Best Mesh Wi-Fi Routers 2024 Tested & Reviewed

Eero is an Amazon company and its routers come with Alexa support. Activate the Eero skill and you can pause the internet with a voice command through your Echo device, which is handy when your child doesn’t get up from the computer to eat dinner. The Eero 6 router supports matter and Thread and can do double duty as a ZigBee smart home hub in the same way that Echo devices can, allowing you to directly connect some smart lights, smart locks and other ZigBee devices.

There are two other tricks that make Eero 6 systems attractive. If you have an Echo smart speaker (4th generation), Echo Dot (4th or 5th generation), or Echo Dot with watch (4th or 5th generation), it can acts as a Wi-Fi extenderoffering an additional 1,000 square feet of coverage at speeds of up to 100 Mbps for up to 10 devices. Eero also offers Internet backup option, so you can add multiple backup networks (Wi-Fi or hotspot) to keep you online if your main wired network goes down.

Eero’s simplicity will appeal to anyone who hates digging into settings, but it comes at a price. You won’t find any Quality of Service Features to prioritize activities and you cannot split lanes. One final downside with the base Eero system I tested was the relatively slow transfer speed, though this wasn’t an issue on higher-end systems.

There are currently four Eero systems on the market that are worth checking out, offering a largely similar experience. The first two are dual-band systems (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). People with Internet connections up to 500 Mbps can use the regular Eero 6. If you have a faster connection, up to 1 Gbps, and your home is less than 4,500 square feet, then Eero 6+ ($300) is the system of choice. People with larger estates or above average requirements (many devices and people using the internet at the same time) should consider Eero Pro 6E ($550) (7/10, WIRED recommends), a tri-band system that supports the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz frequency bands. The Eero Pro 6 has been discontinued.

The Try Max 7 ($1700) (7/10, WIRED review) is its best Wi-Fi 7 option, boasting four Ethernet ports, two at 10 Gbps and two at 2.5 Gbps, but right now it’ll be too much for most people. You can delve into the differences in ours Eero buying guide. But whichever model you choose, watch out for frequent discounts. All Eero systems are compatible with each other, making it easy to expand your network.

Best value

Affordable and compact, the ZenWiFi XD5 is a solid alternative to our top pick for more limited needs or budgets. Refreshingly, you don’t need to create an account to set up and use this mesh network. Each of the three devices has two gigabit Ethernet ports and can be wall mounted. Basic security (AiProtection Classic) and parental controls are free, and there’s AiMesh support, so you can mix and match other Asus routers.

Performance was smooth and reliable during my testing, with some impressively fast results for the price. I downloaded a 30-GB game in less than eight minutes. Although it is a dual-band system, there is support for 160-MHz channels on the 5-GHz band. Asus says a 3-pack can cover up to 5,000 square feet, but speeds drop as you move away from the router. To get the best performance from the XD5 or any network system, connect the main router and nodes with Ethernet for wired feedback.