5 Top Mesh Routers of 2024 Ranked

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By

Evan Shephard Avatar

Reviewed By

Evan Shephard
Updated Jun 16, 2024 6:17 PM
best mesh wifi system guide that shows the top best router model

A whopping 75% of electronic and appliance reviews are untrustworthy. That’s why every reviewer gets a Trust Rating so our True Score System filters out the fake reviews. See how we do it.

Sadly, the farther you are from your router, the weaker your internet gets. A Mesh Wi-Fi router will solve this issue by making sure your Wi-Fi signal reaches every corner of your house. Problem solved! We evaluated 37 routers, certified 5 as tested and analyzed 193,833 reviews to ensure our recommendations are based on reliable data.

Our unique approach filters out fake and low-quality reviews, ensuring only trustworthy insights contribute to our guide. We used our scientifically proven True Score to identify top-performing products, ensuring these models were certified as tested. The winning mesh routers impressed with their performance, range, and ease of use, making them excellent routers for maintaining a stable and fast network across your home or office.

How Did We Rank the Best Mesh Routers?

Determining the best mesh routers involves a meticulous examination of diverse sources. We analyzed testing methodologies, expert opinions, and customer reviews from more than 200 sites. This extensive research allowed us to identify the crucial 2 required test results, 2 nice-to-have features, and 1 must-have specification that define top-tier mesh routers. Our goal is to provide a clear, concise buying guide based on robust data, ensuring you can choose the best router to meet your needs without any guesswork.

Our commitment to unbiased reviews is powered by our ‘True Score’ system, targeting low quality and fake reviews. When you shop through our links, you’re backing our mission. Dive deeper to see how.

?️ Minimum Specifications

  • Must have a mesh system.

? Test Criteria

  • 2.4 GHz Download Speed: A download speed on the 2.4 GHz band of at least 50 Mbits
  • 5 GHz Download Speed: A download speed on the 5 GHz band of at least 200 Mbits.

? “Nice To Haves”

  • Router Range: A range of at least 50 feet before the signal from the router begins to become noticeably weaker.
  • Latency: A latency of 30 ms or less.

Latest Updates

  • 06/16/2024: Republished the list to include the best mesh routers based on our True Score system.

Top Mesh Routers For 2024

Prices accurate at the time of publishing

See how we test the testers

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Synology WRX560

    • Best For Vpn

    A solid router for mesh networks, excelling in stable 2.4 and 5 GHz performance. Limited by no 6 GHz support and being just one mesh component.

    Synology WRX560 Review →

    True Score

    87
    88
    6

    Experts

    91
    4k

    Customers

    $186.95
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Asus ROG GT6 Mesh

    • Best For Streaming

    A high-speed, gaming-focused mesh network with excellent 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz performance. It lacks a 6 GHz band but offers extensive coverage and advanced features for gamers.

    Asus ROG GT6 Mesh Review →

    True Score

    82
    82
    6

    Experts

    86
    4k

    Customers

    SAVE $23
    $479.99
    $456.99
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    TP-Link Archer AXE75

    • Best For Parental Controls

    Budget-friendly, solid performance across all bands, including 6 GHz. Ideal as a mesh network starting point, requiring additional devices for full coverage.

    TP-Link Archer AXE75 Review →

    True Score

    81
    80
    4

    Experts

    86
    2k

    Customers

    SAVE $4
    $159.00
    $155.00
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Eero Max 7

    A premium mesh solution with superior 5 GHz and exclusive 6 GHz band performance, it offers extensive coverage and ultra-low latency and is future-proof, ideal for high-demand users.

    Eero Max 7 Review →

    True Score

    80
    79
    7

    Experts

    86
    269

    Customers

    SAVE $150
    $599.99
    $449.99
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Eero Pro 6E

    Offers excellent 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz performance in an easily expandable mesh network at an attractive price, making it a flexible and future-proof choice.

    Eero Pro 6E Review →

    True Score

    80
    79
    12

    Experts

    86
    6k

    Customers

    SAVE $90
    $249.99
    $159.99

Which Criteria Matters for Testing Best Mesh Routers?

By focusing on these criteria (2 required, 2 nice to have), anyone can quickly and easily compare these routers and how they’ll perform. This helps you make an informed decision and purchase a routers that will meet your needs.

CRITERIARANGEREQUIREDDEFINITION
2.4 GHz Download Speed> 50 Mbits/sYesThe maximum speed that the router can reach when downloading on the 2.4 GHz band.
5 GHz Download Speed> 200 Mbits/sYesThe maximum speed that the router can reach when downloading on the 5 GHz band.
Router Range > 50 ftNo (Nice to have)How far a device can be from a router before the signal starts degrading. It is worth noting that 2.4 GHz reaches further than 5 GHz.
Latency< 30 msNo (Nice to have)The delay that is created by a signal being sent by the router and then received.

Our Trusted Data Sources

We looked at 120+ router reviewers and found that 46 are trustworthy (60%+ Trust Rating). The three we have listed below are our most trusted for routers.

  1. James Morris – Kit Guru, LinkedIn
  2. Matt Spencer – TechGearLab, LinkedIn
  3. Brian Nadel – Tom’s Guide, MuckRack

Interested in a comprehensive analysis of our data sources? We’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find a detailed list of every router review website we’ve identified, organized by their respective Trust Ratings from highest to lowest. But we didn’t stop there. We’ve meticulously reviewed each publication and verified the data by checking whether the authors have bio links to MuckRack or LinkedIn. We’re committed to not only checking the facts but ensuring their veracity.

Router Test Data & Results

Disclaimer:

Evaluating router performance is more than hardware analysis. While hardware tests are straightforward, the challenge lies in contextualizing the results within the limits of real-world usage. Routers operate under conditions that testers cannot fully standardize, including variations in Internet Service Providers (ISPs), network traffic congestion, discrepancies between advertised and actual internet speeds, and the physical layout of homes. These factors introduce a degree of unpredictability, making it hard to draw universal conclusions. As such, our router recommendations aim to provide useful general guidance, accommodating a wide range of home environments and internet setups.

1. 2.4 GHz Download Speed (Mbits/s)

The oldest and slowest of the bands on a router is the 2.4 GHz band, but it sticks around for a reason. Generally speaking, while this band features the slowest available speeds and has the lowest bandwidth, but also reaches out the furthest. It’s not the best band to connect to connect if you need high speeds, but if you just need to be connected for light browsing or anything that’s low bandwidth, it works. Alternatively, if you own a lot of old devices, this band may be the only band they can “see” and therefore, use.

Given the age of the band, top speeds on 2.4 GHz cap out very quickly. We recommend a speed of at least 50 Mbits/s, but if you aren’t really going to be using this band for anything other than checking web pages, you can go lower. It’s worth noting, though, that this might lead to a more frustrating and laggier time on modern sites with lots of scripting and high-quality images.

2.4 GHz Download Speed (Mbits/s; higher is better; 0 = No Data)

2. 5 GHz Download Speed (Mbits/s)

The much faster 5 GHz band offers up much greater bandwidth and is much, much better at meeting high-speed demands. Streaming high-quality video, using streaming services, gaming, downloading large files and games – the 5 GHz band is what makes all of these activities quick and bearable. It reaches a lower range than the 2.4 GHz band, but it’s also much faster, so you’ll use it more, especially on newer devices that actually support the band.

Given how much you’ll be using this band, we recommend a speed of at least 200 Mbits/s to ensure you’re able to enjoy streaming and gaming on at least a few devices simultaneously. Any lower and you start to run into real bottleneck concerns, such as endless buffering, lagging, or drops in connection.

5 GHz Download Speed (Mbits/s; higher is better; 0 = No Data)

3. Router Range (ft)

Router range is exactly what the name suggests: how far can you get from the router before you start experiencing issues with your connection? The complicating factor is the simple fact that range depends on the band you’re using. 2.4 GHz is a band that offers greater range, so it gives tests results that show a greater range than tests that use the 5 GHz band. In general, our research found most publications used the 5 GHz band, so our recommendations are based on that.

As such, we recommend your router have a range of at least 50 ft. This gives you a good “bubble” around the router that you can connect to, but it’s important to know that things like the walls in your home can cause issues. Thicker walls block more signal, thinner walls block less. Some materials will also do a better job than others will at stopping signal, so if you see a router with a range of 65 ft, know that it might not reach that far in your home. It could reach further – or not nearly as far. This is also why you get dead zones in your home – it’s a matter of geometry and materials.

Router Range (ft; higher is better; 0 = No Data)

4. Latency (ms)

On a router, latency refers to how long it takes for the router to send out and receive a signal. The longer it takes, the more delay there is between you sending and receiving data, which can introduce lag in video games and also makes video conferencing harder since the person you’re speaking with now has to contend with your delay and vice versa. If you’ve ever spent a call talking over someone because you don’t know they started talking a second ago, that’s latency.

For that reason, we recommend a latency below 40 ms. As low as you can get it is obviously preferable, but latency is another aspect of your internet connection that is hard to manage. Latency differs to every single place you connect to, and every ISP has its own latency they “add” because you have to connect to their service too. Latency creeps in from your ISP, from the site you’re requesting data from, from your router, and from your own onboard Wi-Fi antenna – and that’s just to name a few sources. If you’re gaming, you also have a delay introduced by your connection to game servers and the delay that exists on a hardware level when you input commands.

Latency (ms; lower is better; 0 = No Data)

Best Mesh Routers: Mistakes To Avoid

  1. Ignoring Your Home Layout: Not all mesh router systems are created equal. Consider the layout of your home, including the size, number of floors, and building materials. Different systems have varying capabilities in terms of range and coverage, so choose one that matches the needs of your specific home layout.

  2. Not Researching Compatibility: If you already have networking equipment in your home, such as a modem or existing router, make sure the mesh router system you choose is compatible with your current setup. Some mesh systems may require specific modem compatibility or have limitations on interoperability with other routers.

  3. Underestimating the Number of Nodes Needed: Mesh routers typically come in systems with multiple nodes that work together to provide coverage throughout your home. It’s essential to accurately assess the size and layout of your home to determine how many nodes you’ll need for optimal coverage. Underestimating this can lead to dead zones and poor performance in certain areas.

  4. Ignoring Backhaul Options: Mesh systems use a backhaul connection to communicate between nodes. Some systems offer both wired and wireless backhaul options, while others rely solely on wireless connections. If possible, opt for a system with the option for wired backhaul, as it can provide faster and more reliable connections between nodes.

The Best Mesh Routers Tests Compared

Product
True Score
2.4 GHz D/L Speed
5 Ghz D/L Speed
6 GHz D/L Speed
Range
Latency

Synology WRX560

  • Best for Vpn

87
  • 120.42 Mbits/s

  • 640.41 Mbits/s

  • 0

  • 0

  • 0

$186.95

Asus ROG GT6 Mesh

  • Best for Streaming

82
  • 139.35 Mbits/s

  • 701.28 Mbits/s

  • 0

  • 95 ft

  • 21.89 ms

$456.99
$480
$23

TP-Link Archer AXE75

  • Best for Parental Controls

81
  • 65.05 Mbits/s

  • 309.1 Mbits/s

  • 317.9 Mbits/s

  • 60 ft

  • 9 ms

$155.00
$159
$4

Eero Max 7

  • Best for Apple

80
  • 95.9 Mbits/s

  • 1,078.48 Mbits/s

  • 1,222.5 Mbits/s

  • 90 ft

  • 7 ms

$449.99
$600
$150

Eero Pro 6E

  • Best for Google Fiber

80
  • 214.83 Mbits/s

  • 546.99 Mbits/s

  • 777.42 Mbits/s

  • 85 ft

  • 0

$159.99
$250
$90

Mesh Router Questions (FAQ)

What is a mesh router, and how does it work?

A mesh router system consists of a main router connected to your modem and multiple satellite nodes placed around your home. These nodes communicate with each other to create a single, seamless Wi-Fi network that provides consistent coverage and eliminates dead zones. This setup ensures a strong and reliable signal throughout your entire home, regardless of its size or layout.

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