A single router doesn’t always have the range to let every device in a building make the most of a high-speed internet connection. If you have a large house or thick walls, it’s worth considering a Wi-Fi mesh system to ensure that no matter where in the building you are, you get the highest speeds and lowest latency possible.
TP-Link and Amazon both make highly effective mesh systems and each has their pros and cons. While TP-Link tends to win out in terms of performance and features, Amazon’s Eero is also a worthy contender thanks to its simplicity and moderate price.
TP-Link is one of the big players when it comes to wireless networking. In fact, TP-Link has been the number one producer of Wi-Fi equipment for a decade straight. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that they offer multiple high-performance Wi-Fi mesh systems.
Their latest and greatest offerings boast some of the most advanced hardware and widest range of features of any on the market. They’re not exactly cheap, but you can be certain you’ll get an optimized internet connection even in the largest of houses. Their most recent mesh Wi-Fi systems all utilize the Wi-Fi 6 standard that increases maximum bandwidth, lowers latency and enhances device battery life among other improvements.
TP-Link routers are engineered with performance in mind, first and foremost. Their best mesh Wi-Fi systems boast multiple gigabits of throughput, which will easily accommodate the fastest home internet plans available. Even if you don’t have gigabit-class internet (which few people do), you’ll appreciate a lot of TP-Link’s extensive features.
Their newest models all support Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and the top-of-the-line versions boast a tri-band configuration that basically eliminates any and all worry of congestion. Having three bands (one at 2.4GHz and two at 5.8GHz) means, for example, that multiple people can upload and download large files at the same time without experiencing any slowdown due to the router itself (keep in mind, of course, that you’re still limited by the speed of your internet connection). This is in addition to other technologies standard to Wi-Fi 6 like MU-MIMO and the related OFDMA, which let a router talk to multiple devices simultaneously instead of one after another, like with older Wi-Fi standards.
Another big upside to TP-Link’s Wi-Fi mesh systems is that there’s a version for just about everyone. If you’re looking to eliminate dead zones in a small or medium-size house, their budget-friendly models should do nicely. On the other hand, if you need to provide wireless connectivity to an especially large building, their premium offerings can help.
Given TP-Link’s wealth of experience designing Wi-Fi access points, it makes sense that there aren’t too many cons to speak of. You can argue that they don’t look the sleekest out of all the home Wi-Fi mesh systems, as they’re a little bulkier than some of the competition.
This is currently TP-Link’s most high-end mesh Wi-Fi system and it performs better than just about anything else on the market. It’s packed with the premium features needed to ensure it works well with your most advanced devices for years.
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The tri-band configuration and powerful wireless radio inside the X68 mean you won’t be hurting for bandwidth, even in a busy household. It’s nearly as fast as the X90 but costs about half as much.
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If the battery life and latency improvements of Wi-Fi 6 excite you, the X20 is one of the most affordable ways to start taking advantage of them. It’s easily fast enough to accommodate the majority of home internet connections.
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Those who aren’t concerned about the absolute newest technology should be perfectly satisfied by the S4. While it uses the previous-generation Wi-Fi 5 standard, it’s still fast, secure and easy to use.
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The Eero family of mesh Wi-Fi systems has been a leader largely because it’s so simple to work with. Each one is designed so that just about anyone can set it up, even if you have minimal experience with computers and networking. In a similar vein, a lot of owners appreciate Eero systems because of their compact and streamlined design that’s a far cry from common, bulky, black-box routers.
Another reason to choose Eero is that it offers a relatively affordable inroad to Wi-Fi 6 technology. Like TP-Link’s latest releases, the current Eero lineup offers full support for the latest wireless protocol.
Interestingly, the Eero is one of the few mesh Wi-Fi systems with a built-in smart home hub, courtesy of Zigbee. If you use a lot of smart bulbs or Internet of Things devices, the Eero is worth considering for this reason alone.
Unfortunately, there are some aspects of Eero mesh systems that aren’t ideal. Frustratingly, some of the security features are locked behind a subscription. There’s also the issue of a somewhat limited overall lineup, with only two main versions of the Eero currently offered. Furthermore, only the most expensive Pro model offers tri-band configuration, so networks that see a lot of high-bandwidth activity among multiple users might run into congestion. Finally, while the app is straightforward and easy to use, it lacks some in-depth controls, such as Quality of Service settings.
Each of the Eero Pro’s units is a standalone router, unlike many systems that use a main router and one or two extenders. By all accounts, the Eero Pro 6 can manage a high-speed network well, but the price might make some consumers think twice.
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The Eero 6 is as easy to configure as they come and also a relatively affordable way to break into the world of Wi-Fi 6. If you want to program the lights and appliances in your home without having to install a separate smart home hub, this is the one for you.
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While there’s nothing majorly wrong with the Amazon Eero 6 family, most people will be better off with a TP-Link mesh Wi-Fi system. A couple exceptions to this are those who want Wi-Fi 6 but want to spend as little as possible and those who have a lot of smart home devices to manage.
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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
