Boost your home network with the best mesh Wi-Fi of 2024

TP-Link is a name you’ve probably heard of if you’ve ever browsed for networking gear. The company has a solid reputation for making kit that works and works well. This TP-LINK Deco M4 Whole Home Wi-Fi System is a great addition to its expanding range. We particularly like this one because of its home-friendly design. Compact yet sporting a comprehensive set of features, the range of this system is an excellent 5,500 sq ft - which means it’ll suit most 4-5 bedroom homes.

Hook one of these three units up to your internet router and place the other two where you need them for excellent and consistent signal strength. It is only dual-band, but the 2.4 GHz and 5GHz bands are still the most common for wireless networking across 99% of home devices. So, if you’re looking for a boosted and stable version of the Wi-Fi you normally get from your existing modem, this will do the trick nicely.

The idea of being able to solve some of the worst connection problems that plague your Wi-Fi for less than £50 might seem unrealistic. But the Mercusys AC1300 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System is here to disprove that, with a compact dual-band system that will cope with up to 100 devices at once. 

Looks wise the design is very featureless, but as these are also small cubes they can be tucked away out of sight easily. And if you’re thinking that two of these little things aren’t enough - that’s the power of mesh. Whereas a normal Wi-Fi range booster talks to and from the existing modem/router for its internet connection, it won’t also talk to other boosters and fill signal gaps. These two nodes will do just that - and they’ll solve dead zones in a blanket that extends to 2,800 sq ft. Amazing power for very little outlay for compact homes.

Whereas our top pick for a budget mesh system has similar coverage in terms of range, this Linksys Atlas Pro 6 Velop mesh system also has the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard, so you’ll get even more speed - up to 5.4 Gbps. Able to spread the signal evenly over 2700 sq ft - around the same size as a typical 2-3 bedroom home - this is an easy system to set up.

Firstly, it’s only two units - which may seem a little lacklustre compared to others here, but thanks to the Linksys build it’s more than up to the task. Each unit can support up to 30 devices connected at once for a total of 60. Secondly, setup is super-easy thanks to the Linksys app, and each node will update automatically to keep things up-to-date and secure. One last feature we love is that a guest network is simple to set up and control - perfect for anyone who wants to give guests internet access without having access to the rest of your network.

We love these little cubes  - the Tenda Nova MW12 Mesh Wi-Fi System is clearly designed to be compact and easily hidden away. But, if you enjoy having their gadgets on show, we also think the subtle texturing on the outside is a little more homely than most. Plus, thanks to the Tenda App, there’s a very easy setup and control. 

This tri-band system also offers a third 5 GHz band to offer dedicated bandwidth to devices that support faster connections. Range-wise, the three nodes add up to excellent signal coverage - up to 6000 sq ft, that’s enough to blanket a modest four or five bedroom home. It also has brilliant seamless roaming tech, that will keep you connected without interruption as you move around the home. Coverage aside, we’re happy to see the inclusion of Alexa compatibility - meaning you can speak to any of the nodes for instant voice control over your Alexa gadgets.

As companies go, Google is just about as well-established and trusted a brand as you could hope for. And that’s why this Google Wi-Fi Mesh Wi-Fi System is our pick for a mesh solution with parental controls. Once you’ve set up these reasonably compact cylindrical nodes (or ‘points’ as Google call them) you can guarantee great Wi-Fi reception across a typical 3-4 bedroom home. 

And that’s great for any children who sit watching their tablet in their bedroom or study. Even better, it uses the Google Home app for setup and control, including parental controls that will let you manage screen time, individual device access, schedules, and more.

The benefit of a tri-band mesh system is that it adds a second 5 GHz band that’s dedicated to faster devices. This ASUS ZenWiFi XT8 Whole Home Wi-Fi System does just that and monitors each device’s connection usage, controlling the bandwidth available to each one for a more stable and metered user experience. But it’s that second 5 GHz band that really makes all the difference. The more capable high-speed devices on the network will be given access to the more capable band - meaning your 4K streaming or downloading is protected from being affected by the slower devices on your network.

As for sheer speed and coverage, this Asus knocks it out of the park with a combined 6600 Mbps - enough for streaming ultra-definition video without a hitch. We also like the look of the ASUS ZenWiFi XT8. Its unashamedly black casing and premium finish really sets it apart from the crowd and looks great on the shelf or side table.

Much like the other examples of mesh technology here, the Tenda Nova Mesh Wi-Fi 6E system provides three wifi bands. But, here the third one is powered by Wi-Fi 6E - meaning it operates on the 6 GHz bandwidth. The dedicated frequency range, plus the 6E tech itself, means the fastest home networking speeds on the planet. The 6 GHz range is also uncluttered, supporting reliable connections even more. It’ll even support over 200 devices at once - one of the best on this list.

There's no shortage of range and power with these three nodes either, as it’ll blanket a massive 7300 sq ft with rock-solid Wi-Fi. Again we see the inclusion of Alexa compatibility for added convenience with voice commands. All in all, if you want to invest in the best version of Wi-Fi 6 and do things like upgrade your PC with a Wi-Fi 6E card, this is the system you’ve been waiting for.

There was a time when NETGEAR were the go-to brand for high-quality networking gear - and that’s still true, but they’ve upped their game in recent years to provide ultra-high-end equipment that enters a class (and price) of their own. If you have the budget, this NETGEAR Orbi Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 Mesh System is not only a particularly pretty sight, but it’s also one of the most powerful for signal strength. Coupled with a frankly astonishing 8000 sq ft range, this is adept at overcoming all kinds of obstacles, thick walls and more. 

It’s a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 system, so you have the best of all worlds connection-wise. The system carries tri-band backhauling, which ensures that communication between nodes does not impede the user experience. A one-year subscription to Netgear Armor provides comprehensive network security. Plus, much like others here, you can expand the system with even more nodes if you need to. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the Orbi is its looks - bringing a rare sophistication to the normally white plastic product. All in all, it’s a premium product with functionality to match.

If you ever spend time away, on holiday or working remotely when there’s an unreliable internet connection (or even no broadband at all) you may need to rely on a mobile network. That’s where this TP-LINK Deco X80-5G V1 comes in. Slot in a 5G SIM card, set things up with the Deco app, and you’ll share that mobile connection throughout your home. It will, of course, connect to an internet router normally, too.

Given that this is just one router, its main purpose is to provide a fast, solid and easy way of getting mobile internet. But, it can be expanded like most mesh systems - this time by adding other TP-Link Deco nodes. Also, given that sharing a narrow mobile data 5G connection with more than one person (or a large range of devices) will probably strain things, we’re happy to see MU-MIMO at work here. It will maintain a good quality of service for all users in an intelligent way, keeping the more able and needy devices working at their best while still allowing others a good experience.

If you’re in the market for a new broadband modem router, some come with mesh Wi-Fi features too - meaning it’ll connect to more nodes later on if you need to extend its range and coverage. TP-Link AC2100 Wireless MU-MIMO VDSL/ADSL Modem Router is just that - able to plug straight into your incoming broadband cable and function as a regular router. 

Of course, this is designed as a starting point - and means that you’ll have a less cluttered setup. Instead of keeping your old internet router and wiring your mesh solution to it, this replaces both devices. Adding more TP-Link mesh nodes to this router is what will give you more power over getting rid of dead zones further away. That said, out of the box this is going to deal out your bandwidth evenly across devices and have a stronger signal than most regular routers. It is only dual-band, but much like our pick of the best overall mesh system, that suits the majority of users and devices.