Every Major Wi-Fi Mesh System Brand Ranked Worst To Best

Wi-Fi allows for some of the greatest at-home conveniences a person can have, but it can also lead to some of the greatest frustrations. When you live in a big house, the limited range of a single router won't be able to get everywhere at once. If relying on ethernet cables isn't realistic, you should consider whether mesh networking could fix your Wi-Fi woes, instead.

Wi-Fi mesh systems are a collection of routers working in tandem with each other. By setting them up in various places around a household, they should — in theory — allow for a strong and stable internet connection no matter where in your house you are. Unfortunately, even some of the biggest companies out there struggle to make a decent mesh system, with common problems arising from unstable or slow connections. Many of these problems end up in multiple offerings from the same brand, so consumers should be aware of what choices they can make.

Samsung puts a great deal of its focus on mobile devices, which makes it especially likely to make great use of Wi-Fi mesh systems. The company happens to have its own offering in this area, as well, with the SmartThings Wifi router. As the name implies, this router allows connectivity with multiple smart devices in a home on top of supposedly adding 1,500 square feet of Internet range. Much of this extra connectivity is managed through the device's SmartThings app, which some users may find convoluted, but it's a great help for those who can make full use of it.

In terms of ratings, the SmartThings router manages to beat out Xfinity's xFi Pods fairly well on places like Amazon. However, on Samsung's official website, reviews are notably more critical of the system's poor longevity and support. Wi-Fi strength is inconsistent from user to user, and as a router, SmartThings is unimpressive even at its best. Overall, this device seems to be better used as a hub for smart homes rather than as a Wi-Fi mesh system.

Linksys is a company with an even greater focus on mesh systems and Wi-Fi in general. It offers a wide range of products, and some of its pricier options include the most modern technologies, like Wi-Fi 7. The cheaper options are also a bit expensive, but reviews are nothing short of glowing. Highlights of the product include its ease of setup and massive range, reaching up to around 4,500 square feet. 

The greatest downside to these products is really just the price. A two-pack of the Wi-Fi 5 system goes for around $170, though discounts happen. However, the newer Wi-Fi 7 systems can be as costly as $300 for just one router. The company's high-end systems have also been criticized for lacking features and underperforming, which might make the high price harder to swallow. Linksys is far from the worst brand to get a Wi-Fi mesh system from, but you may want something with more features, given the price.

Compared to other items on this list, Tenda's most popular products have fairly low average ratings, but this average comes into a better perspective when looking at the actual numbers. Just one product from Tenda, the MW6 mesh system, boasts over 10,000 reviews on Amazon alone and still has a fairly decent overall rating. It also has a wide selection of other products with even higher averages, and while their numbers aren't quite as impressive, they still manage to reach above 1,000.

Feature-wise, Tenda is a decent competitor to previously mentioned brands on this list, especially at its price point. Less than $100 for a 6,000-square-foot three-pack system is nothing to scoff at, and around $300 for a three-pack compatible with Wi-Fi 6 is fairly respectable. Unfortunately, some customers have noted issues with getting everything set up, while others could hardly connect online or receive support. Even so, as a bargain mesh Wi-Fi option, Tenda manages to be a fine choice that doesn't require a great deal of money-burning.

Netgear puts a lot of effort into providing high-quality Wi-Fi solutions, and that includes mesh systems. Its Orbi series has received thousands of positive reviews. These systems feature some of the most reliable and powerful signals, with a basic two-pack of routers capable of covering 5,000 square feet of space. When it comes to speed, Orbi is pretty much unmatched – reviews praise its impressive performance even among similar mesh systems. Considering the extra features like parental controls and a year-long security subscription, it's clear Netgear is competing with the best Wi-Fi mesh systems out there.

However, there is a major downside: Netgear mesh Wi-Fi systems are super expensive. Its cheapest router set is priced above $100 per unit, and the strongest Orbi option available — a 3-pack of Wi-Fi 7 compatible routers —can cost upward of $2,000. Even for the most modern Wi-Fi technology out there, that's a ton of money. Netgear might very well be the best Wi-Fi mesh brand out there, but only if you've got an unlimited budget.

As one might expect, Amazon's own mesh Wi-Fi system happens to have a large number of ratings on its website, reaching above 18,000 reviews. What might not be expected is how positive these ratings are, with the company's various Eero systems constantly reaching above four stars. A few of them even manage to reach near a 4.5 average, though some people don't like needing a monthly subscription to get all the features they need. When it comes to basic users, though, the ease of setup combined with reliability and power make the Eero system exceptional.

Notably, these positive reviews persist even outside of Amazon. While some reviews have noted the high cost of more modern models, they still praise the performance of cheaper Eero versions that only reach to around 1,500 square feet. The biggest reason to get a mesh Wi-Fi system is to have reliable internet throughout an entire living space, and the Eero fills that role perfectly. Advanced users might still be disappointed with the overall package, but anyone who just wants the basics won't have much of a reason to turn away from Amazon.

Mesh Wi-Fi performance is impacted by a lot of things, especially external factors like the internet package you've purchased from your ISP. Because of this, we considered both consumer and editorial reviews in making our deliberations. Looking at the average ratings and the overall number of reviews provided a good indication of whether people could easily make full use of different products. Other factors taken into consideration included pricing, feature set, and overall performance.

While these rankings should give a good idea as to which Wi-Fi mesh brands are the most generally reliable, your experience may vary. You might have far more luck with Xfinity's offerings than TP-Link's, while others might find Amazon and Google to be in completely different fields when it comes to reliability and performance. In the end, this article is not meant to be a buyer's guide, but a general comparison of how well each company holds up as a mesh Wi-Fi brand.