Best tested and rated mesh Wi-Fi routers of 2024
Coverage and speed are both fine, far behind the Asus XT8 but beating the Eero 6 (below). The app is very simple and it’s easy to set up a guest network. Originally released with the free HomeCare software, it was later changed to the HomeShield system, and TP-Link updated the HomeShield subscription and parental controls. You get basic network security (router scanning, guest networks, QoS) and parental controls (profile creation, internet pause, blocking and filtering) included for free but everything else is required register.
HomeShield Security+ costs $5 a month or $36 a year and adds web and intrusion protection with notifications and reports. Total Security costs $70 a year and adds device antivirus, a VPN service, and a password manager. Advanced parental controls cost $3 a month or $18 a year and add time limits, downtime scheduling, rewards, app time limits, safe search, and more. complete information, detailed information and reports. While this level of detail allows you to choose what you need, it can be confusing to some people, and I’m not interested in increasing subscriptions. That said, most families will probably want Security+ and Advanced Parental Controls, which will cost $54 for the year ($1 cheaper than the HomeShield Pro it replaces).
The Quality of Service feature lets you prioritize activities like gaming or streaming, or set device priorities. The important thing is that you can divide the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands to display as two separate Wi-Fi networks. This is useful because some smart home devices only work on older bands. Similarly, there is a mixed mode for WPA2 and WPA3 security. Some devices don’t work with the newer WPA3 standard, and some routers force you to choose one or the other, which can lead to problems. This mode ensures all your gadgets meet compatibility standards.
The web interface is very basic and doesn’t add much so I prefer to stick with the easier-to-use app. However, the update is a bit slow and the installation is still limited. It didn’t recognize many devices and listed confusing hardware manufacturer names, making it difficult to figure out which devices to add to my child’s profile.
It’s not the fastest performing system, but it’s fast and reliable enough for the average home. If you have a connection speed of 500 Mbps or higher, it may be worth upgrading Deco X55 or Deco X60.
Best for smart homes
Amazon’s Eero 6 mesh system is one of the easiest to set up, providing fairly wide coverage and delivering a stable connection. It’s an elegant system, available as three identical routers or (slightly cheaper) as a main router and two small nodes. The Eeros sits on a table or shelf, although the compact design doesn’t leave room for any ports. (There are only two gigabit ports on the router and none on the nodes.)
While the base Eero 6 was one of the slower systems I tested, especially at longer distances, speeds from the nodes were close to what I got from the main router. There were no network drops and it proved adept at sharing limited bandwidth. The mobile app is simple, giving you an overview of connected devices with the option to pause the Internet and set up a guest network. I can also create profiles, group devices, set schedules, and set bedtimes. Unfortunately, content filtering, other parental controls, advanced security, ad blocking, and activity insights require an Eero Plus subscription for $10 per month or 100 USD per year.
