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Netgear Orbi 970 (2-Pack) for $1,300: There is no denying that tri-band Wi-Fi 7 Netgear Orbi 970 and an impressive quad-band mesh. This network system is very fast, reliable, and offers a wide range of data with many high-speed Ethernet ports. However, the sky-high price makes it difficult to recommend. You can get limited functionality, and full parental control now requires a separate subscription to the security app. Ultimately, this plan should be considered if you have a large home, multiple connections, and a generous budget.
More Wi-Fi 6 or 6E Mesh Systems I Like
TP-Link Deco XE70 Pro (3-Pack) for $250: Treatment of Wi-Fi 6Ewhich operates on the 6-GHz band, is common, but with Wi-Fi 7 coming out, 6E routers and mesh systems like these are falling in price. This two-pack of mesh is affordable and large enough to cover most homes, making this the best Wi-Fi 6E mesh for most people. I tried again XE75 ($270 for three pack)which is almost the same, but has three Gigabit ports and not many Gigs. There is also XE75 Pro ($400 for three-pack)which has a 2.5-Gbps port and theoretically offers more bandwidth but is more expensive. Since TP-Link often discounts its products, the standard version is the best choice for most people – although multi-gig users should opt for the Pro.
TP-Link Deco X50 Outdoor $150: This was our outdoor choice, and it’s still a good dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router that will mesh with any Deco system (I tested it with the Deco X50 4G). It’s a good performer, but with the Wi-Fi 7 BE25 Outdoor coming in around the same price, I’d choose it instead.
TP-Link Deco X55 (3-Pack) for $150: This affordable Wi-Fi 6 mesh offers good coverage and performance, with optional parental controls and antivirus protection, making it perfect for a young family. This is a dual-band system (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). There are two gigabit Ethernet ports on each router. Coverage and speed are solid, falling short of the Asus XT8 but beating systems like the entry-level Eero 6.
Google Nest Wifi Pro (3-Pack) for $400: Mesh systems don’t come much simpler than this. Google’s Nest Wifi Pro it’s a tri-band system (2.4, 5, and 6 GHz) Wi-Fi 6E that works through Google Home, and each router sports two 1-gigabit ports. Setup is very easy, coverage and performance were solid and consistent, and my testing was free of glitches and buffering, though. WIRED Editor Julian Chokkattu they had problems that Google’s customers couldn’t fix. The Nest Wifi Pro came in mid-table with short, high, medium, and long speeds, and the settings in the Home app are pretty bare bones. Unfortunately, it’s not backwards compatible with older Nest routers.
TP-Link Deco X20 (3-Pack) for $130: Deco X20 is an affordable Wi-Fi 6 mesh that offers good coverage and performance, with optional parental controls and antivirus protection, making it ideal for ordinary families. Dual-band mesh (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) was our budget choice for a long time, and there are two gigabit Ethernet ports on each router. Coverage and speed are decent, falling below the Asus XT8 but fighting against systems like the entry-level Eero 6. Originally released with the free HomeCare program, this has changed to the HomeShield plan, so it’s not as good as it used to be.
Linksys Velop Pro 6E (2-Pack) for $280: When it starts working, the tri-band system (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) Wi-Fi 6E offers impressive colors and good speed. It’s competitively priced with a few discounts (without paying full price), comes with parental controls, and offers useful features like device priority and guest networking. But I had a bad time with the installation. The software failed continuously at low speed, and I had to reset the routers. Even then, it took several attempts to add nodes. It is no longer compatible with the old Velop “Intelligent Mesh” systemsbecause this is a “Cognitive Mesh” system.
TP-Link XE200 (2-Pack) for $290: The tri-band mesh system Wi-Fi 6E (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) was fast, always delivered, and eliminated the Wi-Fi 6 competition. I downloaded a 50-GB game in 20 minutes and experienced no problems during testing. As it uses the 6 GHz band for backhaul, you should think about placement and try to keep the routers in front of each other and within 50 feet (or better, connect them through an Ethernet cable). Although the XE200 is better than the XE70 Pro above, it is more expensive, although it has seen some big discounts recently, so keep an eye out for deals.
