The Best Budget Mesh WiFi
Above-average ratings, below-average prices, no fake reviews.
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A mesh WiFi system, also known as a whole-home WiFi system, is a way to distribute a wireless signal throughout an entire home.
Traditional Routers vs. WiFi Extenders vs. Mesh WiFi
A traditional router broadcasts a WiFi signal from a single point. That wireless signal grows weaker as one moves further away from the router, or, it can become blocked altogether by metal framing or large appliances (like a refrigerator). This results in wireless “dead zones” around a home.
WiFi extenders, also called boosters or wireless repeaters, offer a partial solution. These devices take an existing WiFi network and clone it, making a doppelgänger network available from a different point within a home. Unfortunately, a traditional router and a WiFi extender act as rivals for a device’s attention and most laptops and smartphones don’t switch rapidly (or fluidly) between WiFi networks. This results in signal dropouts.
On the other hand, a mesh WiFi system uses a router and satellites that operate as a single wireless network. This allows a WiFi signal to increase its broadcast range while maintaining consistent speeds without signal dropouts. In other words, the devices in a mesh network operate as a team.
A whole home WiFi system isn’t for everyone. There are free ways to increase a wireless signal and a cheap WiFi extender may be acceptable for a small home or apartment. But, for those who live in a large home, have dense walls, or enjoy competitive gaming, a mesh router may be worth the extra expense.
What Is Wi-Fi 6, aka IEEE 802.11ax?
The Wi-Fi alliance has adopted version numbers for each wireless generation: “Wi-Fi 6” is the latest (and fastest) WiFi standard, superseding Wi-Fi 5, formerly known as 802.11ac. Tests suggest that Wi-Fi 6 performance depends greatly on the devices used, but Mesh Wi-Fi 6 shows a lot of promise.
How Much Does a Mesh WiFi System Cost?
A good whole home WiFi system (with a mesh Wi-Fi 5 router and at least one mesh point) costs approximately $188, according to a 12-month analysis of price trends. Those same mesh WiFi systems cost around $147 while on sale: an average discount of 22%. Here are the best cheap mesh WiFi systems for the money:
Methodology for Selecting Products
I use data science to discover above-average products that are selling for below-average prices. To find mesh routers with below-average prices, I first assemble a list of candidates, then organize those products by their 12-month average sale price, determine the median value and then exclude any router with a price above the mid-point.
To find mesh WiFi systems with above-average reviews, I measure the relationship between 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 star ratings and flag outliers that fall outside of a normal statistical distribution. I also discount paid, sponsored and unverified reviews as well as unhelpful review behaviors from verified customers. Routers with an average adjusted rating of less than 3.9 out of 5 are excluded; in the end, fewer than 30% of the analyzed products remain.
Google WiFi 2020: Mesh Wifi System, 3-Pack
Good Value: $240 | Great Deal: $200
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Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Google’s updated mesh WiFi system has a dead-simple setup and it delivers fast, reliable and far-reaching WiFi, according to several customers. Some reviewers begrudge having to download the Google Home app.
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Black Friday.
TP-Link X60 Mesh WiFi 6 Whole Home System
Good Value: $270 | Great Deal: $240
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Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
TP-Link’s WiFi 6 mesh system has a user-friendly app and near-gigabit wireless speeds, according to several online customers. One reviewer warns that this mesh system doesn’t support the 160Mhz channel.
TP-Link Deco X20 WiFi 6 Mesh WiFi System
Good Value: $270 | Great Deal: $230
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Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
TP-Link’s affordable mesh WiFi 6 system has an easy setup and excellent range, according to several online customers who say this system eliminated dead spots inside their homes. Some reviewers complain that the satellites occasionally lose connection; others say that they fixed this issue by updating the router’s firmware.
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Black Friday.
AmpliFi Instant WiFi System by Ubiquiti Labs (AFIINS)
Good Value: $167 | Great Deal: $130
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Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Ubiquiti’s budget mesh WiFi system has a simple app-based setup and it delivers fantastic performance, according to several online customers. Reviewers who pay for gigabit internet (1,000 Mbps or faster) caution that this system is only capable of handling speeds of approximately 300 Mbps or less.
MeshForce Whole Home Mesh WiFi System (M3 Suite)
Good Value: $174 | Great Deal: $121
Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Meshforce’s budget mesh WiFi system installs easily and creates a fast, stable and long-range wireless network, according to several online customers. Some reviewers wish the base station had more than a single ethernet port; others caution that their internet speeds top-out at 50 Mbps.
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Black Friday.
Eero Mesh WiFi System (1 eero + 1 eero Beacon), 2nd Generation
Good Value: $250 | Great Deal: $230
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Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Eero’s mesh WiFi system is easy to install and it provides fast WiFi speeds across a large home, according to several online customers. Some reviewers complain of WiFi dropouts; others say this system is overpriced.
TP-Link Deco M4 Whole Home Mesh WIFI System
Good Value: $157 | Great Deal: $138
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Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
TP-Link’s affordable mesh WiFi system is fast and easy to install, according to several online customers. Some reviewers had difficulty setting parental controls; others wish that the unit had a Web UI. Customers using both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz devices warn that it takes patience to set up a dual-band network.
Rockspace Whole Home WiFi System (3-Pack)
Good Value: $155 | Great Deal: $130
Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Rockspace’s affordable mesh WiFi system is reliable, fast and simple to install, according to several online customers. Some reviewers caution that there are no printed instructions; others warn that extra nodes aren’t available for sale (i.e. it’s not possible to expand the system one point at a time).
Eero Mesh WiFi System, 2-Pack with Free Echo Flex
Good Value: $157 | Great Deal: $119
Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Eero’s affordable mesh WiFi system is easy to set up and offers fast, reliable wireless speeds throughout a home, according to several online customers. Some reviewers wish that an app wasn’t required for setup.
TP-Link Deco Whole Home Mesh WiFi System (Deco M5 2-Pack)
Good Value: $124 | Great Deal: $100
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Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
This budget mesh WiFi system eliminates dead zones and improves wireless speeds across large homes, according to several online customers. Some reviewers complain of dropped connections; others say this system lacks features that IT pros are used to (e.g. being able to change channels and assign network IDs).
Note: A Deco M5 3-pack is also available.
Google Mesh WiFi System, 2016 Version (3-Pack)
Good Value: $250 | Great Deal: $150
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Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Google’s mesh WiFi system is easy to set up and delivers fast and consistent wireless speeds across 3,000+ square foot homes, according to several online customers. Some reviewers weren’t able to connect older 2.4 GHz devices to their network or switch between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. A few customers were disappointed that this system isn’t as configurable as a traditional WiFi router.
Tenda Nova Whole Home Mesh WiFi System (MW3 2PK)
Good Value: $81 | Great Deal: $63
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Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Most reviewers agree that Tenda Nova’s budget whole-home WiFi system has two great features (price and range) offset by one big sticking point: This system only supports wireless speeds up to 100 Mbps.
Google — Nest WiFi AC2200 Mesh System Router and Point (2-Pack)
Good Value: $200 | Great Deal: $150
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Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
This Google Nest WiFi system provides strong wireless coverage across an entire home and prioritizes Google Stadia (online gaming), according to several online customers. Many reviewers were frustrated by the Google Home app and disappointed that there is no way to set up this mesh WiFi system using a web interface.
Amazon Eero Mesh WiFi System (3-Pack)
Good Value: $223 | Great Deal: $160
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Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Eero’s whole home WiFi system is far-reaching and reasonably fast, according to several online customers. Many reviewers were frustrated that the setup process requires an app download and account creation; others were disappointed by this system’s lack of network management functions.
Note: This Eero system is also available as a 2-pack.
Note 2: This item was heavily discounted on Black Friday.
About the Author: John DeFeo was formerly the head of editorial insights for brands such as Tom’s Hardware, Anandtech, Laptop Mag and Tom’s Guide. He specializes in the analysis of online customer ratings and reviews.
