
- Negatives
- No
Netgear Orbi Pro SRK60
Price€ 459,- (for 2 nodes)
Website
www.netgear.nl 9 Score 90
- Pros
- User friendly
- Performance and Range
- Business Features
- Negatives
- Much more expensive than Orbi RBK50
- Extra nodes duration
Google Wi-Fi
Google doesn't make many products itself, but they do believe in Wi-Fi mesh. The first time the device entered, we found the Google WiFi quite attractive, thanks to a compact design, easy installation and good performance. However, the price was actually too high to participate for the profit.
A year later, that situation has deteriorated for Google. It is even more expensive than last year, where practically every competitor has become significantly cheaper. Google puts out an objectively neat product, but they charge more than double for their AC1200/1300 solution than the generally better performing TP-Link Deco M4. It costs even more than the much more powerful Netgear Orbi RBK23 and TP-Link Deco M9 Plus and that doesn't make it an interesting buy.
Google Wi-Fi
Price€ 359,- (for 3 nodes)
Website
//store.google.com 6 Score 60
- Pros
- User friendly
- Very reasonable performance
- Negatives
- No ap mode
- Way too expensive for AC1200
Linksys Velop
Linksys was a mesh maker from the very beginning. Over the years they have made great strides. The once excruciatingly slow installation procedure is now manageable, things like wired backhaul and a web interface were added later. There we now find a set of options that is hardly inferior to a sturdy router. We think it's positive that they have built on their existing products and have released these changes via firmware, because this means that Velop buyers from the very beginning still have the most recent hardware in house. Although Linksys has added a black colorway, the Velop dual and tri-band are otherwise unchanged.
However, we miss Linksys' own identity, because where the Netgear clearly focuses on being the best and TP-Link just wants to put down a good product for a competitive price, the Velop products fall between two stools. Objectively fine and also in their own use it just works well, but they do not compete enough on performance, possibilities and price. The Velop dual-band is way too expensive in view of the TP-Link Deco M4/M5 and also the well-performing Velop tri-band is simply too expensive in view of the slightly better Orbi RBK23 and Deco M9 Plus. Linksys will have to distinguish itself on one of those three crucial elements if they want to participate seriously for the profit and not just want to be interesting with a competitive offer.
Linksys Velop
Price€ 229,- (for 2 nodes)
Website
www.linksys.com 6 Score 60
- Pros
- Possibilities in order
- Negatives
- Not competitive
Linksys Velop Triband
Price€ 385,- (for 3 nodes)
Website
www.linksys.com 8 Score 80
- Pros
- Good performances
- Good options
- Negatives
- Too expensive
D-Link Covr
D-Link is competing in the AC1200/AC1300 and AC2200 class with their Covr-1203 and -2202 and seems to be the only manufacturer to have been given last year's memo that they had to do something to work with the Deco M5. compete. We also see that the Covr-1203 has become a lot cheaper than last year, and the fact that the D-Link is even easier to install than its major competitor is a nice bonus. Where you have to connect the satellites with almost every kit after the initial installation, the Covr does that automatically; small details like that make a difference. Another nice bonus will be the form factor, such as the rose gold finish which will presumably have a slightly higher acceptance factor in a traditional household.
Unfortunately, D-Link also falls a bit between two stools, because the even cheaper Deco M4 shows itself just a little faster and the differences in installation are not so relevant that they make you forget about the performance and price. The same goes for the Covr-2202, which is just not fast enough or cheap enough even after significant price cuts to argue against the M9 Plus and RBK23. However, if D-Link can push prices down a bit, we see serious potential.
D-Link Covr-2202
Price€ 229,- (for 2 nodes)
Website
www.d-link.com 8 Score 80
- Pros
- The easiest installation
- Neat performance and range
- Negatives
- Competition a little faster for the same price
D-Link Covr-1203
Price€ 179 (for 3 nodes)
Website
www.d-link.com 8 Score 80
- Pros
- The easiest installation
- Neat performance and range
- Charming compact design
- Negatives
- Competition slightly faster and cheaper
Ubiquiti AmpliFi
The slightly older Ubiquiti AmpliFi HD makes a big impression with its packaging, product presentation and app experience that has been taken care of down to the last detail. The router element with display and touchscreen make a good impression, installation is easy, and Ubiquiti manages to present an above-average amount of information in a non-confusing way. If you care a lot about information about your consumption, Ubiquiti will do very well.
Unfortunately, the AmpliFi HD stands out again this year with a very high pricing, because for 339 euros you can buy an AC2200-class mesh system with a lot of pocket money left. That is very difficult to defend; we suspect that the real network tinkerers will prefer Ubiquiti's excellent (admittedly wired) UniFi systems for the same money.
The new Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant suffers a similar fate, simply because it is too pricey for an AC1200/1300 solution. The requested 229 euros for two nodes is more than double than the Deco M4, and even more than the (AC2200) Orbi RBK23. The Instant is extremely compact, very fast in some areas, and combines the benefits of a handy display, an excellent app experience with the fastest possible installation, but you have to see enormous value in those elements to defend that much higher price.
Ubiquiti AmpliFi HD
Price€ 329,- (for 3 nodes)
Website
www.amplifi.com 7 Score 70
- Pros
- User friendly
- Very good router
- Display Router
- Negatives
- Range and capacity
- Unreasonable pricing
Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant
Price€ 229,- (for 2 nodes)
Website
www.amplifi.com 8 Score 80
- Pros
- Lightning fast installation
- User friendly
- Display Router
- Negatives
- High price
Synology MR2200ac
Given the fierce competition, we were a bit afraid of newcomer Synology and their MR2200ac mesh solution, a product that you don't buy as a kit, but from which you simply get as many individual units as you deem necessary. This results in a slightly higher price if you are looking for two or three.
During the installation it is noticeable that the MR2200ac is actually more of a traditional router than a typical mesh solution. You go through a few more steps and then you come to an environment with more extensive options than most of the alternatives in this test. If you already own a Synology NAS, everything immediately feels familiar; nas owners therefore seem to us to be the target group of this product. With the help of apps you can add and expand various functions, often with a lot of settings, and there are also third-party apps to make it even crazier.The fact that we could make extensive reports about usage per user with user profiles and different devices was a nice plus. Especially as parents of a young, digital generation.
The combination of the higher pricing and more complex yet extensive functionalities does not make the MR2200ac the first choice for anyone looking for a WiFi mesh system. However, the performance is just good, and if two nodes are sufficient, the extra cost is not too bad. As a result, we find the MR2200ac simply interesting if you already own a Synology NAS or appreciate such extensive functionality.
Synology MR2200ac
Price€136 (per node)
Website
www.synology.com 9 Score 90
- Pros
- Features and management
- Good performances
- Negatives
- Price
- Experience required
ASUS Lyra and AiMesh AX6100
We won't waste too many words on the ASUS Lyra and Lyra Trio; like many other systems, they simply do not stand out positively compared to the Decos and Orbis of this world. The fact that ASUS has a very comprehensive firmware does not alter the fact that the price-performance ratio is simply not good enough.
ASUS product connoisseurs know that the manufacturer only shines when it comes to the truly innovative products. Without a doubt, the ASUS AiMesh AX6100 WiFi System (consisting of 2x RT-AX92U, should you want to expand) deserves that title. It is the very first mesh solution with 802.11ax or Wifi 6. The system contains the usual 2x2 2.4GHz radio and a 2x2 5GHz radio (802.11ac/WiFi 5), as well as a 4x4 5Ghz WiFi6 radio. with a theoretical maximum throughput of no less than 4804 Mbit/s. In short: potentially very fast.
However, to keep the comparison fair, we're testing with the same 2x2 WiFi5 clients as in previous years, antennas that you'll usually find in typical luxury laptops from recent years but that simply don't get the most out of WiFi6 routers. The AX6100 still does well with those clients, but we are clearly not getting the most out of it. If we switch to our laptops with the newer Killer AX1650 chips or desktops with the Intel AX200 chip on board, we get about 875 Mbit/s on the main connection of the AX6100. If you have a brand new high-end laptop, you will definitely get much faster speeds with this solution.
But is the AX6100 an obvious choice for mesh? We question that, because only one of the two 5GHz radios supports WiFi 6. If the AX6100 uses that faster WiFi6 radio as backhaul, then your client on another access point is still limited to WiFi5 speeds. Slightly faster speeds than the competition, but perhaps not what you expect from your approximately twice the investment. We also see another (little) problem: the AX6100 achieves the best performance near the router and a floor further in one hop, but we do not get a stable connection on the second floor. The cheaper RBK50 still does more than 200 Mbit/s there.
Too many caveats for the test win, partly in view of the price. Yet we clearly see the potential of WiFi 6 coming to mesh WiFi here. If you don't want to provide a large villa with range, but you want the best router performance for your new WiFi6 laptop plus an excellent backhaul over a modest distance, the AX6100 is highly rated.
ASUS AiMesh AX6100
Price€ 429,- (for 3 nodes)
Website
www.asus.nl 9 Score 90
- Pros
- WiFi 6 blazing fast
- WiFi5 performance
- Extended Firmware
- Negatives
- Only one WiFi6 radio
- Mesh range
ASUS Lyra
Price€ 289,- (for 3 nodes)
Website
www.asus.nl 7 Score 70
- Pros
- Router Feature Set
- Negatives
- Speed and price
ASUS Lyra Trio
Price€ 249 (for 3 nodes)
Website
www.asus.nl 7 Score 70
- Pros
- Router Feature Set
- 3x3 stream
- Negatives
- No dedicated backhaul
- Price
Extra: expand your network with mesh
If you want a good mesh network, you can no longer use your current router or modem as an access point. All of the discussed solutions require you to turn off your current router's Wi-Fi functionality to avoid problems roaming around the house; your router and your mesh set rarely really work well together.
If you already own an expensive high-end router from ASUS or AVM, chances are that you cannot provide all corners of a modern home with good WiFi. At the same time, there is a good chance that you do not want to put that extensive router aside. Both brands therefore offer suitable mesh solutions to build on your current router, which we do not want to leave unmentioned.
ASUS
ASUS bets on their AiMesh technology, a solution that allows you to combine recent ASUS routers into a mesh network. In theory, this gives enormous flexibility: you can combine routers of any caliber and purchase enormously powerful (and expensive) mesh nodes as you see fit. The already discussed AX6100 is actually an example of this, because each of those nodes is in fact just a router. They simply put two in one box.
That flexibility also comes at a price: complexity. Not every combination turns out to be worth the money. We have only been able to test a select number of combinations, with varying results. The number of public experiences with specific combinations is also limited. Our advice is therefore to do good research before expanding your current Asus router as a mesh system; the possibility is especially interesting if you currently have at least a high-end, triband solution, otherwise the ASUS products simply won't compete with the better AC2200 solutions in this test.
If you are not interested in extensive options, we recommend the earlier ready-made packages. AVM
AVM chooses a more compact route with their mesh solutions. You can build on your existing FRITZ!Box with a FRITZ!Repeater 3000 (118 euros) or a FRITZ!Repeater 1750E (69 euros), a triband and dualband mesh satellite, respectively. Originally these were repeaters, but now they offer comparable mesh functionality as the separately available packages. Both products showed themselves in our previous tests as the better solutions in their class, but we tested with the FRITZ!Box 7590 at the base. The 7590 is an excellent router, but one that mainly justifies its hefty price tag with the extremely extensive firmware that AVM offers; a different target group than a ready-made mesh system. Because it is a dual-band model, expanding with a mesh node is especially interesting if you think you can cover your last dead spots with one extra node.
If you expect WiFi to work just fine and you are not interested in extensive options, we recommend the earlier ready-made packages. If you are already in the FRITZ! ecosystem, both the FRITZ!Repeater 3000 and the 1750E are today excellent alternatives, reliable for a complete mesh set, with our preference being the freely positionable FRITZ!Repeater 3000.
Conclusion
Not much has changed since last year. Once again we see that the majority of solutions simply struggle to keep up with the mesh providers of the first hour. At the bottom of the market, the TP-Link Deco M4 is actually too good for its extremely low price, which makes it our editorial tip with conviction for anyone who is just looking for good range for little.
At the top of the market, the pricey Orbi RKB50/53 remains unbeaten for the third year in a row. Costs a bit, but then you also have something that has been tested objectively. Yet for the first time we see a competitor on the doorstep, as ASUS' AX6100 shows that WiFi6 mesh solutions will overtake the WiFi5 Orbis. We are inclined to wait a little longer for an even heavier WiFi6 set for the ultimate mesh solution, because although the maximum speeds are already higher, the old Orbi still wins with its greater range.
For anyone looking for range and capacity for an active family at a more modest price point, we see TP-Link and Netgear emerge victorious again in the AC2200 class. The Deco M9 Plus and Orbi RBK23 perform above average, are priced correctly, and both deserve the editorial tip. However, both companies need to stay sharp, because the gap with some competitors is not huge and some others show that their younger solutions are even easier to install, such as the D-Link Covr and the Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant.
Hopefully we will see even better or even cheaper solutions next year, because compared to last year, the majority of the sets have become a lot cheaper. Thanks to the latter, we can at least say with full conviction this year: if you're just looking for good Wi-Fi, mesh is no longer of the future, but the most logical solution today. Goodbye router, hello mesh network.
Mesh with benefits
With the backhaul as a crucial element of any mesh system, especially models with alternative backhaul options deserve some extra attention, such as models that can also use cables that may be present in the house as backhaul. Is your house partially wired? Then we recommend a mesh solution that has a checkmark in the table next to 'wired backhaul possible'.
The TP-Link Deco P7 is striking because it can also deploy a powerline connection. Powerline works great in some homes, but not at all in others. This makes it impossible for us to estimate what performance can be expected in your case.
