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At a glance
By Adam Turner
Instead of relying on a single wi-fi router to cover an entire home, mesh wi-fi uses several base stations spread around the house that work in unison to provide blanket coverage and avoid patchy reception.
Most mesh wi-fi kits come with a primary hub and one or two “satellite“ hubs, with the ability to add more to extend coverage. The primary hub features an ethernet WAN port for plugging into a broadband modem, along with ethernet LAN ports for connecting wired devices.
The wireless mesh appears as a single wi-fi network, allowing devices to seamlessly switch connection between base stations, similar to the way smartphones switch between mobile towers.
Some satellite hubs also enable the connection of ethernet-only devices like desktop computers, network printers and network drives, so they can access the internet without the need to run cables around the house.
For optimal coverage, place each base station in a central location, up high, free of obstacles and away from other electrical equipment, ideally. Placing a base station on each level of a multistorey home can make much more of a difference than simply upgrading to a more powerful single router on the ground floor.
The price of mesh wi-fi kits varies considerably, with more expensive models typically supporting faster signals, extra channels and greater coverage.
The new wi-fi 7 standard increases speeds, reduces congestion and copes better with interference — although wi-fi 7-compatible devices are needed to make the most of it. Most wi-fi 7 base stations support the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands, with higher frequencies supporting faster speeds over shorter distances.
More advanced mesh networks often feature a “backhaul” link that relays traffic between base stations, helping to reduce congestion in homes with multiple devices.
While the stations connect to each other wirelessly by default, all models shown offer the option to connect via ethernet cables, which is useful in homes where internal double-brick walls may hinder the signal between rooms. Here are five mesh set-ups to consider.
Netgear Orbi 970
This quad-band wi-fi 7 mesh (meaning it has four separate radio bands) supports the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands, along with a 6 GHz dedicated backhaul band and more antennas per base station than cheaper rivals. Three base stations combined offer up to 660m² of coverage. The primary hub features a 10 Gigabit WAN port for connecting to your broadband modem, to make the most of 10 Gigabit-per-second internet plans.
eero Pro 7
This tri-band wi-fi 7 mesh supports the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands. The primary hub features a 5 Gigabit WAN port for connecting to your broadband modem, while three base stations combined offer up to 570m² of coverage.
TP-Link Deco BE65 Pro
The TP-Link Deco BE65 Pro is another tri-band wi-fi 7 mesh, supporting 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz. The primary hub features a 5 Gigabit WAN port, and the three base stations combined offer up to 700m² of coverage.
Linksys Velop Pro 6E
This tri-band wi-fi 6E mesh supports the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands, but lacks wi-fi 7’s faster speeds or a dedicated wireless backhaul. The primary hub features a 1 Gigabit WAN port, and the three base stations combined offer up to 836m² of coverage. It also has a “planet-friendly design” that is made from 100 per cent recyclable aluminium.
Google nest Wi-Fi Pro
The Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro is another tri-band wi-fi 6E mesh, supporting the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands, but lacking wi-fi 7’s faster speeds (and dedicated wireless backhaul). The primary hub features a 1 Gigabit WAN port, and the three base stations combined offer up to 600m² of coverage.
