Best Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems: The Likely Final Top-Five Collections

842 thoughts on “Best Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems: The Likely Final Top-Five Collections”

1. Hi Dong, I really appreciate the effort you put into providing such well reasoned recommendations.

   Would you recommend one of your Wifi 6 Mesh setups over something like a Linksys Velop Pro 6E Mesh System or TP-Link Deco AX5000 Mesh System? I ask because those are Consumer Reports top picks and I’m still traumatized from my early adopter attempt at mesh systems from the first Google Wifi days with constant disconnect/reconnects.

   I’m upgrading my single access point setup with a Ubiquity UAP-AC-LR. It’s never been perfectly reliable with internet connection or covered as far as I would prefer. It’s being used as the Access Point connected to my ATT Fiber router rather than using that for wifi. I’m setup for wired backhaul for up to 3 spots (assuming they work with distance), but I fear that positioning could cause things to bounce from node to node in the house. I also have a back house that I could extend to for a tenant if I so desired.

   Reply

   • I don’t comment on stuff you read elsewhere, Luke.

     generally if you use UniFi APs, you should use an UniFi controller (router) like the UDM-SE. But your current AP is old and should be replaced anyway. Considering you have fiber and wiring, check out one of these (and their alternatives).

     Reply

2. Love your posts, so informative.
   I have a 3,000 sqft home, 2 stories plus an unfinished basement. I probably only need 2 mesh nodes but the Asus XD5 set was a great price and only available in a 3-pack. Using wired backhaul all cables and ISP connections are a home run in south end of basement.
   I will install 1 node on the north end of 2nd floor.
   Another node on south end of 1st floor.
   Rather than run WAN and LAN cables to the first floor and making that the primary router I was considering using the extra XD5 in the basement as the primary router to simplify my wiring. Do you think that will cause a problem (too close together) since it is directly below the node on the first floor? I don’t suppose it is possible to turn of the wifi on the primary router? So, should I use 2 or all 3 nodes, thanks.

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   • Since you have wired backhauling, Andrew, it’s probably OK to use all three as you described. A floor generally blocks a lot of signals anyway.

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3. Thanks for all the info you put on this site! You are my sole info source for researching a mesh system to buy. I was about to buy an eero system before reading!

   I have a wired 5300 sq ft home, “500Mps” from the service provider.

   Should I go with deco x55 pro, x4300 pro, x75, or x200 (or another model entirely)?

   With my wired backhauling and speed combo, will 2.5Gbps ports, tri vs dual bands, or 6 vs 6e make a difference?

   Reply

   • You want one of these, Peter. If you’re happy with sub-Gigabit (which is your current broadband) then one of these for Wi-Fi 6E or these for Wi-Fi 6. Generally, avoid Tri-band Wi-Fi 6 and Quad-band Wi-Fi 6E hardware.

     More on mesh systems in this post.

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     • thanks. i narrowed down to those deco models based on your posts.

       with my internet speed, would I notice a difference in…
       a) 2.5Gbps vs 1 Gbps ports for backhaul (im guessing no?)
       b) tri-band vs dual band (depends on # of devices?)
       c) 6 vs 6e (yes?)

       i think the answers to those questions should help me hone in on the solution i need.

       Reply

       • a. Multi-Gig is the way to go.
         b. Check out this post.
         c. 6E doesn’t hurt.

         Reply

         • i went with the deco xe75.

           my problem is each unit has 3 ports and i need to use up all the ports to hook up my modem and 2 satellites to my main hub unit. i have a device that requires a wired ethernet connection at a location next to the hub, but i have no ports to connect it. is there some kind of device you would suggest for this situation?

         • I’m currently trying to decide on the best mesh system for my situation. I am wanting to put a mesh system in a log cabin. The cabin is approximately 1400 sqft, it has reg drywall for the internal walls, but there is a stone fireplace in the living rm, and I will also have a TV on the rear deck which you would have to go through very thick wooden walls. Please forgive me for my ignorance and possibly asking the wrong questions. I am in the infant stages of learning this stuff, and I’m just trying not to buy the wrong thing. I will have 500 Mbps internet speed. I will have the first router hardwired, and the other node or two would be wireless. I am wanting to run 4 TVs streaming Youtube TV or Netflix etc. I will also have a few smart cameras, smart doorbell, lights and a Nest thermostat that will be connected…not to mention people’s cell phones, laptops, ipads etc that would be connected. This will be an AirBnB, so I would like to have the least amount of hiccups as possible. Would you recommend something like the TP-link AXE11000, Netgear Orbi 960 or the ASUS ZenWiFi Pro ET12. Or would it just be better getting a great Tri-Band Router like the TP-Link Archer AXE11000? My major concerns are movies/TV freezing up, the blockage of signal because of the large stone fireplace and going through the thick wood walls to reach the TV on the rear deck. Thank you in advance for any and all advice.

         • I’d recommend the ZenWifi Pro XT12, you might need a 3-pack. But there are other options. More here.

           Give this sometime and really read, if you don’t have time to read, hire a processional. It’s business expense, after all.

         • Thank you very much for the advice. It seems like the asus XT12 would be a great choice. Would the asus ROG rapture GT6 work as well…it looks like the performance is very close. One last thing…can either of these work with a 3rd node? Thanks again

         • Check out the mentioned alternatives, Kevin. Pay some attention!

     • Unless I’ve missed it in other reviews, you are the only person to point out privacy issues in managing a home network via a 3rd party. Maybe some don’t think this a a big deal, but as a former prosecutor, I am well aware that anyone can break into anything if so motivated, but it would be foolish to intentionally and figuratively leave a door open with cash on the table.

       Until I found your site, I was all set to go with the TP Link XE75 3 pack to replace a rented Spectrum router, with fiber coming soon to our neighborhood from other providers.

       To avoid 3rd party management, the Asus ZenWiFi Pro ET12 seems to be an alternative, albeit more pricey especially as I would have to purchase an additional node as this only comes as a 2-pack. Two dumb questions:

       1. When hardwiring between the two units, can the ethernet cable go to a switch first, then to the second unit, or must the two units be directly linked (I have hardwired most things in house).

       2. I need 3 units so as the ET12 only has two, you have mentioned a few Asus routers to use, but in one table, you recommended using the only the ET12. So this would mean purchasing two 2-packs – am I missing something?

       While you’ve responded to many that you don’t advise on anyone’s given situation, I’ve included what I’m doing for reference. At 67 yrs old and not very technically literate, I am simply trying to improve my abysmal WiFi in a 100 yr old 3 story 5400 sq ft house with plaster walls backed by both metal (expanded sheet and mesh) and wood lath. (I’ve hard wired, using switches all TVs and desktops (iOS and windows) at various locations. Thank you.

       Reply

       • Hi Tony,

         Looks like you got it with the idea of privacy and security. It’s always about the degrees.

         1. Yes. More here.
         2. You can get another ET12 unit, or the GT-AXE11000, or any other similarly specced Asus AiMesh router. More here. Since you have wired backhauling, the ET8 and RT-AXE7800 which maxes out at Gigabit but will save you some $$.

         Good luck!

         Reply

4. Thanks Dong for the many articles. I have combed through a number of your articles but I still am unable to reach a decisive conclusion on this.

   I’m wondering what is the best mesh set-up for a mixed wireless and wired backhaul. Currently, i have a 3x node setup, using Covr AX1800 dual band. Router to Satellite 1 is wired backhaul, Satellite 2 to Satellite 1 is wireless backhaul. I’m having frequent internet dropping off issues on my Satellite 2.

   Looking to upgrade my mesh set up, but cannot decide if dual band is the way to go, or tri-band, in this mixed wireless/wired backhaul setup. And if tri-band is the way, do i go with linksys velop for the dynamic backhaul, or asus aimesh for the dedicated backhaul that can be opened up (does that mean it will no longer be dedicated backhaul between my Sat 1 and 2?).

   Reply

   • Check out this post, Aaron. I think it missed it.

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     • Ah I got it. Generally triband is better. So would you recommend Linksys velop (MX4200 x3) or AIMESH (AX92U x3) for my kind of set up?

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       • That’s your call, Aaron. Check their reviews for more.

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       • The RT-AX92U is right on the edge of EOL. I’d look elsewhere in the Asus tri-band lineup if it were me.

         Reply

5. Thanks for the amazing review Dong.

   I’m weighing up the
   $280 AUD = TP-Link Deco X55 Pro AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 2-pack
   $400 AUD = ASUS ZenWiFi XD6 Wi-Fi 6 2-pack

   will be using wired backhaul, and my internet speed is 100 down/50 up Mbps. Not a large house.

   Do you think it’s worth paying $120 more for the added security of the ASUS?
   I’ve heard reports of TP-Link Deco leaking personal information if you don’t sign up/pay for the added security.

   Reply

   • The TP-Link requires a login account so definitely not good for privacy, John. Asus is the only one you can use independently from the vendor, unless you chose not to use it that way. Other than that, both are great for your needs, and the Deco can handle full Gigabit and more. Read their reviews for more.

     Reply

6. Hi Dong, I am planning my long overdue Wi-Fi 6 upgrade, and would love your advice please. I am about to purchase a Asus RT-AX88U Pro to setup as my main router (to be flashed with Merlin), which will be placed in the basement, next to my ATT gigabit fiber gateway.
   Basement is 1,500 sq ft, Main floor 2,000, Top floor 2,000.
   I have the house completely wired up with CAT 5e, terminating in the basement to a Netgear 16-port gigabit switch (no multigig yet). We have 25 wired devices not including backhauls, and about roughly 60 wireless devices. I chose the AX88U Pro for performance, not because of the load (90% of the time we use 200 Mbps or less on our ATT Gigabit) but rather for the sheer volume of total devices on the network. I want efficiency and stability (no dropped connections).
   We have WiFi 5 access points (2 on main and 1 on top floor). I want to go WiFi 6 mesh, so obviously I am limited to Asus products, but I’m struggling to find the best option. Since I will be using wired backhaul, a 2.5Gbps port would be great, since the AX88U Pro does have both 1 for WAN and 1 for LAN. Other requirements:
   -I assume dual-band options are preferred, due to my wired setup?
   -Multi-gig for all backhaul connections
   -Advanced QoS feature set
   -Ability to handle 20 or so simultaneous connections per node
   -Wireless range/coverage over speed
   -Ability to handle 100Mbps on wireless anywhere in house
   -Link aggregation is a nice-to-have
   -3 nodes for around $350 total (used/refurb ok)
   The secondary challenge I have is on the main floor, and placement of nodes. The reason I have 2 APs now is the wired connections are at the furthest points at the front and rear of the house, creating some rooms with very poor performance when only 1 node was running. With the upgrade to WiFi 6, this issue may improve slightly, but probably not enough to run 1 node. Assuming I need 2 nodes, this may open up options for less expensive models, since they would technically only need to support 1,000 sq ft each. My only concern would be the ability to handle 20 or so simultaneous connections.
   Originally it looked like the ROG Rapture GT-6 was the answer, but at $225 per node that blows by $350 budget (and it also seems a bit overkill for my needs). The ZenWifi XD6 comes very close to my budget at $130/device, but doesn’t have link aggregation or multi-gig support. Is there something in the middle budget-wise that has mutli-gig? Or would I be better off just buying three XD6 devices now and upgrading those in the future to Wi-Fi 7 nodes (that will most likely have what I need by then)? Thanks in advance for your wisdom!

   Reply

   • I don’t think you can get Multi-Gig wired backhauling with that budget, Dino. So the XD6 seems a good fit. Good luck!

     Reply

     • Thanks for the validation! A few more follow-up questions please:

       1. What will I really gain with multi-gig? Is it just an overall healthier/less congested network, given my 85+ devices? I understand about future-proofing, but I won’t be upgrading to any faster plans with ATT in the next 5 years. So just wondering what other benefits I’m overlooking.

       2. What is the least expensive Asus option that has multi-gig… ROG Rapture GT6?

       3. I know you have mentioned avoiding Tri-band solutions for wired homes – is there any exception where I should consider this in my setup?

       4. Given my main floor has about 2,000 sq ft and 7 rooms (standard walls), do you think it’s possible 1 XD6 node can cover the entire floor, if it’s placed in the back corner of the entire floor?

       Reply

       • 1. Check out this post.
         2. I don’t keep tabs on pricing.
         3. Just know that it might have issues once in a while and can be a pain to configure properly. This post will help.
         4. Only you would know. More here.

         Reply

         • Thanks, I have decided to defer upgrading to multi-gig for at least 3 more years.

           I thought mesh was the way to go, but after reading several of your mesh articles, now I am not so sure it will benefit me vs. using standalone APs as I have now. The APs are installed at least 50 feet from each other, and with walls, there is very little overlap for interference. Thoughts on this?

7. I am curious what you would recommend someone to do if they have this use case:

   Large property (8k sq ft)
   not pre-wired in any way and owner doesn’t want to run cables. (moca out)
   Thick concrete walls between rooms (weakens wifi significantly)

   They have thought about doing Asus UT9 x 6, and a Synology setup (2x rt6600ax and 5x WRX560).

   Reply

   • Run a couple of network cables and build a AP-based mesh system as mentioned in the numbers 3 an 4 in this post, Kevin. PERIOD. Anything else is just stubborn or igorant and a big waste of time. 😜

     Reply

     • “Run a couple of and build a AP-based mesh system as mentioned in the numbers 3 an 4 in this post. PERIOD. Anything else is a waste of time.”

       Unfortunately they will not allow use to run any cabling in the house nor is their any RG-6 that can be used for wired back haul with MOCA. What is the best “wireless” solution you can think of under these circumstances?

       Reply

       • There’s none for that square footage.

         Reply

8. Need some advice!

   I have a Nest WIFI Pro (2 stations) and I feel like its not giving me what I need.

   I am stuck between the TP Link XE75 Pro, TP Link X95 and the Netgear SXK80 (On Offer when I can buy it from)

   I want to ditch the Nest WIFI badly as the performance is not worth the money.

   Which would you consider a better options. SXK alone has multi SSID which would be great for home, but im worried about the lack of customisation.

   Reply

   • The SXK series has lots of customization.

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9. Hi Doug

   Excellent read.
   Wanting your opinion on a few products

   Currently got 3 eero pro 6e and struggling in areas of my property which is currently expanding into home assistant so I’m needing to ditch the shite!

   I’m looking at synology, asus or tplink

   What do you recommend in terms of reliability and product quality?

   I know I’m going to need a mesh setup so consist of a few of the products so obviously costs will come into it.

   Doesn’t have to be 6e but ideally at least WiFi 6

   Reply

   • Anything is better than the eero, Dave. However, don’t use Wi-Fi 6E (unless it’s quad-band or with wired backhauling). I can’t recommend anythign with the info you provided, though. Check out this post first. You likely will figure things out yourself.

     Reply

10. Hi Dong,

    I am wondering if you can chip in with some help on two options I’m considering (by no means a technical user)

    Asus XT9 (two units) at £367 or Netgear RBK763S (three units) at £499

    setup: circa 2500sq ft, two floor, 6bed house with quite thick 90s brick walls. 1Gigabit connection wired into the ISP hub (Virgin, UK) in modem mode, I am currently using a cheapish huawei mesh system (AX3) consisting of 5 satellites (also AX3): one near the ISP (corner of house, downstairs), two downstairs and two upstairs. No option for a wired connection between routers as im renting.

    The thick walls must be a drag (hence the need for 5 units to cover all rooms and the cameras in the garden).

    I care mostly about coverage, stability, and lagless switch between satellites.

    Thanks for your help!

    Reply

    • It’s impossible to tell, Flippo, but chances are you’d need 3 or more units, no matter which you’d end up with. I’d go with the Asus since it’s much more flexible and give you more control. But only you would know. This post might help.

      Reply

      • Thanks Dong.

        I have read the post in the link. Thinking I will go with the Asus XT9 two pack and then will add an additional XD4 node to the mesh (hoping I can get it within(ish) Line of Sight to the XT9 node to use the 160Mhz dedicated band). This should come at the same price as the orbi 763, which is really tops for what I’m willing to spend

        Let me know in case i am doing something wrong!

        Thanks a million for the help, this site is excellent!

        Reply

        • I don’t think the XT9 will work well with the XD4. If you’re going fully wireless, stay with the XT9 or mix it with the XT8. More in this post.

          Reply

          • Thanks Dong.

            I put an order in earlier today in the amazon spring sale and went with the XD5 – given your link I dont presume its any different as Im assuming your suggestion is about sticking to Triple Band?

            At this stage im going to check with the two and if really needed perhaps try get a standalone XT8, although that will make it overall quite more pricey than the Orbi 763 (570 vs 500£) – still worth the extra £ in your opinion?

            Thanks again for being so quick in your replies!

          • Yes, if you don’t have wiring then Tri-band (Wi-Fi 6) is the way to go. Else, get dual-band hardware. In case you want to know more, here’s the post on Dual-band vs Tri-band, etc. Generally, it’s not a good idea to mix Dual-band and Tri-band in a single system, though that works to a degree.

11. Amazing work Dong. Really excellent and thorough information. It has been extremely helpful and helps me narrow down what I need to look for in new wifi systems.

    If I can ask a small question/recommendation. I am currently looking to setup a new WiFi system for my folks home. The goal is to be as “plug and play” as possible with little hands on.
    They have a large, 2 story home. I figured the coverage would be around 6000-7000 square feet, including a small bit outside.

    That said, wired backend would be ideal. It may or not be possible. I still need to find out if that is a possibility.
    That said, I was thinking of going with the Asus12 system, as I believe it works with wired and wireless backend? The idea being is, if I cannot get wired at the moment, but maybe am able to down the road. Thinking long term.
    Also, can I add additional “nodes” to that system if i went full wireless (backend as well)

    Or is there another recommendation?
    Thank you again! Amazing work!!!

    Reply

    • All home Wi-Fi solutions are plug-and-play, Jason, in the sense that once you’ve set it up properly, chances are there’s nothing you will need to do.

      I assumed you meant the ZenWifi Pro XT12 or ET12. If so, this post compares the two and will answer all the questions you might have about them. As for additional nodes, this post on AiMesh will cover even more questions. Give them (and related posts) a good read! You’re on the right track.

      Good luck!

      Reply

12. Thank you for compiling this. In your chart/table of the Satellite performance, if I’m not mistaken, I think you have pasted the same Router table for the “Short range” results?

    Is there a table with the short range results with wireless backhaul for the Satellites?

    Reply

    • You’re correct, Ellie. That’s fixed now. Thanks for the report.

      Reply

13. Thanks for these excellent lists, Dong. Furthermore, I took your advice and upgraded to the Asus ZenWiFi Pro XT12 from the eero Pro 6, and it’s been a world of difference: No more buffering, faster speeds, and increased stability.

    As much as I like the latest and greatest in consumer tech, I’m very happy with the XT12 and likely will skip at least the first batch of WiFi 7 routers. We’ll see if I’ll be able to hold out until WiFi 8… haha.

    Thanks again and take care!

    Reply

    • Good calls, Vic! And you’re welcome! 🙂

      Reply

14. Hi Dong,

    Thank you for all your in depth reviews and articles – they are a great help to a novice like me.

    I need to upgrade my current WiFi mesh, for 2 main reasons: I have 5G internet, because there is no fibre available in my area (Ireland).

    I currently have a HUAWEI CPE 2 pro router (supplied with mobile carrier) acting as a gateway (i think – or access point???) hardwired to a mesh of deco x20’s. It has been fine for the last 18 months, but I have recently purchased sky glass, with 3 streaming pucks, meaning that there are 4 TVs continuously streaming, on top of phones and tablets etc., so need to upgrade.

    I think that my problem is 2-fold. There are trees between my house and the 5G mast (would be visible from the house if trees weren’t there) and the CPE pro2 doesn’t have external antenna ports, so I can’t install an external antenna to improve reception, plus I only have a dual band mesh, with no option of a wired back haul, so I want to upgrade to tri-band wireless mesh, to handle all the streaming.

    I have looked into WiFi 6e and even WiFi 7, but I think it is overkill for what I need and not worth the investment yet.

    If the deco x80-5g was a tri-band router, I would have already purchased it, along with a mesh of x95’s and an external antenna. But surely it defeats the point of having a tri-band mesh, if the router is only dual band?

    I have just started researching 5G SIM card gateways, with external antenna ports that I could wire to a mesh of x95’s, but it’s like a foreign language to me!

    I would like to stay with deco, because I can use some of the existing x20’s to expand the WiFi into the garage and garden and keep the tri-band mesh in the house.

    Any advice would be greatly received.

    Thanks very much
    Ben

    Reply

    • The issue you’re having is likely on the Internet side, Ben. If so, a new Wi-Fi solution won’t help — they are two different things.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the speedy response.

        I agree, at first I was only looking at a 5g SIM card router with external antennas, so I can improve the internet speed, but I thought I may as well upgrade to a tri-band mesh at the same time.

        The deco x80-5g would be the best fit, because it can just become part of the mesh, as apposed to using another one as a gateway.

        Maybe I should just get the x80-5g and an external antenna first, to see if that stops the pausing during the tv’s streaming, by increasing the internet speed.

        I’m sure it will help massively, but if it doesn’t solve the issue completely, would it be pointless to then invest in a tri-band mesh, connected to the dual band x80-5g router?

        Thanks
        Ben

        Reply

        • Yes, Ben, you can try the new Deco.

          Still, in my experience, cellular Internet can be limited in bandwidth — specifically for streaming since vendors tend to restrict this type of bandwidth. In other words, you might get fast speed when doing a speed test or general web surfing, etc., but when you stream, you’ll get a different “speed”.

          Generally, if you get from 25 to 50 Mbps in an Internet speed test, that means your Internet speed (and Wi-Fi) is fast enough for streaming on that particular device at that particular time — faster Wi-Fi won’t make any difference. More in this post.

          Getting a faster Wi-Fi system never hurts, but if you think it will for sure improve your streaming experience, you might be disappointed.

          Reply

          • That’s great, thanks for your help.

            I think I will invest in the x80-5g and an external antenna first (some more research to do on external antennas!!!) and go from there.

            Sorry to ask again, but in terms of the WiFi performance, would it then be pointless to invest in a tri-band mesh connected to the dual band x80-5g at a later date?

            If I could wait, I would wait until a tri-band 5g SIM card router was released and invest in it, with a tri-band mesh, but I need to do something urgently, because the tvs are pausing regularly, particularly during peak times.

            Thanks again
            Ben

          • That’s correct — it’s pointless and potentially problematic. You should use mesh hardware with the same (or similar) specs. For your case, you should get a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 satellite to use with the X80. You’ll get the best local speed if you use a network cable to link them, but even wireless, they should be fast enough for streaming as long as you arrange the hardware properly — more here. As I said, streaming actually requires a relatively low ceiling bandwidth, around 25Mbps for 4K — or 250Mbps if you have 10 simultaneous streaming devices.

          • Thanks for your help.

            I will invest in the x80-5g and an external antenna and integrate it into my current mesh of x20’s and go from there.

            Happy New Year!!!!

15. Hi Dong, I read you comments about smart plugs fouling a network. I’m having problems and looking for the best way out. Currently an AC86U with 4 nodes (mix of wifi 5 routers) in a mesh with wired backhaul. I have around 100 devices regularly connected and get regular lockups. Options I’m considering (although mostly blind feel rather than your sort of knowledgeable decision making). I’m interested in your thoughts.

    1. Turn off AiMesh and put all the nodes in AP mode using the same SSIDs. That should take AiMesh out of the equation?
    2. Turn on the guest 2.4 network and move all my smart devices onto that. That should free up conflict on 2.4/5 networks?
    3. Replace the main router with a Wifi 6 model and at some compatible nodes. That would eliminate hardware processing as the issue, but would be pretty expensive.
    4. Do something clever to create a second network for smart devices and take them away from the main network (although I’ve no idea how to do this yet so will be reading your site avidly if this is where I have to go!)

    Reply

    • Hi Steve,

      There’s no such thing as “smart” plug 🙂 — more in this post, you should read it. To answer your questions:

      1. Yes, but there’s no point in doing that, and it’ll work.
      2. Nope, more on the Guest network in this post but the guest SSID is just a virtual portion of the same band — it uses the same bandwidth and settings of the main SSID.
      3. Nope.
      4. Yes, you can use multiple Double-NAT setups in your case and somehow divide up the smart devices among the routers.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the reply and happy new year to you. I’ve read the double NAT article and have a couple of questions.

        1. if I isolate all of the ”smart” kit including the echo devices into the second NAT will I still be able to communicate with them from my phone, tablet etc on the other NAT or is that only achieved by security additions?

        2. Secondly, how does AiMesh handle the second NAT is is accessible from all mesh nodes?

        3. One final thing I didn’t ask previously is whether flipping to Merlin would give me any benefit as I know it has a lot more configuration options.

        Reply

        • 1. That depends on the actual device. Some might work some might not. Most won’t work for the initial setup process.
          2. It doesn’t. You can’t have a single AiMesh (or any mesh) in a double NAT; you can only have separate mesh systems on top of each other.
          3. It won’t work with what you need, but it’ll give you more advanced options and maybe more stability — more on Merlin in this post.

          Reply

16. Hi Dong

    Would you be able to recommend a tri band mesh system that can be purchased in the UK via Amazon direct? I need tri band due to wireless backhaul only. I was looking at the XE75 but as you state in the 6E section of best mesh, 6E is shorter range. It might matter in a 3 story house.

    Thank you

    Reply

    • I don’t know what’s available in the UK, Greg. But you can try the ZenWiFi XT8 or XT9 or the Deco AX90. The XE75 should work, too, if you only need modest bandwidth. Or you can also try the ZenWiFi XD6.

      Good luck!

      Reply

      • ZenWifi XT8 available but not XT9. 🙁

        How much worse in coverage/range would the 6E based XE75 be to the XT8? As for bandwidth, I won’t ever need anything above 1Gbps. Fibre connection is likely going to be max 500 Mbps anyway.

        Thanks

        Reply

        • I’d say about 10%, but that varies by location. The issue is without a dedicated backhaul band, the XE75 will have less than half the speed of the backhaul band, whichever it is, at the satellite unit, and that will be slow considering its middling specs. You can open the XT8‘s backhaul band for clients, and even then, it’s still fast since it’s a 4×4 band. Please read the reviews of them for more.

          Reply

17. I was looking at your reviews for 2022 WiFi 6 routers. Comparing the Velop mx4200 and Asus XT8 … Has the ability to use wired backhaul improved enough for the xt8? I have an earlier Velop but would like more features including parental controls.

    Reply

    • Yes, it has, David. But if you have wiring, it’s better to use Dual-band or Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E hardware instead.

      Reply

18. Hello!

    I was wondering if maybe you could suggest a mesh system that would suit my situation the best. The house is two stories high and about 2500 sqft but the issue is that on both floors the cable is on the edge of the house and there is no way of bringing it closer to the middle.

    The idea I had was to have the main router hub on the first floor and have 2 satellite hubs, one connected through cable on the second floor on the edge of the house, and another on the second floor closer to the middle but connected via WIFI.

    Would you think that the second satellite is useless and only one on the second floor would be sufficient? I wanted to go for the Tri-band Mesh solution but you have noted that in some cases these systems do not work well when connected with cable and I kinda need to connect one with cable and the other one via WIFI.

    Any help would be appreciated! Cheers!

    Reply

    • I can’t and don’t comment on a specific situation, Chris. I’d recommend you start with this post.

      Reply

19. I read this article very carefully. This is an essential and informative article on buying new branding and affordable price routers. Thanks for sharing this great article with us.

    Reply

    • Sure, but no spamming, please. 🙂

      Reply

20. Hello Dong

    I’m currently using a Taotronics mesh (2 devices) that I bought in January, per specification it only handles up to 500 Mbps connection. I recently upgraded my connection to 1gigbit and was looking to upgrade to a mesh that handles 1 gig connection using wireless backhaul between the units. I tried the Tp-Link XE75 which uses Wifi 6E, however I didn’t see much of an improvement, I actually saw lost connection and thought it could be because the XE75 used a dedicated 6Ghz bandwidth for backhaul between the units so I only had 2 bands for the devices Vs thr Tri band being shared on the Taotronics. I am currently considering the XT8 and the Amplifi Alien and wanted your opinion in which to choose (Let’s set the price difference aside). I saw reviews that the Amplifi Alien has higher speeds at longer distances Vs the XT8, however I like that the XT8 has a 2.5 gig input so it can accommodate if I wanted to increase the speed in the future. Let me know what you think.

    Reply

    • Check out this post on how to pick a mesh system, Omar.

      Reply

21. Hi Dong,
    I get you don’t like eero because of privacy concerns. But you can say the same concerns about any internet provider or phone plan provider as well. How about just using VPN on all devices?
    Also, the important point is firmware updates. Eero first gen (release date in 2016) is still getting security/firmware updates. Do you know about any other manufacturer that gives security/firmware updates for 7+ years?

    Reply

    • Internet providers and ISP has no reason to spy on you, Alex. Yes, technically, they can, but it’s ultimately a waste of their resources. One of the reasons is that they have no idea who uses the connection; they only know who pays for the connection and how much traffic is going through. This is why there are legal requirements before an ISP, or a phone company turns over the record of a service account — it costs them extra to do so. And they are all in the business of making money.

      If you use a ISP-provided gateway, however, that’s now a different story — the data connection is no much more targeted at no additional cost — everyone logs in and identify themselves each time they get connected. At the very least, every device registers itself to the router via the MAC address, etc.

      VPN has little to do with security or privacy; you only trade one source of risk for another, which might or might not be safer. More in this post. And even if you use a VPN, your traffic still goes through your ISP — it only costs the ISP even more to snoop on you if they need to.

      ALL popular networking vendors have certain old devices, not all, that they have supported for years. Pick any networking vendor, and you will find at least one of its products that’s been supported for a very long time.

      Forced auto firmware update is no good. You don’t want that. What if you want to skip a version? Or if you want to use an older version? Auto firmware update is just a way the vendor exerts their complete control on your router and, by extension, you. Most other vendors leave auto firmware updates as an OPTION (you can turn that on or off.) Also, constant new firmware updates could mean that the hardware is BAD or designed to do evil things.

      Online privacy and security are a matter of degree — more here.

      Reply

22. Dong, thanks again for another great update. I have been using a three pack of RBK752 (RBR750 and 2 x RBS750) for a while now and it has been good. Please, for the uninformed (me), can you explain the importance of the 160Mhz channel? Mine does not support it but the Deco X5700 does. I am completely wireless and will likely never be wired. I am wondering if changing to the X5700 will get me anything compared to my three pack RBK752 series. Thank you!

    Reply

    • I explained that in great detail in this post on Wi-Fi 6, Mike — give it a good read, don’t just scan through! By the way, generally, if you run into something you are not clear about, just follow the related link — there should be one close by in the post you’re reading. 🙂

      Reply

23. Hi Doing how about using a flow chart so us non techy folks can more easily choose our best options

    Reply

    • I wish. Flow charts are not easy, Darrell. There’s a lot of coding involved.

      Reply

24. Hi Dong,

    Thank you for this helpful wonderful analysis. Let me know your best recommendation for the following:

    4,000 sq foot house, 3 levels (basement, first floor, second floor). I currently subscribe to 1 gig speed fiber internet (1,000 speed upload and download) and I have just finished running Cat 7 wires to the office, master bedroom, and living room locations. I will eventually run a wire to the basement as well once I build a movie room down there.

    I am interested in a mesh system with only 2 units to start with, utilizing only wired backhauls for my current gig speeds, but will likely subscribe to faster speeds once they are eventually offered.

    I liked your review of what the Asus RT-AX86U is capable of but some of the trend micro data sharing/privacy was a bit concerning too me. What do you think some of the best options I should consider are?

    Reply

    • I’d recommend the ET2 in your case, Dan, if you really want to get full Gigabit out of your broadband. I generally address the privacy issue in each review. Make sure you read before asking other questions — that’s one of the rules. 🙂

      Reply

25. Seems very detailed analysis. It will be very helpful if you can start a league table to summarise the finding at the end.
    I’m looking to buy a mash for the 3-bed house (medium size). I ultimately end up with TP-Link Deco X90 or NETGEAR WiFi 6 Orbi RBK752.
    TP-Link Deco X90 (2 unit)is available for £349
    and NETGEAR WiFi 6 Orbi RBK752 (2 units) is for £320

    which one you would prefer? or any other alternative you recommend?

    Reply

    • Thanks for the suggestion, Harry. I’ll see what I can do.

      AS for your question, “medium” can mean a lot of things. I’d recommend checking this post on picking a mesh and you will be able to figure out what fits you best.

      Reply

26. Hi Dong,

    Just read this thread and a few others. What’s your recommendation for a wireless mesh system to over a split level home (350sqm) for an internet connection that’s only 50mbps? I’ve been looking at the asus xd4 and eero 6 plus.

    Thanks,
    David

    Reply

    • I’d go with the XD6, David. Avoid eero!

      Reply

      • Great, I’ll have a look at the XD6 and will avoid Eero? Just noticed that the orbi range went on sale locally for me. Asus XD6 over the orbi rbk353 or rbk752?

        Reply

27. Hello Dong,

    I literally came across your site this morning. My situation is as follows:

    I just moved into my new construction home last week. I am not ready to make anything wired so I would like to stick with wireless for the majority of the gadgets in my house. I do game a lot on my PS5 and I pay for Fiber 1000 with AT&T. The PS5 is wired into the AT&T modem and is in my game room which is upstairs. My wife’s office is downstairs on the opposite side of the house from my game room where the AT&T modem is located so therefore the AT&T modem’s wifi signal is non existent. When I do a speed test on the AT&T modem my speeds are faster than when I do a speedtest to the router that I bought. My new home is 2218 sq ft.

    I currently have the Netgear Nighthawk MK63S mesh system in my home and I am not satisfied with the performance. One of the satellite modems is in my wife’s office and I can maybe get 100 down and 50 up. Am I over reacting on the speeds or can I do better? Also, I don’t believe that the hand off between the satellites is a seamless transition.

    Reply

    • Welcome aboard, Rashad! This is the place where you can figure things out yourself. That said, you should start with this post to get on the same page with everyone on the terms — chances are you don’t have any “modem” at home. After that, this post on mesh systems will help. Make sure you follow related links, too, if you have more questions.

      Reply

      • Okay, so the AT&T equipment that I have is the gateway. I am confident that I have a mesh system with the Netgear Nighthawk MK63S. I previously had a Netgear Nighthawk RAX43 that I replaced with the MK63S. I now believe that I could have put the RAX43 in AP mode and could have had similar or better speeds and reliable WiFi. I am unsure of this because I was too hasty to try it out. The AT&T gateway just wasn’t performing in the spot of my house that I wanted it to perform but it has better WiFi speeds than my MK63S. The coverage isn’t as great though. The speeds on the RAX43 was better than the gateway and the MK63S. I was wondering if the single router in AP mode would do the trick of getting coverage and consistent speeds in the part of the house that is struggling for coverage or if the MK63S is better for this job? Or perhaps a different mesh system would be better. Another thing I thought about, the MK63S comes with a router and two satellite hubs. Do I have to use both of them or can I get away with using one? Would only using one improve speeds and prevent a daisy-chain topology?

        Reply

        • The MK63 is quite bad — here’s my review. In your case, you’ll have to deal with two NATs — so check out this post.

          After that, I’d recommend the Asus ZenWiFi XT8 (wireless) (or get the Netgear Orbi RBK850/750) or ET8 (or ET12)if you can wire your home — you should! There’s no way to enjoy Gigabit Internet without getting the place wired.

          Reply

          • Thank you for this. I am going to return the MK63 tomorrow and get the Orbi RBK750. I just read your review and it seems like it has everything that I need and then some. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also on sale for $100 off.

          • Sure, Rashad. Good luck! 🙂

28. Hi Dong,
    Thanks for your effort in making these posts and also taking the time to reply to most of the comments
    what are your views on the new TP-Link Deco AXE5300 (Wi-Fi 6E Tri-Band Whole-Home Mesh Wi-Fi System) ?

    Reply

    • I’m testing it, check back for the review soon.

      Reply

      • Excited for the review on the AXE5300 as well. I am using a 2 x Asus XT8 configuration right now and have been having a lot of issues. Looking at this system as a replacement.

        Reply

        • It’s actually AXE5400 (Deco XE75), Austin. The review will be up tomorrow morning. You’ll get an alert if you sign up for the notification of new posts.

          Reply

          • Very excited to read it! Regarding the AXE5300 vs AXE5400 I was referring to, I believe, the same AXE5300 that Guatam was referring to.

            https://www.tp-link.com/us/deco-mesh-wifi/product-family/deco-xe5300/

            I did a bit of digging and from people that have already received theirs, it looks like these are all the same units (XE75) just different packages.

          • Gosh. Yes, they seem to be the same thing just 2-pack vs 3-pack. Oh well! The review is set to go live in 5 hours 19 minutes. You can unfreeze yourself now. Or not 🙂

29. Thanks, Dong. I did that. I also set the channel bandwidth to suggested recommendations and updated the wifi channels. It has been better since this. I should be getting 200mbps. In the back bedroom, I get around 95-100. I have an RP-AX56 on the way. Going to see where the ideal placement will be, and I will also wire it.

    Reply

    • I bet you use an Internet speed test app. It’s generally inaccurate. But chances are your device is connected to the 2.4GHz band. Make sure you separate the bands and use the 5GHz for the testing. Also, make sure your CAT cable can deliver Gigabit and not 100Mbps, which is a common case of faulty CAT5e wiring.

      Reply

      • Thanks again! I am using an app to test the speed. When you say separate the bands, does that occur on the device, or router?

        Also, how can I test the Ethernet lines? I have a gigabit switch at the start of the lines, which the ISP said was necessary to improve performance. Maybe that means that they are gigabit?

        Reply

        • On the router, Torrey. Turn off SmartConnect and use the name of each band with a different name. If you test with the 5GHz or 6GHz and still get consistent lower than 100Mbps then chances are it’s your wiring or switch. To test a wired connection, you can get a test kit or follow this post.

          Reply

          • Will separating the bands necessitate the naming of two SSIDs?

          • You think that the latter causes the former. 🙂

          • Thank you.

            Another question. In your opinion, considering that my house is wired, is a Unifi system worth a look?

            Dream Machine Pro -> POE Switch Two AP’s, third AP for outdoors.

          • Yes, Torrey. UniFi is totally different but it’ll work really well. It’s more of a business solution, though, so it might require a bit of in-depth networking know-how. The UDM is the compact version of the UDM Pro, which is more suitable for home use and it has similar architecture.

30. Hi Dong! Wonderful to read your articles and get educated! Thanks so much. I was hoping to get your advice on what you thought was more wise: using the Asus ZenWiFi CT8 or XT8, or AiMesh (we don’t have a wired setup or any AiMesh routers).

    I’m in an older two-story flat, each floor measuring 700sq ft, with reinforced concrete and brick walls. Our connection is 500Mbps but have only seen speeds of 75 using wifi since we use a very old AirPort we need to replace. It’s located close to the modem and only wiring in a corner room in the flat. We have a few dead zones where the wifi signal can’t reach across two rooms and the upper floor. I’m hoping to change this. Since we don’t have a wired system, we can’t use a wired backhaul unfortunately (I just learnt what that means from your articles!). I’m leaning towards the XT8 after reading your articles, and also because I’m not located in the States and need to check for dual voltage 120V/220V, so it might be easier to use an existing system made for this market. That said, I’m worried that the signal won’t be strong enough for the thick walls and another floor, and wondering if a bespoke AiMesh setup might perform better. Thanks for your advice in advance.

    What’s your favourite bean this year – mocha java?

    Reply

    • All ZenWiFi routers use AiMesh, Nic, just like Asus standalone routers. If your current AirPort can cover the place (though slow), then a single new router will do. That said you can start with the GT-AX11000 or RT-AX92U. If need be you can add another unit to extend the coverage. But yes, thick concrete walls are problematic and the only way to truly overcome that is through network cables.

      Products I’ve reviewed are generally 120/240V, if not, I’ll call that out in the review, like this one. But I’d recommend against buying a US router to use in Hong Kong or elsewhere since the regulations might be different. More in this post on dBm.

      Reply

      • Thanks Dong! Great heads up on the regulations – likely saving me from a huge headache. The AirPort can’t cover a room on the same floor as the AirPort after the signal meets two walls, so we likely will need to replace it. In this case, would you suggest the ZenWifi system XT8 over purchasing new routers? The price seems comparable.

        Reply

        • Then go with the XT8, Nic. Good luck!

          Reply

          • Dong,

            I am attempting to add an Asus RP AX56 to my aimesh system. Note that both of my nodes are wired. My network will only add the RP when it is wired directly into one of the nodes. When I disconnect and attempt to move it to a dead spot, it loses signal. Any thoughts? Thank you.

          • What you said didn’t make a lot of sense, Torrey.

31. Hi Dong,

    We have a 3-story house and currently use an Orbi RBK50 (main floor) with 2 satellites (one upstairs, one basement), but subscribe to 1000mbps speed. Seems that this actually supports up to 400mbps and we want to upgrade our router. I am between the ASUS XT8 with two nodes + router and the Orbi RBK852 with two nodes + router. We do a lot of streaming, have a ton of connected devices, and WFH, but no gaming. Which one of these two would you suggest or is there another you’d recommend?

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • I’d recommend that you get your home wired, Taylor. After that get dual-band AiMesh combo. But if you can’t, I’d go with a 3-pack XT8. Good luck!

      Reply

      • Thanks, Dong!!!

        Reply

        • Sure, Taylor. 🙂

          Reply

          • Hey Dong, can’t do the wired network, but added the XT8s and getting like 300mbps faster than before, which is great. Still nowhere near 1000mbps even when my phone is right next to router.Any ideas on how to improve? I didn’t separate the 5ghz from the 2.4 etc because we have lots of family that need to connect easily without any confusion. Does that make a difference?

          • It only makes a difference if you need to make sure you use the 5GHz instead of the 2.4GHz. Also, there’s no Wi-Fi device (phone/laptop, etc.) that can do 1000Mbps of sustained speed. More in this post.

          • So if I’seeing ~350-500 mbps, I’m in good shape?

          • Yeap. That’s about as fast as most devices can be.

          • So what’s the actual purpose of having 1gb internet speed if devices can’t reach those levels?

            Thanks!

          • The point is multiple devices can have their best levels simultaneously. It’s speed vs bandwidth.

      • Dong,

        I have been following your site for a few weeks now, and I must say, your insight is splendid.

        I currently have ASUS ET8 (I am still within the return window). I have both nodes wired. My second floor (home is about 3000sq ft) still experiences some wifi signal issues and overall slowness. Would I be better off with the XT8? Note that my whole home is wired with CAT5e.

        Reply

        • Thanks, Torrey. No, since you have your home wired, the ET8 is the better fit — either it or the ET12. Make sure you set the backhaul to wired. Use the web interface then AiMesh -> System Settings -> turn Ethernet Backhaul Mode to On.

          Reply

32. Hi Dong,

    What a real eye-openers your articles here are! I learned a LOT, big thanks!

    I am considering a new Wifi 6 set to replace my wifi 5 Velop 3-set (AC660, WHW0303). 3 nodes was a bit overkill, so I expect I can do with 2 nodes now. The balcony/terrace is hard to cover as there are well isolated (signal-wise) metal window frames in between. But with a node in the windowsill, there is no problem anymore.

    My situation:
    125 m3 apartment (single level)
    All nodes wired
    1 GB Fiber internet and routed IPTV
    Fritzbox 7590 modem-router (ISP) Like to keep this as my router, so the new mesh set wil be in AP mode.
    Mixed wireless and wired network with 3 TP-Link SG108E and SG105E switches

    I am considering Asus ZenWifi.
    You say a XD6 will do in wired situations, but I can buy the XT8 set for the same price (€339,- both for 2 nodes). Is there a reason to still choose the XD6 set then?
    I see some differences in the 2×2 and 4×4 in different bands, something to consider here?

    Linksys advised me to wire the primary Velop directly to my modem-router, connect a (dedicated) switch to the other port on the same Velop and connect the other secondary Velops directly to this switch. No other networkconnections were allowed to this same switch for best results, according to Linksys.
    This can still be done with the Asus’ but is this still needed? Or can I connect the seconday node to whatever switch as long as it is connected in the same network as the primary node is?

    Since I will be using the set in AP mode; any advantages in choosing a (“real”) AP, instead of a router set which I use in AP mode?
    The Ubiquity Unify mesh AP’s seem interesting too, especially because the support PoE as well.

    Any other recommendations for my situation (other sets?) are welcome to of course.

    Thanks again, I will definately be following your site and posts!

    Reply

    • I can’t do specific consulting, Henk. Keep in mind that I’m in the States and have no idea how things are on your end. That said, you should:

      1. Check out this post on double NAT vs single NAT, it applies to your situation.
      2. If your home is wired, there’s no reason to get the XT8. Why? Here’s the review.
      3. If you must use the current gateway, maybe get a couple of access points instead.

      By the way, what Linksys advised you is laughable — it’s like saying a road with just one car is best for traffic so keep it that way. But more on AiMesh in this post.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the reply Dong! Highly appreciated.
        I didn’t mean to ask for a specific consulting, just trying to make answering as easy as possible for you but giving the best details I could think of. 🙂

        I did look for access points and read your articles, but I cannot find any AP that comes anywhere near the price of the XT8 (+/- $382) when maintaining the same specs.
        Could I go wrong with the XT8 in AP mode?

        I read the XT8 review and get that there is no NEED to get this set in wired situations, but thing is that the price for this XT8 is the same as the XD6. Why wouldn’t I get the XT8 then? Especially with the latest firmware that opens up all three bands.

        By the way: any way to support your work or buy you a beer? By PayPal i.e.?

        Reply

        • Yes, you can use the XT8 in AP modes — individually or as a mesh — I described the latter in this post on the ET8. The XT8, in my experience, has had an issue with wired backhaul, likely because it was made mainly for a fully wireless home. But with the latest firmware that seems to have been worked out. And you’re right, considering the specs, the XT8 might be the best APs you can get.

          The support info is at the bottom or lower part of each page, Henk. Thanks for the thought.

          Reply

          • Thanks again for the reply Dong.
            I just ordered the XT8. Thanks for the advice and help!

            Enjoy the beer! 🍺👍🏻😃

          • Thanks, Henk. Appreciate it!

33. I would like to know, how the coverage range of only a single mesh router(no satellite) compares to other ‘non-mesh’ routers, like the TP Link AX-90 or GX-90 for example. The later have bigger and more antennas, is this of benefit comparing with a small mesh router?

    Reply

    • Check out this post, Alexander.

      Reply

34. Hello Dong,
    Searched the website for hours and found your website to be informative and efficient. Thank you for taking time to make this site happen.

    May I ask; I understand you said a dual band will work just fine for homes with modest internet speed (I am in Australia so internet speeds are embarrassing!) but; I have alot of home smart devices (lights, cameras, air con, tv, sensors, solar, computers, 2 kids on gaming stations, etc)
    I will be upgrading to mesh after surviving with telco modem/wifi router at one end of house and 4 year old netgear wifi extender further up which JUST covers to out back verandah and downstairs (just but erratic). Both dual band but must switch networks as I walk around house.

    Will i see ANY extra improvements with the tri band over a dual band?

    I believe a newer mesh setup will resolve a lot of issues I have and I would be prepared to spend extra money IF there are ANY benefits with tri-band rather than dual.

    I can get a asus xd4 3 pack for $280 USD or asus xt8 2 pack for $430.

    I like the idea of being able to use the xt8 to plug in a network drive but would not pay the extra cost just for this if there is absolutely no other benefit!

    Sincerely
    Ben

    Reply

    • Oh and I should add I do not have any options for wired, all must be wireless.

      Reply

      • More about dual-band vs tri-band in this post, BJ. And more about mesh systems in this post. For your case, it depends on your Internet speed, but generally, you should use fewer “smart devices”. They are very problematic.

        Reply

35. Dong, I just installed the Asus XT8. Setup was beyond easy and I updated the firmware as well. I noticed a checkbox in the Advanced Settings/Wireless/5 GHz-2 area labeled ‘enable 160MHz’. Would this indicate that Asus has now added 160MHz band support? See attached.

    Reply

    • That’s always been the case, Bruce. That’s he backhaul band.

      Reply

      • Thanks, Dong. Your work is terrific!

        Reply

        • Thanks, Bruce. And you’re welcome.

          Reply

36. Hi Dong, I’ve recently discovered your website, it’s great! Keep up the good work.

    May I clarify my plan please based on my understanding of your articles?

    Current set up in my home is CAT 6 ethernet, with Apple AirPort Extreme plus 3 x Apple Airport Express (a primitive backhaul mesh…?). My home is a 100 year old UK brick house, with 9 inch walls, total area 2,000 square feet. The ground floor has been extended recently with quite a few steel girders (ie not good for wifi signal). I have 2 broadcasters (AirPort Extreme plus an Express) on this ground floor and one each on the 2 floors above. I could possible survive with a single broadcaster for the two upper floors but 4 provides great performance.

    There’s nothing wrong with the performance per se but I am aware Apple equipment is old, not updated very often and ought to be upgraded at some point. Agree, or is this more urgent??

    My real question is this: from your reviews above I intend to go for the Asus XD6. The standard package is for 2 broadcasters and I want to see if this seems OK vs my current set up of 4.

    I see in your article above you say “Thanks to the high bandwidth backhaul link, you can place the broadcasters farther out to get more extensive coverage without losing too much speed in the process.”, so am hoping that two will work OK.

    Right now in the UK I can only buy the XD6 in pairs so it could be quite expensive to buy 4 x units (unless you can recommend an alternative Asus product as a range extender).

    Hope this makes sense and open to any suggestions or comments you might have. Once again I appreciate the info in your site!

    Reply

    • The XD6 will be 10x better (not necessarily just in the speed) than your Apple stuff, which was bad even when it was new, Pete. This is especially since you have CAT 6. Go for it. Or you can go with the XD4 or a mix .

      Reply

      • Many thanks Dong, much appreciated!

        Reply

        • Sure, Pete.:)

          Reply

37. Hi Dong,

    Great information and articles. I live in Hong Kong where the walls are thick concrete and even though the space is small, i’m having trouble with a proper wireless mesh system. I’ve gone overboard with an GT-AX11000 as the main router and an AC86U as mesh node but the speeds are still quite slow in other rooms. Would you suggest getting the AX6100 as a node or switching the system completely to a pair of XT8??

    Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • Check out this post on AiMesh combos, Ted.

      Reply

38. Hi Dong!
    I know your an expert can you help me. I have an Asus Zenwifi XT8. My internet connection is 500Mbps. How come when I do speed test on my routers built in speedtest I get 500Mbps but when I test using my Iphone 13 and laptop I only get 300-350Mbps using 5ghz wifi. I am not using any node just the main router to test speeds. Is there something wrong with my settings?

    Reply

    • Check out this post on testing, Ber.

      Reply

39. I have been reading through your articles and they are really well done. I haven’t been able to find what you recommend for my particular situation. I have a 3 level house 1200sq/ft per floor with the following system. Gigabit fibre internet. Netgear r7000 as a router in basement.
    R7000 wired to main on main floor as an AP.
    R7000 on 2nd story connected via powerline to main floor, not able to get Ethernet cable upstairs.
    Everything works just fine but I can only get 350mbps on any floor. Paying for gigabit internet and only getting 35% of my speed via wifi is a bit of a bummer.
    With Black Friday I am thinking to redo my system while stuff is on sale. Hoping to go wifi 6 for future proofing.
    With a mixed backhaul situation I can’t figure out which mesh system to go with or maybe I shouldn’t do mesh at all?

    Any help is appreciated,

    Reply

    • A couple of things, Jason:

      1. You must run a network cable instead of a powerline. More in this post. Else 350Mbps is the best you’ll get on a good day, and that’s Half-Duplex. There’s NO alternative way, don’t waste your time.
      2. After that get the ZenWiFi XD6 or a pair of dual-band Asus AiMesh.
      3. There’s no such thing as real “future proof”. Wi-Fi 7 is around the corner. Just get what you need today.

      Reply

      • This is what I am looking at doing in my house. I need 3 units, 1 on each floor and I can only get a wire from the basement to the main floor. The 2nd floor unit will have to connect wirelessly to the main floor rather then using the powerline. I am looking at Asus aimesh to do the work. An rtax82u as the main router and an Xd6 pair as ap’s. I just haven’t been able to figure out if this combo is going to work with the main xd6 being hardwired to the ax82u but then it running wirelessly to the second xd6 upstairs?

        Reply

        • It will work, Jason, just a matter of degrees. Try running a cable for he 2nd floor and you’re all set.

          Reply

40. Hi Dong,
    Thanks for you site and all quality articles and reviews.
    I set up a new Orbi RBK752 last week (after several tries because Orbi app on iPhone kept saying cannot connect to the router). I have good coverage everywhere (router downstairs, 1 satellite upstairs) and the wifi speed is good but I have a hard time to connect as admin to the router reliably. I have “block new devices” on so I have to access orbilogin (192.168.1.1) to allow devices. Many times I have to power cycle the router to connect to it. Also the Orbi app on iPhone disconnects often. All devices keep connection with good speed even when I have app/admin connection issues. And I’m using wireless backhaul.
    Wondering if this is a known issue for Orbi 752 (and probably for other Orbi variants).
    Thanks Dong

    Reply

    • Turn off the block new devices, Rick. Also, that does not work well since it’s based on MAC addresses. Use a good Wi-Fi password instead.

      Reply

41. Hi Dong,

    Thanks for the article and it’s great! I used to have an Orbi RBK53S which was amazing and never had an issue for 2-3 years. We had an extension on our home and decided to make the house a lot ‘smarter’ (ridiculous amount of devices added – heating controls, camera’s, lights (indoor and outdoor), underfloor heating, 8x Alexa’s, 8x smart TV’s, Sky Q with 4 mini Q’s (3 wired to a mesh satellite due to range issues/deadspot in the house), 6 phones, 5 laptops, network laser printer, 3x tablets, Playstation, Nintendo etc.)!

    When we did this, we noticed lots of WiFi drop outs and our ISP (BT) offered their router and satellites for free (BT SmartHub2 + 5 satellites). However, we still see lots of drop outs on a regular basis. My ISP tell me that I have a lot of smart home items which are permanently connected and need a concurrent connection and/or there’s some form of signal interference (they can’t tell us what it could be), which is why we experience drop outs. Is this true and is this a factor to consider when looking for a mesh WiFI system? I think it’s more to do with their speed (40mbps) as we’re very rural, the brick walls we have throughout the house which cause the slower WiFi speeds and 7 people all vying for connection!

    I’ve noticed that on manufacturers websites, they talk about concurrent connections, but some aren’t clear what they exactly mean. I assume it’s the amount of devices connected to a single hub/satellite at any one point. I understand IP addresses can handle which ever range you give to them e.g. x.x.x.256 means 256 devices, but not necessarily all at the same time.

    I’d like to get another mesh system that can handle this and hoping you can recommend something. I have a soft spot for the Orbi as it was faultless for a long time and thinking of the Orbi RBK853 because of the concurrent devices or would the RBK753 or RBK53S be enough?

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • A couple of things, Myles:

      1. You need to take some time on this. There’s no easy answer. If you expect me (or anyone) to help you with an “easy solution,” there’s no such thing. I can only point you in the right direction. Make sure you READ the posts linked in this reply.
      2. Your issue can be either on the internet or Wi-Fi sides or both. And Internet and Wi-Fi are two different things, you can’t blame one for the other. If an Internet issue, which is likely since you have slow broadband, you need to reduce the number of the “smart” devices — despite the name, it’s not “smart” on the user’s part to use most of them.
      3. If it’s a Wi-Fi issue, which is also likely in your case since you since canned a solution from the provider: First, check out this post on how to use a mesh system — make sure you set up yours correctly, and then this one on troubleshooting.

      Again, only somebody who’s been to your place can figure things out. And you’re already there. 🙂

      Reply

42. Hi,
    Based on your review and others, I just bought the XD6 as I have a wired home. Unfortunately, I’ve spent the first 3 days troubleshooting as I am unable to get a wired backhaul consistently. Even at the limit of the two nodes wired together directly by a single line and re-adding the node, I can only see ethernet as the backhaul initially for about 30 seconds, and then it always reverts to a 5GHz backhaul. I’ve contacted ASUS tech support, which has been disappointing to say the least. I feel like there has to be a trick of some sort. I’ve upgraded firmware, I’ve tried setting the priority to the wired backhaul – everything ASUS support suggested. They are stumped. I just cannot get a wired backhaul consistently – even if the system is as simple as just the router and satellite connected with a wire. Any tricks? I want this thing to work badly, but right now I’m ready to send it back.
    Sean

    Reply

    • Assuming you’ve wired them together correctly, I’d say check your network cables, Sean.

      Reply

      • Hi Dong,
        Yes, I checked the cables. They’re brand new and work between other devices. The fact that I see a wired backhaul connection and then it goes away consistently in a similar amount of time clearly suggests a software problem, not hardware. It would be arbitrary if it were a spotty cable. I haven’t timed it but the ethernet backhaul shows and then reverts to 5GHz very consistently. That’s not a cable. So not something you’ve seen or heard of? I only ask because I thought you mentioned in your coverage of this router somewhere that you had some issues of some kind initially and was hoping it was the same thing.
        Sean

        Reply

        • I should also add as further proof there’s an issue: a configuration connecting a laptop by hardline to the satellite which is then wired to the router is able to see the laptop as hardwired in the ASUS app/webpage but not the satellite that it is passing through. The satellite still only briefly holds an ethernet status and then reverts to 5GHz, while the laptop remains ethernet status and has the fiber speed to prove it. I don’t know what could show a problem more clearly than that.
          Sean

          Reply

        • I don’t have that issue on mine at all. I’ve used a pair since the review — I use the RT-AX89X as the primary router, though. Try swapping the units to see if that helps. But it’s odd.

          Reply

          • Problem solved: The prior mesh routers I’ve used all had a router device and different satellites. Regardless of how many LAN ports each had, ONLY the router had a WAN port. Thus, it was intuitive to me to connect the satellite to the wall using LAN port, not the WAN. This was my error. Rereading the instructions, I finally found that the satellite is supposed to be connected at the WAN port to the wall for wired backhaul. I just wanted to admit my error in case it helps anyone else and remove all blame I had been pointing at ASUS. This was user error, although I would maintain both their software and support team should have caught my error and neither did and sent a lot of confusing signals instead like the temporary display of wired backhaul. Thanks for your thoughts, nonetheless, Dong!

          • Great! I guess you skipped the part where I said I had assumed you wired them together correctly in the previous reply. Get a “pay attention” lesson out of this. 🙂

          • In the instructions I got, it only mentions wired back haul as an FAQ, not part of the main setup or in the setup app, so I didn’t see this at first. It’s really annoying wired back haul is assumed to be such a minor use case. I maintain what I did was logical for many people given how lots of mesh systems work. It would be easy for ASUS to make the wired back haul option part of the main setup instructions and build better checking into the software. I don’t think the average person using a mesh router should have to know this much about networking. All of networking is horrifically far from easy at this point. I’ve wasted hundreds of hours on it and I’ve got a PhD. That’s business opportunity I hope someone takes.

          • Asus’s instructions are generally not up to snuff. But the “pay attention” lesson I mentioned was me speaking from experience. That’s partly why I always try to be as specific as possible here — I mentioned the WAN port very clearly in multiple places, such as this one. The point is we’re all imperfect as individuals. And networking (IT in general) is even more complicated than you imagine — what you see is never what you get. 🙂

43. Hi Dong, thank you for the reviews you made, it is very good articles about networking.
    So here is my story:
    I am currently using Amplifi HD. It served me well until i found decrease performance on the devices connected to the sattelite.
    I have 2 Amplifi HD router wired backhaul and 3 satellite, i actually have one more sattelite which is broken (the magnetic bowl is suddenly broken / fell apart in 2020).
    I want to change my Mesh home, which one do you think is better:
    1. Several Ai-mesh router wired + wireless backhaul (rt-ax82U, ax92u)
    When i already set it up, will their wireless connection (between router) be steady and worry free (no need to re setup again if i need to reboot it?)
    Because my Amplifi HD is never messed up with this, i just need to reboot it or replug it maybe once a month.

    2. Asus zenwifi XT8 (3or4sets)

    I never had asus aimesh / mesh router before. So this question is for both the rt-ax and xt8:
    For the wireless backhaul, is it possible to choose specific 5Ghz for the wireless backhaul instead of AUTO?
    I’m asking this because i have velop too, and you can’t modifiy it, it is just Auto and we can’t even see it if it is a 2.4 or 5Ghz. I am so dissapointed with the Velop settings (via apps and web)

    Thank you

    Ivan.

    Reply

    • Hi Ivan.

      1. Check out this post. Make sure you read and follow the related links.
      2. See #1.

      Reply

44. Hi Dong!

    Thanks for the in depth write up. I currently have the Linksys MX4200 mesh system. I chose to ignore the reviews on Amazon, which had bitten me. I have a home office, the office being my attic, basically, with no easy way of getting a hardwired network upstairs without some major (and expensive) whole house networking. The problem I have, is that this Linksys Velop system crashes at least twice a day. Once when I boot my workstation at the beginning of the day, and again at some point in the middle of the day. None of the system logs indicate any issues, which is certainly not true, as the status light turns red. I’m just kind of at a loss. I work in IT so I need stability in my network, and the only way I can think to do that without a spend another good chunk of change on a different mesh system and gamble, or spend even more money to have a hardline network installed that isn’t just ethernet cables hiding under carpets. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply

    • Network cables under the carpet are fine, Brady. The MX4200 should work well, though, but maybe for a fully wireless setup. For a professional like you, with wired backhaul, I’d recommend an Asus dual-band set.

      Reply

      • Thank you for the reply! Much appreciated!

        Reply

45. Hi Dong,

    I just saw the press release for the new Orbi AXE11000 WiFi Mesh System (RBKE963).

    Looks like it’ll ship 10/29/21. Do you know if you’ll be getting a review unit, or do you already have one. Crazy price, but it does seem you typically review the Orbi models pretty well and netgear is taking another stab at the 6e mesh world.

    Reply

    • Check out this post, Lucas.

      Reply

46. Hi Dong,

    Thanks for the great article. Hope you can give me some advice. I am planning to buy a Deco X60 to serve my house using wired backhaul. I just bought the house, and here is the situation:

    – The rooms are all pre-wired for Ethernet with jacks in each rooms, but the other ends of the Ethernet wires are just all hanging loosely right now in one bundle in the basement, with all their ends spliced together.
    – The only exception is the Ethernet wire that goes into my office. It’s connected to the ONT (Verizon FIOS in the US) in the basement right now.
    – My current Wifi router is then plugged into the Ethernet port in my office and serves as the only access point right now.

    How can I convert this into a mesh setup using the X60? I understand I will have to connect the unconnected Ethernet wires in the basement to something. But how would that work?

    1) Can I connect the Ethernet wires to a switch in the basement, plug the ONT wire into the same switch as well, and place the main unit of the X60 in the office then? Can Internet access and the backhaul go over the same Ethernet port?

    2) Or do I need to plug the ONT into the main unit of the X60 in the basement, and then plug the second Ethernet port of the main unit into the switch to then connect to the satellites?

    I am a little confused.

    Thanks

    Reply

    • Check out this post on getting your home wired, SK. Looks like you’ve already gotten the heavy part done. You basically need to figure the A and B ends of those wires and hook the A ends to a patch pannel. It’s much easier than you think. Do it!

      Reply

47. Hi, Dong.

    Your site is such a blessing, thank you for all you do!

    I have 800 Mbps internet from Xfinity. My house is only 1800 square feet but has a lot of walls (including an ad-on living room with a door between it and the rest of the house). I’ve tried a single router but it won’t reach to the other side and drops the signal.

    So, I purchased an Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8. I’m really struggling with it.

    Even 10 feet from the router I’m fluctuating between 400-600. It took 5 calls to customer service to get the router to connect to the node. If the node is further than 25-30 feet away it drops the connection. But even that close the speeds are ~150 ish.

    Please help!

    Reply

    • A couple of things, Jenny.

      1. Read this post on testing, make sure you pay attention.
      2. You can never get the full Internet speed. More here.
      3. Re-set your system, upgrade it to the latest firmware and try again.

      Also, make sure you understand what you are doing, don’t have crazy expectations without knowing what’s really going on. As long as the speed is fast enough for what you need, the number doesn’t mean much.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the links — I’ll read them.

        I understand you can’t get full speed — my expectations aren’t unreasonable. That isn’t enough to do what I need — streaming is buffering, 4K isn’t playing, internet is dropping. So the number may not mean much but numbers that low aren’t normal.

        Would you please help me further? Thanks!

        Reply

        • Jenny,

          Curious, how close are the two units to each other, and are they connected via hardwire or are they using a wireless backhaul? In the past, with my Orbi, I had an issue that when two units were to close to each other they would basically trip over each other trying to handle things. When I moved them further apart things went way better. Not saying this is your problem, just trying to offer some experiences.

          From the two units, the one that you are struggling with, is it the remote side or the one connected to the modem?

          With either of the above. Consider turning off the remote unit and seeing what happens to the signal.

          -Peter

          Reply

          • She might be one of those sophisticated spammers, Peter. Or not. But be aware of those.

          • Guess you have seen a few of them. 😉

          • More than I’d like, Peter. It’s very hard to keep the site clean of BS. Oh well. 😅

        • You need to read them first, Jenny. They will answer you questions. That’s the whole point of my previous reply.

          You seem to focus on what you want to happen — understandably. But you should instead have some interest in what happen and why. Else, nobody can help.

          Again, read those posts with an open mind, at least you know what’s happening. That’s all I can offer anyway. Check your Internet connection, too.

          Reply

48. Hey Dong.
    I’ve been doing some research on your website, which has been extremely helpful, so thank you!
    I’m in a 2,800 sqft home with lots of walls separating rooms and areas where my signal needs to reach. I currently have an older router located downstairs that is for the entire house and doesn’t do a very good job. I have lots of lag in my streaming and in my zoom and discord calls.
    I’m looking for a system that can be powerful enough to run my 30+ smart home devices (Kasa), 4-6 cell phones, 3 laptops, 2 firesticks and cover the entire house well. It seems as though a backhauled wiring mesh system will be the right solution for me, I’m just not sure which one. I currently have a 100gbs connection but plan on bumping up to 200gbs. I don’t game and I mainly just stream, host smart home devices and broadcast live video through zoom and discord. I looked through your reviews, but would also love your opinion, based on what I shared, of which mesh system you think may be right for me. Like I said, I’m able to run network cables and do a backhaul system with 2 or 3 satellites (I believe is what you call them). Any help would be great. Thanks so much!

    Reply

    • A couple of things, Justin:

      1. Don’t use too many “smart home” devices. They are all bad for your network, but that varies from one type/brand to another, but the fewer are always better.
      2. Your Internet is slow considering the number of devices. Just do the math. You might want to use QoS.
      3. Since you already wired your, you can go with any dual-band combo on this AiMesh list. I’d pick the XD4, XD6 or a combo of a few dual-band routers.
      4. Separate the 5GHz band from the 2.4GHz band. Use the latter for most of your smart home devices.

      Good luck!

      Reply

      • Thanks for the quick reply! I’ll definitely check out your recommendations. Majority of my smart home devices are light switches and a couple light bulbs. They’re all TP Link Kasa products. Plus, we have 3 Alexa devices. We won’t be adding many more switches to the house.

        Reply

      • Dong,
        I took a look at your recommendations and did some reading on your articles about AiMesh. I have just a couple questions before I pull the trigger:
        1. If I get the XD6 or XD4 do I also need to have a modem to connect them to, or can I directly connect my coaxial cable internet into the router and then connect the WAN network to the satellite? I guess I’m a little confused on that part. I’m a beginner in Wi-Fi systems with a small amount of knowledge in wiring.
        If so, which modem would you recommend to run the XD6 or XD4 as a mesh system?

        2. Would you recommend against something more plug and play like the Orbi for my situation? I’m willing to take on something more advanced if it means more reliable and stable internet, but I also don’t need to get super technical with advanced features. I like the idea of splitting up my smart devices to the 2.4 band and keep my other devices on the 5ghz band. And also the QoS sounds like what I need for making sure my streaming and broadcasting runs smoothly and has priority over everything else while it’s happening.
        Thanks!

        Reply

        • Justin,

          1. You need a modem. These are just general routers so to speak. Get one of these.
          2. Yes, I generally would. More in this post.

          Reply

          • Any of those in that list will work fine? Are there any certain specs I should be aware of when purchasing for the ASUS ZenWiFi XD6? Thanks.

          • Read the full review, Justin.

          • Would the ARRIS Surfboard SB8200 work as well? Do all of these carry or support WiFi 6, or does that only pertain to the router? I think I’m going to upgrade to 400mbps from the 100 that I currently have. Still sub-gigabit, but should be plenty for what I need.
            Any other advice before I pull the trigger? Thanks.

          • The ARRIS Surfboard SB8200 is a modem, Justin. All mentioned here are routers + extra broadcasters — more here. Please read the linked posts before asking any more questions. 🙂

          • Sorry if there was some confusion. I was talking about, modems. You said I need a modem to host the routers. And that’s what I was referring to. I’ve been reading a bunch of your other articles and have an understanding now of how everything works together.

            So my question would be, would the ARRIS Surfboard SB8200 be a fine modem for my application to host the XD6 routers for the AiMesh? Or should I stick to the S33 or G36? I plan to connect both XD6 routers from the modem.

          • If you read the modem link in the previous reply — the router portion –, Justin, that would have answered your questions. Please make sure you read before asking.

      • Dong,

        Isn’t the greatest point of WiFi 6 that it is supposed to cover more devices because of IoT?

        In my configuration, now implemented with the Asus RT-AX86U’s that you recommended, I have ~60 different devices including laptops, phones, tablets, smart locks, blinds, cameras, light switches, and more. Asus appears to be handling these quite well, whereas the Orbi fell apart (went berserk is more like it).

        -Peter

        Reply

        • Not really, Peter. Many IoT devices don’t even support the 5GHz band, but just the 2.4GHz. But ultimately it’s about how the router manages its bandwidth. Glad the RT-AX86U works out. 🙂

          Reply

          • Thanks Dong,

            Which reminds me to read more of yours and other sites regarding the splitting out of 2.4 and 5 bands with separate SSID’s. Need to understand how these get bridged for access between the two, though I am not sure the benefits are as strong when the router my be smarter at load balancing when it has both bands available.

            FYI, could not find the pure RT-AX86U as they were sold out everywhere, so I had to pay extra for a painted red “ GUNDAM ZAKU II EDITION”. How the change of colour to red and some extra graphics in the router admin page is worth another $60 Canadian I do not know.

            -Peter

          • Sure, Peter. And I hear you! I guess it’s worth it for a few, all living outside of Canada. Where you are, folks have more things to find life colorful. 🙂

49. Thank you for doing extensive testing. I currently have the Netgear Orbi RBR 852 system and it’s now become super unreliable. Supposedly its a firmware issue that’s causing the router portion to randomly reboot itself or just drop connections. I was able to get a replacement router and its just as bad to the point I went back to my old Linksys EA9500 router till they put out an update. Would there be a better reccomendation for a 3 story roughly 3,000 sqft home? I have gig speeds, and had the router in my living room and the mesh point in my office via a wired connection.

    Reply

    • A couple of things, Zach:

      1. You shouldn’t have gotten the Orbi if you have wired your home.
      2. You want dual-band broadcasters for a wired home.
      3. Go with the Asus ZenWiFi XD6 or other dual-band AiMesh set.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the responce Dong.

        1. It was recommended for me ( I guess incorrectly) as at the time my house didn’t have a wire to my office which I installed post-purchase to improve the backhaul as the drop wireless was nearly 60% of what it was which seemed drastic.
        2. Would an Unifi Dream Machine and Accesspoint work well?

        Reply

        • Sure, Zach.

          1. Generally, it’s tough to count on wireless. You can think of your cell phone’s reception as an example — it’s almost always temperamental.

          2. That’d work out great. UniFi hardware works well together and you have a lot of options and settings (prolly too many). But wiring is always the key.

          Reply

50. Hi Dong,

    I’m so glad I found your site! After reading everything, trying to figure out what to do I’m about to pull my hair out, so I hope you can give me your opinion. I’m building a house that’s 3000sqft. It will be 1 story. I will have 400mbps download service and will probably upgrade to the 1 gig service.

    I want a wifi mesh that will be in my office. I want to go wired to the router with my Xbox, Playstation and PC. Then wifi for the iPhone’s, iPad’s & AppleTV/Roku’s with the fastest speeds for wifi.

    I own the cable modem(Motorola MB8600) and was thinking about going with the Netgear Orbi RBK852, but I really like how the Ubiquiti AmpliFi Alien looks!

    Am I going overboard with either of those 2 mesh wifi’s or is there a better option for what I want to do?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Go with an dual-band Asus AiMesh, Scott.

      Reply

      • I know you said go with a dual-band, but I want to go ahead and get a tri-band.

        I’m going with either the Asus ZenWiFi XT8 or ET8 for when I do upgrade devices in the future.

        Which one do you prefer?

        Reply

        • Check out this post, Scott.

          Reply

          • Thank you so much, Dong!

51. Hi Dong,

    I have an Orbi RBR-53 setup with two satellites (wired backhauls), but am so tired of all the issues with it. The latest being that it is blocking machines & devices sporadically, and then letting them back on. This even with Access Control turned off. All this happening when I have three people in the home trying to run Teams meetings. There are plenty of IoT devices so it is likely time to implement WiFi6. Given how much of a pain it is to deal not only with the quality issues of the Orbi, but also with the lack of stability from Netgear, I simply will not buy another Netgear device. Good at first, but not a long term solution from my experience.

    Here is my question for you in two parts (noting that Netgear is not in the option list).

    1. Which brand do you find to be the most stable and reliable over the long term?

    2. Which provides the best security and ease of management (sort of like the old Apple saying of “it just works”)?

    -Peter

    Reply

    • Since you have wired backhaul, Peter, go with a set of dual-band the AiMesh routers. There’s no “it just works” in networking and Apple really sucks on this front, which is why they stopped making more routers.

      Reply

      • Agreed on the “it just works” front. I have been reading your posts on the ASUS routers with AIMesh. The RT-AX88U or RT-AX86U are currently my primary picks.

        Reply

        • Either will work well, Peter. I’d go with the latter being the primary router. After that, you can pick any dual-band on this list. With wired backhauls, you have lots of options.

          Reply

          • I started counting my devices and realized that I am close to 60 at this time and plan to add more (smart home). They are a mix of wired and wireless but wireless is the obvious concern given how many IoT devices like going wireless. This raises a couple of questions.

            1. Is it the primary router that needs to handle the device count?

            2. What impact does that have in the selection of the primary and secondary routers?

52. I have AT&T Fiber Internet with their Wifi 6 BWG320-505 modem/router. I have to use their router so I just want to add 2-3 Wifi 6 satellite Access Points. Which brand/model do you recommend for wifi 6 access points that can be added as the best solution in this situation?

    Reply

    • Check out this post
      , Bryan. But the short of it is that you can use ANY that you like.

      Reply

53. Hi Dong,

    I’ve been looking at your reviews and guides, but wanted to get your opinion, if possible, if I need a good single router or a two piece mesh.

    I’ll be moving into a house that is about 2200sq ft above ground (two floors), but a ~600 sq ft finished basement as well. I plan on having my Xbox in the basement connected via ethernet and the router would probably be in the basement nearby. This would be on the furthest left side of the house.
    The master bedroom is on the top/2nd floor on the furthest right side of the house.
    Would a good solo router be able to cover this? Walls and floor should all be standard wood and drywall, 2010 era house. There is an office on the main/1st floor that I would have my work and personal laptop connected via Wi-Fi, this is essentially right above the finished part of the basement. The only concern outside of that is making sure I have a decent Wi-Fi connection on my phone on the 2nd floor. There may be a smart TV or internet TV device as well at some point. I do plan on adding some smart devices throughout the house eventually, but nothing major.

    Reply

    • It’s impossible for me to know for sure, Kevin, but my guess is you’ll need two (if not three) units, considering the layout. Since the place is wired, you have a lot of options, go with dual-band. More in this post. Good luck!

      Reply

      • Thanks Dong, appreciate the reply.
        Seems like I’m on the right side in guessing I would need more than a solo router to cover the house.
        Thanks again!

        Reply

        • Sure, Kevin. 🙂

          Reply

54. Do any of these systems have a full home firewall like we’re used to in classic home routers? Port forwarding, VPN support, reserved IP assignment around the DHCP? DDNS service? Etc.

    I’m looking for a high end router that happens to have wifi6 mesh – not the other way around. (I’m looking to replace my aging RT-AC68U at the same time as moving to mesh wifi for all of the smart phones and tablets in the house.) Wired backhaul.

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Most of them do, Chris. Check out the individual reviews for more. But if you want to be safe, get an Asus — you’ll find similar features as your current one and can even port the existing settings over. Note: no (home) router has a “full home firewall.” For that, you need an add-on device, like the Firewalla. Even then, it’s not “full”.

      Reply

55. I have 3 Asus XT8 units in my home (one router, two nodes, wireless 5-2 Mhz backhaul), and think your assessment of this system is quite spot on, particularly when you state that the “Firmware can be buggy”. My AiMesh system “generally” works ok, but only after a number of tweaks and issues.

    I am running the latest firmware (43181), which is the subject of numerous troubleshooting threads on another WiFi forum (I won’t mention which one), with no apparent end in sight for curing the noted issues. In fact, the workaround Asus technical support gave (starting some months ago) is to downgrade the firmware to the latest stable vision (42095).

    In my case, the latest glitch I have experienced is that I can access my router’s Web GUI from my wired W10 desktop computer as administrator, but when I try to do so from my wireless W10 laptop, I get an “invalid username or password” error message every time. Since the laptop doesn’t have an ethernet port, I’m waiting for delivery of a ethernet-to-usb adapter to see if I can “backdoor” into the router GUI. Obviously, if anyone has solved this type of issue, I’m “all ears” as what it was (wink, wink), as Asus doesn’t seem to have a community support forum for this model to which one can turn.

    In any event, while the ZenWiFi XT8 hardware does seem to perform as advertised, any potential user should assess whether the current state of firmware will provide service at the level they expect without the need for unnecessary troubleshooting efforts.

    Reply

    • Yeah, Thomas, I’d recommend against upgrading a major firmware release right when it’s available. Instead, wait for a subsequent minor release. But you can downgrade the firmware, too. Thanks for sharing your experience!

      Reply

56. Hey Dong, what’s your favorite mesh system for a wired home? 3000sq. ft smart home with lots of Ethernet ports, ATT 1gig fiber, 50+ devices. Looking for speed, stability, and simplicity.

    Reply

    • Hi Hank, I’d go with the XD4 or one of the dual-band AiMesh combos. Pick one that fits your speed need and budget. But the Netgear MK63 works, too. Good luck! 🙂

      Reply

57. This was said of the TP-Link Deco X5700:

    “Among other things, it’s the only one in this list that supports the venerable 160MHz channel bandwidth and has a multi-gig port”

    I believe that the Asus ZenWiFi AX also has these features.

    Really appreciate reading your router reviews, especially the head-to-head test reports.

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Yes, the XT8 has this too, Roger, but only when you use wired backhaul or open up its 5GHz-2 band to clients as I noted in the review.

      Reply

      • I see, you weren’t talking about just using a 160MHz. channel width, but a client-facing radio with 160MHz. channel width. Now I understand. By the way, I’m using ethernet backhaul, and have the 5GHz-2 radio set to client-facing. Very fast, but I’ve had to disable the 160MHz. channel width for stability and more uniform speed. Seems that the usefulness of the wider channel width depends on your area.

        Reply

        • You got that totally correct, Roger. The 160MHz is cool and problematic at the same time. That’s the reason for Wi-Fi 6E, which is far from perfect, too. It’s best to go with the 80MHz on Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 5.

          Reply

58. Hello Dong, I am looking to upgrade my Netgear R7000, to get better coverage in my 2700 sqft house plus some backyard coverage. Cable modem is pushing 300+Mbps from Spectrum.. I was think about the Tp-Link Ax5700 since this is $280 @ costco for a 2 pack. Is this a good choice? In order to help with security I have kept all my IOT devices (thermostat, solar controller, google homes, etc..) on the guest wifi network, and only allowed the wired devices and a the non-guest wifi to have access the other devices like my Synology NAS units. Is this possibly to determine which devices get access to the intranet versus the guest network with the TP-Link?

    I also have Cat 5e wired everywhere throughout the house so I can use this a wired backhaul.

    Reply

    • Check out this post, Mike. Only you will know if that’s a good choice or not. https://dongknows.com/mesh-wi-fi-system-explained/

      Reply

      • Hello Dong, I am looking for a mesh network solution that will handle wifi calling in my 5000 sq ft 2 story house. I currently have a home made ”mesh” network set up using 2 Linksys WRT1900AC in bridge mode wired to the main router Nighthawk R8000 via a Netgear JGS524PE. All are operating on dedicated channels. I have no issues with the wifi but because cell service is poor we use the network for wifi calling which drops connection during calls periodically. I want to upgrade all this to a mesh gigabit system than can handle the wifi calling packets better. Do you have any guidance on how best to improve this network such that it can handle the wifi calling better? I wanted to avoid a cellular booster but understand the difficulty handling the wifi calling packets. Thanks.

        Reply

        • That’s more of an issue with QoS, Steve — adjust that on your main router. Also don’t move around too much when you’re on a call.

          Reply

59. Hi Dong,

    I really like your articles and reviews which I’ve spent the last couple of weeks reading through.

    I’m not sure if you can help but worth a try.

    I live in a 2floor house with a basic setup of fibre Internet(200mbps) on my isps router which is downstairs. Just use wireless as can’t really hardwire here.

    Basically upstairs one of the rooms only gets about 20mbps and drops outs.
    Annoying thing about is the upstairs is on a landing and if I move about 3 metres away from the room on the landing, I can get full 200mbps speed on WiFi.
    I really want full speed if I can.
    I’m thimking a mesh system would do the job, would I need to go for something powerful like the Asus XT8 or would that be overkill?
    Only 2 of us in the house for general things like Netflix and ps5.

    Thanks in advance.

    Reply

    • I’d go with the XT8, Mike, or another tri-band system, 3m are quite a distance, by the way, not to mention there might be other obstacles (like walls, etc.)

      Reply

60. Hi, Dong. You mention early in the article: “A mesh is only necessary for a large home. So those living in a medium or small home and needing only a standalone router”

    Do you have a ballpark square footage on what you would define as “Medium”? Our home is about 2600 sqft, two stories, 93 ft from end to end. The mechanical closet where the router would be placed is almost directly center in the house on the first floor. Should a single router be ok? P.S., will also be installing CAT6 ports through the house. The wireless is for guests and when we are on our wifi devices. Thank you very much.

    Reply

    • This depends, Brad. There’s no hard number. More here: https://dongknows.com/how-to-pick-the-best-wi-fi-router-for-your-home/

      Reply

61. Dong,

    I’ve learned a ton from your site, thanks for this. I haven’t seen my exact situation, but would like your take if possible. We are currently in a 2-story rental (~2500 sqft), and hardwiring our devices is not an option. We have a gigabit fiber internet connection which comes into the downstairs kitchen (no other option) and I would love to be able to take advantage of gigabit speeds on my multiple PC’s upstairs (which are connected to each-other via ethernet, but ethernet does not extend downstairs). Powerline ethernet is not an option.

    So currently my set-up is as follows:
    Downstairs Kitchen: Gigabit fiber runs to ASUS RT-AX86U in router mode. Synology RT1900ac in AP mode connecting to ASUS LAN port. The ASUS wi-fi is only connected to upstairs WiFi NIC (below) locked to AX -160MHz. The Synology handles connections to all other wireless devices in house.

    Upstairs: Windows 10 machine with Gigabyte GC-WBAX210 WiFi NIC. The Gigabyte WiFi NIC is in bridge mode to Intel Gigabit wired NIC. The Intel NIC is connected via an unmanaged switch to all of my upstairs PCs.

    The ASUS and Gigabyte NIC connection together is an absolute beast, and I get nearly full gigabit internet throughput on that connection. The problem is that this solution is fairly kludgy, and Windows loses its mind fairly frequently and the wireless connection will disconnect requiring either a manual reconnection or reboot to fix.

    Would love to figure out a solution where I could have two routers (or some other devices) that can serve as a wireless bridge between the upstairs and downstairs, and I could take the Windows bridging out of the equation and be much more stable. Near-gigabit throughput would be a must. Wasn’t sure if a “mesh” would be the best solution with the upstairs switch just plugged-in to the satellite NIC or if there is a better solution you might recommend.

    Thanks in advance!
    John

    Reply

    • That’s very resourceful of you, John. But yes, the current situation is a bit like a bandage. Here’s what I’d recommend.

      1. Get a 2-pack RT-AX92U as your main AiMesh mesh system. Use one unit as the place of the RT-AX86U and the 2nd unit upstairs, you now can retire the Wi-Fi card on your desktop.
      2. Use the RT-AX86U in the place of the Synology now, either in the AP mode or the wired AiMesh node.

      That will work well.

      Reply

      • Thank you Dong. I will give that a shot and report back on the results.

        Reply

        • Sure, John. Have fun! 🙂

          Reply

          • Hi Dong, the AX-92U’s are working great as a wireless bridge. Appreciate the recommendation!

          • Sure, John. Glad it worked out. 🙂

62. Hi Dong,
    Thanks for this amazing resource, I’ve been using to get to grips with mesh networking and it’s be invaluable!

    I have two questions that I couldn’t find the answer for, and would be really grateful for you help!

    For my setup, we’re thinking about sticking with our ISP router (Sky UK) as it works better with their streaming boxes (they only connect to non-Sky WiFi on 2.4Ghz CHANNEL (!), even if you use same SSID) and then were wanting to have the bulk of the WiFi (with a different SSID) delivered via a mesh system due to the brickwork in the house causing problematic signal. We have a well wired setup for backhaul in the house.

    I was looking at the XD4 and wondered if there is much benefit, when forced to use it in AP mode, over an old-fashioned ‘network with multiple wireless access points’?

    Also, do you know if there is DHCP option 61 support on the XD4 or any of the other suitable Wifi 6 mesh systems as that could allow us to ditch the ISP router (and use wired connection for the streaming boxes), it doesn’t seem to be mentioned well on their manufacturer website. Sky really does like to make it difficult for customers to use 3rd party equipment!

    Thanks in advance,

    Rich

    Reply

    • They all can, Rich. It’s just a matter of how to go about it. More in this post on your options in case you need to keep the ISP-supplied gateway: https://dongknows.com/double-nat-vs-single-nat/

      Reply

      • Hey dong,
        I purchased the ASUS Zenwifi ET8 system, and it’s going back. I live in a multi-level house. I have the main router in my living room and my node 45 ft away. The node is only up 6 steps and a left turn into our master bedroom… the 6Ghz back haul cannot be seen!! I mean for a wireless setup, this is totally useless. I’m going back to my ac-86u main router and my ac-3200 node router. These two work much better than the ET8. TotaL bummer. Think I’d be ok with the XT8 or just get 2 normal routers?

        Reply

        • I mentioned that in the review of the ET8, M. The XT8 will fair better, but you should consider getting your home wired.

          Reply

63. Hey Dong

    I’ve been following this article for a while and I’m to the point where my current system keeps failing me so it’s time to change it for something new.

    I currently have the Netgear Orbi RBK852 bought when they first came out through best buy. At first they worked amazing but in the last year I’ve had non stop issues with the router flashing white and rebooting itself. I’ve never troubleshooted something more in my life to no avail. On any given day I have around 80-90 devices connected with over 10 cameras, 7 of the internet connected Comcast boxes and 2 baby monitors. My house runs 2 gig internet off the netgear cm1150v modem. My house does not have wiring throughout so using the mesh gave me the best case scenario in coverage for all the devices. I just can’t figure out why the orbi daily reboots itself. It’s cumbersome when I have the cameras and baby stuff that loose connection.

    Now back to your article. Like mentioned I have the rbk852. I ordered the new zenwifi et8 WiFi6e that should be coming in this week but I also see that you have the alien mesh pretty high in your review so I’m not 100% on the et8. I also wouldn’t mind doing one of your recommended setups using the gt-ax1100 either with an additional ax1100 or with another aimesh device. What would you recommend in a house with so many connected devices but also gives me great speeds.

    Reply

    • I don’t have a specific recommendation for you, James, since there are many things I don’t know about your home. For example, you have to 2Gbps Internet and use that modem, so you use Link Aggregation? If not, your speed caps at 1Gbps. And you use Comcast for phone service, too? (Don’t answer those questions, they are just examples of what I don’t know.)

      The thing is, I don’t intend to provide personal consultation here. I only point folks in the right direction. So, I’d recommend you check out these posts to make sure you understand the bandwidth, QoS, etc. In any case, those IP cameras and connected Comcast boxes (whatever they are) can put a terrible load on your network. That plus the large number of devices mean running cables is a must. You can’t do that, you’ll never have a reliable network.

      Reply

    • Most reviews seem to concentrate on lightning speeds, gaming and computer graphics. Technology fascinates me and I find myself reading countless blogs, but not much actually sinks in longer than 15 minutes. So I find myself after unsuccessfully attempting to contact Netgear and other outlets, reaching out to you on behalf of the other half of tech wantabes who keep throwing money at problems that probably are an easy no brainer.
      As I retire at 60, I found myself trying to stay young buying every wifi enabled device I came across. I’m not a gamer or even have a computer anymore. A few iPads and iPhones seem to tackle my problems for now. I do stream all TV and movies usually by Ethernet via Amazon FireCube and my EZVIZ cameras are also Ethernet connected. Amazon Prime seems to alway be fine but if i watch movies via apps such as CinemaHD, I seem to watch the buffering spin. Although there are FireTVs in every room, usually only one is being used.
      I need to upgrade from my Orbi RBR50 w/ satellite which has all but given up trying to keep up with all my devices in my 2 person 2500sqf 2 story home. It’s becoming a biweekly event to unplug and reset the router and many devices. I just can’t physically keep doing it! I have Cox’s 300mps plan and not sure if an extra $70 would help with the gigabyte plan. Cox seems to have weekly issues and disruptions that seem to add to the problem.
      What would you suggest for 2 story home with over 100 wifi devices devices electrical plugs, light switches, 5 amazon echos, lights bulbs and led strips. I know there are a million variables with the house structure and types of devices. I just get lost looking at each model’s device capacity. The cost doesn’t seem to reflect that capacity. Now that we are bombarded with new cheap wifi enabled devices, what’s a guy to do?! I’ve been keeping up with your reviews and if an easy answer would be to purchase one of the top 2 on your favorites list, I’d feel justified with the cost. It seems whenever I buy something, someone is there to tell me I overkilled the problem or I should have bought this or that. So yes I’m trying to relieve myself of the blame!!! But truly, any helpful suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

      Reply

      • 100 devices are a lot, Vincent. And those pesky IoTs you mentioned can be a pain since they have very rigid Wi-Fi settings/support.

        In your case, you need a system that allows you to separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz (as two networks). You might want to use most of the IoTs on the 2.4GHz band. Check out this post to learn more or when you have connection issues.

        That said, get a pair of the Asus RT-AX92U.

        Most important: Don’t go with cheap and don’t fall for “lighting speeds” — any article that uses that term for Wi-Fi is likely bullshit.

        Good luck!

        Reply

        • Sorry for jumping in here but I just wanted to let you know that I’ve tried almost all of the Asus mesh systems that Dong has recommended on here and the RT-AX92 was by far the best. I had 4 of them and a main router that I don’t recall but it was one of the big Asus gaming routers. I have been following Dong for a while now and rely on his opinion. I messed up and returned them because the parental controls didn’t work fast enough for me. I know I shouldn’t base my choice on parental controls (thanks Dong for the advice) and will probably purchase them again as they were the best that I’ve used so far. I have a large house and a shop that’s pretty far from the house is why I had 4 units plus the router. I also had them set up as access points and got amazing speed in my shop. Again, sorry for jumping in on your thread and thanks for all you do, Dong.

          Jeremy

          Reply

          • Thanks for the insight. I definitely had connection issues with non separate 2.4. I really didn’t think a bunch of light switches and plugs would even be an issue since they’re only used once or twice a day. But I’m really at a crossroad and ready to give up! I’m getting too old for this and most of my younger friends don’t have a single device besides their PlayStation and Netflix! I’m usually the one that has to go fix their wifi issues.

64. Hi Dong,

    Really appreciate your insight and the time you spend on your review – they are beyond helpful!

    We’ve been using the original Google Wifi (2016) in our home, but I’m going to pass that along to my brother from his first home.

    Looking to replace it with a wifi 6 mesh system, but very conflicted with all the options. Our home is about 4500 sq ft spread across 2 floors.

    Which system(s) would you recommend? I was thinking between the Linksys Velop AX4200 (can get a 2 pack here in Canada) or the Zenwifi XT8 2 pack. Do you think 2 units would be enough given the 2 floor configuration of the home, or is 3 neccessary?

    Appreciate any insight! Thank you!

    Reply

    • This depends on how you place the units, Jason — more here. But generally, if the 3-pack Google delivers just enough coverage then you might need another 3-pack. But I’d go with a 2-pack of either that you mentioned, you can always add another unit later.

      Reply

65. Hi Dong,
    Thank you for the very informative and helpful write-up.

    My home is a 3-floor setup with each floor about 1,200 square feet. I am NOT cabled up and am currently using a 3-Pack TP Link Deco X60 with a unit on each floor. After reading your article, I realized that the X60 is not ideal without a cabled setup and I am indeed experiencing poor WiFi performance and connection. I get decent speeds with the main unit but on the satellites, I am getting between 50 to 150mbps download speed and between 0.1 to 50mbps upload speed. My internet plan is 1gbps.

    After reading through your write-up, it looks like I should be looking at a Triband system since I am not cabled up. The Netgear Orbi RBK852 seems to be the best performer, however, that looks like a 2-Pack setup which may not be suitable for my 3-floor configuration.

    What do you reckon is my best options based on your list of Triband systems?

    Thank you for your time and assistance.

    Reply

    • If you want real Gigabit speed, you have to run cables, Hector. But a tri-band system will be much better. For you case, I’d recommend the Linksy Velop MX4200 or a 3-pack Asus RT-AX92U or ZenWiFi AX. Good luck!

      Reply

      • Hi Dong,

        Thank you so much for your recommendations, I do understand that running cables is the best option but that is not possible for me at this time. I will definitely look into those 3 options that you suggested.

        Much appreciate you taking the time to help me out 😃

        Have a good day!

        Reply

        • Sure, Hector. Good luck! 🙂

          Reply

          • Sorry to trouble you again, Dong. I’ve checked out the 3 alternatives that you mentioned and it appears that only the
            the Linksy Velop MX4200 comes in a 3-Pack.

            I’m impressed by your reviews of the Asus RT-AX92U and ZenWiFi AX but they are 2-Pack systems — will this pose a problem since my home is a 3-floor layout?

            Once again, thanks for you time and advice.

          • You can get an extra unit, Héctor. And you need three.

      • Hi Dong,

        Thanks for your help on this, I’ve decided to wire up my Deco X60 but the performance is inconsistent and upload speeds are very low – between 0.5 to 7mbps even though download speeds can hit over 600mbps.

        I’ve decided to ditch the DECO X60.

        Based on a wired backhaul, will you still recommend the ZenWiFi AX it is there any other mesh system that you’d recommend?

        Thanks for your time and help 😃

        Reply

        • You don’t want to use the XT8 if you have wired backhaul, Hector. https://dongknows.com/best-aimesh-routers-and-combos/

          Reply

66. Hey Dong,

    So I’ve been looking into getting my first mesh system, and your site has really helped me out a lot! However, I’m conflicted as to whether I get a dual-band mesh or a tri-band. My home is about 6000 sq ft, with three floors, and about 2000 sq ft per floor. My modem/router is on the first floor, and my basement has wired Ethernet, but my second floor does not. Would it be better for me to save with dual band or go for tri band to compensate for the lack of Ethernet on my second floor?

    Reply

    • Go with tri-band, Marcus. I’d recommend a 3-pack of the Asus RT-AX92U. You can open the 5GHz-2 band to clients.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the advice. I looked at getting a 3 pack of these, and they’re a bit too expensive for me. Do you have any alternatives?

        Reply

        • You can go with Wi-Fi 5, Marcus. Maybe the Synology Mesh. I don’t really look at the pricing much, though, and don’t keep tabs on that.

          Reply

          • Well, I was mainly going for wifi 6, as my network is gradually filling up with wifi 6 devices. I looked at the linksys velop ax4200, and I think I like it. It’s within my budget and the 8100 sq ft range is something I like, as I want a bit of wifi out in my front/back yards. In your opinion, do you think it’s a good pick?

          • That’s a good one for your case. Go for it!

67. Thanks for all the great information here.

    Do any of these systems support powering the satellites over POE when using a wired backhaul? I have a good location to place a satellite unit and could easily run cable to it for a wired backhaul, but I’d have to install a receptacle there to power the unit. I haven’t found mention one way or another on manufacturer datasheets which presumably means it’s not supported.

    Reply

    • No, Kevin. For that, you need to use one of these access points.

      Reply

68. Hi Dong,
    A few dates ago, i asked for your advice about which mesh system would be the best (don’t worry about price) for a 3-floor house (1077 sq-feet each), with 1Gb network, and wired backhaul.
    You answer was:

    Asus GT AX11000 + 2 Asus RT A92U

    I have 2 questions:

    1. Would it be better to use 3 GT AX11000 instead, or it is a waste of money ? (The satellites must cover ⅓ of the house each, exactly the same volume as the main router)

    2. (As i don’t really like too much the sthetic of AX11000… )… the performance of 3 units of Asus ZenWiFi XT8 would be significantly lower than the first option?

    Thanks a lot for you support.

    Reply

    • 1. My take is yes, though I’ve never done that myself.
      2. You can use three RT-AX-92U units. The XT8 is not designed for wired backhaul, it’ll work but a new firmware might mess things up. That has happened, but doesn’t mean it’ll happen again.

      Reply

      • Ok. I’ll go with 3x AX11000 then…
        I have noticed that this router has no wall mount. Is it possible to connect it vertically with some self-made system, or would it affect to the performance (heat…)

        Thanks a lot Dong.

        Reply

        • Yes, you can mount it however you want, if you can, Juan. Note, though, that its antennas can be quite a pain to handle. But that doesn’t affect the performance.

          Reply

69. Great review. I need some advice.. so basically we have a 2000 sqft home and all our walls are concrete thick brick walls.. so i will run a console Ethernet cable inside the walls.. so what is the best mesh system will be great for me so it can kill all d dead zone and can cove all d places and go signal through the brick wall. my speed is around 200 Mbps. Also I have a nas media server. which I need to connect with Ethernet. SO I think I need to buy Ethernet switch as well. Thanks

    Reply

    • Read the reviews and related how-to posts, Saif. Before asking for help, you need to help yourself first. 🙂

      Reply

70. Hi Dong:
    Almost a half year has passed since your last post. Is the RT-AX86U still the unit of choice for a wired (backhaul) gigabit network in a large home (two floors of 2700 sq ft)?
    Thanks! You run an exceptionally good website!
    – Hub

    Reply

    • Yes, Hub. Get it.

      Reply

      • I plan on implementing a mesh using two RT-AX86U with wired backhaul. Is there an outdoor mesh device that is compatible with the ASUS setup?
        Thank you.
        – Hub

        Reply

        • There’s no AiMesh outdoor broadcaster so far Hub, but you can use ANY outdoor access point with your setup. Like this one.

          Reply

          • Hi Dong:

            I created a mesh with two RT-AX86U units and it works great. Is there a WiFi strength meter app that you recommend?
            The next thing I need is a 24-port switch. I don’t think I need anything fancy, just fast. I would like QOS and am not sure if I would encounter the need for pass-through capability in the future. So I suppose that suggests a managed switch (not full router) – is that the case? Any suggestions?
            My RT-AX86U is plugged into a 4-port fiber (Bell-Fibe) router. Once I get a switch, should I plug it into the fiber router (at the top end of the network) or into the RT-AX86U, or should the RT-AX86U be plugged into the switch? Do you have a post discussing different topologies?
            – Thanks!

          • Why do you need an app for Wi-Fi strength, Hub? Can you just use the bars on your device? As for the switch, you need to plug use it behind the router — more on switches in this post. More in this post on mesh in general or this one on AiMesh hardware in particular. And this one on QoS, too. By the way, use the site search first for future questions. 🙂

71. Dong,
    Thanks for your informative articles and reviews. One question I have not seen you address concerns interchangeability of equipment, not Wifi5 and Wifi6, but different firms that may use proprietary firmware which complicates building a mesh network. Obviously sticking with one firm’s equipment is better, but is it necessary in all cases?
    For example, I bought an Orbi6 RBR750 router and satellite that I connected to my Verizon Fios Quantum Gateway in series with CAT6 cables in router mode because I was informed by Verizon (contradicting their online instructions to set it up in AP) that the Verizon router’s firmware would block the Orbi in any other arrangement. (We needed to keep the Verizon router for the coax connection to the TV box to watch BBC news).
    I have CAT6 cables running from the ONT (gig service) to the Orbi Router and from the Orbi to the Fios Router. Also from the Orbi Router I have a CAT6 cable to another floor which had poor wifi. (The Orbi satellite is deployed to another room that had poor wifi, but it is not hard wired.)
    But there was a problem when I tried to connect a Verizon WCB6200 extender to that CAT6 cable from the Orbi router. I managed to reset it to show up as working in the Orbi Netgear interface, but it was broadcasting the old Verizon wifi which is shutoff on the Verizon router. We run wifi only through the Orbi6 system. Can such conflicts be fixed or must I use only Orbi satellites (a more costly solution since I already have the Verizon extender), and if so, why? Is the problem firmware or inability to reset the extender to a new (non-Verizon) network?
    Cynthia

    Reply

    • Hi Cynthia.

      First, you shouldn’t use Orbi if you have a wired backhaul — that’s when you use a network cable to connect hardware units. More here.
      Second, in your case, you’re dealing with Double-NAT. You need to EITHER turn your Verizon gateway into the Bridge mode OR use your router/mesh in the AP mode. More here.

      Reply

      • Dong,
        Thanks very much for your advice, but I’m a bit confused even after reading the “more here” links and seek to clarify three points.

        First as you write, “In the AP mode, the router — or a mesh system — will work only to extend the network and nothing else. You will not be able to take advantage of its other settings and features. In other words, your network only has the features and settings of the existing gateway (or router).” Since the Orbi is more powerful than the FIOS G1100, even the Verizon technicians said it should be the main router from the ONT. (I only have two options: router & AP, nothings says bridge on the Netgear interface). I could keep the Orbi as the main gateway router and then connect the cable from its LAN to the G1100 in its LAN instead of WAN connector, if that would be better. But I don’t want to make the inferior G1100 the gateway.

        Second, after reading the double NAT article, I wonder why your diagram has different mobile phones connected to different NATs. Why limit wifi this way? I want one seamless wifi broadcasting propelled by all units. So I don’t see why double NAT is better than the series network I set up.

        Third, you say: “you shouldn’t use Orbi if you have a wired backhaul.” But then what are the Orbi Lan connections on the router for? It gives good hardwire connection to my Macbook pro and other units. Meanwhile the Orbi satellite on another floor is not hard wired to the router but reports poor Backhaul status on the Netgear web interface. So I don’t understand.

        Thank you again.
        Cynthia

        Reply

        • Cynthia,

          You need to be open-minded and read the whole thing. If you’re looking to validate what you already believe or want to believe, you’ll be confused. So, let me do some reading of my own posts for you:

          1. This section of this post on Mesh Brands will explain why you shouldn’t use the Orbi if you have wired your home. I actually mentioned this one way or another in EVERY Orbi review.
          2. This section of this post on networking basic will explain to you about router/modem/gateway etc. There’s a diagram on setting up a network (you must read the first section
          first).
          3. This section of the double NAT article explains the issues with Double NAT.

          So, you need to REALLY read and pay attention if you want to understand. That genarlly applies to everything.

          Reply

          • Ouch! Points taken.
            For the record, on #1, I used the Orbi because I was UNABLE to rewire my home (and selected it before discovering your site). I could run only one CAT6 from the ONT in the basement to the Orbi Router on 2nd floor and one cable from the Orbi Router down to the 1st floor replacing a Coax cable. I was going to connect that new line to an extender, but decided against it after reading your articles on interference.

            All other needs (family computers, etc) have to be met wirelessly, which is unfortunate since, as you note, wireless mesh setup is generally not good for real-time video/audio conferencing.
            Thank you, anyway.

          • Sure, Cynthia. 🙂

        • Cynthia,

          I think you setup your network the correct way without double nat but may have misconfigured your G1100 router.

          Cabling setup

          — ONT > CAT6 > Orbi Router (WAN) > Orbi Router (LAN1) > CAT6 > G1100 (LAN1) > G1100 (COAX) > STB

          — Orbi Router (LAN2) > CAT6 > Extender 6200 (LAN1)

          You’ll need to change some settings on your FIOS G1100 router before setting up your 6200 extender:

          On G1100:

          My Network > Network Connections > Network (Home/Office) > Settings.

          – Change default gateway from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.X or whatever your subnet is set to on the Orbi Router so the GS1100 becomes a lan device and not a gateway ie. 192.168.1.253 (Just make sure to exclude these IPs from your DHCP range on the Orbit router)
          – Disable the DHCP server
          – Disable wifi on G1100.
          – Connect LAN from your Orbi router to the G1100’S LAN Existing coax needs to be connected to the G1100 coax port.

          On the 6200:

          You need to first disable Verizon’s remote management features TR-069, TR-111, TR-181, specifically TR-069, on the 6200 and then set up your desired WiFi network / SSID / pass / static IP etc manually to that of the subnet you are using on the Orbi router ie. 192.168.1.254 if your subnet was 192.168.1.1/24

          Do not manually resync the extender with the fios router otherwise you will lose your manual settings.

          You can use the same SSIDs as your Orbi router but select separate WiFi channels.

          Finally, reboot your STBs.

          Hope this helps.

          Reply

72. Dong, thanks a lot for your support and share your amazing knowledge with us.
    I would need your help to choose best mesh system wifi 6 for my house (3 floors- 1075 sq-feet each). 1Gb connection, wired backhaul. (Dońt worry about budget)

    Options ( 3 units config):
    – Orbi 853
    – Orbi 753
    – Asus GT-AX11000
    – Asus RT AX 92 U
    – Asus Zen Wifi XT8
    – Alien 6
    – Deco x90

    Reply

    • I’d go with the Asus GT-AX1100 as the main router and two RT-AX92U as nodes, Juan.

      Reply

      • And why not 3 GT-AX11000 instead ?

        Although i don’t like much the aspect of this device, it seems to be one of the best in performance. Isn’t it ?

        Reply

73. Thanks so much for your articles, Dong. They have been super informative, and incredibly helpful.

    I have a two story, 2500 sq ft square home. We currently have 200 down, but I upped it to 400 down just recently and I wanted to get a system where I can utilize that 400 all over my house. We have a modem with a wireless router plugged into it. I wanted to get a fast mesh system to replace the modem with.

    I was looking at getting an eero pro 6, but you don’t seem to think highly of them. Looking at your numbers, the tp-link 6500 looked like it had the fastest speeds. Was I seeing that right?

    What would you recommend for reliable 400 down around our medium size house?

    And thanks again for the great resource.

    Reply

    • This depends on how your home is, James if it’s wired or not, etc. I’d recommend you start with this post. But for your speeds, there are a not of options that are much better than the eero.

      Reply

      • Thanks for fast reply, Dong.

        My house is not wired. After reading that article you recommended, it looks like a tri-band mesh with a dedicated wireless back haul would be my best option (please correct me if I said that wrong:). The tp-link, or the orbi, look like two of the best options. Do you have another you would recommend over those?

        Or just run wires? 🙂

        Reply

        • If you can run wires, do that first, James. This post will help. You’ll have many other better options. You’ll have plenty of time to figure that out until the wiring is done. 🙂

          Reply

74. Hey Dong – You’re the man for all that you do. Quick question (as I watch a Costco sale end tonight while I am just learning about all this!) – We are closing on a 4 story + rooftop townhome this week.

    We will have 1GB fiber internet, with wired ethernet ports throughout the home. What would you recommend for a system both on pure performance, as well as maybe a good value option?

    Reply

    • One of the dual-band set mention in this post, Naweed.

      Reply

75. We currently have a cable modem/router combo that needs to be replaced, due to it being hit by lightning. I want to replace it with a separate modem and a separate router.

    We have 250 Mbps internet through our cable company
    I currently work from home and I have to access quite a few of my client’s servers from my work server via my desktop, with our current setup everything lags and sometimes the system freezes and disconnects. My desktop is not wifi capable so it is connected via an ethernet cable. My son and husband do a lot of video streaming and online gaming. Therefore, we need something that will allow all of us to be able to access the internet at the same time without it affecting our connections.

    Our house is about 2500 Sq ft and we’ve always had issues with the wifi signal reaching throughout the entire house even with the modem/router being centrally located.

    Can you please recommend a cable modem and a mesh wifi router system that you think would help with our needs and current connectivity issues?

    Thank you 😊!

    Reply

    • Get the sub-gig one mentioned in this post, Christine, assuming your ISP supports it. Good call and good luck! https://dongknows.com/how-to-install-your-own-cable-modem/

      Reply

      • Hi Dong,

        I have an Orbi 752 3 pack costco kit waiting to get installed. My hesitation is that I have Wyze cams, Ring system and an August door lock. The August lock ‘only’ uses 2.4ghz. The house is 2000sqft. Do you think setting up the Orbi 752 will be a headache? I’ve read it’s hard to separate the signal to get 2.4ghz. I’m on a 3.0 modem and netgear router I bought in 2018, currently getting 230mbs wifi speed on the 5ghz side. 2.4 side is around 80mb. Comcast service is 400mbs.

        Reply

        • You likely won’t be able to separate the two bands, Ryan, but that’s only an issue when you want make sure a device uses the 5GHz band and not the 2.4GHz. If a device doesn’t support one of the two bands, it will not see the other anyway. You’ll be fine. Follow the suggestions in this post if you run into issues: https://dongknows.com/how-to-fix-wi-fi-dropping-and-disconnection-issues/

          Reply

          • Installed the Orbi 753 Costco kit. Works like a charm with a combo of 19 connected devices with most being. 2.4ghz.

            Was worried the 2.4 devices would have a hard time but nope. Both satellites running and I’m getting. 430mbs throughout a 2000sqft house including front of garage.

76. Hi Dong,

    First off, you have an amazing site, and really like the work you do. Your articles are very thorough, detailed, and very informative.

    My sister is moving next week to a new house, and she has always had WIFI issues in all her houses, her place will be close to 3500sq ft, with three floors(including the ground floor, and the basement). I was looking into getting either the AX92U(two pack) or the ORBI8(752) 3 pack(one for each floor).

    Basically her family use is as following:
    she has 4 kids who will be attending zoom/google classes online, there will be tons of streaming going on, on all the floors. They do play games online on PS4 or the PC but occasionally.

    The backhaul will be all wireless, there won’t be any wired connections.

    So which one of these would fit her need the best?

    ASUS AX6100 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (RT-AX92U) – 2 Pack
    NETGEAR Orbi 8-Stream Tri-Band AX4200 Whole Home Mesh WiFi 6 System (RBK753S-100CNS) – 3 Pack

    Reply

    • I’d go with the latter in your case, Sami.

      Reply

      • Thanks Dong! Really appreciate your input. The price difference between the two is around 150$. Do you think the Orb is worth the extra 150?

        Thanks

        Reply

77. Hello Dong,

    I discovered your site today and have taken a trip down the Wifi6 mesh router rabbit hole over the past few hours! Your reviews are great, well written, easy to understand, and thorough. I currently use an older model eero and it’s not my favorite. I now have frequent connectivity issues (they seem to get worse with each eero update) and I’m concerned about privacy issues given who owns them now.

    I’d like to replace my eero and basically have two requirements (wishes!) when it comes to the replacement:

    1. No account required for setup/use
    2. Wired backhaul support

    As thorough as your reviews are, I’m not always clear if an account is required (like eero and Netgear/Orbi) to set up and use the router. Which Wifi6 mesh routers meet the above two requirements (if any)?

    Thank you for your time and help and for this great resource that you provide.

    -Rob

    Reply

    • You can use one of these AiMesh combos, Rob. Or you can use the Linksys MX4200, MX10, or AXE8400. In that case, make sure you check out this post on how to manage it WITHOUT and account or the mobile app.

      Reply

      • Wow Dong, I certainly wasn’t expecting such a quick reply! Thank you so much. I will read that post now and check out those recommendations. Much appreciated!

        Reply

        • Sure, Rob. 🙂

          Reply

78. Hi Dong,
    I’ve read a bunch of your articles now and they are very insightful but I still haven’t found an answer to my problem. I have U-Verse 1gb up/down internet and want to connect hardwire ethernet to my gaming systems upstairs of my house but my house lacks ethernet cabling to the upper levels. Which mesh system would meet my internet speed for a hardwire connection. I don’t care about using wifi. Thank you for any help you can give me!

    Reply

    • There’s no Dylan. More on this in this post.

      Reply

      • Hi just read this and doesn’t really answer my question. I’m just wondering which mesh system would get closest to 1GB speed for my computer via ethernet

        Reply

        • That depends, Dylan. There’s no easy answer. You need to know your place and how a system works. I can only provide the latter. Generally, though, if you want 1Gbps, you need to run network cables. More on how to handle a 1Gbps broadband connection in this post.

          Reply

          • Okay thank you for your help!

79. Hi Dong,

    Thank you for your wonderful and helpful articles! I recently purchased the Netgear Orbi RBK852 wi-fi 6 mesh router & satellite, but it no longer supports WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode (used to it seems), so my new wi-fi 6 devices (that support WPA3) can’t use WPA3, due to the many “older” devices in my home (e.g. Ring, Ecobee, etc.) that only support WPA2 flavors. Also, Apple recommends that security should be “set to WPA2/WPA3 Transitional for compatibility with older devices”. Offhand, do you know which Wi-Fi 6 mesh networks support WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode? This is very important for security and interoperability. I’m looking into it too, but thought I’d ask the expert… Thank you sir!

    Reply

    • WPA3 is a matter of firmware so it can change as you might have noticed. I’d just use WPA2. There’s little difference between the two in real-world secucrity.

      Reply

80. Hi Dong,

    First of all, I just wanted to thank you for this incredible resource and font of knowledge you’ve provided.

    We recently moved house and the ISP-provided router just isn’t able to cover the house effectively, so I’d concluded that a mesh wi-fi solution would be the best option.
    Running dedicated wired backhaul isn’t an option due to cost/hassle etc, so I’d initially figured a Powerline/mesh system would be best but after a little bit of Googling a lot of what I read said they didn’t perform any better than pure wireless mesh solutions.

    Most of the articles I saw online from general tech news/review sites seemed to talk up the Google Nest Wi-Fi as the best around but thankfully I found your site before pulling the trigger. Having read up more on here, I realise now that the Nest solution is a little lacking, without either Wi-Fi 6 or tri-band support.
    Obviously the ideal option would be a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 mesh system but living in the UK, we don’t seem to have the same options as in the US and those that are available are priced a lot higher over here.

    So I guess what I wanted to ask most of all was which would you say is more important for a purly wi-fi-based mesh system, Wi-Fi 6 support or tri-band support for dedicated wireless backhaul?

    Many thanks.

    Reply

    • This depends on our place, Iain, specifically the distances between broadcasters and the number of walls, etc. This post will explain more. As for your questions, I’d say tri-band is more important than Wi-Fi standard, but Wi-Fi 6 is the norm now, so if you go with Wi-Fi 5 hardware, the support (new firmware, etc.) will likely not be as up to snuff. Also, if you have a modest broadband connection, a dual-band system will likely work out well, too.

      Good call on the Google Nest, by the way. Similar to the eero, this type of mesh has some serious privacy issues.

      Reply

81. Hi Dong!
    Just wanted to check if you could update the part about Asus XT8.
    Currently, it already allows to include 5G-2 band under the same SSID (it is called Tri-band smart connect) and is not required as wireless backhaul. For that, however, the wired backhaul setting is required. It also includes now 160 MHz available for the client devices (also on the Tri-band smart connect setting).
    Guest network SSID can now be also broadcasted by the AI mesh nodes (not only the router itself as it used to be in the past).

    Reply

    • I mentioned that in this post about AiMesh in general, KT. I don’t update the review.

      Reply

82. Hi Dong,

    Thanks for the detailed write up. Can you please share which of the wifi 6 mesh systems you reviewed allow for configuring multiple SSIDs (one for 2.4 ghz and one for 5 ghz)? I have a few smart-home accessories which only connect via the 2.4 ghz band, and if I’m not able to select which band I want to connect through (via my iPhone) then I will have a hard time with setup for these devices. Thanks!

    Reply

    • You can do that with all Asus systems, Dillon. But if a device can only use the 2.4GHz it’s really doesn’t matter if you also name the 5GHz the same — the device can’t “see” the 5Ghz anyway.

      Reply

      • I’ve been running the Asus ZenWiFi AX Mini system successfully over the past month or so and discovered recently a couple of “Smart bulbs” wouldn’t reconnect after a brief power outage knocked them offline. I attempted several times to manually re-establish the connection for these 2.4GHz devices but they just wouldn’t connect to my WiFi network. In order to overcome, I adjusted the Guest network to 2.4GHz only and, voila, they both connected quickly and without issue. I’m going to leave the Guest network in this state in case I need to connect future 2.4GHz only devices. Once successfully paired with the Guest Network, I was able to return the device (iPhone/iPad) to my main WiFi network (5GHz/2.4GHz) and the smart bulbs remained connected (although they might still be connected to the active Guest network).

        I share this anecdote as it might provide a path for others struggling with initial connections of their 2.4GHz-only smart devices.

        Reply

        • Thanks for sharing, Howie. That or what I mentioned in this post.

          Reply

        • Thank you Dong!

          Reply

      • Hi dong! Thank you for your great reviews. I have a question cuz I don’t really understand how mesh systems work.. I have a 5g router than I use in my media room which is pretty insulated and have thick walls so I don’t get the speeds (450mb and up) that it does. I do find that if I move my router to the living room, the speed is much faster there but simply won’t reach my media room. What can I do? Can I use one of the above mentioned wifi 6 routers as just a satellite? If so, which is the best? Looking forward to your reply. Thanks!

        Reply

        • Start with this post on Mesh systems, Ahmad. Spend some times and read related posts, too. You’ll find out everything you’d need to know.

          Reply

83. Hi Dong!

    Thank you for this excellent write up and all tg I advice you are willing to share. I especially enjoy your take on the Eero systems.

    However I find myself very unsure of what system I’d like to install. I have a single story home, around 1600 sqft, however all of the walls are plaster on tongue in groove.

    This leads to significant signal loss from the router by time you get to opposite sides of the house. I have been leaning towards a triband for the wireless backhaul capabilities, however that’s as far as I have gotten.

    I appreciate any thoughts you may have on the matter.

    Reply

    • You should start with this post on mesh in general, Chet.

      Reply

84. Hi Dong,
    I think I have a simple question compared to some. I have a two story house, 2800 sqft. I uesed to run airport extremes and now have the Orbi RBR50 router with two satellites. The downstairs is wired with CAT which connects the router plus one. Then I added one upstairs to push the signal. I’ve been consistently getting 450 mbps download and 45 mbps upload wherever I test. I also stream tv and everything in house. My problem is this ORBI, although fast, seems to have disconnect issues. Im always resetting the main router. What would you recommend as a no hassle but fast setup. Doesn’t have to be cheap. Just want a good option. I read your review but still a little unsure about Tri-band or dual-band. I know new ones are coming out now like the MK83 from netgear

    Reply

    • Doug, you might have been using too many hardware units. Check out this post first!

      Reply

      • Ok thanks, I’ll read that

        Reply

85. Dong,
    Thank you for yet another great article and all the detailed reviews of the systems involved. Plus insights from other posts including “Double NAT vs. Single NAT: How to Best Handle an (ISP-Provided) Gateway”.
    We have a three story townhouse and are planning on adding a mesh system to replace the poor wifi we get out of the gigabit fiber service’s gateway and tv boxes as APs. The new router would be set up as an AP attached to the gateway in our first floor office (not the best location but where our service comes in) with satellites on the upper floors. Due to our construction there will be a floor plus a wall or maybe two depending on placement between the units. Since our wired network is via MoCa we are looking at tri-band systems since our wired network would not be the best for a wired backhaul (per you other posts) and would also cause some poor unit placements.
    All that being said, we are looking at the Netgear Orbi AX4200 (RBK743) three pack as a top candidate or its bigger cousin the Orbi AX6000 two pack as a more expensive option. Are we headed in the best direction here or should we be looking at other options? Like the Asus ZenWiFi AX for example. Since the Orbi AX4200 3 pack is currently only $429 at Costco right now, it is pretty tempting from a price factor. But price may not be the best determining factor in this case.
    Thanks for any thoughts or insight.

    Reply

    • Sure, Steve. If your MoCA can deliver 1Gbps (it sure can if it’s of the latest standard, or you can test it), then you can use a dual-band set instead. Considering you’re going to use the mesh in the AP mode, I’d go with the Asus XD4, or the Netgear MK63. Set it up the default way, then turn it into the AP mode using the router unit’s web interface. For your case, I’d avoid the Orbi. Check out this post for more options.

      Reply

      • Thanks Dong, that’s a heat option. But if we drop our gig + tv service, then our MoCa will no longer exist. And then we go with gig or 2 gig and tv streaming. Which may be an option later this year. Then our best option? It’s challenging when tech keeps moving. Ugh…

        Reply

        • You can always get a separate set of MoCA adapters, Steve. It’s an alternative to a set of powerline adapters.

          Reply

          • Thank you Dong.

            What a great alternative! Now I have a broader set of options.

            That’s what I am loving about this site and your great insights. 👍

          • Sure, Steve.

86. Hey Dong,

    Awesome write-up. I am just looking for some advice at this point.

    Some backstory: I have Centurylink, service is not terrible but my “up to 1Gb” typically gets me to about 700-800 down and 900-1000 up. I’m not a know it all, by any means but I tend to know what to do to get my router to work. That just means that I do know how to adjust my bands and how to fac. reset my router. My home is ~4500 sq feet, it’s 2 floors. We live on the first floor, mostly. For a long time I lived with a Nighthawk R8000 (Netgear) which worked well, but I decided to move up to a C5400 (TP Link) because the Netgear had a faulty 5G band (would not speed test at more than 2mbps, within 10ft. on 5G – 2). I also wanted a router with built in security and only TP Link and Asus offered free security afaik. Anyway, in November of 2018, I got the TP Link. It had nothing but issues from Day 1. I kept getting promised of software/firmware updates that would fix the little glitches, which mainly consisted of constant router reboots and disappearing 5G networks. I split my Wifi into 3 networks as a habit from the Netgear’s faulty 5G 2 (because whenever it determined the 5G 2 was the best band to use, that device would max out at a whopping 2mbps download). Anyway, eventually what would happen is that the 2.4G would drop every device and it would not be able to reconnect until I power cycled the router. This is a really ugly issue but only happened every month or 2 apart so I lived with it for a while. I thought a firmware update would come and fix it. Their advice was of course, to fac reset so this is what I did. I would also try a bunch of different configurations to see if one would hit the sweet spot. Nothing worked. By now the device did receive 1 update, but it didn’t fix the issue (it did fix the rebooting). I ended up swapping the device in March of 2019 through Amazon because by now, TP Link was telling me that the router was EoL and not expecting anymore updates. It was also outside of the warranty period (because apparently even though I’d purchased it in 2018 and assumed 1 year, that wasn’t so!- this soured me on TP Link bigtime) Thankfully, although it was outside of the return period, Amazon swapped it. This router seemed a lot better. I did not encounter any of the reboots I had with the previous one, nor any dropouts on the 5G bands….at least not right away. By the end of 2019, this started happening again. By this time I’d switched from Comcast to Centurylink Fiber, which has no cap and offered up to 1GBps. There was an addition fly added to my ointment in that the router did not like the Centurylink connection. For some reason it would not reconnect after they refreshed the ip address, which in turn caused my entire network to go down. Again, I did my due diligence and again, fac. reset and set up fresh, not from any backed up info. This did not help. I called and validated the info and Centurylink was like, dyanamic IP, you’re good! I thought maybe I had to change to PPoE and Vlan per what I was seeing online, but no, dynamic IP was fine. My issues with the 2.4G got worse and worse so I “reinforced” by network by buying a cheap Tenda MW6 mesh system and bridged it. I then just turned off the 2.4G on the TP Link. This is what I lived with for a long time until the disconnections (due to IP changes by Centurylink) became too much. I was also getting some oddities like not being able to surf certain sites. Nothing fixed this, not turning off the Malware protection/Firewall, etc, not power cycling. I was over more factory resetting so I angrily removed it from the network and just set up the Centurylink router (C3000z). My only issues since then are the Tenda flipping out now and again slowing things down for my cameras and the C3000z being just garbage compared to any of my previous routers for speed. That being said, I need to upgrade my network. I run well over 70 devices, maybe even more than 100. My home is semi-smart, in that almost all of my light switches are wifi, there are many wifi plugs, many wifi bulbs, wifi robot vacs on each floor, many wifi indoor and outdoor cameras, wifi TVs and soundbars in each of 5 bedrooms and 2 family rooms, an Echo Show and Google/Nest Speakers in every room, kitchen and family room(s), lots of phones and tablets and at least 3-4 laptops (using wifi).
    The Tenda definitely can’t keep up. The only reason it survives right now is that it offloads sleeping devices asap. I was trying to hold out for Wifi 6E but I need to pull the trigger a bit sooner. The only 2 devices I see here that I’d be interested in are the Asus XT8 or the TP Link X5700. You know my history with TP Link, and “Pro” Homecare I’m not going to do. I also can’t find it for sale anywhere but Costco. The XT8 looks and sounds great, but I’ve read some scary things from people who say it doesn’t work well.

    Here are my facts, at this point I just want something that works.

    I need something consistent.
    I need something that can do 200 devices without a sweat.
    I want/need a mesh system.
    I want Wifi 6 (future-proofing!).
    I would prefer a Tri-band setup.
    I would prefer something that can get at LEAST 700 down and 1000 up (https://www.speedtest.net/result/11155925000).
    I would prefer wired backhaul capable but if something can do good numbers with wireless backhaul, I’m good with that.
    I would prefer FREE built in security.

    Can you please recommend something?

    Thanks.

    Reply

    • Check out this post, Neo.

      Reply

87. Hi Dong,

    I’ve been poring through your posts and appreciate the detailed explanations of your rationale. Since you are so kind as to offer your thoughts on specific situations, I’d love for you to weigh in.

    We have a vacation home that is about 3000 sqft on two levels with an anemic single Wi-Fi router that doesn’t reach from the middle of the house to the far downstairs bedroom. We often have 12 people in the house many of whom are videoconferencing or gaming. Our service is Gigabit AT&T UVerse. There are no LAN cables in the walls and my co-owners are loathe to invest in such. We also need to have a super simple, robust system that guests can use when we rent the place out. So a premium for a lack of fuss factor is OK.

    My interpretation of your post is that a 2-unit tri-band mesh would be a reasonable solution. We don’t need ports on the routers or USB or anything other than solid Wi-Fi. As such, I was leaning toward the ASUS XT8 or the Netgear Orbi systems that you identified, in order to get wireless backhaul. The Asus is harder to find, and more expensive, so I am thinking that the Netgear is a pretty decent option, but would appreciate your consideration.

    Reply

    • No wireless system is good for gaming, David. The Orbi is definitely not good for that — it has high latency. Your best bet is the Asus, either the XT8 or the RT-AX92U. You might need three units.

      Reply

      • Thanks Dong! Great point about the latency. I’ll try and track down an XT8 set. Given the size and layout of the house, I’m hopeful that 2 units will suffice.

        Reply

88. Hi Dong,

    Great reviews and input. I am moving to a new home soon, 2 stories plus basement, over 3000 sqft. Some rooms will be pre-wired for internet. Hoping to make it a fairly smart home with lots of different devices running on wifi at once. Seems like the Asus is a favorite pick of yours. Is there a specific model that I should go with? I was thinking about the TP-Link Archer AX6000 before reading your reviews above. Does it make sense to get the TP-Link Archer AX6000 and connect the Asus to it? Just learning about all this network stuff now so I am sorry if that is a dumb question haha!

    Reply

    • Check out this post, Eric. You’ll need more than one hardware unit.

      Reply

89. Hello sir,

    I would love to have a mesh wifi 6 setup with 3 tri band client connections and using a cat6 dedicated network cable for router and nodes as my backhaul. With having the hardwire in all the nodes this should free up the third band for client use I would think or at least want! Is there anything out like that or coming soon that you are aware of? I currently use a R9000 router with VHT160 (80+80MHz) channel width on 5GHz band. This router is running DDWRT since those are not standard factory settings… works amazing with newer hardware like my Note 20 Ultra and other newer devices, except not the PS5. I read somewhere it supports up to 80MHz not 160. It can see the 5GHz network and it tries to connect but won’t. I would like to have a VHT160 and a VHT80 on two 5GHz bands that way I can connect all my devices to 5GHz 80 or 160. I don’t need a 2.4GHz band if I could get away with two 5GHz bands. But that isn’t an option normally. Any suggestions on current mesh systems that would fit my request? Also if it matters or other care to know I use Google Fiber with 1GB up/down speed so achieving super high wireless speeds is a goal of mine, also have a large house so was at least looking at 1 router with 2 nodes.

    Thank you for your post and your help,
    Cody

    Reply

    • You can use the Asus RT-AX92U, Cody.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the quick response! I read your review on that model and thought it to be very interesting. I like the fact I can use a wired backhaul connection for the nodes connecting to the router and keep all three bands. I am not certain about having one of the bands as Wifi 4 and another Wifi 5. I wonder why not all these bands are Wifi 6. Is that not yet possible or is there a newer model coming out later this year that will do away with the slower band and maybe at least do Wifi 5 and 6 bands only or all Wifi 6? If that was the case then I think I am sold. And not having Mult-Gig ports could be a deal breaker also, since I do have a NAS storage device on my network also. Please keep me posted on any newer updates or products that you think would fit my network requirements. Thanks again for your help and great work on the reviews!

        Cody

        Reply

        • I know you already talked about the model ASUS ZenWiFi AX (XT8) but would this be a better fit for what I am looking for? Do you know if there are any recent updates to firmware on this model that would be even more beneficial? Would like to know your thoughts on this model and the other you recommends, unless there are others that are even better!

          Reply

90. Hi Dong,

    Great website – thanks for explaining this important area in our lives where the majority of use know very little.

    I guess it is best to backhaul with Cat5/6 cable, but is there much negative to using 500Mbps TP Link Powerlink connectors and using your electrical system to create the channel?

    I use these today to run multiple wifi points (not mesh) and it seems to work fine (hate wifi repeaters), but I want to replace with mesh (as getting sick of having to manually changing SSIDs as you move around). Running new cables is not easy in an old solid wall house, so powerline is great if no real negative for the speeds I use.

    House is solid bungalow, apprx 200 square metres and external building. We only get moderate speeds in UK rural area and have moderate requirements. Will get a 3 unit mesh (2 in house and 1 in outbuilding) and use powerline to connect.

    Many thanks
    Steve

    Reply

    • I generally don’t recommend Powerline with Wi-Fi 6 due to the slow speeds, but since you have a moderate broadband connection, it should work. However, in that case, there’s no need to use Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 5 should be fine — it doesn’t hurt to use the former. With Wi-Fi 6, running network cables is a must.

      Reply

91. Dear Dong,

    First of all, I’m appreciating the effort and support you are doing to provide the useful and best information to help us during our choice.
    Actually i have an issue with my 5g signal inside my house which is almost 3000 ft. I’m living in Kuwait and I should get 1G internet from Zain but the the reality I’m getting only 120 M with unstable signal. I’m using only wireless network to control the smart home, ipads and tv with Huawei cpe router and nest wifi (router and one point). We are straggling with the internet speed on both routers and the covering areas as well since there are rooms not covered with internet. So i bought Huawei antenna but i am still facing issues with speed and it keep disconnecting. My plan is to buy the fastest main 5g router with sim slot but I’m not sure which one I should chose (Netgear M5, Huawei CPE 2 or htc router) which need to collect the best signal for 5g since the provider is confirming that my area is covered with 5g signal. Then i will replace the 2 nest with three pack of netgear AX4200 or alien router with two points. Moreover, my plan was to buy either netgear AX 110000 or Asus GT 11000 to be connected with CAT8 wire to PS5. Actually I keep reading your surveys but I’m not sure what is the best solution for me keeping on mine that I need to buy the best routers whatever the cost is.
    I’m looking for support to advise me what is the best and fastest 5g router with sim slot to be my focal point for the remaining routers. Also what is the fastest mesh routers i need to buy and what is the best gaming router need to be connected to my PS5.

    Reply

    • Assuming you have no wiring, I’d recommend going with the Asus, Hussein. If a single unit doesn’t cut it, you can get another one or the RT-AX92U to expand the coverage wirelessly. (You can’t do that with the Netgear.)

      Check out this post for more Asus options.

      Reply

      • Dear Dong,

        Appreciated your answer. But can you tell me what is the best 5g router with sim slot. From that router i will connect either netgear or asus 11000. After that i need best mesh connection either by using netgear ax6000 2 units or asus ax92. So please i need specific recommendations as i’m not expert on that.
        1- 5g router with sim card (cpe 2 or netgear m5 or htc).
        2- gaming router ( netgear ax 11000 or asus gt11000.
        3- Extenders Mesh with units ( netgear ax 6000 or asus airmesh ax92).
        You can give me the best plan and i will follow it as i need the best routers in the market for long term with best performance as i’m disappointed from my current situation and i need expert advice.

        Reply

        • I don’t know what’s the best router for a cellular connection, Hussein, but you can use any that works where you are. After that, get a couple of Asus GT-AX11000 and use them in an AiMesh setup.

          Reply

        • Ask assembly_fixing on Instagram he can help you with your 5G signal issues, first thing to do is check where is the nearest Cell Tower, and then move your 5G router near the window closest to the cell tower. I personally tried 5G Zain, STC and Ooredoo searching for the best signal and stability, so I think for wireless technology such as 5G you will need to try the best placement for your modem for the best result.

          I tried Netgear M5, HUAWEI CPE pro 2 and Nokia 5G gateway 3.1, each one of them has a caveat, CPE 2 have more stable and advanced software (not that great).

          Reply

92. Hi Dong,
    Thank you for your article. I currently have a Google wifi mesh setup, which works well in my home. However, I’m looking to move away from Google due to privacy concerns, but I don’t want to give anything up as far as security is concerned. I’ve been looking at the ASUS ZenWifi AX Mini and the Netgear Nighhawk MK63, but I wanted to see what your thoughts are for a suitable replacement for Google wifi mesh.
    Thank You!

    Reply

    • Go with Asus, K. If the Google Wifi has worked well, it will be even better. But and it’ll be MUCH better if you can use wired backhaul.

      Reply

93. Before I ordered a Eeros 6 Pro Pack, I reviewed your article above.

    Here is my issue – you may want to get a piece of paper out and map this out – we have three structures on our property that I want to service with one internet connection. Two of the structures are homes and the other is my shop.

    In the middle is a two story home (our short term vacation rental) with the garage on the right side. I mention this because the router / modem will be installed there. About 55 to 65 feet to the right of this house is my shop. Then about 10 to 15 feet to the left of the two story home is our home – a two story (single story with a loft) home / cabin.

    Currently both homes have separate internet service and I want to eliminate the one into our home. With this information should I go ahead and get the Eeros system or should I look at another?

    If you send me an email I can send you visual pictures of the property.

    Reply

    • You should *never* use the eero, Stanley. Period. Check out my reviews on them for more. Run network cables and get a dual-band set. I’d recommend one of these. But take your time, don’t rush into getting one. There’s no “magic” in Wi-Fi mesh. You just need to ignore the hypes and understand how it works. In the end, it’s your call.

      And no, no email. I have no desire to be your personal tech advisor. 🙂

      Reply

      • Captain Dong,

        3500 sq. ft. bungalow – will eventually be fed by starlink satelite setup. Very rural area. Smart devices in the main house – ecobee for heating and cooling, nest for the door, washer, dryer, dishwasher, security cameras in the future. No cat cables in the walls on main residence.

        Another structute going up about 150 ft away – another 2000 sq ft. Can hardwire during build if beneficial.

        Is the Asus a good pick for the main house which is primary focus and do you think i can reach the secondary structure to continue the internet signal?

        Reply

        • Yes, go with the Asus, Will. Check out this post for more on what hardware to pick. Get the place wired is the way to go.

          Reply

94. Thanks Dong for the very informative article. I have been using the old airport extreme (with express extension) and I think it is time to upgrade 😉 For a 3000 sqft home connected through ethernet cables(TP-LINK GIGABIT switch), I think TP-LINK XC60 would be good for my needs. I am not sure if this is the correct forum but will I be able to reuse my airport extreme & express with one of the routers and use them for harddrive backup & airplay? They are in perfectly working condition.

    Reply

    • I’d go with the Aus XD4 in your case, Tony. You “can” keep using your Apple stuff but I’d recommend against it, it’s too dated. You can also pick one of these AiMesh combos. All of them can work as a Time Capsule alternative.

      Reply

      • thanks a lot. appreciate your prompt reply.

        Reply

95. Many thanks for this informative review. I purchased an Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8 combo bundle and I’ve been very happy with the setup and performance of these units using wireless backhaul and the latest official Asus firmware (sadly, Merlin hasn’t come out with firmware for this model).

    The only hiccup I have experienced has been related to my house itself – it’s not super large but is oddly shaped to some degree, and it incorporates some non-standard materials in various areas. As a result, one area of the house seems to be a dead spot that doesn’t appreciably improve with relocation of either the router or node. I was thinking of adding a single XT4 unit to the mix until I read your review, and then started thinking about adding another XT8 in the “dead” area. I’m hoping that would take care of my issue.

    Reply

    • You want another tri-band unit there, Tom, so another XT8 or an RT-AX92U, unless your home is wired (in which case you should go all XD4).

      Reply

96. Hey Dong,

    I currently have a Netgear CM700 modem and the original Google wifi mesh router. I am moving into a 900 sq ft apartment where wifi is included but only up to 100mbps download. I can go to 200mbps or 400mbps and pay separately (starting at $44/mo). I rely on fast internet since I am working full time from home and have many smart home connected devices.

    I am thinking that I should get the 200mbps wifi plan and just pay for the faster speeds which also led me tho think I should upgrade to a wifi 6 router. However, if I could get speeds consistently close to the 100mbps plan I could save a lot of money not having to pay for internet.

    I would really appreciate your thoughts / advice on how I should handle the situation.

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • If Wi-Fi is included in your place, there’s nothing you need to (or can) do, Erik. You only need to do something if the new place comes with a network port. In that case, get a Wi-Fi 6 router, any on this list will do.

      Reply

97. I came across this as I am researching upgrading to a Wi-Fi 6 Mesh router. I am using the Amplifi HD mesh with 2 satellites to provide whole home coverage and some coverage to my outdoor patio/pool area. Would you recommend I stay with Amplifi and go with 2 Alien routers / Alien Mesh system or go with the Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8 2 pack or 3 pack? I do have rock on the exterior of the home which limits my current outdoor connectivity. Thank you and really appreciate your thorough reviews!

    Reply

    • Wi-Fi 6 won’t help with that rock, Mike. For that you need to run a network cable around it. The AmpliFi HD you’re using is quite good, by the way, for a dual-band system. If it’s kinda works out maybe a better 3-pack will do. But seems like you’re looking for a specific recommendation. I can’t do that — I’ve never been to your place. That said, if you’re serious about improving your Wi-Fi, check out this post and the related one, you’ll be able to figure it out youself.

      Reply

98. Hi Dong, thanks for all the great info. I took your advice and bought the Asus ZenWiFi AX Mini. I also bought an RT-AX89X for my main router in my large 2 story home which is 4600 square feet. We pay for the fast internet and I have around 100 wifi and hardwired devices. I also bought a RT-AX88U for my shop which is 400′ from my home so I figured I could put that router out there set up as a node. I have everything wired with cat6. I also have a smaller “she shed” 100′ from my house that I also have a mini node set up in. My shop cat6 wire runs through the “she shed” and is a 295′ to the shop so I have it on a switch. My internet keeps dropping out constantly. Is it bad to have two routers? Do I have too many routers? Also, is it better to hook my shop cat6 into a switch or the AX Mini and then to the shop since it would be over 300′ from my house I have to do one or the other or it’s just too far away. Thanks for your time and hopefully this makes some sense 🙂 I have the RT-AX89X in the house with 2-AX minis. I have the main AX mini in the “she shed” and then the LAN from that running the cat6 to the shop to the RT-AX88U. I have a switch I could put in the shed rather than going through the mini if that’s a better solution. Thanks again.

    Reply

99. Hello Dong, amazingly informative post, thanks for all of the work you put into it. Remarkable site overall.
    I have Gigabit Xfinity service with a MOTOROLA MB8611 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem. Due to kids and smart devices, I have about 40 things on our network. I have a basement, first and second floor that all need service. My cable modem must sit on the first floor at the corner of the house, and our home is NOT wired, so I’m looking at tri-band WiFi 6 mesh.
    Would it be best to have a transmitter on each floor? (Basement, 1st and 2nd?) And if so, what 3-pack system would you recommend?
    I want to take advantage of our Gb service, WiFi-6 and be as future-proof as we can.

    Reply

    • That’s a good modem, and congrats on getting your own equipment, Tim. It’s hard to know what to tell you a specific choice, I’d recommend checking out this post, you’ll be able to figure things out for yourself — it’s always better that way. Also, keep in mind that you can’t realistically expect Gigabit Internet on (any) device.

      Reply

      • Hi Dong,
        Thank you for your reply, and for the post you recommended. I had missed that, so thanks for making me aware. And yes, I do get that Gigabit service is the ceiling speed, and have realistic expectations for individual device speeds.
        I’m certainly intrigued by Asus AiMesh possibilities you have described, but think it may be too much for me (biologist) to wrap my head around in a timely way. 🙂
        At this point, I’m leaning toward an easier out-of-box solution – like AX4200 WiFi Mesh System (RBK753), unless there is another post or review I’ve missed reading and should consider.
        You are the best on the net, so thanks, Tim

        Reply

100. Any ETA on a RBK353 review? AX1800 seems to be the budget king for Netgear. RBK353 priced competitively at about £270-£290 for three units. Also if we need six APs can we just use two sets at once?

     Reply

     • No ETA, Chris. But it’s a low-power dual-band system, and no, you can’t use two sets because the router unit (of each set) can only work as a router — you’ll need to buy individual add-on satellites, which are more expensive. Check out this post and learn about mesh systems. You might be able to get a better solution.

       Reply

       • Thanks. Is that the case even if running all six (4 satellites, 2 hubs) as wired APs?

         Reply

101. I just upgraded my main router from AC88U to AX88U. I am trying to setup a AiMesh system in my 120square meters apartments (with lots of walls).

     Most of my devices are wifi 5, and my broadband connection is a 1gbps link.

     Currently 2 out of my 3 rooms in my apartment are getting poor or very poor (single digit speedtest) wifi performance and none of them have any ethernet ports.

     Do you recommend that I get a ZenWiFi AX Mini XD4 ? or something elseq

     Reply

     • For a wireless setup, you want a tri-band set, Jason. More here.

       Reply

       • Thanks! I come down to 2 options
         1) AX92U
         2) ZenWifi XT8

         Dong, out of these 2, what will you recommend for stability and reliability?

         Also my mesh satellite location will be in one of the bedroom (meaning its not line of sight).

         Thanks!

         Reply

         • Go with the 92U, Jason.

           Reply

102. I’d stay away from it, Mike.

     Reply

103. Hi Doug,

     This was a great article, and it holds a lot of great information. I did have a question regarding I used to just plug in a router to my modem and call it a day. Since then I have moved towards a mesh network. I used the 1st gen Google Wifi pucks in leu of a router. I plugged google wifi puck into the modem via the WAN port, and I utilized the second puck as a mesh satellite in the office. I then hooked my desktop to the second port via ethernet for internet access.

     In the past few days, I have noticed that my internet is super slow. I pay for 1000 Mbps speed via comcast, and my internet speed test results were 4.2 Mbps down and 32.3 Mbps up. I had a technician come out today, and we concluded that the google wifi pucks are at fault for the poor connection. My question is what is the best system to implement for my usage. I have looked into the Amplifi HD, Netgear Orbi AX6000, and other options. I am aware that I won’t be able to achieve the advertised 1000 Mbps speed via wifi; however, I want to know what the best system out there would be for my needs.

     My house is a single floor and 2,200 sq. ft. The walls are made up of drywall. I figured this is important information for the recommendation. I appreciate the help!

     Reply

     • A couple of things Issac.

       1. Don’t expect Gigabit everywhere.
       2. You need to run network cables if you really want fast speeds.
       3. You need to understand how the mesh works.

       After that, pick a set that fits your budget.

       By the way, the name is Dong. 🙂

       Reply

       • Hi Dong,

         Thank you for your reply. I noticed the typo in your name the moment I submitted the comment. I tried to edit it immediately; however, I was unable to do so. I appreciate the advise. Thank you!

         Reply

         • Sure, Isaac. And no worries on the name thing. That happens a lot. 🙂

           Reply

     • Isaac,

       I was in a similar boat as you. There are issues with the Google WiFi product brought about by a recent firmware update and more detail could be found within the related Reddit group. I wound up returning my 4-puck system and replaced with a TP-Link Deco X60 3 pack and have noticed marked improvement in speeds. I do have, however, all the X60 devices hardwired at spots around my house. Good luck!

       –Howie

       Reply

104. Dong,

     Great article and very resourceful site! I’ve got a 5 node ASUS AiMesh 2.0 network that’s working fine. I need better network and client isolation on guest networks. I’ve looked at Merlin firmware with YazFi but YazFi doesn’t support mesh networks. I’d prefer a triband with multigig ports. Are you aware of any system that meets these requirements?

     Reply

     • What you have right now should give you all that you want. Maybe you just need to upgrade all nodes to the latest Asus firmware and use a main router that gives you a system-wide Guest network. More here.

       Reply

105. Hi Dong, very helpful site you have. I currently have 4 pucks of the original Google WiFi (AC1200) with FIOS Gigabit internet for approx. 4,000 square feet. The heaviest bandwidth consumption devices are all wired (2 Shield TVs, Synology, iMac that serves as a Plex Server, PS5, etc.)

     I am looking to upgrade so that I can get better speeds on my iPhone (newest 12 Pro Max so as WiFi 6) and more importantly get better range outside my house, primarily on my patio. I was leaning towards the XT8 to upgrade to WiFi 6 and help out with the range. Would you recommend this or is there some other combo that you would recommend?

     Reply

     • Check out this post on how to pick the best mesh for your home, Jason. And then this one on Gigabit Internet. Give each a serious read before asking any further questions.

       Reply

106. Dong,
     I apologize for sending that last comment, I just found your article explaining the differences (oops)

     Reply

     • No worries, Mike. And I won’t take back my previous answer. 🙂

       Reply

       • OK, then I’ll take advantage and ask you a specific question 🙂
         If all I need is one satellite for the AX86U, but with a few GB ports as a hub, which model do you recommend?

         Reply

107. Hi Dong,
     I’ll add my thanks for your great site, so much better than all the others that just list specs…
     Now a general question – when you talk about adding a mesh satellite on backhauled cable, how is that different from adding an Access Point, like Netgear WAC124? Thanks for clarifying this!
     I’m upgrading my network to 1GB, so I need a new modem and router, probably go with Netgear CM1100 and AX86U. In the other end of the house, I have run ethernet and need some ports there and might as well have wifi. I thought that was what an AP is for.

     Reply

     • You’re welcome, Mike.

       I wrote about your question in detail in this post about mesh system vs AP, etc.. But generally, the main difference is the fact you can’t control the AP(s) at a central location — you have to manage them individually which itself can be a pain. Aslo for now, a single Wi-Fi 6 AP, like this “low-budget” one, can be more expensive than a whole Asus XD4 set.

       Your combo of modem and router will work out great. Just don’t have crazy expectations about 1Gbps Internet.

       Reply

108. HI Dong

     It would be great if you included a segment on the quality of support from the vendors for each of these systems. I’ve owned an rbk50 orbi for 4 years now. I am having all sorts of DNS problems now that I have enabled armor and circle on the router which are considered standard features. This is a now well documented on their support site and it seems that the only way to resolve this is to disable the circle feature. This seems pretty dumb considering that was one of the main reasons many purchase these products for. I am now looking for an alternative to my orbi but dont know at this point what else I should consider? Thx.

     Reply

     • It’s not possible for me to add that segment, Rob. Two reasons.

       1. I generally don’t need tech support. (Otherwise, I’d be a liar naming my website the way it is.)
       2. Vendors tend to give me a bit of special treatment.

       In short, there’s no way for me to gauge that. But you (and everybody else) are welcome to leave your comments.

       For your issue, though, it’s a bit unfair to blame Netgear. Clearly, for Circle to work, you must use a special DNS that belongs to the provider of Circle (which was once promoted by Disney), and if that provider messes up, things will be bad in your network — just because Disney is involved doesn’t mean there’s any magic.

       I think Circle (and similar DNS-based apps) are quite terrible and might make your network unsafe… And generally, I don’t recommend Parental Control (because seriously, there’s no real control, it’s all just a gimmick). All of these so-called protection features can be easily circumvented by changing a device’s DNS settings or MAC address. As you already know, it’s never easy being a parent.

       And in this regard, we just have to be real ones and set an example. I speak from experience. 🙂

       Reply

109. Hello Dong,
     I hope you are well. I have the Frontier Fiber optics internet (500 speed) service. Hooked to the modem I have the Arris AM525 router and in the other half of the house I have a ‘slave’ Arris NVG468MQ router, which is joined by coax cable. I had a CAT 5 cable brought to the living room. Question: I would like to get a three-unit mesh with the main in the den, and one satellite in the living room and one in the bedroom. The den, where the modem is, has concrete and brick walls which is why I had the lines (coax and CAT5) put in to join the 3 areas. Is there an easy way to convert the coax going to the AM525 to a CAT5 fitting? Otherwise, I may try a mesh with the main in the den, a satellite in the living room (both of which have CAT5). I like your explanation of the backhaul. The remote unit in the bedroom with only a coax input is the Arris AM525. Thank you for any help you can provide? Thank you.

     Reply

     • Your setup seems a bit messed up, Mike — both the hardware units you (incorrectly) called “routers” are actually gateways per their model #. And that’s not right unless you have two different Internet plans? Either that or you weren’t clear on what you’re trying to say. I’d recommend this post so that we’re on the same page on the terminologies first.

       Reply

       • Hi Dong,
         Thank you for the prompt response. I read the primer you suggested. Especially the part about % wireless signal loss across my solid brick/lath & plaster walls that are between den (where ONT and the Frontier NVG468MQ are) and the living room; and the den and the main bedroom. I have great wifi internet speed (500 Mbps) IN the den where the Frontier ONT and NVG468MQ are and IN the main bedroom where I have the Arris AM525 (wifi extender), which is currently connected by coax cable to its MoCA port and the ‘Cable Line’ port on the back of the NVG468MQ. The rest of the house does not have high wifi speeds. I want to invest in a 3 unit MESH: the main unit in the den (if it will connect directly to the Frontier ONT); a second unit in the living room (internet RJ45 cable now available from den to living room); the 3rd to replace the AM525 in the bedroom. You are correct, I have Frontier Fiber Optic with the ONT behind my desk. A network cable goes from that unit into the ‘Broadband’ port on my Frontier NVG468MQ, described as a residential gateway. The NVG468MQ has one ‘Cable Line’ port and 4 LAN ports. Of the 4 LAN ports, 1 is to desktop; 2 is to a TP-Link Gigabit switch; 3 is the CAT5 to the living room; 4 is to my alarm. My original question was if there are plug-in coax-to-RJ45 converters to use the coax cable that now goes into the MoCA port of the Arris AM525 (a wifi extender) to an RJ45 which I am hoping could be plugged into the 3rd MESH unit. I would have to do the same on the den end of the coax, unless you know of MESH units that have MoCA ports. Even then, unless all MESH units have a MoCA port, the coax would need to be converted. Are simple adaptors available or must I have an RJ45 cable run from the main MESH unit to the main bedroom? I would like wired internet to individual MESH units and would like a MESH system with reliable wireless distance as the current NVG468MQ can barely reach to the backyard and garage, perhaps 30 yards (lath and plaster exterior walls). I am hoping I have described my situation better. Dong, thank you for your help.

         Reply

         • Sorry, Mike, I had a hard time trying to understand what you’re trying to say. Maybe this post will help.

           Reply

           • Thank you, Dong. With your suggestions for reading we are learning more.
             The current connection between my Frontier NVG468MQ and my AM525 is a coax cable. Do any of the MESH units use a MoCA (coax) connector?
             If not, can I somehow convert our current coax cable to use RJ45 ports on any new MESH units? Can the MESH units replace my NVG468MQ and connect to the Frontier ONT?
             Thank you. mike and margaret

           • Mike,

             1. MoCA is just a (cheat) way to turn a coax cable into a network cable. So, you can think of it as a network cable, meaning it will work anywhere a network cable is used. The speed is not as good as a network cable, though. MoCA is similar to Powerline which is more ubiquitous, but not as fast. It’s best to run a real network cable.

             2. Your setup is very odd because you connect one gateway to another. Generally, you only need one gateway (or modem) per home. That said, I can’t answer the question. Also connecting the hardware needs to be specific since there are different types of ports. Again, this post will help.

           • Hi Dong,
             Are there any mesh units that can accommodate a coax cable for internet access?
             Thank you.
             mike and margaret

           • Yes, Mike. The Netgear Orbi CBK752 or the CBK40.

110. Hi Dong:

     Currently today I have the first Generation Google WIFI mesh with 6 pucks all hardwired together. The reason for many pucks is I have them hardwired in three separate buildings (4-story House, Garage & She Shed). My network is FIOS ONT-Google Router-1G switch – all Google Pucks.
     My question is the following – Which new Router manufacture/model# should I get to increase my 1G speeds from FIOS that will work with making some of the existing Google AP units? I don’t need high speeds in my garage or she shed just my house, so I was hoping to keep some of the old Google pucks I own for areas I’m not concerned with. Any recommendations to keep some of Google pucks or should I replace all of them and get a newer Router Mesh system that can use back-haul cable?

     Reply

     • None, Bill. The Google set CANNOT work in the AP mode so basically, you can’t use it with any other router unless you want a double NAT setup. On top of that even when wired, the Google hardware is slow. It’s important to note, though that having Gigabit broadband doesn’t mean you’ll get it an end-device, for various reasons. More here. So set your expectation straight. After that, I’d recommend a dual-band AiMesh set. Maybe an RT-AX86U + XD4 combo.

       Reply

111. Dong, I like all your research on routers and mesh systems but I am somewhat technologically challenged. I currently use an older Netgear Nighthawk R7000 router in our 3200 sq ft home. Lately, my router has had to be rebooted every so often with 29 devices connected to it. My home is wired for ethernet however those connections are all in use. Sometimes the laptops and desktop work fine but the smart plugs and Alexa devices cannot find the IP address for the network. Too many devices for this router maybe? Would I be better off upgrading to a mesh system and if so what one would be best since I have no more freed up ethernet connection?

     Reply

     • A couple of things, Rob.

       1. A mesh is NOT an upgrade to a single router. More on mesh here.
       2. If the R7000 can cover your house, a more powerful router will help. I’d recommend one of these Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 routers.
       3. The issue you mentioned might just because the router’s IP pool is set to be too small. I’d try to increase that first. More in this post.

       Reply

       • Thanks Dong, I will check both of your links out. appreciate the advice

         Reply

       • I reviewed the links you sent and quite frankly some of it was a bit over my head. Nonetheless, I checked the IP pool and it was set from 2 to 254 so I did not touch it. My router is also set to auto-connect between the 2 bands 2.4 and 5ghz. It was also updated with the latest firmware several months ago and there are no new updates. I realize a mesh system is not an upgrade, just thought it would provide stronger signals thru-out the house. Your suggestion of a new router is probably the way to go and was wondering if a wifi 6 or 6e router is advisable since most of our connected devices are TV’s (5 years old), smart plugs, older laptop about 6 years old and one new one that I know can handle wifi 6 and two smart phones an apple 10 and a samsung s10..

         Reply

         • Just take your time and pay some attention, you’ll understand, Robert. It’s my experience that most of the time folks try to get what they want in the fast-food style instead of trying to understand how things are. Networking is complicated, but it’s predictable once you get a hang of it.

           You can ignore Wi-Fi 6E for now. (There’s only one currently sort of available anyway — you don’t have many options.) There’s no need for it at all and no real use for it at least another year or so. If your home is not wired, get a tri-band Asus router, you then can upgrade it to a wireless mesh system later, so get the RT-AX92U or GT-AX11000 (if you believe you need a mesh right away, get two units of those or the ZenWiFi XT8). If your home is wired, get a dual-band router, like the RT-AX86U, (again if you need a mesh right away, get two units, or the XD4.)

           Reply

           • hanks Dog, appreciate the advice. Enjoy your reviews and your knowledge about networking. Well Done!

           • Sure, Robert.

112. Hi Dong,
     Can you add (whenever you could test it) to the list of mesh Wifi 6 systems, the brand new Tp-link Deco x90 / x96 ?

     Reply

     • Noted, Juan.

       Reply

113. I was just about to run out and pick up the ASUS ZenWiFi AX Whole-Home Tri-Band Mesh WiFi 6 System following this fantastic article. One comment stopped me in my tracks:
     “Guest networking, for now, remains at the router unit”

     Does this mean devices that I want on a Guest network only have to be within range of the gateway router device? If so, this is surprising and might be a deal breaker.

     Reply

     • With the latest firmware, that feature is now available in all nodes, George. More here.

       Reply

114. Dong,

     Here’s one for you… I recently replaced my Google WiFi system with the TP-Link Deco X-60 thanks to your review of this and all the other mesh systems. I have three of the “Deco nodes” and all are connected via backhauled wired ethernet. All has been going well but I just discovered a fourth ethernet point where I could place an additional node. My question is am I limited to another X-60 or could I use one of the Google WiFi “pucks” which I still possess? Any other strategies concerning how I might utilize that fourth point? Thanks.

     Reply

     • You can use the Google device, but make sure you use it in the AP (bridge) mode, Howie.

       Reply

       • Thanks, Dong. Sadly- from what I’ve discovered- the Google WiFi devices can only be used as APs if a Google WiFi device also serves as the main router. If others know otherwise I’d appreciate learning more.

         Reply

         • I know Google hardware well, Howie. You can turn a single unit into an AP (bridge). Do that on each piece individually as though they are three products.

           Reply

           • Thanks, Dong. I may give it a shot.

             So that I’m clear, I would need to reset the two Deco X-60 nodes (the other X-60 is the router) and place them, as well as the Google WiFi puck, into AP (bridge) mode? Not sure how to do this with either the Decos or the Google WiFi puck but will research this potential.

             The Deco X-60 automatically detects the X-60 nodes to create the mesh network. Will it automatically detect them if they are in bridge mode or is there manual intervention required? Same with the Google WiFi puck which would become the third node within the system?

           • No, Howie. Leave the X60 alone. You plug one Google unit into the existing network using a network cable (that’s a network port on an X60 unit or a switch connected to an X60). Now set it up as an AP (Google calls it the “bridge” mode). Repeat with other Google units. For more on what an AP is check out this post. You need to get on the same page in terms of know what is what first.

115. Dong Ngo,
     I would like your comments on a system I am getting ready to put in. I have a three level house. I have Xfinity XB3 all in one. I eliminated of all Xfinity TV because of cost. I am down to internet only and internet TV. We have 2 cell phones, a couple I-pads and two laptops. Laptops are hardwired. With Xfinity I have Internet from Xfinity and 1 phone line . My house is nicely wired with Ethernet. I think I am in good shape here.
     Here is what I want to do and I am sorry for the length of my message.

     1. I want to purchase a Netgear CM1150V Modem. I will position it in my basement. Internet cable, phone line, ac power and one Ethernet are right there in a perfect spot.
     2. I want to purchase the Netgear Nighthawk Mesh AX1800 MK63 set up with 3 points (main router + 2 satellites). I will be able to backhaul the connections and that is what I want you to check out.
     3. The Ethernet coming from the Modem will go about 20 feet directly into a sort of mechanical room in the basement. This area is where all the Ethernet Wires converge at my house. It will plug directly into the main Mesh Router. This Mesh Router will provide a wireless signal for my basement. I can position it in a nice unresticted area. The other Ethernet port on the main router will go into a Netgear CS108 Switch close by. Within 4 feet.
     4. From the CS108 Switch:
     a. One Ethernet on the CS108 switch will go directly into a laptop.
     b. One Ethernet on the CS108 switch will go to the 1st Satellite Router on the Middle Floor. This will provide Wireless signal on the Middle Floor.
     c. One Ethernet on the CS108 switch will go to the top floor and plug directly into a smaller CS105 switch sitting on my wife’s desk. I am putting this small switch here so I can have a few more hardwire ethernet options because the last Mesh Satellite Router only has the one port.
     5. From the CS105 Switch on my wife’s desk, one Ethernet will go to my wife’s laptop so it can be hardwired. Another Ethernet will go from the CS105 switch to the 2nd Nighthawk Mesh Satellite Satellite Router on the 3rd Floor.

     That’s pretty much it.

     I am in pretty good shape for Ethernet all over the house, but I only have one Ethernet that runs all the way from the basement mechanical room to my wife’s desk. So that wire has to go through the small switch so I can backhaul the last Satellite and still have a hardwire option to her computer.

     Ok Dong, that’s it. I am an older guy. Pretty handy and not bad with many things. Everyone tells me that it is a good thing that I ran all these Ethernet wires years ago when I was finishing my basement. It looks like they are becoming useful. I want a really good signal on each floor because we have a lot of people visit and we have internet TV. I cannot wait to get rid of Xfinity Equipment. I want to stay with all Netgear if I can. I am ok with what I am going to spend. It is in the $5-600 Range. All of this equipment is available on Amazon. Before I ordered I was checking around and saw your site. I read your review and liked what you had to say about the Nighthawk Mesh 3. But…I will only do multiple routers as access points via backhaul and that is one reason I like the Night Hawk Mesh system and its ability to backhaul. It is also a good looking product.

     Bob

     Reply

     • That looks fine, Bob. I’d go with the Asus ZenWiFi Mini XD4 (instead of the Netgear) though. Here’s the wiring diagram: Modem -> AiMesh Router -> switch -> AiMesh Nodes/devices/more swithes -> (optional even more switches) -> nodes/devices.

       Reply

116. Since the Ubiquiti AmpliFi Alien Mesh Kit is #1, does that mean that you rank that one the best, even though its 8.5 rating is lower than the 8.9 rating for the Asus ZenWiFi AX at #3?

     Reply

     • Read the post, Grayson. It’s generally a good idea to do so before asking questions.

       Reply

       • Apologies. Thanks for your hard work! So we can go by the number ratings for the best ones. Looks like my Asus ZenWiFi AX is still the best 🙂

         Reply

         • No worries. And that’s about right. 🙂

           Reply

117. I’m interested in setting up a mesh WiFi. I’d like to have a satellite unit in an office with a PC connected via ethernet. I’d like the main unit either in another office on the same floor, or one floor down. Distance to the main would be 40-50 feet. Would the RBK852 or RT-AX92U have enough wireless backhaul to get relatively fast file transfer between the units for a PC backup? What would be the advantages to each unit?

     Thanks,
     David

     Reply

     • Read the reviews to see the differences between them, David. As for the distance, that seems fine unless you have a lot of thick walls or objects in between. More here.

       Reply

118. Thanks Dong for taking the time to write this comprehensive article.
     My home is 4k square feet, FIOS router (which I will replace) is in the basement and have another main floor and top floor (where my gamer sits). Probably about 5-10 devices connected in house plus 3-4 smart TV’s. My house is hard wired ethernet throughout. Download/Upload speed of 915/926Mbps (just tested). Plan to plug in router in basement because that where the lines throughout the house run from. Also want guest network and parental controls :). Want to hard wire his PS5. Still leaning towards the XDR? Thank you very much.

     Reply

     • With that network, Keith, any dual-band setup will work well. You might want to use AiMesh routers will more network ports, though. So maybe consider the RT-AX8xU, too.

       Reply

       • Keith

         I have a similar setup (a touch over 4K sq ft, 1Gbps FIOS coming into the basement, house is wired) and I’ve gone through quite a wireless transformation over the past 3 months. Thanks in large part to Dong’s suggestions, I went from a Linksys Velop and Netgear Orbi (tried both at different times) to an AiMesh. I currently have an AX88U as my main node and an AX3000 as a second node. For the most part, this setup has covered most of my house though I have an AX86U due to the high-praise across the Internet and because I could!

         That said, since my home is wired (and it seems yours is too), dual-band is plenty. Dong recommends this often and dual-band devices tend to be cheaper. (Though dual band routers can be expensive, of course.)

         The AiMesh routers work great too. I kind of wished I stuck with my older AC68U a few years back, I could have been AiMesh’d this entire time! Hindsight is a beautiful thing 🙂

         In fact, I forgot how good these ASUS routers are. For one thing, the support from Linksys and Netgear is hit or miss. Second, the ASUS routers don’t require an app and I prefer the browser based setup anyways. When switching to the ASUS AX88U, I was up within 5 minutes. I consider myself tech savvy but even if I wasn’t, this sort of setup is a huge win. Third, as pointed out by Dong on this website, the Merlin firmware is awesome and I think worth the switch.

         Reply

         • Thanks Syed. Appreciate you taking the time to provide your setup and advice as well. So if I’m hearing your right, you’d connect the AX88U or AX86U as primary and run the 3000 as your 2nd node? I’ve just started researching so I’m a bit of a newbie. Thoughts on 88 vs 86? Both seem great. Why the 3000 as 2nd? I realize that also supports WiFi 6 but I haven’t seen much research (this early on) on the best primary and 2nd mode combo. Thanks

           Reply

           • In theory, you would want the most powerful router as the main router and the rest as nodes. I chose the AX3000 simply to meet budget a budget I had created in my head! However, I found that coverage on my top floor and main floor isn’t what I’d like it to be. I have an AX86U on the way, no first hand experience just yet but you do a quick search (or check here) and the AX86U is highly touted. Depending on the AX86U’s performance as a secondary node, it would replace my AX3000 outright (ideal) OR I can move my AX3000 to the middle floor of my home.

             In terms of what is the best combo, I think that depends and there isn’t a specific combo, per se. Budget and placement/how-large-your-house-is will dictate more than anything. In an ideal world, I’d have either 3 AX88U or 3 AX86U (one on each floor) and just be done with it. (Of course the Internet being what it is, you will get different answers for this! I’m sure a lot of ASUS enthusiast have not even add WiFi6 nodes their network yet. So it really depends on what you’re after!)

             Here is the other thing to consider. Using my current setup (AX88U as the main and AX3000 as the second node), I could run this combination for years. When it comes time to upgrade my WiFi due to a new standard, for example, I can simply add to this mesh. Had I kept my AC68U, it could’ve been another node I could have leveraged. So consider this when building out your WiFi with the AiMesh, since there is a good amount of backwards compatibility and “expandability” down the road. (i.e. retiring nodes to secondary nodes, selling off older nodes, etc.)

             Finally, as I mentioned before (and great thanks to Dong for even writing about it) the Merlin firmware is awesome. I’m definitely a fan of it for the short time I’ve been using it and, for now, plan to buy ASUS routers that support this firmware.

       • Thank you Dong!

         Reply

         • Sure, Keith. 🙂

           Reply

119. Hi Dong
     Came across all your articles and as the untrained tech support for our home really appreciate the content.

     My home is wired and can support Ethernet backhau. Currently using an AirPort Extreme – Airport Express combo with an added Netgear EX8000 from last year as home usage obviously increased. I got the Netgear extender as I was hesitant to replace all – ain’t broke don’t fix it mentality. However I am rethinking given it is a large home and of course the Apple products discontinued. I have Verizon Fios with a router but don’t use that for our wi-fi

     To my question – you seem to recommend the ASUS AX mini as a good solution for those that are wired. I also saw above that you indicated the Linksys MX12600 as another solid option. How do I decide between the two?

     Thank you

     Reply

     • For your case, Tom, I’d definitely go with the Asus XD4. https://dongknows.com/asus-zenwifi-ax-mini-xd4-review/

       Reply

       • Dong
         I went with the ASUS XD4 and installed last weekend. The ASUS Router app worked great with the install and review \ monitoring of the system. I could see all the connected devices by node, etc. Now the honeymoon appears to be over. The ASUS Router app will no longer connect even though my iPad or iPhone are connected to wifi on the ASUS mesh. I cannot connect from my laptop with the ASUS GUI either. Devices are dropping from wifi intermittently. I am getting heat from my family and not sure what to do.

         I have Verizon FIOS with a ISP router. I have the ASUS connected via ethernet and the ISP router in bridge mode. I am not much of a techie and trying to read through what I can find in order to figure things out. Not sure if there is a possible IP conflict (Version router and ASUS both 192.68.1.1) or some other setting. At this point, I can only access the FIOS router admin. I opened a ticket with ASUS and they sent me a fairly technical form (topology map, etc.).

         I will try to complete that form and follow up with ASUS but thought I would circle back in case there is something obvious that I am missing

         Thanks
         Tom

         Reply

         • Asus won’t be able to help you, Tom. Nobody can. That’s because it seems you’re a classic case of “knowing just enough to be dangerous.” :). You couldn’t help messing around with the settings, could you? Seriously, why did you change the IP of the XDR? It’s supposed to be 192.168.50.1 BY DEFAULT. Another thing is it seems your Fios gateway is NOT in bridge mode. That said, here’s what you should do.

           1. Reset the XD4, all units.
           2. Set it up from the beginning USING THE WEB INTERFACE.
           3. Don’t use the mobile app. You’re too dangerous for that. Tapping mindlessly will get you into trouble.

           Spend some time reading my posts on networking, especially this one on double NAT. They’ll help. Maybe THEN you can use the app again.

           Also, you’re NOT in trouble as in you need a time out or something like that. But you do need to figure things out and sometimes getting into trouble is the only way. You’re getting closer. In the meantime, learn to blame yourself! 🙂

           Reply

           • Dong
             My limited knowledge on display again as my post above indicating ASUS router IP was being modified was incorrect. It is indeed 192.168.50.1. However, all the devices that are hooked up to the wifi through the ASUS Mesh have the router IP indication of 192.168.1.1 and receiving IP addresses in the range from the FIOS gateway router 192.168.1.xxx as opposed to 192.168.50.xxx. No idea how my previous Apple Airport router system worked as I did not make any changes to gateway when moving to ASUS Mesh. Back to your posts on trying to figure out the gateway setup as I believe my challenges are there.
             Thanks

           • OK, Tom, it looks like you use your Asus in bridge mode and your gateway in normal mode. This post will help. You want to do the single NAT setup with the Fios gateway working as a bridge. If that’s not possible, go with the double NAT. The key here is that your XDR (the router unit of the XD4) must be used as a router (default) — don’t’ change its role.

120. I am not trying to start a debate or a flamewar, but I would strongly adwise against buying Orbi. The featureset is almost below basic, and the stock firmware is unstable at best. When you pay this price for a router and an AP, you should expect it to work out of the box, but never the less, I spent several months trying to find out why my units got kicked off the wifi all the time. Turns out it was bad firmware, and a DHCP service so slow and unconfiguable that I had to configure static IPs.
     I didn’t want to throw my investment in the garbage, so luckily I found Voxel, who makes the Orbi somewhat usable with custom firmware.
     In other words: The hardware is powerfull, no doubt, but the firmware makes it next to useless. I regret my purchase.

     Reply

121. Awesome information, thanks.

     I have a question.
     For Wifi6 to work in my mesh network, do all my mesh routers & nodes need to support Wifi 6?

     More details:
     My router doesn’t support Wifi6 but my nodes does.
     I have an AIMesh setup with a main router supporting 802.11ac (ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC5300) and mesh nodes that supports 802.11ax (ASUS ZenWiFi XT8).

     Any insights appreciated.

     Reply

     • The combo will work, but it might not be as reliable or fast as you’d like. Don’t mix WiFi stands in a wireless setup. More here.

       Reply

122. Thank you for all of the Information you provide everyone…
     Most of the Mesh networks have rebooting issues…I currently have the Deco X60, and every day if not twice a day it reboots or disconnects and reconnects..
     Prior I had the velop AC2200 which did the same thing

     I have a 2500 square foot home with about 20 different wireless connections.

     What mesh system doesn’t have intermittent shutdown issues.. researching online seems to show they all do

     Reply

     • That’s not normal, Shawn. Check to make sure you didn’t set it up to restart daily.

       Reply

       • i dont think there is a setting to restart daily

         but i have read that this a common problem with mesh

         suggestions ?

         Reply

       • Great article! The only article that I’ve trusted, to be honest. I have a large home with 2 outbuildings that I have wired Eero’s in. I have 4 Eero’s total and could probably add another. Everything is wired so what would you suggest I get? I heard there is a new wifi6 available now as well? Is that true? Any help would be appreciated. The are so many to choose from. I’m not happy with Eero so I would like to stay away from them.

         Reply

         • Start with the Asus XD4, Jeremy. If that’s not enough, get another dual-band AiMesh router as the main.

           Reply

           • Hi Dong, thanks for your reply. I’ve subscribed to your blog and appreciate all your knowledge. It’s very helpful. If I could just add that I do have pretty fast internet that is average speed of 940 Mbps. I have a lot of wifi devices as well. Do you still think I should go with the xd4? I can only find them selling in a 3 pack. Could I use 6 of them or would that be too much? I have a large home and my shop is pretty far from my house so I have another access point in between that and my house. I definitely think 6 would fit, just not sure if it would hurt having too many. Thanks for your time!

     • As a data point I’ve been running the same X60 system for a couple of weeks and have not experienced the noted reboot/disconnect issue (at least I hadn’t been using one of the ~50 connected devices if a reboot/disconnect had occurred).

       Reply

123. Hi Dong, thank you so much for your reviews! Really helped me narrow down what I’d like. Here’s what I’m thinking, just wanted to run it by you if that’s ok:
     I’m considering upgrading the mesh network at my family’s home (planning to get something from the US – they are abroad). Last time I went I installed the tenda mw3 to help address complaints of WiFi dead zones, but now we’re getting an upgrade from a 15 mbps DSL to a 50 (possibly 75 mbps) fibre optic. Now, the house walls are all brick/concrete, so range is an important factor. It’s a decent sized house (I would guess somewhere around 6000-7000 sq ft), but due to the walls I had to install 4 nodes. Granted, the mw 3 are bottom of the line mesh nodes. So here are my thoughts and please do correct me if I’m wrong:
     1. A tri band system doesn’t make much sense for me (wired backhaul is not an option). A higher end dual band should work.
     2. A WiFi 6 mesh also doesn’t make sense at these speeds, a good WiFi 5 mesh should be sufficient at these speeds.
     I don’t want to spend money on features that won’t get used, so trying to optimise for cost/benefits. It seems like any decent WiFi 5 mesh might work but just want to hear your thoughts before I pull the trigger. Trying to stay away from eero and Google for privacy reasons. Another option is just to stick with what we have (performance is quite middling as we get 5 mbps on the satellites compared to 15-17 on the main one). The number of connected devices is going to be 20-30, with 10-20 additional ones whenever we have guests over

     Reply

     • AiMesh is available in Wi-Fi 5, too, U. You can get the Lyra Trio, but any on this list will likely work out.

       Reply

124. Hey Dong,

     Your review is VERY thorough and amazing! Thank you for putting in the time and effort to help us pick the best routers!

     I have a really long house (114Ft). I plan to hardwire the mesh network. My gateway is currently the one from the ISP and its located right in the middle of the house. I currently have 2 standalone old routers, but the wifi is spotty and I hate having to manually connect between networks. Which hardwired mesh network do you think would be best? I dont have a switch at the moment but can easily get one if needed. Thanks!

     Reply

     • A few things, Eddie.

       1. You need to run network cables. At least one.
       2. You can turn one of your routers into an AP. OR
       3. Get one of the dual-band systems on this list.

       Make sure you spend time and read the posts to understand what you give you (the most) of what you want/need.

       Reply

125. Hi Dong,

     Thanks so much for your excellent website – just discovered it and I’m basking in the thrill of finding that site on the internet which is just what you need! I’m looking forward to reading a number of your articles, but what brought me here is looking for a recommendation for a new mesh system. I’m in a 4700 sqft, 3-story rectangular home. One end of house has office on main floor and bedrooms above, other has basement TV, main floor living room entertainment center (4K TV) and bedroom above. Four people working at once during peak load (2 adults, 2 remote college students), none are gamers but heavy video streaming. We have Centurylink 940MB/s fiber in at, looking to replace current combo of the weak Zyxel C3000Z router from CL + an old Linksys range extender I had. House is cat 53 wired but no jack in main floor living room so would need wireless backhaul unless we get new jack installed. I have been looking at the Asus ZenWifi AX (XT8) and Netgear Orbi RBK752. Any impressions on which would be more suitable? Do you think getting the living room wired to enable wired backhaul would be a good investment? I don’t mind spending a bit more to future proof but wouldn’t consider us power-users in any sense. We plan to be in the house no more than ~6 more years then will be downsizing.

     Thanks so much for any advice you can provide, and keep up the good work – I’ll be recommending your site to friends and family.

     Cheers
     Mike

     Reply

     • I’d go with getting the room wired, Mike. Do it! After that get any of these dual-band meshes on this list. I’d recommend the XD4 to start with. But you can also get a few of the AiMesh Dual-band routers of your choice. After that, keep in mind that you likely won’t get 940Mbps at any end device. Cheers!

       Reply

       • Thanks for the quick reply don’t! I’ll take a look at the wiring option then. If that proves infeasible, what tri-band option would be next best? Thanks again!

         Mike

         Reply

         • Yes, if you use wireless backhaul (even partially), it’s best to use tri-band routers. More in this post. I’d recommend a few units of the RT-AX922 even though it’s not fully Wi-Fi 6.

           Reply

       • Hi Dong,

         If it’s not too much to ask, I could use some help with a follow-up from our exchange last week. Per your suggestion I got the house Ethernet set up for wired backhaul and bought an Asus Zenwifi Mini XD4. Wired speeds at the router and node points are 800-940 with CenturyLink Gb fiber (after setting LAN Port ISP Profile to CenturyLink in the IPTV tab). Updated firmware on all three units, connected in AiMesh with great connection. WiFi analyzer shows four channels at strengths of (-40, -40, -65 and -70) near router unit. Dual-band Smart Connect enabled, wired backhaul is enabled, WPA2 security.

         My problem is that wireless speeds are just fair overall, and actually worse with wired backhaul on than with wireless backhaul:

         Dell XPS13 laptop with wireless backhaul: 112-246 down, 105-464 up
         same with wired backhaul: 85-93 down, 66-93 up
         Google Pixel3XL with wired backhaul: 68-72 down, 34-64 up

         Note I set everything up through the web interface and the Android app seems to indicate everything is working normally. Something is clearly off but I can’t seem to ID it. I’ve read your setup articles in detail but am out of ideas. Anything you suggest I can do to troubleshoot this issue?

         Thanks
         Mike

         Reply

         • That’s not how you test, Mike. More here. https://dongknows.com/how-to-do-an-internet-or-wi-fi-speed-test/

           Reply

           • Hi Dong,

             Thanks for reply – I read your article on how to do precise speed tests and it makes sense what to do. Since I would need to get a switch to do your tests (my router single LAN out goes into the wall to supply the satellites)…before I do that I’ve been doing some basic sleuthing and would like your opinion. I find the following:

             * speeds at Ethernet 5e terminals for router and satellites are fine – 850-940
             * broadcast signal strength looks fine – -27 to -37dB when a few feet away from each of the three units
             * turned off SmartConnect and tested 2.4 and 5 separately. 2.4 only giving 60-80 up and down, 5 giving 200-210 up and down. No impact on changing channels or using 40 and 80 MHz channels width respectively
             * I talked with Asus technical support and they think the unit is defective. Expect 600-700 up and down if it were functioning correctly (they were aware I was using CL speed test and thought that was fine). Hard to tell if I just ran into your basic call center limitations.

             So my question is…before I go to the trouble of ordering a switch and running the test you describe with the file write transfer speeds, I’d like to ask – do you really think the discrepancy between nearly a gig at the ethernet ends and the observed speeds really could be accounted for by using a web-based speed test instead of a file write test? This seems like a _very_ big delta. Or do you think there are any other diagnostics I can run to verify if the unit is indeed busted?

             I realize I am likely stretching what’s good form for number of questions to you here…if you have a Paypal or Venmo account I’d be very happy to make a donation for the website, a coffee or a beer. I very much appreciate any advice you can provide.

             Thanks and kind regards,
             Mike

           • Assuming you have this setup, Mike:

             Internet source -> AiMesh router -> AiMesh node (with each -> representing a Gigabit wired connection), then my first question is how did you connect the 2nd node to the router via a wired connection? That’s not possible without a switch. If that’s the case, maybe that’s the problem is. You just have the signal loss on the 5GHz.

             If you use one router and one node via wired backhaul, make sure your clients are up to date (with software driver). If they already are, then something is wrong with the XD4. But then again, you should never use the Internet to test your Wi-Fi speed, as I explained in the other post that you don’t seem to have read thoroughly.

             I’d recommend that you pay attention and read to find out how things work stead of finding things that validate what you believe. You have likely missed something. And if you pay attention, you’d know how to support my work, too. Hint: Use a real computer. Thanks for the thoughts. 🙂

           • Thanks Dong. My setup is fiber–>ONT–>Asus router–> LAN to gigabit switch–> separate Ethernet wires to each satellite (essentially a “Y”) wiring config. One of the satellite lines has two MoCA boxes in it (although that didn’t seem to impact end speed). Thought this setup was acceptable, but maybe not…I’ll go read more 🙂

             Clients (XPS13 and Dell Inspiron 15-7995) are both up to date driver-wise.

             Sorry if I ruffled any feathers with my questions. Mesh routing is new to me and was looking for a sense check more than anything if the size of the wired/wireless speed differential sounded reasonble or not to you.

             I appreciate the help you’ve provided – thank you.

             Kind regards,
             Mike

           • No worries, Mike. Other than the MoCA boxes, things seem fine to me. Check these:

             1. Take the MoCA out completely — why do you want to use MoCA when you already have network cables?!!?
             2. Ensure the wired backhaul is in effect (and the cable is not loose or cut, which would make the node work in the wireless backhaul mode). You can check that by going to the AiMesh section of the router’s interface and click on the node.
             3. Mak sure you use a Gigabit or faster switch.

           • Hi Dong,

             Thanks for the extra ideas – all good ones.

             1. Can’t take MoCA boxes out. For some inexplicable reason, when the house was built (we are second owners), they wired Ethernet to the whole house except the entertainment center on the main floor. Totally weird setup, my best guess is they may have been using satellite TV?. They did have a coax run from the data hub in the basement so I’m using two Actiontec 2.5gbps boxes to get the link up to the living room. (This was why I had originally asked you about best options for wireless backhaul – I wasn’t sure I’d get the speeds I wanted at that satellite with a MoCA setup. Turns out its plenty fast).

             2. Wired backhaul is enabled in router software. Both nodes show Ethernet connection. Cables are not loose.

             3. Switch is brand new TP-Link 8-port gigabit version.

             I also agree the XPS13 is an older, limited machine. I have a new Intel AX wifi card on order to make it Wifi6-compatible. In the meantime I’ll run the write transfer tests you recommended using the Dell 15 as the wired clien placed at the switch, and will try with a few different gb-capable laptops. I plan to test in pure 2.4, 5 and SmartConnect modes.

             Thanks

           • You can take the MoCA off just during the tests. Keep in mind that the speed is always that of the slow party involved in the connection. Good luck!

126. Hi Dong,

     Thanks in advance for all of your assistance and such a great writeup.

     We just moved into a two-story, 4000 sq ft home, built in 2006 with Cat 5 running throughout the house and terminating at wall ports. We’ve ordered, and had installed, Ziply gigabit fiber and are researching the type of mesh system we would need. Currently, we’re restricting the speeds just because we are using an old 802.11ac dual-band router to push our wifi.

     Both of us are working from home right now – my work laptop utilizes a VPN, and each of our personal laptops do not. We’ve got a few Alexa’s, a few wifi plugs, occasionally an iPad, and our phones. I have a we have a few gaming consoles which I play online moderately through and which are connected to one of our wall ports through a switch.

     Would you recommend that we deal with what we have until we can get the Cat 5 swapped for Cat 6 (cost prohibitive), purchase a mesh system already out to market, or wait for a new mesh system that will handle “everything coming” with Wifi 6?

     Any further suggestions and/or product recommendations you are willing to help us with?

     Thank you again, Josh

     Reply

     • Check your CAT5 cable, Joshua, it might be able to deliver 1Gbps (and you’re all set). If not 100Mbps is still not bad and fast enough for all of your business-related applications. For our home, it’s best to have a system with a wired backhaul. Don’t think of the otherwise.

       Reply

       • Dong –
         Thank you for the thoughtful and specific instruction throughout. Our Apt. is 3,000sqft, with very thick plaster and brick walls. The Fios gateway modem (1gb) is smack dab in the middle of the apt (almost a perfect square. We have CAT 5(maybe 5e) in each of the “corner rooms”. We have three streaming TVs, two gamers, and laptops with wifi6.
         Was considering running a wired back haul using a Tri-band system; Linksys, Orbi, or Asus.
         Provided I have that right, which would you recommend? Lots of zooms and some file transferring going on all the time – fyi.
         Many Thanks in advance

         RynO

         Reply

         • If you actually read the post, Ryan, you’d note that I don’t recommend triband for a wired backhaul setup. That said, you should probably start with this post. Take some time to really READ. That helps. 🙂

           Reply

127. Hey Dong! Just found your site and I am impressed! Need your suggestion.
     We just purchased a square-shaped, 5000 sq ft home. The network media box in the wall is metal and that’s where the AT&T 1GB comes in.
     Home has 4 ethernet drops around the home, wired with Cat5E. I currently don’t have anything set up yet. What do you suggest I get to allow for full coverage for gaming, work-from-home, video streaming, etc?

     Reply

     • Get a dual-band system on the list, PJ, and use wired backhaul. I’d recommend one of Asus’s. And keep reading other related posts.

       Reply

128. Hi Dong

     Thank you for all the amazing reviews over the years! Im hoping you can help cover some dead and slow spots in my house, and I apologise if I have missed a similar use case as Im about to describe.

     My house is “U” shaped, with about 4000sqf, where some areas are used more than others. Sadly there is no fibre. Currently I have the asus ax88u, with an asus ac68u repeater, and an old asus ac66u through a powerline.

     I have considered three solutions, but cant decide, although you may have another.
     1. The asus xd4 could possibly cover the entire house, and I can use the ax88u elsewhere.
     2. given that I have an ax88u, I could buy one more. This solution is only viable if two ax88u can cover everything, which im not sure it can, and i prefer to not buy two more.
     3. Link two asus xt8 or two ax92u with the ax88u. If thats recommended or not with the different firmware, im unsure.

     Any advice is highly appreciated!

     Reply

     • Get your home wired, Fredrik, and use any of those combos you mentioned, whichever fits your budget. Powerline is not gonna cut it. If you can’t run cables, get the RT-AX92U, you might need three units.

       Reply

       • Thanks for the ridiculously fast reply!

         Reply

129. Hi Dong!

     Thank you for the extremely informative website!

     We have a long rectangular 2 story house, 2800 sq. feet. Normally a powerful single router would be plenty for our size. The issue is that there is a lot of interference and blocking between the floors and even the most powerful single routers have trouble punching through to get a strong signal to the floor it is opposite of, whether its upstairs or downstairs. This leads me to thinking a 2 unit mesh would work nicely to cover both floors.

     Our house is fully wired with ethernet so I can have wired backhaul and we have gigabit internet. I’d like a dual band WiFi 6 mesh system that has the 160 mhz channel but I’ve not seen one…none of your recommened dual band systems have the 160 mhz channel. Are there any mesh systems out there that are dual band and have 160 mhz that I’ve missed or would a couple dual band ASUS routers like a RT-AX8xU linked with AiMesh be better to take advantage of all the speed?

     Thanks,
     James

     Reply

     • Yes, you can get a pair of Dual-band AiMesh routers of your choice, James. I’d recommend one of these two or a mix of both. You can also go with a 2-pack RT-AX92U.

       Reply

130. Hi Dong –
     Thanks for your helpful reviews and details breakdowns of network tech. Your reviews are the best on the Internet.
     Recently, I was able to get the Linksys MX12600 for $365. However, right before I grabbed the MX12600. I placed an order for the TP-Link Deco X60 for $230 + $15 for a switch ($245 total). I have Cat 6 cabling ran throughout my house so I will use a wired backhaul to connect each node to the main unit.
     Would you recommend I “spend” the extra $120 and keep the MX12600 (and return the Deco X60)? Or go with the cheaper Deco X60 (and return the MX12600) since I have a wired home?
     I don’t plan on using the USB ports on the MX12600 (if that is useful).
     Thanks for any insight you can provide. Hope you are staying safe and healthy in the new year!!
     Thank you, Adam

     Reply

     • I’d go with the Deco, Adam. If you’re going to daisy-chain the hardware, you won’t need the switch. But check out the review of each to find out more. Ultimately it’s your call.

       Reply

       • Thank you for the lighting fast response!!!! This helps tremendously!!!!

         Reply

131. Hi Dong. Thank you for doing the detailed reviews and for all the information you provide on your website which is really helpful for all of us.

     I am currently moving into a 2 storey 4000 sqft home which has a wired backhaul and planning to get the AT&T 1000Mbps Fiber connection. I only have a couple of devices currently capable of WIFI 6 but I want to make sure whatever I buy now is future proof.

     Given this situation, which would be the best mesh router to get which would provide maximum speeds for both WIFI6 and WIFI5 and good coverage across the home?

     Reply

     • One of these, Anil.

       Reply

       • Thanks Dong. Do you not recommend me getting one of the mesh routers like the Asus XT8?

         Reply

         • I dont think you’ll need a mesh system. Anil. More here.

           Reply

           • The problem is that the current router has to be placed at one end of the house and I do not think that there would be sufficient wifi coverage at the other end of the home without maybe using an extender. Would this setup of normal router + extender be better than a mesh system? If I need to go the mesh route which one would you recommend?

           • The post I linked previously will answer those questions and help you find out what you should get, Anil. All devices on the lists are those I’d recommend. Which of them fits whose needs depends on the particular situation, and each person needs to figure that out for themselves. Take some time, read the posts, you’ll get yourself the best answer.

     • Dong,

       Question concerning replacing an existing mesh system…

       If one has a Google WiFi mesh setup and replaces with one of your recommended mesh systems- same wired backhaul position of the nodes (all nodes wired), same SSID, etc.- will the devices within one’s network automatically connect or will some/all devices have to “reauthorize” with the new hardware?

       Thanks.

       Reply

       • No, Howie. Just use the same Wi-Fi name and password.

         Reply

         • As a follow-up and a heads-up to those who might attempt something similar, I replaced my Google WiFi mesh system with the TP-Link Deco X60 mesh system (all nodes backhaul wired).
           Over five hours later, I finally finished setting up every device which had been connected to the network. Even though I used the same Wi-Fi name and password, not one device recognized it being broadcast by the Deco system. As I worked through re-establishing connections with my myriad devices and systems- Sonos, Amazon Echo devices, Ring devices, Roku devices, various smartplugs and bulbs, iPads, laptops, etc., etc., I wondered why nothing was automatically reconnecting to the same SSID and password as this process had become incredibly time intensive due to the fact every device had to be reconfigured to work with what was effectively seen as a new network.
           Perhaps it was the fact this is a Wi-Fi 6 system? Could it have something to do with MAC addresses previously assigned to each device? Something else? I have no idea. Whatever the case it was completely unexpected and a real pain. I hope the shift to this Wi-Fi 6 system is worth it from a speed and stability perspective as I don’t want to relive setting up everything again if I am forced to return to the previous setup.
           One other thing…I have a Windows 10 laptop that is about five years old. It didn’t recognize the wireless network post-upgrade. The SSID wasn’t even showing up on the available network list. After rebooting a couple of times, I began researching and discovered the wireless adapter driver might not be compatible with WiFi 6 networks. I went to the Intel wireless adapter driver download site, found the latest one, installed, and voila…my network was again displayed and I was able to connect. Whew…
           Hopefully someone learns from my trials.

           Reply

           • Glad it worked out, Howie. I mentioned the driver issue in this post about Wi-Fi 6 as well as this one on troubleshooting.

           • And here is related information from TP-Link for those who might have a similar WLAN adapter: https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/2303/

132. Great details here, this information is fantastic. I am trying to pick a solution for our home. I am sure a mesh system is needed, as our exiting modem/wifi combo doesn’t reach all areas we want coverage. We have 300Mbps cable WAN service and are looking to maintain as much of this as possible to laptops and phones at the edges of coverage. Coverage and reliable / stable connections are more important than top speed. The modem is in the back right corner of our house. The left end of the house will require a satellite which is two rooms over (thru the kitchen, into the dining room, approx. 50′) and could be hardwired. This will handle the left end and upstairs bedrooms just fine. The real question is how to handle our detached studio/workshop which is about 50feet to the right of the modem. The modem is about 5 feet from the outside house wall, then 40 feet to the outbuilding, then thru that exterior wall to where a satellite could be placed. Hard wire to this building would require trenching and we would like to avoid this. Do you know of any testing done for satellites thru exterior walls like this ? Any thoughts on a good solution to this?

     Reply

     • Walls are never good, Byran. I’d recommend running a cable. You can try a high-end broadcaster for this area but my take it none can give you the performance you’d like.

       Reply

       • Thanks. I have a Hitron modem/wifi router now and I am able to connect 1 each airTie4920 repeaters at those ranges, does this give me any clue (or hope) that something like a 3 pack Linksys mx12600 system with 2 satellites can connect and give better/decent speeds ? Again 1 satellite inside the house would be hardwired and 1 satellite wireless from the detached building.

         Reply

         • For sure the Linksys will beat those repeaters, Bryan. Do it! More here.

           Reply

133. Thanks Dong — this is incredibly useful. I’m seriously considering Linksys Velop AX4200. We have a small unwired home, but with a LOT of devices that we also like to use outside sometimes. I have a Netgear router & extender now, but it’s ALWAYS blinking out randomly throughout the day, and I’ve come to suspect it’s because of DFS/radar. (We live between two significant airports.) Would you have any reservations about pulling the trigger on the Linksys, or should I consider something else?

     Reply

     • The Linksys will work, Boyd. You should check out this post first, though.

       Reply

134. Dong, this is super information.

     Here’s my use case, I’ve a 5g Router for my data connection.
     I want to put in a mesh, will need a wireless backhaul as there is no Cat cabling.
     House is split over 3 floors, ground floor is fully open plan, next two floors are broken up into bedrooms and 1 rec room, approximately 1000 square ft per floor.

     I want to be able to dedicate 60% of the bandwidth to two users and the rest split among the smaller humans 🙂

     I also need to be able to use the setup for Oculus Quest 2 rig, alongside a heap of Alexa’s and other smart home bits, there’s about 20 devices connecting pretty much constantly.

     I really don’t want to have to run cables, and I see you’ve called out that power line is a total no go in the comments section, I’ve been through them all, so if money was no object, what do you recommend.

     Gavin

     Reply

     • Get a tri-band on the list and use it with the existing 5G router via a double NAT or AP setup. Details in this post — consider the 5G router your existing gateway.

       Reply

135. Hello Dong –

     Awesome content and reviews coupled with timely responses!

     Have 2 story, 2500 sq. ft. home with an additional 1200 sq. ft. in finished basement. Have pool in back so need wifi connection extended beyond house for Sonos. Cat6 wired thru most of house and will use to hard wire backhaul. 400 mbps internet.

     Was planning on having primary router at back of house and satellite at front of house, both on 1st floor. Open to a third potentially for basement. I have 2 switches and plan to hard wire some of the devices near by (TV, computers, etc.) Going with Wifi 6.

     I know enough to be dangerous but intimidated by AiMesh and also would prefer to just set it and forget it.

     Read thru the RBK752/753 and XT8 reviews here. Would either of those be best or is there a 3rd/4th I should be considering instead?

     Whichever I get, I’ll purchase thru your affiliate link.

     Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

     Reply

     • Get the Asus XD4, Jeff. You can set it and forget it. There’s no need to get a tri-band but for your situation, basically, ANY set on the list will do. I’d go with Asus, Netgear, Linksys, or TP-Link, in that order, in terms of features, settings, and privacy.

       Reply

       • Thank you for the quick feedback within 2 hours at 2am nonetheless!

         I will be picking an Asus XD4 up.

         Jeff

         Reply

         • Hi Jeff

           I recently got the XD4 three node system after reading a lot of info here by Dong. I set it up pretty quickly and all works very well. Seemed the system was all pre-synced as I just switched on node 2 and 3 and they just worked. I didn’t need to actually set anything up.
           I intend to hardwire the nodes which is why I bought the XD4 as opposed to a tri-band system, however its working pretty well as is and don’t get too much drop off in speed at the nodes.
           I’m going to hardwire them anyway just to get the best speed across the whole system but isn’t strictly necessary for my use case.
           We were having WiFi issues in some parts of the house with the internet providers router but now with the XD4s even is working very well and the whole family is happy and not complying about the wifi anymore.
           I’d really recommend this system to others but best to first read all Dong’s info here to make sure whatever you buy fits your use case.
           Be great to hear how you got on with the XD4s if you have also got them now

           Leon

           Reply

       • Good Evening Dong –

         Awesome recommendation. I picked up the XD4 and just finished setting it up. Great coverage throughout the home. It was easier to setup with your instructions. Thank you for your time and sharing of your knowledge. – Jeff

         Reply

         • Excellent! Good job, Jeff! 🙂

           Reply

136. What up Dong! Thanks for all this helpful information. I’m a new homeowner and getting into “smarting” my home and just discovered mesh wifi6. It’s all new to me. Just asking for your recommendation.

     I live in a split level home that totals about 2,800 square feet. I currently don’t have any serious dead zones, but some rooms are better than others. I plan to have all smart switches and plugs throughout the house as well as multiple echo devices. I also plan to use a smart thermostat, doorbell, and a very minimal security system. So for me, I’m looking for a simple smart set up. We have many guests so being able to provide enough bandwidth for all of our devices is important. I’m not a gamer, and we mostly just stream video and music, we’re not advanced.

     My question is what kind of mesh system would you recommend based on this info? I want something completely wireless so I don’t have to run ethernet unless I absolutely have to. I’ve been looking at TP-Link Deco x20, but don’t really know much or if I would need extenders or not.

     Thanks so much!

     Reply

     • Not the Deco, Justin. You need a tri-band set. Just pick one on the list. Chances are you only need a 2-pack. If you want to find out more, check out this post.

       Reply

       • Thank you!

         And what about a recommendation for a modem? I currently have a Netgear C3700v2. Seems like it does fine, but do I need to upgrade or get something different to work well with a tri-band set?

         Reply

         • No you don’t. That modem will work fine.

           Reply

           • Right on. Great to know. One last question:

             I’m pretty sure I’ve narrowed my choice down to either the Orbi AX4200 or the Deco X5700. Would you recommend one over the other for performance, connectivity, ease of use, works with Alexa, or any other features that might give one the slight advantage? I read something about the Orbi only being able to connect to one of the two 5ghz bands. Will that have any effect on the performance or connectivity of the devices?

             Also, do you have an affiliate link for these devices I could buy from for your help?

           • Don’t use Alexa with your Wi-Fi, Justin, never a good idea. The Orbi always reserves a 5GHz band for backhaul, even when you use a cable to link the hardware. For more of these two, check out this comparison post.

           • What do you mean not use Alexa with WiFi? Is there an alternative way to use Alexa, or do you not use smart voice devices? Please explain.

             I’ve replaced a majority of my switches with TP Link Kasa switches which do not require a hub, and instead run off the home’s wifi. I really like them. So far I haven’t had any problems.

           • I mean using Alexa to control your router. Many routers support Alexa skills, don’t bother with those.

           • Gotcha, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks.

137. Hi Dong – Fantastic and very informative site!! Love it!! I have a quick question for you. I am trying to figure out the best setup for our new house. We have 2 stories and about 5000 sq foot (not including the basement.) I do have wired ethernet throughout the house. We have gigabit internet using this modem CM2000-100NAS. What would you suggest for the best setup to cover our house with the best coverage/performance that can take advantage of our gigabit service?

     Thanks!

     Reply

     • Note that you’ll likely never get Gigabit on your device, Mitch. That said, I’d recommend the Asus XD4 in your case.

       Reply

       • Thank you for the quick response! Also just for clarity, cost is of no concern, I am looking for what would be the absolute best performance for our home. Would XD4 still be your go to?

         Thanks!

         Reply

         • If cost is no concern, Mitch, get a few RT-AX86U units and link them via wired backhau. You can start out with two.

           Reply

           • Hi Dong! Again thanks for the response! I am trying to get my hands on a couple of these guys……..looks like I have a few coming in a couple of weeks. Final question, the two AX86U’s compared to the Orbi RBK852……what are your thoughts?

             Thanks!

           • They are apples and oranges, Mitch. Find my thoughts in this post and their reviews. https://dongknows.com/mesh-wi-fi-system-explained/

           • Hi Dong! Thanks again for the quick reply. I think I must be confusing myself. Are you saying that two – Asus AX86U devices setup in an AiMesh configuration and the Orbi Wifi 6 are not a comparable setup? I was under the impression that the Asus devices utilizing AiMesh was similar conceptually to a boxed mesh setup. I am good either way, just was looking for some clarity as I thought they were similar (and still get that impression from reading the article.) At the end of the day, with either setup, I would be using a wired backhaul. Was just curious about your thoughts on the coverage/performance between the two.

             For background info, in the past, I have used many different setups including the original Orbi setup, a full Ubiquiti UniFi setup with USG and AP’s, and the Amplifi Alien.

             Thanks again! Mitch

           • They are not comparable because one is tri-band and the other is a dual-band, Mitch, that’s not to mention the feature set, etc. Please *read* the post I linked in the previous reply and the reviews of the said products for the big picture.

138. First off, wonderful site and guide. I love it. I’ll be coming back.

     Secondly, I was hoping for a recommendation. I’m running a very special use case. I have an oculus quest 2 with a 2×2 MIMO wifi 6 connection in it. I want that on a band all by itself to wirelessly stream games. It’s very sensitive to being on a band with other devices.

     This means I am looking for a triband router with two 5ghz wifi 6 bands. One band for all the other devices in the home, one band for all the old devices that can’t make use of a 5ghz band, and then that third band for the quest 2. If it’s a backhaul mesh band converted into a usable third band, that’s fine.

     It’s a weird use case, but a use case none the less. Otherwise, my home situation is a single floor, 4 bedroom home, with thin walls. I generally do not need mesh capabilities or wifi extenders.

     Reply

     • It’s not that weird, GDC. Get (a pair of) the Asus GT-AX11000, or the (2-pack) Asus RT-AX92U, and use the 5GHz-2 band for your Oculus. A single unit of either will prolly work out.

       Reply

139. I am relatively new to you site. And I am glad I found it. The thing that I do find helpful are all the little details
     especially in comparison. What I find somewhat useless is the over emphasize be on the speed test. Not say that they aren’t important especially when there is an outliner. The problem I have is when 90-95% if not all 100 percent of all the devices tested in a single article have the speed that are with in 5-10% even the fastest and slowest one. Sure speed is important but I don’t think for average daily user will need to sqeeze that much bandwidth on the daily basis. I would go wired at that point. The more concern to me is seamless roaming/handoff test between these mesh devices. Sure if you are watching a streaming movies, podcasts, audio books or musics. The apps handle the buffer and have no need to worry, but what if you are in ssh session or having a VoIP (which basically all the decent smart phone do now and all the carriers support it), Having the ability to passing through one end of the house to the other end w/o dropping the call is more important to me than extra 50mbps when I am 5 feet away from the nearest access point. I would like to see seamless hand off test in all your reviews. Hope you can make it happened.

     Thank you,

     Reply

     • Happy to have you, and thanks for the input. The performance numbers are the only thing that can be quantified for a visual comparison, and testing with a single client is to make sure the numbers are comparable in all routers. I do test handoff, just not the way you want to see it. I always use a router/mesh for many days for our own needs and report back the general experience. (More on how I test routers here.)

       The call you’re talking about, it’s impossible to test for a couple of reason:

       1. Voice and video calls depend on many factors, the phone, the service, the time, the ISPs, the locations of each party, etc. Even when your Wi-Fi is perfect and you’re standing at one spot, the call quality can change. Try it!
       2. During the handoff, some phones might automatically use cellular signals. Some don’t.

       The point is you can’t hold just the Wi-Fi accountable.

       Generally, as a rule, you should stay at one spot when making a call. Moving around is never a good idea if you expect the call quality to be consistent. In other words, no mesh system can fulfill your expectations on this front.

       Reply

       • I was thinking along the line of staring with 5 feet away frome one AP, start the traffic, and then walk at a normal speed to 5 feet away from another AP then back. The look at the result in between like how many packet got drop, what are the low/high/norm(don’t confuse w/ average) and how fast was the default handoff (assuming even if certain setting can be change, how good is the default setting).

         Reply

         • Unless you have an RF chamber, you’ll likely see a (wildly) different result in every single test. Try it! There’s nothing persistent about Wi-Fi signals, which are susceptible to many invisible elements. As a result, that kind of test is not meaningfully repeatable in all routers. You can’t use it to say one is better than the other, etc.

           Reply

140. Hi Dong,

     Thank you for your very informative and helpful reviews. I am hoping you could assist me in selecting the next router.

     My current router is an 8-years old Netgear WNDR4300 that is now on the verge of dying. However it served me well with the openwrt firmware that I flashed almost within the first few months of buying it. When it was working, the main problem that I noticed with it was very poor speed between two WiFi peers, and coverage issues with my 1050sqft apartment.

     Now we are moving to our new house that is 1300sqft and I have bought Netgear AX4300 RAX45 (Costco variant) for $129 and a Linksys velop 2-node AX4200 system for $229. I’m planning to return one of them back. These are my points for and against both…
     – Linksys AX4200 is a tri-band system against dual band of Netgear
     – Not sure if I really need mesh for 1300 sqft house
     – If I need mesh, I don’t think there’s anything beating the price off $229 for two nodes of tri-band Linksys
     – if I don’t need mesh, I could still save on money by selling one of the Linksys node (each node can act as a complete router) to a friend and it would cost me still $129 but a tri-band against dual-band of Netgear
     – all in all I’m not finding much reasons to keep Netgear

     What are your thoughts?

     Reply

     • Check out this post on mesh, KN. Then get a router on this list.

       Reply

141. Hi Dong. I bought the Linksys MX10 for $499.99 on Black Friday. Now I see that I can get the MX12600 for the same price. My house is 3300 sq ft 2- story. The MX10 provides great coverage and the MX12600 seems like overkill, but for the same price, I’m tempted to return to the store and get the newer system since I’m still in the return window. What are your thoughts?

     Reply

     • Naw, don’t bother, Gary. If it’s working right now, leave it that way. Also, more hardware doesn’t mean better when it comes to mesh. More in this post.

       Reply

142. I’m considering a switch from a tri-band mesh (currently have the Orbi RB753) with a dual band. Main reason is that my house is wired and see no benefit with the 3rd band dedicated for wireless backhaul. I wonder if I get a regular router to connect to my Fios (1 Gbps) and get a dual band WiFi 6 mesh that supports wired backhaul. Assuming this combination is cheaper than the Orbi RB753, of course.

     Reply

     • Get the XD4, Syed. Later on you can get another dual-band AiMesh router as the router unit if need be.

       Reply

       • Follow-up: is the XD4 ideal for 1 Gbps? (I don’t get those speeds and don’t expect to, but curious if it supports that. May have missed it in your review.) Also, I’m considering the following: main router would be something like Linksys LRT214 (connect directly to my ONT), then setup a dual-band mesh (let’s say the XD4) in bridge/AP mode and wired backhaul the entire thing. Does that seem like overkill and just live happily with the Orbi?

         Reply

         • Check out the review of the XD4 for the performance numbers, Syed. Why would you pick a Linksys over an Asus? Linksys is quite terrible in terms of features and settings. But sure that works.

           Reply

143. Hey Dong, echoing the comments from many others: your articles are extremely informative and very thorough, really appreciate all your research and hard work!
     I’m wondering your thoughts on my situation – I’m building a new home (~6000 sq ft over 2 floors, not counting the basement) and am obviously wiring ethernet ports throughout, so I’m trying to decide whether I should go with one of these mesh systems or just use traditional WAPs.
     – If the former, which from this list would you see as the best performer, assuming gig internet and wired backhaul?
     – If the latter, any specific WAP you suggest for good coverage and performance throughout? My contractor suggested Ruckus or Araknis but I don’t see many performance reviews on these. Ubiquiti’s HD one looks to be a good option but would like your thoughts…
     Thanks in advance for any and all direction, it’s very much appreciated!

     Reply

     • For now, GM, get the XD4. All other options are way too expensive and don’t have much more to offer.

       Reply

144. I reached out to Netgear and they said that their wifi 6 devices did make use of the 160 MHz band as its part of their 802.11ax standard. However I’m more inclined to believe you, still wondering if its just the mesh systems from netgear you’ve not seen using the band or if maybe netgear has none mesh systems that do use it, which support may have been referring to.

     Also I wanted to know what speeds work from the ethernet ports when you say no multi gigabit ports. I’m assuming it can handle at best 1 gig?

     When it comes down to it I guess what I’m looking for is the following

     Tri-brand mesh system with available wired backhaul
     Multi-gig ethernet ports on main and satellite
     Use of 160MHz bands

     I read your article on wifi 6E and it was crazy informative. Do you think something might come out in the first half of 2021 that matches the above specs?

     Also, I don’t understand why a wifi 6E won’t be backward compatible. Or did you mean a pure 6E won’t be backward compatible. I would assume we’ll start seeing quad band mesh with a 2.4, 5, and possibly another 5 or who knows maybe another 6 for the wireless backhaul. My point there being that other bands should works with older 802.11 standards. I may have misunderstood the compatibility you mentioned though.

     Reply

     • You won’t see a mesh system of those specs for a while, Lucas. As for compatibility, it’s the frequencies that matter. 6GHz, 5GHz, and 2.4GHz DO NOT work with one another. That’s the reason why we needed dual-band, to begin with. More here.

       Reply

145. Thanks for this info! So little out there on this subject written that’s coherent. I have a question though:
     I have a wired house with Ethernet ports in different places in my large (long) 2 story house and I’m looking to convert from a 2 network system (I currently have 2 nite hawk routers) to a mesh system with (if I’m correct) wired backhaul. Am I correct in that if I go from my modem to the base router and then from there into a switch that goes throughout the house , I’ll be able to utilize a wired backhaul – and if so, which one would you recommend?
     Thank you!

     Reply

     • You can just turn the 2nd router into an access point and you get what you want, DK. I’d recommend this post that talks about basic stuff.

       Reply

     • @Dong Ngo, Ok great- read it all. Thanks! So all I have to do is utilize the bridge mode for the second router. I assume this will work if I put a 3rd router on the network as well. Before I do this, can I ask if having 3 nighthawk routers is better or worse than a wired backhaul system like the TP link or Google Wifi?

       Thank you!

       Reply

       • If by “bridge mode” you mean the “Access Point” mode, DK. Using the TP-Link or Google Wifi will give you a mesh system. You should check out this post for more!.

         Reply

146. Hi Dong, great post! In your research, did any of these support 802.1q? Required if I am to replace my ISP’s crap wifi modem that sits in front of the fiber-copper transceiver (adtran).

     Reply

     • I think 802.1Q only applies to the ONT unit, Rusty. After that, you can use any router or mesh system. Or you can just keep the current “crappy” one (or maybe I should call it “rusty”? :)) and use it in a double-NAT setup. More here.

       Reply

147. Hi Dong,

     I’m moving to a new house soon. Currently in a 2 bedroom apartment with an old single Netgear r7000 that has worked well but seems to be on its way out. The new house is roughly 3700 sq ft (including the basement).

     I want to get either a mesh wifi system or start dipping into ubiquiti. I’m looking at the Orbi (RBK753S-100NAS) or the Ubiquiti Dream Machine and an access point.

     One note, the house is not currently wired but the fiber line comes into the basement where the old central vacuum system was located and I realize I could probably run ethernet cables through the central vac system.

     What would you suggest, the orbi or the dream machine? Or is there a different system you think is the bees knees!?

     Reply

     • I’d go with Orbi, Daniel. The UDM is Wi-Fi 5 and also a dual-band, so it’s not great for a wireless mesh in terms of speeds.

       Reply

       • Thanks Dong!! Much appreciated!

         Reply

         • Sure, Daniel. Good luck, and stay safe! 🙂

           Reply

           • I see you’re also recommending the Asus AX XT8… Would you recommend that over the Orbi?

           • No, it’s not clear cut like that. That’s for you to decide, Daniel.

148. Dong,

     I currently have an Orbi RBR50 with an RBS50 satelite in a under 2,000 sqft space. None of my devices in the home are WiFi 6 yet.

     I went with a mesh system because my house is very old with thick plaster walls and I feel like I get better connectivity/speeds on the second floor with a satellite.

     I have a Gigabit Internet connection and my WiFi 5 devices typically seem to max out at about 300-350 Mbps.. sometimes I see higher on uploads, not sure why.

     I am thinking of replacing my Orbi RBR50 with a WiFi 6 system and I’m trying to pick the best option for performance first and features/options second or a nice balance of both.

     After reading your article I feel like I’m torn between the WiFi 6 Orbi, The Linksys Velop, or the most interesting to me is the Asus ZenWiFi system.. I’m leaning towards the Asus as it sounds like it might be that balance of performance and features I mentioned above.

     I’d love to hear your opinion if you would like to share.

     Thanks!

     Reply

     • Get the Asus, Colin. Also, the speed you see might not change since it depends on your clients, too. More here.

       Reply

       • Thanks. I think I’ll order the 2 pack Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8.

         The Orbi is a lot more expensive and doesn’t seem to offer anywhere near as much flexibility/features. It does sound like the Orbi is king of the hill when it comes to raw performance though.

         Are you aware of any mesh systems that support DNS over TLS or HTTPS?

         Thanks for putting the time in, I just started scrolling through the comments and it must take you a considerable amount of time to read and respond to all these comments and still create content.

         Reply

         • The Asus is the way to go that is, Colin. For your question, that’s just a matter of changing the router’s DNS settings. More here, just pick Cloudflare or Google and you’re all set. Asus also has excellent support for Dynamic DNS, too.

           Reply

         • @Dong Ngo, I ordered the Asus ZenWiFi AX today. I’m looking forward to replacing my Orbi RBR50 system and entering the world of WiFi 6 and multi gig wan ports 🙂

           Thanks for the advice.

           Reply

           • Cool! Hope it works out! 🙂

149. Hello Dong,

     First and foremost thank you for all your information you give on this page and throughout your website. Now onto my question.

     We are moving and the new house is older and does not have Ethernet ran throughout the house. I am looking for a mesh systems WiFi 6, that can connect my office stuff (Synology NAS, Work Computer, etc) via Ethernet to a node and use the mesh to another node at the entertainment system (TV, Apple TV, etc) connected to the node via Ethernet. I do run plex on my synology and will be streaming to the TV. The house is about 2000 square feet so not huge and I don’t want to rip up the walls to run Ethernet. Thank you so much for your help in advance.

     Reply

     • Generally, you need to connect the NAS server to the main note (router) of a mesh. So keep that in mind, Mark. After that, just pick one of the Netgear Orbi or the ZenWiFi AX mentioned here, or the Asus ZenWiFi AC.

       Reply

       • Hi Dong, I have been doing some reading around the site. Would you suggest wiring the backhaul with a MoCA 2.5 over coaxil or would the wifi 6 mesh backhaul be better? I am going to order the ZenWiFi AX.

         Reply

         • I’d recommend getting your home wired, Mark. But if that’s not possible, MoCA will do. Make sure you use the latest adapters and a line that’s NOT being used for service signals.

           Reply

           • Is the MoCA superior to the WiFi 6 backhaul of the Asus ZenWiFi?

           • That depends on the distance, Mark, but if you intend to have wired backhaul, it’s better to go with a dual-band system. More here.

150. Never really heard back if WiFi 6 is actually more secure.

     Reply

     • It’s a bit irrelevant since that depends on what security method you use, Morse. Wi-Fi 6 devices are more likely to support the latest WPA3, though. But WPA2 (available in all Wi-Fi 5) is plenty secure.

       Reply

       • Appreciate you opinion but wpa2 has been shown to easily be sampled and cracked. best regards…

         Reply

151. Dong,

     I really appreciate this excellent article; by far, it is the best thing I have found online. And you have been super generous with your time in responding to comments. I was hoping that I could quickly get your input into our situation.

     We have a 2,500 sq ft, 2-story home and a 500 sq ft detached office (both are concrete block, which makes broad wifi coverage problematic) that is Cat 5e hardwired throughout, with gigabit service. We currently have 4 Google Wifi routers throughout our house, and have always experienced sporadic connection drops. We switched service from Cox to AT&T Fiber thinking it might be a line issue, but the drops continue. My wife and I both work from home, and we have a lot of streaming devices running, so consistent, fast internet is a top priority and this will be a work expense, so cost is not an issue.

     Based upon your review, I was leaning toward the Asus XT8, but I see that there are only 2 routers. We need 1 out in our detached office, and I don’t know if the 1 remaining router (which is in a corner closet of our house) will provide sufficient coverage for the whole main house. I see that for another commenter that also has concrete block walls, you recommended a combo of one RT-AX86U router and a set of ZenWiFi XD4 as nodes in a wired AiMesh setup. Is that something that you would recommend for my setup? Or what would you recommend for my particular situation?

     And to add one more wrinkle – AT&T requires that we use their router (BGW320), but said that I can use IP Passthrough to connect another router. It has one 5GB port. So, would any of the routers you recommend work best with this router and 5GB port? I can upgrade our switch to support 5GB if that would help.

     Thanks in advance for your advice!

     Reply

     • Since you have CAT5 wiring, Josh, get the XD4, or a mix of it (as nodes) and another dual-band router, like the RT-AX8xU (as main router). To deal with the AT&T box, check out this post.

       Reply

       • Thanks so much!!

         Reply

         • Sure, Josh! 🙂

           Reply

152. Is 1200 Mbps (AX1800) sufficient for wifi speed given that I only have a 1Gbps network? It would seem that a lot of these higher end routers promising more throughput will be overkill since I dont have a 10Gb network.

     Reply

     • Nope, Mike. And by the way, that depends on other factors, too. More here.

       Reply

153. Dong,

     Thank you for your great articles, I find them to be very well written!
     I’m looking at upgrading and setting up a mesh network with only wired backhauls although I’m trying to decide on what brand to go with. Right now I have two RT-AC68 setup with the AiMesh although one of the units is going out.

     One of the big things for us is a good ‘seamless handoff’ as with the current setup if you move from on to another and you have a something like a snapchat call or WiFi call it will drop the call

     I’m currently leaning towards two ASUS AX5400 and potentially using a the good RT-AC68 to cover a spot in the house that struggles with a good signal or maybe getting a ASUS AX3000 for that and use AiMesh to create the 802.11r mesh

     I have also thought about using UniFi Wi-Fi APs to create my mesh network but not super excited about it but completely willing to do so if its the best option (I can do more technical stuff without a problem)

     What are your thoughts and recommendations? We have a lot of LAN traffic with things like Plex, I also have a switch that I can install that can support link aggregation (UniFi US-24/48) for the node units (and NAS at that point)
     Network setup is: Cable modem>AC68>unmanaged switch>wires to some non movable devices (NAS, desktop, main TV) and AiMesh node

     Thanks, Tim

     Reply

     • Since you have wired your home, almost any combo will work, Tim. Go with your gut.

       Reply

     • @Dong Ngo,

       My gut says stay with the ASUS as they seam to be ahead of the curve for residential grade equipment without going into something like a Cisco AP (C9115AXI-EWC) with a builtin Wireless Controller (small to medium business grade) which I can’t afford but two would definitely do the trick.

       In your testing have you found if the RT-AX82U/AX5400 works well when it has a RT-AC68/AC1900 or the RT-AX58U/AX3000 as a node as I know from your other articles that some combos can be buggy/have issues and that you’ve done a lot of testing

       Reply

       • I didn’t test AiMesh with the RT-AC68U or the RT-AC1900, Tim. My work doesn’t involve just AiMesh, you know. 🙂

         Reply

       • If you have wired your home, they’ll (likely) work well, Tim.

         Reply

154. Hi Dong,

     Thank you for all the amazing info you post. I’ve learned a lot so far. I’m hoping to get your thoughts on a question I have regarding meshing different router types together…
     In a previous smaller home I was running an RT-AC86U and was really satisfied with the performance. I’ve recently moved into a larger 2 storey + basement home (2700 sqft). The AC86U alone was struggling to keep up so I decided to get another router to Aimesh. I decided to take the leap and sold my AC86U and bought two AX86U routers which are now in a wired Aimesh. One is located in the basement at the panel where the service comes in, and the other at the opposite end of the house on the 2nd floor to best service my 3 kids are doing virtual school due to COVID.

     I’m getting weak spots and kids are reporting drop outs in signal during school. So I’m thinking of adding to my Aimesh by adding coverage in the main floor. To make a main floor router wife friendly and not have a visible router with a bunch of antennas, I’m interested possibly adding a pair of Zenwifi AXT8 to the Aimesh.

     Therefore I have questions related to meshing together the dual-band AX-86U’s with the tri-band AXT8’s. How would that work? Is it a good or bad idea and why? If it’s ok in an Aimesh together, which router should be setup as the main?

     Reply

     • It’ll work but since you have wired your home, it’s better to get another dual-band AiMesh router, Eric. Using a tri-band makes no difference. More here.

       Reply

155. You rank the Arris maX Pro #1 and the Ubiquiti Alien Meshpoint #2 but the score of the Alien is higher than the Arris. Trying to understand why you ranked Arris #1 above the Alien when you scored the Alien higher.

     Reply

     • Read the entire post, Bryan.

       Reply

       • So with a 1 GB internet service and Arris S33 modem in a 5,200 sq ft home which is three floors which of these mesh systems would work best?

         Reply

         • That depends on your place and what you want, Bryan. More here.

           Reply

           • I want a mesh system that is Wifi 6 that will provide best coverage for a 3 floor home that is 5,200 sq ft. So which Wifi 6 802.11ax mesh system would work best with a 1 GB Internet service?

156. Hi Dong,

     I take it that you’re not a fan of the Eero. Does that go for the 2nd generation Eeero Pro as well? I know you don’t like the newest offerings, just wondering if the previous generation was any better? I briefly had one in my home from the local provider and it seemed alright, but I didn’t do any definitive testing. I need to expand coverage in my 3 story home and will be using a wired Cat5e backhaul to each of my 3 nodes. I appreciate your feedback.

     Thanks!

     Jerry

     Reply

     • I’m familiar with all of them, Jerry. I’d never use one for myself, and that has little to do with the performance, which is terrible for the money to begin with. It seems you’re looking for an excuse to get one, you won’t get it from me. 🙂 Since you have wired your home, just pick any of the dual-band on this list.

       Reply

     • @Dong Ngo,

       I didn’t mean to sound like I was looking for an excuse to buy them. The price dropped $100 so that’s a consideration. Just wanting to be sure that your opinion wasn’t limited to just the newer models (which seem to get terrible reviews from everyone). Just looking for the most cost effective solution I can find that will still deliver great performance.

       Reply

157. Hi Dong,
     Are you planning to review TpLink AX5700 exclusive to Costco? This was released couple days ago and available now.
     Thanks

     Reply

     • It is 2pack mesh system

       Reply

     • Maybe, RK.

       Reply

158. Hi Dong – Great site!

     I was hoping if you would be kind enough to provide a mesh recommendation. I have a modest connection (100Mbps), but a large house spread over 2 floors. I only really have wifi issues with 5Ghz in the corners of the house (no signal). If I switch to 2.4Ghz, I get a signal but can’t stream in HD.

     What Mesh system would you recommend as wiring isn’t an option?

     Thanks,
     Dee

     Reply

     • It’s impossible to answer your questions, Dee. But you can figure that out yourself via this post. But if wiring is not an option then get a tri-band system.

       Reply

159. a)
     Hi Dong,

     thanks for amazing reviews. Most detailed reviews I’ve seen. Though more I read more question marks I have to choose a mesh system for my home. Will appreciate your suggestion/recommendation.

     My current setup:

     200mbps fiber connection with ISP modem.
     2x AmplifyHD units (not one with 2 satellites). One is set as host, second as mesh node. My household is duplex apartment, first unit is located downstairs, second upstairs with 2 walls in between.
     Cable backhaul is not possible due to apartment structures, so I have to rely on wireless mesh only.

     My family has 4 members and many gadgets, TVs, tablets etc. So at any given time we can have 3 TVs pulling 4K Netflix traffic.

     2-3 other smartphone hubs connected through LAN to each AmplifyHD. No need for speed or high data traffic here.

     I don’t really have any WiFi6 devices.

     My current issue:

     – WiFi speed downstairs is about 200mbps while upstairs only 80-90mbps.

     – AmplifyHD allows to choose 2.4Hz or 5Hz to use for backhaul connection between nodes. Since there are 2 walls in between, 5Hz connection shows signal being too weak. Hence I have it at 2.4Hz.

     – Netflix/other video streaming is not an issue, AmplifyHD handles traffic well. The issue is ping lag while playing Xbox. Even though I market Xbox Series X as gaming device in AmplifyHD app assuming it will prioritize traffic, it doesn’t really help. While nobody watches Netflix, ping is fine. But once 2 TVs go live, ping becomes serious issue for my Xbox and games become mostly unplayable.

     My Xbox Series X always connects to the node upstairs as it’s too far with walls in between to connect to the base which is located downstairs.

     What I need:

     1. I’m not a network expert but I assume WiFi6 routers will use WiFi6 to connect between base and node? I need to have minimum lag upstarts so I can play Xbox games. Hence I’m looking at WiFi 6 mesh routers. I also understand since I’ll have wireless connection, routers must be Triband. WiFi6 also tells me these will be future proof.

     2. I absolutely need to be able to prioritize traffic for Xbox Series X which will be connected wirelessly (can’t do wired) even if 3-4 TVs are used for Netflix. Also need minimum ping.

     3. Need to have high speeds upstarts in a range of 300mbps or at least min 200mbps so my ISP speed can be available upstairs too.

     4. Dedicated gaming LAN ports are not required, though I need at least 2-3 LAN ports for smart home hubs.

     5. No issues with roaming assistance. AmplifyHD handles it perfectly.

     I know Asus has gaming routers, but I need at least 2 to cover upstairs. Also I have limited space downstairs where my ISP modem is, so I can’t have tall routers with huge antennas.

     I’ve shortlisted few models here based on your reviews:

     ASUS ZenWiFi AX Whole-Home Tri-Band Mesh WiFi 6 System (XT8). – I wander if it has Asus gaming mode where I can prioritize traffic for wireless client and decrease latency?

     Netgear Orbi AX4000 (RBK742) – which seems to be solid choice for speed, but I’m not sure about latency and whether or not it allows to prioritize traffic for gaming console and decrease ping?

     It could be another option/brand which I’m not aware of. Will appreciate your suggestions/recommendation.

     I have limited availability of latest devices in my country, and since I’ll be ordering internationally (from Amazon using your affiliate links) I don’t have luxury of trying and returning. So I really need a solid, polished option which will perform well and will have as less bugs as possible.

     Many thanks
     Nazar

     Reply

     • Wireless mesh is never good for gaming, Nazar, especially if you use the 2.4GHz band as the backhaul. I’d recommend getting the RBK753 in your case or a 3-pack XT8 (you can get a 2-pack and a third standalone unit). You don’t have a lot of options.

       Reply

     • @Dong Ngo,

       I think I’ll go with Asus ZenWiFi AX, thanks for suggestion. No other option as you said. Will use second 5Hz channel for backhaul.

       I’m a little confused about 160Hz conflicting with (weather?) radar. Is there a way to tell if units will switch from 160Hz to 80Hz? As long as the node delivers close to or 200mbps, I’ll be happy.

       Thanks.

       Reply

       • More on that here, Nazar.

         Reply

160. Hi Dong, Many many Thanks for all the detailed reviews. It is just fun reading through all of them. Trying to decide between the following options at Costco for our 3400 sqft house – 3 floors and a loft on top mostly wired for ethernet
     Linksys Velop AX4200 2 pack – $230
     Nighthawk MK63 3 pack – $200
     Orbi RBK753S 3 pack – $430

     I am wondering if they are reading your reviews to pick the models 🙂 I am wondering if I need a 3 pack or if 2 pack is fine. Reliability and security are my major concerns. Was almost going with Google/Eero and very thankful for your comments on those.

     Also our home has a small cable cabinet in the laundry room where all the coax/ethernet cables from the whole house come in. Do you think it would be fine to keep the router in that area or if I should keep it in a different area.

     Thanks again and Happy holidays

     Reply

     • For your case, it makes sense to get the Netgear MK63, Thiru. Since your Internet drop is in that laundry room, you should get a 3-pack. That one will work out well via wired backhauls — make sure that’s the case. Happy holidays, and stay safe! 🙂

       Reply

     • Thank you so much Dong.

       Reply

     • Dong, I realized that the MK63 satellite has only one ethernet port. If I use this for the back haul then I can’t use ethernet for devices in the areas of the satellite (TV / voip phone adapater)unless I add switches in those areas. This is a little inconvenient.

       I was wondering if I can use the Linksys AX4200 2 pack this way: use the coax output in one of the rooms to set up the cable modem and connect the router to it. Connect ethernet cable from router to wall outlet. All the ethernet cables in the cable cabinet go to a switch. Connect the satellite in another room at the other end of the house to the wall outlet. House is 3400 sqft with 2 floors and a loft. Would this set up work?

       Or should I just get a 753. I was also wondering if the small closed cabinet could make the router too hot.

       BTW Is there a switch you would recommend.

       Thank you so much.

       Reply

       • You need to figure that kind of details out yourself, Thiru. I can only point you in the right direction. Any unmanaged Gigabit switch will do, just get one from a reputable vendor.

         Reply

       • Thank you again Dong for generously sharing your expertise. I will figure this out. Perhaps will go with the Asus Zenwifi Mini or RBK753

         Reply

         • Sure, Thiru. Either is a solid choice. 🙂

           Reply

161. Great site and information all around!

     I’m trying to figure out what’s best suited for my 2200 sq ft ranch that also has a similar sized basement. I have Gigabit service via Comcast/Xfinity running their latest gen3 XB7-T with three (3) 1Gbps LAN ports and one (1) 2.5 Gbps LAN port. The house is only about 60-65 feet long, but I’d like to maximize the speeds throughout the house and in the basement. As time goes on there will be more demand and more devices as kids get older. I’m also a gamer, so trying to maximize the gaming speeds would be welcomed (and probably wired would be optimal).

     My thought process is to either put a mesh hub in the center of the main floor and use a wired backhaul satellite in the basement immediately below it OR to simply go with a high quality long range router like the Asus GT-AX11000 (?) in the center of the main floor and add a mesh endpoint in the basement if needed? I’m really not sure what kind of speeds I would get with various wall (to bedrooms, other rooms on main floor) and floor (to basement) interference. Unfortunately there is no existing wiring in the house, but I have access in the basement and in the attic to run things.

     My cable runs from outside, through my garage and into the basement on the far end of the house. If I wanted to use a rack for equipment, how would you set this up so it all could be located in the basement? Comcast modem (in bridge mode) and router in the basement rack but then the router/hub is too far from the center of the house. Or run Cat6a from the modem in the basement to the router/hub in the center of main floor and then how to manage adding other wired devices as desired? Seems like it would force having the rack in the middle of the house somehow?

     Any insight would be great!

     Reply

     • Check out this post, Matt.

       Reply

     • @Dong Ngo,

       Another excellent article! I did come across that during my reading, and the following section is what left me a little confused:

       “On the other hand, if you want to go all out and wire the entire home, you’ll need to have a place where all the cables’ A ends converge. It’s best to have them all in a small room or closet, where your Internet service line comes into the house.

       From there, have the B ends of the cables go to different parts of the house, as many as you want. Personally, I have two for each room in my home. The place I use as my office, I have a couple for each wall.”

       Do you keep the router where the cable enters the house in a non optimal place? Or do you run ethernet from the modem (basement rack) to the router (middle of house for best wifi signal) and then another ethernet from the router back to a switch (basement rack) for any additional things? You’d still be able to run other mesh nodes or APs off the centralized router, you’d just lose one port to run it back to the switch in the basement?

       Reply

162. Thank you for your excellent reviews. I live in a 3 story house (3500 sf) with 400Mbps internet service. I currently use an Asus RT-AC1900P router that is centrally located and does a pretty good job, but it doesn’t provide enough service to the edges of my house. I want to increase my wireless coverage and improve the speeds I get. I have a wired (Cat5e) hookup on each floor that I can use. I was thinking a mesh system with 2 or 3 units. Which mesh system would you recommend? I do plan to use a wired backhaul to the router. I was going to buy the Eero pro 6 before I came to your site, now I think something else would be better. I appreciate your help. My friend who does IT work suggested the TP Link x60, but it seems to perform on the lower end.

     Reply

     • You should go with the Asus XD4 or a few dual-band AiMesh routers, Jerry.

       Reply

163. I have been reading your reviews and am trying to decide between a couple options. I have a longer ranch style house and need a mesh system. I have a 100′ CAT5e cable between the office and the living room with an unmanaged gigabit switch at each end. I am looking for a two router system because I really don’t have a need for a third device. I have basic cable internet service with 300 mbps, but I want to get something that could work for 3-5yrs, so looking for something with 802.11 AX. I am thinking I may want a tri-band system in case my Ethernet cable is too slow or potentially to re-assign the second 5gHz radio, but that’s not critical. We mostly stream movies and music but have a 20-30 connected devices around the house.

     I really want the Asus XT8 but the price is ~$450 and I haven’t seen any discounts.
     I am also looking at the Linksys Velop AX4200 (2 pack) from Costco for $230 or the TP-Link Deco X60 (2 pack) from amazon for $260.

     Are there any other options I should consider and what would your recommendation be?

     Reply

     • I can’t comment on the prices, Dave, since they are different everywhere. For your case, either will work out well. Of the three, I’d recommend Linksys. Or you can get a pair of Asus dual-band AiMesh routers.

       Reply

164. Hello Dong,

     Wonderful site and extremely informative. I am looking for advice. My current configuration: I have an appr. 2000 sq. ft split level house with FiOS Quantum 1GB service (FiOS Quantum Gateway G1100 wireless router). This router is located in my home office at the back of the lower level of the house. My main home office pc connects to it via ethernet cable, and I do a lot of online gaming on it. Among the other devices in my house, the other main one I am concerned with is my Xbox Series X. It is located in my living room (middle of the main level). It is connected to a Verizon MoCA adapter (several rooms in my house are wired with coax). It usually gets decent performance – between 300-500 Mbps with no packet loss and “under 60 ms latency” (as per Xbox’s network test). However, games lag and disconnect from Xbox Live periodically, which is very frustrating. When that happens and I troubleshoot, it says the NAT is moderate. I found though that running the test a couple of times then clears it back to open. For the Xbox (and pc gaming as well), do you think I would be better served by replacing the Verizon Quantum Gateway G1100 router with a gaming router like the Asus GT-AX11000 and an AIMesh satellite by the Xbox (wiring it to the satellite so that it uses the dedicated backhaul)? If so, can you recommend a good pairing? I would prefer not getting two GT-AX11000s- one is expensive enough 🙂 Or maybe just replace my current router with one better optimized for gaming and continue to use the MoCA bridge for the Xbox? Or do you suspect my issues are unrelated to my hardware? Thanks for your advice!

     Reply

     • That’s a loaded question, Eric. First of all, 60 ms latency is borderline horrendous. More here. Secondly, you need to replace the Verizon Gateway with your own modem (if possible) or use a double-NAt setup with a router with good QoS. Also, running a network cable is a must. I don’t have a short answer for your situation. Spend some extra time on the site and try to find out what’s best for you.

       Reply

       • Thank you for the quick reply with the links. You’ve certainly provided ample information to research this. Question regarding the Verizon Gateway G1100- do you recommend replacing it because it is a poor product or because of the monthly fee? In my case, Verizon isn’t charging me a monthly fee (they would if I wanted to upgrade it to a Wi-Fi 6 option).

         Reply

         • Mostly so that you have more control over your network, Eric. In your case, you can just turn it into the bridge mode which makes it work like a modem. Then use another router of your own.

           Reply

           • Thank you- I am sorry to keep taking up your time. My Xbox issues seem to result from the coax service periodically dropping for several seconds. Do you think using an Asus GT-AX11000 as the main router, and a cheaper Asus AIMesh as a satellite by the Xbox for the dedicated backhaul is a good structure (rather than my current local MoCA bridge by the Xbox)?

           • I have no idea, Eric. Get somebody to check your home out for the real cause. But it’s best to get it wired and then use a pair of dual-band AiMesh router with wired backhaul.

165. Hello Dong,

     Given my basic construction 2 floor 2500sqft set up I thought replacing my old airport extremes & time capsule would be simple, apparently it’s not 😐

     So far I have tried:
     – eero 6 (not pro). The app is good, but the connection drops connected game consoles and cell pretty regularly (even when wired??). Would wiring the sattalites help? (couldn’t see how it would with the wired devices)
     – orbi 6 – the connection seems great, but the app is.. well: lame. To do what i would have thought were basic features like name/group devices and schedule times (parental control) you have to purchase a 3rd party Circle device and pay $5 a month. Tech support did say that soon (eta??) they will release a firmware update will let you do this without purchasing a Circle, but you will still need to pay Circle $5 a month to have these features that other companies include with their apps.

     I can wire the satellites and even use some of the existing extremes/capsules if you think it best. Which wifi 6 router 3 mesh system would you recommend for solid connection, good range and integrated (free) app features like being able to name, group and set schedules for connected devices?

     Thanks!!

     – D

     Reply

     • Get a few dual-band Asus AiMesh routers, D. You can start with the ZenWiFi AX Mini XD4 on this list. Wired backhaul is a must. Also, I’m not a fan of using a mobile app to manage your network, but that of Asus is an exception.

       Reply

       • Thanks for your lightning fast reply & I’m on the same page with you: web interface vs. mobile app is preferred here too 🙂

         – your review said that the ZenWifi has: ‘Stripped-down, borderline useless QoS and Parental Control features’ … (which I do want)
         … but the blurb on Amazon ad page says that Zen has full blown parental controls

         That might be because it seems like ur review link to buy the Zens might be the older model? … Are these the newer rev (and still the preferred choice)? Or would u go with the TP-Link Deco X60 which are about the same price as the Zens on sale at costco right now).

         (Would need affiliate links to the right ones too please.)

         – thx

         Reply

         • Parental Control is a matter of software, and that can change via updates. Considering the XD4’s processing power, you can’t expect much from it. Also, seriously, Parental Control is overrated. One can easily overcome it via the change of the MAC address. Kids who don’t know what a MAC is probably don’t need to be controlled much. You can go with either one, but the Asus gives me a lot more options, including using a different (more feature-rich) router as the main one. More here.

           Reply

           • Hi Dong, thx for the reply. I am still messing around with the best solution (tried several) … narrowed it down to the eero 6 and the tp-link x60 (both 3 pks, same 2500 sqft 2 story rectangle house) … neither is tri-band backhauled, just curious which of these two gave you better results in the real world :). (currently using the eero 6, it works, but has some serious latency when loading web pages sometimes … it’s random … a page may take 30seconds to load, then it’s fast again … seems to happen on google voice and gmail a lot) – thx, D.

           • Not very good job on narrowing down there, D. The eero is like the worst. 🙂 Take a read at this post.

           • “Not very good job on narrowing down there, D. The eero is like the worst. 🙂 ”

             Lol, so, how do you really feel? 🙂

             I had the eeros ordered before I read your articles. Good to know that at least my assessment of the eeros was okay (after the fact).

             I am guessing that you don’t like the TP-Link X60 either (or you would have just said to go with that one, yeah)? Back to the drawing board ?

           • Go with the X60 only if you have wired your home, D. More in this post.

           • No, i’ve not wired to the satellite locations (yet). If not choosing the X60 dual band, which Tri-band fits best?

           • That’s for you to decide, D. It’s like finding a girl/boy friend, you have to do that yourself. https://dongknows.com/how-to-pick-the-best-wi-fi-router-for-your-home/

           • lol, okay, thx 🙂

           • Good luck! 🤞

166. Dong, my question is to how to wire some equiemts using switches with mesh wifi system? What is the topology I can use.

     My current setup have 2 routers and 1 switch.
     My modem and my main router at first floor. I hard wired to basement where 1 non managed switch is connected.From the basement switch, another access point router for wireless access and the rest ports are wire connected to my computer ,game console printer etc.

     If I would like to upgrade to dual band wifi mesh, how do I setup so that the switch can still be utilized for wired connection of my other equipments.

     Reply

     • You can go with one of the dual-band mesh in this post (the Asus XD4 will work out great!). Here’s the diagram:

       Modem -> router -> (switch) -> (mesh node) -> (more switch) -> mesh node.

       Stuff in () is optional. For more, check out this post.

       Reply

167. Hi Dong
     Thanks for the great review. I wanted to get your advice. I have an older home thats fully wired for cat 5 (unfortunately!). I have few wifi dead spots in my home. I was thinking of getting the tri-band or dual-band mesh with wifi6 – the Asus XT8 or TP-Link Deco X60 – but didnt know if I should use wired backhaul using my cat 5 cable (given its 100Mbps limitation) or go with tri-band use wireless backhaul.

     My current comcast is 100Mbps but I plan to increase it to 300Mbps or 500Mbps. I was hoping to make the right decision with the mesh setup so I can take advantage of the increase in speed. I want to get more bandwidth & speed given the family school and work from home demands.
     Any advice? Appreciate your help!

     Reply

     • I assumed you meant CAT5e, Kurien. But even if you use CAT5, keep the cables short and you might still get 1Gbps (or you can rewire the ends with CAT5e bits). After that, the Asus XD4.

       Reply

       • Unfortunately the house is wired with older CAT5 cables (wish it was CAT5e!). I didnt know about about keeping the CAT5 “cables shot” to get 1 Gpbs – do you have an article on that? Otherwise I will read you article about rewiring the ends with cat5e bits – hopefully that increase the speed.

         Thank you Dong!!

         p.s. also looking at good parental control – hopefully the Asus has it, so I can put time limits on the kids use of some websites like youtube or instagram

         Reply

         • I think you meant if the CAT5 cables run short enough, you may get 1Gbps. My ethernet wired PC running windows 10 shows Link speeds of 100Mbps only.

           Alternative, I presume you meant rewiring both ends of the CAT5 cable with CAT5e Jacks. I didnt realize that would help!
           Thanks Dong!

           Reply

           • Yes, if you keep a CAT5 cable short, there’s a chance it can deliver 1Gbps. Using the CAT5e end bits helps, though that’s not a sure thing. It’s worth trying, though. Make sure you use a Gigabit switch (router) and your computer has a 1Gbps NIC (and not a 100Mbps one).

         • Yes, CAT5 can deliver 1Gbps in my experience. But this depends on the actual cable. Give it a try. If not, well, 100Mbps is not too bad. Still better (more stable) than Wi-Fi. 🙂

           Reply

           • Dong – quick update. I am now seeing at least 700-900mbps through iPerf3 testing. I had to crimp new RJ 45 connectors to the end of the cables. The ethernet status via Windows Network sharing center then changed from 100mbps to 1.0 Gbps. I also replaced a few old Cat5e cables coming from the wall outlet (Keystone jack) with Cat 6 cables which also helped. Just wanted to say thanks for your advice!

           • Excellent job, Kurien! Thanks for sharing! Happy New Year! 🙂

168. Hey Dong,

     I’ve got a wired large house (over 3 floors) and wanted to upgrade to WiFi 6. I’m look for the best performance and signal reliability, and ideally with some good parent control features and ad blocking. Given all of that – any system you would recommend (price is not as much an issue).

     Love the sit e- keep up the same work

     Thanks!

     Reply

     • The only system with ad-blocking is the Alien, Byron.

       Reply

       • Hey Dong,

         Thanks – if I link together AirMesh compatible Asus do they have it? And if ad-blocking wasn’t a requirement would you still go Alien or do something else?

         Reply

         • Yes, as long as the Alien is the main router, ad blocking will work. So you can use anything on top of it. I’d go with an Asus.

           Reply

169. Dong, thanks for all the great reviews. They helped me with deciding with which system to go with. I am thinking of the Orbi RBK854 system, as it is not available yet I was thinking of getting the RBK853 with an RBS850. I have over 5000 Sq Ft house that is spread on 3 levels and I currently have the RBK44-100NAS in a daisy chain setting. Question is can I only backwire 2 of the satellites or even the router to 1 satellite as I cannot add wiring for the others?

     Reply

     • Yes, you can mix wired and wireless backhaul, Jerry. So use the former when possible. It’s better to use wired backhaul with the router, though.

       Reply

       • Great news, is CAT 5 or CAT 6 the better to use for the backhaul?

         Reply

170. Dong I’m curious as to why you gave the Amplify Alien an 8.5 rating and the Orbi RBK852 an 8.0 rating when they both are the same price ($699USD) and the Orbi offers much more. The Orbi’s satellite has 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports and the Amplify Alien’s mesh point has only one. The Orbi also has a 2.5G WAN port and the Amplify Alien only has only a 1Gig WAN port. The 3rd band on the Amplify Alien is for Wifi5 and the 3rd band on the Orbi covers Wifi6 and wireless backhaul. In order to even match the amount of ports the Orbi has the Alien Amplify customer would have to buy two separate routers which will end up costing a lot more than the Orbi. Confused here why the Orbi is getting such a low rating when it has better options out of the box.

     Reply

     • The Alien delivers an overall more exciting experience for the money, Henry. It’s also more flexible. For example, when you use wired backhaul, its all three bands are available for clients. In the case of the Orbi, you still lose a band for the backhaul and the router unit can never work as a satellite. By the way, 8.0 is not such a low rating. That’s on the same level as the Alien, which gets 8.5.

       Reply

171. Hey Dong,

     Appreciate all the effort you’ve put into these reviews. You’ve gained a new reader in me! I’m a novice when it comes to all of this, so I was hoping you could advise.

     Live in a 3700+ sq. ft, 3-story house with FIOS. Paying for 1GB service. Router sits in the office on the ground floor (we also have a basement that is primarily below ground). Wife’s computer currently the only thing hard-wired to it. Everything else is wireless. Nothing too crazy in the house – cut the cord on cable a few yrs ago and generally rely on iptv subscriptions for tv viewing. Multiple Fire sticks (looking to get an Nvidia Shield or equal in the near future for the family room), laptops, tablets, phones, gaming system. Generally using a VPN for the most part.

     Just looking for the best WiFi 6 mesh system to cover the entire house and provide great speeds for streaming, video conferencing, basic internet use. I don’t think I’m interested in creating a wired system throughout the house, so I need to consider a completely wireless system. Will admit I’m not always on top of my security, so perhaps a system with good security features as well? Not a deal breaker though.

     Ran a speed test on my family room Fire stick and only getting a pathetic 50mbps down/28 up. The garage separates the family room and the aforementioned office where the router resides, so thick masonry walls blocking from the router to the primary room where the family hangs out.

     A month ago, I was really excited for the release of the eero 6 Pro until I recently came across your review of it. Will definitely heed your advice to stay away from that one. But which system should I go with? I don’t have an issue spending in the $500-600+ range if it gives me what I’m looking for.

     Thanks in advance for your time!

     Reply

     • With that speed, Nino. You need to get the house wired. After that, get one of the dual-band mesh systems mentioned here. (If wiring is not an option, pick a tri-band one). In any case, don’t expect 1Gbps at the end device.

       Reply

       • Thanks Dong,

         So if I’m still leaning towards the wireless route, would you say that the performance of the satellite should be prioritized when choosing the system? If this assumption is true, I’m thinking between the Asus XT8 and the Orbi RBK853 (based on the chart you provided). Even though the satellite performances of the Ubiquiti and the ARRIS appear to be excellent, I’ve eliminated those 2 for other reasons.

         Which would you pick between the Asus XT8 and the Orbi RBK853? Additionally, would the Orbi RBK753 still be a good option for my situation or too inferior compared to the other 2 that I’m considering?

         Reply

         • I have no idea, Nino. It depends on what you want. Check out the reviews and the numbers. 🙂
           If you need more information, check out this post.

           Reply

         • Hey Nino, What did you decide? I’m in the exact same situation choosing between the same final options.

           Reply

172. I use two lan wired Ruckus Wireless R510s, & a Ruckus ICX7150-POE-12-port switch, in a Lennar Smart Home. Router is Linksys EA4500 with OpenWrt and SQM installed. This system fires through concrete block walls for another 50 feet outside the home. All of this equipment can be purchased cheaply on ebay, but in our case it came with the home. There’s no point using anything else!

     Reply

173. Hi Dong. Great info here. I am glad I stumbled across this site. I have a 2 story 3000 sq ft house with a screen in porch. I have Gig-speed coming into the house with cat 5 cable. There are probably 25 devices connected all the times. We stream tv via 2 firesticks and 1 Nividia Shield TV. The kids also connect to xbox. My kida also do remote learning with myself and my wife work quite a bit at home so there is always video streaming. I was thinking about a wifi 6 mesh system with the router connected downstairs to the Nividia Shield and Xbox with one satellite in our bedroom upstairs for the 4k firestick and wife working and another in the office across the house for me and the kids to work and stream videos. What system do you think would work best for us.

     Reply

     • Get the Asus XD4 (or a two a set of two dual-band Asus AiMesh routers), Timm.

       Reply

174. Hi Dong, I have been looking at reviews and advice for a while and you are by far the best. I’m retired and have used a single Asus Rt-AC68R/U for 10 years and added a node of the same model. I get a lot of disconnects and reconnects with the node. With that said, I wish to upgrade to Wifi 6 as I have a few devices that are compatible.

     I have a two story 3,200 SF house with about 12 devices wirelessly connected and no hardwire (router not near any equipment). I have looked at the Asus AX6100 aimesh setup but learned something from you about it not being truly wifi 6 on 5ghz.

     I’m not a gamer, but like coverage, speed and stability. I have a budget but don’t need to go cheap or overly expensive; would you please help me made a decision?

     Thank you,

     Tom

     Reply

     • Go with the RT-AX92U, ZenWiFi AC, or ZenWiFi AX, Tom. In that order, but any will work. Of course, make sure you get all of them to the latest firmware. It seems like you have a piece of hevean there. 🙂

       Reply

       • Thank you Dong, do you suggest two Ax-92U’s or only one? If two, will I lose the WIFI 6 functionality as I read in another of your articles?

         Sincerely,

         Tom

         Reply

         • All as a mesh, Tom. You need a mesh — I know SF :). You don’t necessarily lose it if you turn on the 5GHz-2 band manually. But you can also go with the XT8. The thing is I’d assume you’re within tens of miles from airports (SFO, SJC, and OAK) and the XT8 might have issues with DFS channels.

           Reply

           • Hi again Dong, I am 30 miles from the airport. I will definitely do a mesh system, but don’t want to lose the WIFI 6 with the triband AX-92U’s, if I understood your earlier your review of the AX92U when you mentioned the 2nd 5Ghz doesn’t provide true WIFI 6 when in mesh mode, if I understood you correctly. The combo pack for the 92U is $329 on Amazon right now.

             Also, I read your review of the AX86U and this looks like per your review to be the best router on the market. Would you suggest it for me?

           • No, unless you have wired backhaul.

           • Hi Doug, and thank you James B, I only need clarification on one last thing;
             I’m not very smart at this only what I read just want to make sure I understand before my purchase. With the AX92U, I would have one dedicated 5g from the main router to the same 5g on the node and the other 5g band would be dedicated to my devices and lastly, would my WIFI 6 devices get true WIFI 6 or WIFI 5? I only ask, because I understood Dong’s review of the AX92u that it was was “not a true WIFI 6” as a mesh but only as a stand alone router. Does me no good to upgrade and not upgrade.
             Thanks so much for all of your help and patience with me.

     • Have you investigated what it would take to set up a wired backhaul between nodes? I haven’t used them myself but I’ve heard great things about MoCA — it’s like Powerline over coax, except it’s actually good. If you happen to have an unused run of coax that terminates near your router, you could wire up two AX92Us. Then, you get great coverage, plus you could split your 5GHz clients and have dedicated bands for WiFi 6 vs 5-and-under.

       I’ve been happy with the wireless-backhaul performance on my AX92Us, but nothing beats a hard line.

       Reply

       • MoCA is not available in universally, James. It can also be fragmented and therefore not a reliable solution.

         Reply

175. Hi Dong,

     This site has been a revelation for me, and I’d love your input on how to solve my connection issues.

     I recently moved into a new condo. It is only 1,800 sq ft, but there are some unique things I’m fighting with for a solid WiFi signal: multi-level unit (duplex down), exposed brick walls and 18 total units in my building. My modem (MR8600) is in the basement. I came in with an Asus RT-AC68U, but could not get a signal at all parts of my home. I upgraded to a Asus RT-AX6000, but am still struggling to get a strong signal throughout the home. I am thinking that a mesh system is best for me. I tried connecting my two Asus routers (on different floors) via AiMesh, but was getting slow speeds and a forced connection to the (extra slow — 6mbps) 2.4ghz spectrum in certain areas. Perhaps this is an issue connecting the AC and AX routers.

     For my signal issues in a not-massive home, would I be better off with a mesh system or a single strong router paired with powerline adapters to cover the dead areas? If I go mesh, I am trying to decide between the ZenWifi XT8, Orbi (not sure which WiFi 6 would be best), or the new Eero Pro. And should I be looking for 2 or 3 units in such a configuration?

     Reply

     • Hi, Ryan.

       1. Powerline is not a good idea in a condo. You should think of running a single network cable connecting the first AiMesh router and the 2nd one. This is by far the best option.
       2. Walls are always problematic and the 2.4Ghz is always better at penetrating them. If you choose to use a wireless setup, get a tri-band system (the XT8 or the Orbi AX6000 is a good one) and try placing the hardware unit near each other when there are wall(s) in between. I think you only need two units.

       Reply

176. Hi Dong…

     Input currently from Frontier FIOS gateway…500MBPS currently but would like to be future proof as possible.

     Large home…built sturdily…9,800 sq% on 1st floor…exterior walls concrete block…interior walls 5/8″ sheetrock with fiberglass fill for sound…double ceiling to music studio above…also wish access to exterior pool control panel.

     All rooms covered by Cat 5 jacks (22) via switch in downstairs laundry.

     Will be eliminating ARRIS modem router provided by Frontierso will need modem soon…only system I see with modem included in base uitin base unit is the new EERO Mesh Pro…otherwise I will need to purchase separate modem also…have approx 20 devices running currently…what would you reecommend for best performance/coverage/speed? Thank you!

     Reply

     • A couple of things, Richard:

       1. Always get a separate modem. It’s much easier and more flexible when you need to repair, upgrade, etc.
       2. I’d stay away from the Eero.
       3. Get a dual-band system that supports wired backhaul. Or a nice router and a bunch of access points.
       4. I’d recommend a combo of one RT-AX86U router and a set of ZenWiFi XD4 as nodes in a wired AiMesh setup.

       Reply

       • Hi Dong ,

         I have 3 storey house , 10,000 ++sq ft with solid brickwalls and it’s too troublesome for me to introduce new cabling (backhaul) around. What is the best solution would you recommend for my place ? my internet speed is up to 800mbps

         I have thought of tplink x60 initially , but after reading your review , i kind of held back since the mesh you mentioned was really slow .

         Reply

         • For a home that large, Earnest, getting it wired is a must. But for now, you can try the Orbi AX6000. Keep in mind though, chances are you won’t get your Internet speed in full at the end (wireless) devices.

           Reply

           • Thanks Dong ,

             I’ll get the Orbi AX6000 . =)

           • Good choice!

177. Dong – you’re a pro and looking for advice. I’ve got a large home, but have wired connections in basement and first level (but not second level). I’m looking to upgrade to Wifi 6. I’m currently using the Ubiquiti Dream Machine with extra access points…

     Any advice? I’ve got about 100 devices connected at any one time…. I was thinking about getting 3 of the AX86U and then using AirMesh…

     I’m fairly handy, but ultimately just want the best in reliability (my A1 by far!) so my kids don’t keep bugging me about it. Ubiquiti has treated me well but don’t think they’ve got anyhting WiFi 6 related… Any thoughts? Thanks!

     Reply

     • I’d recommend you keep using the current setup for a few more years, Byron. But you can get a few RT-AX86U and use them with wired backhaul when possible.

       Reply

178. Hi Dong, I wish I found your site before trying out Aimesh. I found that mixing Asus AX and AC routers in a mesh was very buggy always dropping signals (RT-AX88u and RT-AC86U using wireless backhaul). We have a 2700sf home with 3 levels. I was hoping to use a mesh system and after reading your articles, Tri-band is the way to go for a wireless backhaul setup. Would you recommend the Zenwifi AX-XT8 or 2x GT-AX11000. We have over 60+ devices that currently connect via wifi and I have a family of gamers. I know the latter is pricier but would it be a better option then Zenwifi which was built as a mesh system from the ground up. Thank you.

     Reply

     • Better late than never, Arnold. You might not need a mesh for your home (it’s relatively small). So, get a single unit of the GT-AX11000, (or the RT-AX92U) place it in at as close to the center of the house as possible to see if that works out. Then if need be, get another to extend the coverage. If you’re sure you need a 2-pack, the ZenwiFi AX works, too.

       Reply

179. Hi Dong,

     My house has wired backhaul and looking for a 3-pack mesh system. In this case does tri-band mesh system’s dedicated band will be used for devices instead of for access points? Otherwise should I go with Deco x60/ZenWiFi AX Mini? Thanks!

     Reply

     • Generally, no, James. Get a dual-band system. I’d go with the Asus.

       Reply

180. Hi Dong,
     I’ve read and learned quite a bit on here, but can’t find any info on Eero as far as what you think. Why haven’t you reviewed any of their mesh systems, or have I just missed it?

     Reply

     • I’ll review the Wi-Fi 6 one, John.

       Reply

       • Pro too please!

         Reply

181. Dong,
     Thanks for all the informative articles you write. Even after reading its hard to decide what is right for your application because there’s so many options. I’m trying to cover ~4000 sqft, 3 floors. Rooms wired with cat5e. Looking to put the modem/router/switch down in basement where provider cable enters and all cat5e cables are run from that location. What would be best equipment for what I’m trying to do.
     1) If I plan on putting some poe devices in home, should main network switch be poe capable. Or would I put the poe switch closer to devices?
     2) Wired backhaul mesh system for coverage; access points or a backhaul capable mesh? I think I’m confusing the two.
     3)Coverage of 4000 sqft, 2-3 satellites depending on their coverage area, what would be the best option for this?
     4) Regarding if you wanted to run a vpn encryption on your network, are their any router options that are really efficient performance wise to be able to handle the encryption and also maintain good performance/speeds.

     Reply

     • I think you didn’t read enough or didn’t pay enough attention, Miles. 🙂

       1. More on PoE here. Some PoE device comes with an injector, but the PoE switch can be placed anywhere.
       2. More on mesh here. You’ll learn about what an access point is.
       3. Since you have wired backhaul, just get a dual-band on this list. If you choose AiMesh, you can get a bunch of dual-band router or a router with features you like, and a set of the XD4 as nodes.
       4. Most, if not all routers you see on my website have a VPN server option. More on VPN here.

       By the way, this post will be helpful, too. You might want to start with it to have a general understanding of what a router does.

       Take some time and read those posts, you’ll figure out things by yourself which is MUCH better than me telling you what to do. Hope this helps.

       Reply

182. Thinking about an Orbi AX mesh for my Orange router. Do I need to turn off DHCP on the Orange router and let the mesh distribute IP addresses? many thanks in advance.

     Reply

     • That depends on what you want or need, Peter. This post will explain your situation in detail.

       Reply

       • Hi Dong

         Thanks. At the moment I have my ISP router connected to a 6 point wired network throughout the house. In one of the points I have a VPN router and in 2 others I have routers as access points with DHCP turned off. Going forward when we move house I won’t have a wired network and hence my interest in a mesh system. At this moment in time I don’t believe it will be necessary to have the VPN throughout the house, it is used predominantly for the TV. I assume if the mesh was run off the VPN the speed throughout the house will be drastically diminished

         Reply

         • Check out this post on VPN, Peter. And this post on using ISP router.

           Reply

           • Further to my enquiry, Dong, do you know of a Gateway that I could configure to replace my Orange router (whilst still being a customer) to act as the source router for the mesh network. I would need one that allows a VOIP connection. Or is that asking too much ? If that were the case, I could have 2 routers instead of three (VPN router for TV purposes). I can’t imagine Orange (France) would allow their router to be internally configured for VPN to allow access to content from a different country.

           • I don’t know how things work in the EU, Peter, but you should be able to replace that gateway with a modem of your own. This post might help. VPN is a different matter, if you want to reach a VPN server, that has nothing to do with your current gateway/router. More on VPN here.

           • In Germany, there is a law as of 2016 requiring ISPs to provide credentials / configuration information to use your own modem, but in practice there is exactly one modem that can work on my ISP, sold by a single supplier. It retails for 160 EUR and can’t be updated from the LAN side, and the ISP will not push updates from the WAN side, so you have to mail it back to the vendor (and of course pay a fee) to get them to apply any updates. How do you know if it even needs an update? Watch the news, I guess.

             As far as I know, the EU’s official position on net neutrality includes a clause about “terminal equipment” so in theory every EU country “should” implement something similar, but I think Germany was the first to actually put it into law. That means France very likely is going to be on a case-by-case basis. (I found a “state of the internet” report from ARCEP in 2018 but it didn’t mention routers or modems specifically.)

             Peter: have you asked your ISP if they offer the option of renting a standalone modem instead of a gateway? Alternately, have you checked if your gateway can be configured in Bridge Mode? (I think Dong has an article here on Bridge Mode, maybe?)

           • HI Dong

             Assuming I cannot change my ISP modem/router from one of the Orange routers as we have VOIP via the box – (not Comcast), is there any benefit from a Wifi 6 mesh system when the Orange router is only Wifi 5? thanks

           • Peter, Dong can give his own opinion, but as a data point: I’m stuck with my ISP-provided router (see above), but I did upgrade a WiFi-6 capable mesh system anyway.

             I don’t get the benefits of a higher-end *router*, specifically — things like a smarter firewall, VPN support, finer-grained access or parental controls — because router features happen on the “edge” device, the thing that sits between your home network and the public internet.

             But, after turning off the ISP router’s WiFi connection, I do still get benefits from a mesh of *access points*: the performance of the wireless connection for each client is better, and the mesh nodes communicate with each other to facilitate hand-off when a client moves around the house. I was frustrated with the way my old network handled this, and that’s why I upgraded. You have to ask yourself, what doesn’t work with your current setup, and what can you fix by installing a mesh system in AP mode?

         • Peter, if you’re using the VPN mostly for the TV, have you looked into Smart DNS? I use Unlocator now (and before that, Unblock-Us) and it mostly works for most of what I want to do. I know that doesn’t sound like a glowing recommendation, but it’s a *lot* easier than VPNing your whole network, or running two parallel networks. If your device allows you to configure your network settings (everything but Roku and Chromecast, in my experience), you just change the DNS server and you’re done.

           In case you go this route, I run a custom DHCP server on my network so that it can hand out the smart DNS for Roku and Chromecast, and the default DNS for everything else. This causes some headaches too, but I still think it’s simpler than the VPN, the Smart DNS architecture has some other advantages — for example, traffic that wouldn’t have been geo-blocked (say, a TV service that is available in your region, app updates, general web browsing) isn’t messed with and connects directly.

           Reply

           • Hi James

             Thanks for your reply. Just for extra clarity ( I don’t know if it makes any difference to your recommendation ), My TV source is a UK SKY digibox plugged into the VPN router to enable me the same facilities as though I were still in the UK.

           • Peter, the various Smart DNS services work by intercepting DNS lookup, so that when your hardware asks for “some-service.sky.co.uk” it responds with an IP that the Smart DNS provider owns, instead of the actual IP for Sky’s streaming service. The smart DNS has a proxy running at this IP, which forwards your request to Sky via a node in the UK, just like a VPN. The difference is that it only does this forwarding for specific domain names, and all other DNS queries resolve as they normally would.

             What this means is that the smart DNS provider has to individually add support for specific services, not only for a single service (like, say, Disney+) but also for individual devices, because my Roku might access Disney via “roku.disney.com” but my LG TV might access it through “lg.disney.com”. This is a simplified example, but it illustrates why I said that smart DNS has “mostly” worked for me — it’s pretty common to support Service A on Device B, and Service C on Device D, but you can’t use Device D for Service A, if that makes sense.

             I wrote all of that, then I went to check about Sky specifically, and I was kind of surprised to find that the smart DNS I use now (Unlocator) doesn’t support Sky at all, and the one I left (Unblock-US) supports Sky Go but only in browser or on iOS. I couldn’t find any smart DNS providers that specifically say they support the “digibox”. So: maybe you do need the VPN :-/

           • Hi James, many thanks for your diligence researching a response to my query. So assuming then I need the VPN for my SKY setup, am I correct in assuming for the best speed for the house connections, I connect from my ISP router to the WAN ports of both VPN router and Mesh router and let them do what they will and if I can, turn off DHCP to the ISP router?

           • Dong has a good article on VPN setup, so I’d start there.

             That said, if you’re very lucky, your ISP may allow you to have two public addresses, in which case your VPN router and “real” router could have their own public IPs — both routers’ WAN ports would connect to the LAN ports on the ISP gateway. This is pretty uncommon, though, so in that case you’d probably want your ISP router / modem to run in bridge mode, then your “real” router WAN connected to port 1 on the ISP router, then the VPN router WAN connected to port 1 of the “real” router. If the VPN can operate that way (through “double NAT”) then you’ll get full speed for all your other devices, and your VPN devices will work as before.

183. Dong,

     Just found your page…love your reviews. I have a Q for you.

     I am a Google Fiber customer who is ready to drop the Google network box and get some sort of Wifi router to replace it with. I have a QNAP 2.5 GbE switch and I generally get more than my 1GbE Fiber connection coming in from the ISP.

     I live in s 2000 Sq foot split level home, all the IT gear is on one end (Fiber box, Network box, Media Center, Roku, TV, etc.). Really looking to future proof my self for WiFi 6 and I’d like a unit with at least one 2.5 GbE WAN port to get all I can from google, then feed into the QNAP and rest of my wired network.

     Do I really need a mesh set up? Most of the wifi usage is right there close to the equipment. I have a home studio on the other end of the house that could benefit from better Wifi, but it is not the main use case. What do you recommend?

     House is hard wired with CAT 6A as well.

     Thank you,

     -Jeffrey

     Reply

     • I don’t think you need a mesh, Jeffrey. Just get a nice single router and you’re all set. Considering your NAS, you want a router with multi-gig ports, one on this list.

       Reply

       • Dong,

         Thank you very much for the quick feedback. Really appreciate all your posts out here. you really put some great information out here for people looking to make the right tech decision.

         Looking at the link; it also sounds like I should opt for a tri-band model & something with the multi-Gig ports, like you mentioned.

         Do you have a fav on that list?

         Thank you Dong.

         Reply

         • Dong,

           I meant to say multi-GB WAN and Multi GB LAN

           Sorry about that.

           Reply

184. Dong,
     I have ISP provided modem/router connecting to the main coax running into the house. From there the modem/router connects to a gigabit switch that then passes connectivity to each of the ethernet ports in my house (6) and all of this resides in an OnQ panel . In two separate rooms, I have old Apple routers connected to the ethernet ports creating a wifi network in my house. These are showing age and certainly have reliability issues. I’m wanting to replace the Apple routers to create a wifi mesh network. Your recommendations please?

     Reply

     • I’d recommend replacing that gateway, Doug. If that’s not possible then check out this post. After that just get any system that supports wired backhaul.

       Reply

185. Dong
     It is unfortunately cat 5
     Any help is appreciated

     Thanks for the reply

     Reply

     • Get the Orbi AX6000, Joe.

       Reply

186. Enjoy your post. I have a 4500 square foot home on 2 floors with an additional 2500 square feet in the basement. Unfortunately its cat 5 wired . Difficult to rewire. Looking to purchase a mesh system by the end of this year .My main use is streaming and various wifi units. We have 4 tv s streaming at any given point.
     Any advice without rewiring

     Reply

     • Do you know if it’s CAT5 or CAT5e, Joe? Generally, if the cable has four twisted pairs (8 wires) then it can deliver 1Gbps or faster which is better than any Wi-Fi. Even if it’s not and your Internet is 100 Mbps or slower, the existing wiring will work.

       Reply

187. Hi Dong. Thank you for responding to readers queries and I hope you can answer mine.
     I am upgrading my WiFi router to a mesh router, preferably a WiFi 6 system. My household does not do gaming (not yet anyway) and with concrete walls between the rooms, connectivity is higher priority than speed.
     I would have gone in for the TPLink X60 but your comments about privacy risks got me very concerned and i am asking if these privacy risks are any different than any other mesh routers ?
     Second, I liked the TPx60 because of its affordability and its parental controls. If not the TPLink X60, what other option would you recommend. From another of your posts, it appears that the Asus Zen mini has watered down parental controls and the Nighthawk AX1800 has no parental controls at all – so those did not look like options to me.
     The other Wifi 6 mesh systems are way too expensive. That then leaves me going to a Wifi 5 mesh system. Is that a bad choice, if one is looking for an investment of 3-4 years ? Which system would you recommend ?
     Thanks – and I dont have technical know-how, so any feedback which is not very technical will be much appreciated.

     Thanks
     Colin

     Reply

     • Get the ZenWiFi Mini, Colin. You can use OpenDNS as Parental Control. I might publish a post on this topic at a later time.

       Reply

188. Hi Dong,
     My home is 1,900sq ft one level and built in 1937. I have plaster walls which makes wifi a challenge. I have about 60 wifi devices connected such as laptops, cell phones, 4K TVs, printer, roku and amazon 4k sticks. No gaming here, but a lot of devices and 4K tvs.
     Can you give me a couple options based on that information? I would prefer to have wifi 6 if it is affordable, but I will look into whatever you suggest.

     Reply

     • My suggestions are on this list, and this one, Jennifer. You can start with an Asus router which allows you to expand later if need be. So get the GT-AX11000 if your home is not wired with network cables, or the RT-AX86U if it is.

       Reply

189. Dong:

     Great review, was wondering if you have tested multiple game systems on a mesh system. I currently use Eero Pro’s at home, great system, no issues. Trying to set son up at college, 7 guys, house built in 1910 (refurbished). They have gigabyte speed into Arris SB8200 modem. Testing shows 940Mbs speed. Have tried two different Netgear routers (R7000 and XR500). It is 7 bedroom house, furthest bedroom would be 30 ft from modem/router. Netgear routers pump out 150-200Mb/s but drop down to 40-50 especially during gaming attempts. Looking at 4 Xbox, 7 laptops, 7 cell phones, 4-5 TV streaming as total load. Have you ever put any of the mesh networks to test for 3-4 game systems trying to talk to each other at same time? Any recommendations

     Reply

     • You need to turn on the QoS, JT. Kids like them will do more than just gaming, so making file downloading the lowest priority is very important. You can try the RT-AX86U or GT-AX11000.

       Reply

190. Hi Dong! Just curious among all of these routers, which one does provide better support and updates(continuous)?

     Also, you mentioned on your review on Orbi that it has some hiccups in terms of performance. Has that been resolve/stable for now? Thanks.

     Reply

     • Asus ones have the most frequently updated firmware, Ken. As for “tech Support” I don’t know since I don’t need that. The Orbi works better now than when I first reviewed it but it’s still far from perfect. The biggest issue with Orbi in general is the lag when you connect to the satellite.

       Reply

191. Hi Dong! Awesome website!
     I’m wrapped around the axle and I could use a bit of help.
     I’ve got a 3200 sq/ft home that’s old with thick walls and many elevation changes, including a finished basement. I’ve got two MoCA 2.5 devices at opposite ends of the house so I have wired backhaul. For MoCA do I want (need) a multigig port for the backhaul?
     I’d like Wifi 6 ideally and would prefer two endpoints. My internet is gigabit and I want things fast. 🙂

     Reply

     • I don’t think MoCA can deliver more than 1 Gbps, John (no matter what the vendor says).

       Reply

     • If you’ve already got the adapters, this is easy to answer. I’m assuming you have at least 2 computers with multigig NICs, so you can plug them directly into the adapters, then run a throughput test with iperf3. (You spelled MoCA with a little “o” so I assume you can figure out iperf 😁)

       If the results consistently stay up near or over gigabit rates (let’s say over 800 Mbps?) then you know your MoCA pair is delivering real world performance that benefits from multigig.

       Reply

       • My laptop only has a gigabit adapter but I can consistently pull gigabit numbers:
         [ ID] Interval Transfer Bandwidth
         [ 4] 0.00-10.00 sec 1.09 GBytes 934 Mbits/sec sender
         [ 4] 0.00-10.00 sec 1.09 GBytes 934 Mbits/sec receiver
         I’m using the goCoax MoCA 2.5 adapters.

         So with this being the case, should I seek out that multigig backhaul? And if so, which systems even have one?

         Reply

         • No, John. Like I said before, 1 Gbps is the cap speed so there’s no need to use multi-gig backhaul. It doesn’t hurt if you do but it won’t’ change anything. All MoCA adapters cap at 1 Gpbs by the way which is the speed of their network ports.

           Reply

           • Oh, duh! I was thinking about the coax speed, completely missed your point about the network port. Thanks and sorry about that!

192. Would two ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 AX11000 Tri-Band 10 Gigabit WiFi Routers in Aimesh work with power line ethernet work well. advantages dis advantages.

     Reply

     • Powerline is a no go with Wi-Fi 6, Varner. It’s too slow. You need to run network cable. https://dongknows.com/get-your-home-wired-with-network-cables/. In this case tho, get two dual-band routers , like the RT-AX86U, instead.

       Reply

       • I have a ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 AX11000 Tri-Band 10 Gigabit already. I have a dead spot in a bathroom on the other end of the house and slower service in master bedroom. would a second ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 AX11000 Tri-Band 10 Gigabit in ai mesh work. running network cables would require entering afilthy crawl space or agnatic with asbestos pie insulation.

         Reply

         • Yes, that will help, Varner, if you do that correctly. For how to set up the two in an AiMesh setup, check out this post. After that, hardware placement is the key. More on that here.

           Reply

193. I live in 5000 sq ft home, two floors, huge front yard. Tons of IoT devices, and atleast 3+ devices streaming HD videos at the same time. Some light gaming. But definitely tons of media streaming.

     I want to blanket the whole space with WiFi, fast wifi. Cost is not a factor.

     Would you recommend an Orbi system like the RBK852/853 or a couple of Asus ROG GT-AX11000?

     Reply

     • I recommend running network cables first, Mohamed, and then get a bunch of dual-band AiMesh routers.

       Reply

194. Hi Dong, what a great reviews do you have!!! Thanks.
     I need an advice. I would like to get a mikrotik for a router job. So I am just looking the best wifi 6 mesh for my home. The house is about 5700sqft (inclusive the land area) , 2 stories. What do you suggest to do the job? For now i am thinking for triband, to have a wifi backhaul but i want it to support wired backhaul as well (just in case). Any suggestion?

     Reply

     • I recommend running network cables first, Mohamed, and then get a bunch of dual-band AiMesh routers. More here.

       Reply

       • Running network cables is not an option for me. So a Tri-band is needed.

         Reply

         • Get a few GT-AX11000 units, Mo.

           Reply

195. Hello, I am looking for some advice and information please
     – Recently installed CAT-5/6 on the ceiling in every room connected to a network box with a 24-way patch panel
     – To complete the investment, I am looking to use equipment that is capable of delivering:
     a. Tri-Band
     b. Wi-Fi 6
     c. WPA3
     d. PoE Access Points (I want to avoid using cables for power and ethernet)
     – My internet provider has provided a router, which I am happy to replace
     – Can you suggest a list of equipment that will meet the above please. I have tried comparing products on the website but I cannot find any products that meets all the above specification
     – Rather annoyingly you have to search the product spec sheet – Why don’t suppliers indicate a-d above as standard information?
     – Your assistance would be very much appreciated
     Regards
     John

     Reply

     • (c) is just a matter of firmware update, John. But you generally won’t find (a) and (d) together, not to mention (b) which is still quite limited in options. That said, there’s no product I know of that would meet your requirement. You can try Netgear’s new dual-band PoE APs, or the Wi-Fi 5 ones in this review.

       Reply

       • Dong, thanks for the reply and with your comments, I now realise using wired negates the need for Tri-Band and Backhaul. The new AP from Netgear appears to tick the other boxes and with the addition of a PoE switch should fit the job – Here is a link to the AP.

         Reply

         • That’s correct, John. If you have run network cables, using a tri-band mesh is necessary. It’s best to go with a dual-band that supports wired backhaul (most do). And the AP you mentioned is great to use with a standalone router.

           Reply

     • John, I’m kind of curious about your requirements — would you mind talking a bit about why you’re looking for those specs? For example, you have a wired backhaul already (I’m jealous!) so why do you need tri-band? I thought the point of having a second 5GHz band was generally so that it could be used for wireless backhaul, but of course wired is always better. And as Dong wrote elsewhere, WiFi 6 is still basically a novelty tech at this point. Isn’t it actually still just a draft standard?

       That said, I’m surprised you’re having to “search the spec sheet” for these stats. If an AP is tri-band, it should say so prominently, because that’s an expensive feature to add. Likewise with PoE support, it’s becoming more common but it’s certainly not mainstream at this point. It’s a great fit for your setup, but you might want to think about something “enthusiast” grade like Ubiquity UniFi Pro or Mikrotik. And like Dong said, I still think you won’t find all 4 of those in a single product today.

       Reply

       • James B, you are absolutely correct and reading your first comment made me realise the error – so thank you!

         In answer to your second comment, the point is to future proof (as much possible based on cost) – I think I will achieve this with the new AP from Netgear with a PoE switch. The link to the AP spec id in my reply to Dong (Iam not advertising this – just posting for information)

         Any recommendations on a suitable switch would be appreciated. My thoughts are to aquire one from Netgear, just to ensure compatibility? – Regards John

         Reply

         • I’ll let Dong comment on the switch thing, but in my experience if your home network isn’t *super* complicated (i.e., you’re trying to manually juggle separate VLANs for different devices) you can use just about any unmanaged switch.

           The only caveat I’ve seen is super specific: I’m looking at an Orbi kit, and according to the Netgear forums, some people have seen strange behavior when their satellite talks to the router over a switch that supports “green ethernet”, which I gather is a pretty recent extension that reduces power consumption. I guess somehow that results in some clients being able to “see” out to the WAN but not being able to reach certain other LAN clients. As far as I know this is specific to Orbi.

           Reply

         • You just need an unmanaged Gigabit switch, John. Get one from Netgear, TP-Link, Asus, or a known vendor. They are all quite similar. Get one that support PoE+ just for sure. Like this one. More on PoE here.

           Reply

196. Any news of whether TP-LINK will finally enable support for AES WPA2 in their products? iOS 14 now alerts users that their networking is using “weak security.” I have the Deco X60 and I now get this warning. After checking TP-LINK’s forums, it seems like their hardware technically supports AES, but only connects using insecure TKIP, unless you set your client to only connect using AES (not possible in iOS or stock Android). It seems like this flaw has existed in their hardware for a quite a while, and they do not have plans to change it anytime soon. Here are a few links to discussions in their forums:

     https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/215758
     https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/203940
     https://community.tp-link.com/us/home/forum/topic/201432

     Reply

     • I think that will eventually happen, Julian, including the support for WPA3.

       Reply

197. We have a three story house and we dont get connection on any floor except the floor our router is on. We are looking into mesh networks and this article is very helpful but im wondering which in your personal opinion if the best and fastest?

     Reply

     • Check out this post, Eli.

       Reply

198. Hello Dong
     I think I now understand the importance of the third band in a mesh system for the backhaul so I am back to shopping for a RBK852 system or perhaps the Zen Wifi XT8 so thanks again for your previous advice and all of the great info on your site.
     One other question: At the location of the main router here in my study I have 7 pieces of hardware connected to the router via ethernet cable and a 4 port gigabit switch. Two WD NAS units, 1 printer, 2 PC’s, 1 security PVR, 1 powerline adapter. Does the switch slow things down? Are there better switches? Would it be better to look for a main router that has more LAN ports?

     Reply

     • A better switch is always better than a worse switch, Darryl :). I have no idea what switch you use but most switches of the same speed grade are pretty much the same for home use. Check out this post for more.

       Reply

       • Thanks Dong, shouda read that before i bugged you. Thanks again for your advice and patience.

         Reply

         • Sure, Darryl. No worries! 🙂

           Reply

199. Thanks Dong.

     I meant that we go through about 1500 gb or more per month which is why we went with the unlimited data option.

     I also realize wired is faster and better than wireless. My question is would you go with a wired mesh system or a couple of wireless access points that are wired?

     Do you think putting the provided xfinity gateway in bridged mode still poses privacy issues?

     Again thanks for your quick and helpful replies. Hopefully these questions help others too which is I why went the comments under your post. 🙂

     Reply

     • Yeap, I realized that and edited my reply. And no, in that case, it’ll just work as a modem. But you’ll lose the ability to manage your plan via the remote etc, though, I think. Basically all the features of the gateway will be no longer.

       Reply

     • Thanks (again). 🙂

       would you go with a wired mesh system or a couple of wireless access points that are wired paired with a good router? Does it matter?

       Reply

       • Check out this post, Sean.

         Reply

200. Hi Dong

     Thanks for putting together this great website. I’ve really enjoyed reading your articles.

     I have an Orbi AC3000 router and one satellite that I was using with wired backhaul since I have wired many rooms in my home with cat 6. I just signed up for the xfinity 1gbps plan with unlimited data which came with their XB7 AX gateway. I am debating getting an ax access point to use with my xfinity gateway or I might just use the Orbi in access point mode or I might disable the WiFi on the gateway and use the Orbi in mesh with wired backhaul.

     One thing I don’t like about the mesh systems is you typically can’t disable the wireless backhaul even if you are using wired backhaul. This eats up a lot of wireless bandwidth. Do you know of a mesh system that allows disabling of the wireless backhaul?

     On thing that happened the other day was I had a WiFi call on my iPhone start dropping out a bit when moving between an access point and the xfinity gateway and I would like to avoid that. It’s important that I’m able to roam through the house when on conference calls or when on a call using WiFi. That never used to happen when I was using the Orbi in mesh mode with wired backhaul.

     Would you go with a mesh and disable the wireless on the xfinity gateway or just add an ax access point and use the WiFi on the xfinity gateway? If I went with an access point, I would most likely sell my Orbi system.

     Thanks in advance.

     Reply

     • You should replace your gateway with a modem, Sean. You’ll shed some $15 to $25 from your monthly bill. That’s not to mention your privacy. If you have wired your home, it’s not a good idea to use a tri-band mesh system which is generally made for a wireless setup. In your case, I’d recommend the Asus ZenWiFi AX Mini or any dual-band system that supports wired backhaul. Most new ones do.

       Reply

       • Thanks Dong for the quick response.

         Xfinity now has a new unlimited data option that only costs $25 per month and that includes XB7 AX Gateway. If I use my own modem, Xfinity charges $30 per month. I was trying to save $5 per month, but I’m open to any suggestions if you think it’s worth having my own modem and paying the extra money. My privacy is worth $5 per month. 🙂

         I wired my home myself after I had already purchased the Orbi system so that is why I now have the tri band Orbi.

         I think I understand what you are saying about the Mesh dual band. If go that route, one of the second bands is for both wireless backhaul and normal client traffic so if I was using wired there would be only clients using the second band.

         Do you think it makes more sense to go with a mesh system vs setting up some access points with a controller (Ubiquiti or TP Link)?

         Reply

         • That’s to assume you go over the 1.2TB limit. I hardly use more than 1/2 of it and we’re quite heavy users, but I do try to conserve it. Yes, you can pick a nice router (or keep the Orbi router) and get a bunch of APs. This one is a good candidate.

           Reply

       • It wouldn’t let me reply to the below response for some reason so I am replying to this one. Strange.

         For the last 4-5 months, we have consistently hit 1500 gb or more. THis is what prompted me to explore the unlimited data options which led me to the XB7 gatewah.

         Do you think wired mesh backhaul or wireless access points would be better?

         Reply

         • You can do that if you reply to the original or secondary comment, Sean. It’s nested only so many levels. Wired is always better than wireless. That’s a lot of data. You should think about how to reduce that ut in that case, yes, unlimited is necessary.

           Reply

201. The best review website I’ve read so far! Very detailed! Although I didn’t see something that covers everything I need… Can you suggest?
     1. 3000 Sqft smart home. (50+ devices)
     2. Would like to not do a wired backhaul but open to it possibly. I’m thinking a try band solves this?
     3. I’ve got a 6 year old that I need parental controls (pause the internet for certain devices and internet filters)
     4. Prefer Wifi 6 for somewhat future proofing. I have a linksys router now with 2 extenders and it’s frustrating when I have to manually change “networks” to go from the garage to the patio.

     Reply

     • So clearly it’s not best enough, Bill. But thanks.:)

       1. Noted. That’s a nice home!
       2. Wired backhaul is the way to go. Tri-band helps but it can’t compete with wires.
       3. We have 4.5-year-old one. My wife literally gives her just an hour of screen time a week IF she behaves, and if she REALLY behaves, maybe 1.5 hours. That’s the real parental control (I take no credit) :). But if you just need internet pausing, almost any router can do that. Filtering is hit or miss since many websites are not correctly categorized, but again most routers have some function on that front, too. Also, you can do that on ANY router via OpenDNS. (I might write a post on this later.)
       4. Get a mesh system, extenders are generally no good. Wi-Fi 5 or 6 doesn’t matter much unless you have really faster Internet.
       https://dongknows.com/why-wi-fi-5-still-relevant-today/

       Reply

       • Thanks for the info! I am looking to upgrade our fiber internet from 100/100 to 500/500. I just want to make sure I have the correct hardware.

         Reply

202. Our place isn’t that big but it’s long and narrow, with the ISP hookup at one end of the ground floor and clients all over 3 floors. With old, thick walls, reception has been rough, and there’s no good way to run cables without an amount of drilling that makes my wife uncomfortable. The electrical wiring is old enough that powerline has not worked out great (100/60 Mbit, ISP is 250Mbit).

     Because of the wireless-backhaul requirement, I think tri-band is a must, and looking at the tri-band kits in this list, I think I’ve talked myself into sticking with WiFi 5. It sounds like I can get a solid 3-piece (tri-band) WiFI 5 kit for less than any of the 2-piece (tri-band) WiFi 6 ones. Do I have a good grasp on the market of August 2020?

     Reply

     • You’re fine going with Wi-Fi 5, James. More on that here. As for which to get for your home, check out this post to have a better idea. But for your I think a set of Orbi or Asus AiMesh (tri-band) will do the trict.

       Reply

203. HI Dong,
     Excellent informative post – thank you. We 3000 sq. feet 2-story colonial. Three boys play games upstairs, I day trade downstairs. Which system (mesh or simple router) is better for my family’s needs, as both reliability and speeds are important? Many thanks for replying!

     Reply

     • That depends a lot on how your place is, Greg, if it’s wired with cables or not, etc. I’d recommend taking a read at this post. You probably can figure out what to get afterward.

       Reply

204. I went out and bought the orbi today but have 15 days to return. i was getting buffering on the 1 alien and wasn’t sure if it was because of just the 1 unit. i only have about 1500 square ft but kept getting buffering upstairs and downstairs, speeds were good. so far although only a few hours in everything seems to be running better haven’t come across any buffering as of yet so. could you explain why you would go with another alien as apposed to the orbi? price isn’t an issue just want no issues with my streaming live tv. paid $449 for the orbi and another alien would run me $379.

     Reply

     • A home that small won’t benefit from a mesh. The buffering mostly is your Internet which has little to do with your router. More here:
       https://dongknows.com/internet-and-wi-fi-troubleshooting/

       Reply

205. Hey i currently have a single amplifi alien and wanted to upgrade to either getting on one and use it as a satellite or get the orbi ax4200 (rbk752) which would you recommend? Using it for streaming,live tv, 3 gaming consoles, ring doorbell, thermostat etc. thanks

     Reply

     • If it’s not the question of money, Drew, I’d recommend getting another Alien as a satellite.

       Reply

206. The Archer doesn’t work well at all right now. Think the device is dying 🙂 I get 100mbps standing right next to the router and 30 feet and 1 wall away, the signal is non existent.

     I am sure it worked much better some time ago. So yes, the archer wasn’t perfect but seemed to have coverage in most places – nothing close to top speeds.

     Reply

207. Thank you, Dong. I see, I left out some information. I blame it on brain melt. Our house is around 2450 square feet. Think of looking down at our house like a box. It’s a square, front door is the top. Going clockwise, the bottom left corner is 1, top left is 2, top right is 3 and bottom right is 4. The modem and router are in downstairs room that’s corner 1. That’s where the cable service comes into the house. Writer is in the upstairs room in corner 1. Gamer 1 is in upstairs room in corner 4. I am furthest away in upstairs room corner 3. I cuss the most. We game on computers, not consoles. (I sneezed while playing a game on our console one day and it blipped out and never came back on! Told ya, strange things happen to tech around me!) I will go read what you have suggested and check out those two systems. I just wanted to give you a better picture of the setup.

     Reply

208. Hi Dong, some excellent information on your site. Thanks for all the hard work and time.

     I’m still torn and hope you can help. I live in a 3200 SQ feet single floor condo in SG. It’s a 30 year old building and has solid walls. My current router is a single Archer C9 which is 5 years old and is making my 1GBps line go waste.

     Looking at three options :
     – one good powerful router that sits in the living room. Bed rooms are 1 or 2 walls and upto 50 feet away. Any router that can work?
     – A mesh router setup with one or two satellites. Ideally wireless. Anything that could work
     – mesh wireless but I invest in wired backhaul. Need it for the two most distant bedrooms I guess. Again a question on which routers – I saw your recommendation of a good WiFi 5 Triband being better than an entry 2 band WiFi 6 mesh.

     Thanks for your inputs.

     Reply

     • If the Archer C9 worked (kinda) right now, Karthik, then another better router will work. That’s all you need. But running cables is always the best. After that, you can try an Asus AiMesh system. Note though, no matter what you use, chances are you won’t get 1Gbps at the end device. More on that here.

       Reply

209. It’s not a good thing to die in a dungeon because you lag, or, straight up, disconnect! I die enough by being horrible maimed, stabbed, bitten, burned, etc. Let me say, I don’t understand a lot of tech talk. Makes my head spin. All I know is there are two gamers in this house and one writer and we stream t.v., music, etc. The two gamers have cussed enough to gain the attention of the writer, who can’t concentrate because of all of the cussing. We need a new wi-fi system. There are no cables anywhere in this house and, after all the plumbing issues and sink hole and…well, we aren’t about to run any cables anywhere! For now we’re on 200 Mbps cable internet. We are considering changing to fiber at…well it says 1 Gig. We need to change our router anyway, as it just barely reaches my room. It’s downstairs, we’re upstairs.I saw the mesh system and that sounds nice. We tried extenders…didn’t work. Too many walls I think but I don’t know. What I’m asking in my sleep deprived state is, which mesh system should we try? I can guarantee the writer won’t be willing to spend $700, but I might convince her to dish out half that. I just want the most coverage and best speed. Fooling around with interfaces and such for ME would be a huge mistake. I might accidentally hack something, set off bombs or turn our computers into nuclear reactors! (Strange things happen when technology and I are in the same room!) Oh! It’s okay if it’s a gen 6. Might as well get it now than to argue with the writer again.

     Reply

     • I guess you’re one of the gamers Ainsley. For you guys’ situation, it’s quite tough to find out which will work for sure since I have no idea how big the place is or its layout. That said, this post might help. Then you cant try the Orbi AX6000 or the Asus ZenWiFi AX. Note though, a wireless mesh system is generally not good for gaming. So if possible connect the game console directly tot he router unit (not the satellite).

       Reply

210. Just to confirm mutual understanding….your 2nd floor comment relates to 1st floor in UK speak, right? US 1st floor = Ground floor in the UK….Just checking 🙂

     Reply

     • You’re correct, Allan. I totally forgot about that. 🙂 Basically you want the broadcasters to be as close to the center of their areas of coverage as possible.

       Reply

211. Super, thanks! Food for thought, especially the roof cabling…it’s a 2 story property but assume transmission from a mesh system goes (just as well) down as well as up 🙂

     Reply

     • Sure, Allan. And have fun! I actually love projects like that. They are very satisfying. Also, yes, just place the broadcasters on or near the floor of the 2nd floor and you’re fine.

       Reply

212. Just found your site. Great reviews Dong!

     Here’s a challenge for you. I have a tricky problem in the fact that my house is reasonably long and has a few 2ft thick pretty much solid stone walls across its length (with doors, of course). The construction of the house is such that I cannot practically run LAN cable along its length. At least it’s too expensive to consider. My WAN comes in at one end of the house and I have a BT (British Telecom) a/b/c/ac Hub/Modem at that entry point (with 4x GB ports out). Broadband speed is only 30MB or so at the moment although 100Mb/300Mb fibre hopefully coming to the area over the next few years, or I’ll get a 5G modem when that’s available. I use 1200ac Ethernet over Power units to get from the WAN modem/hub to points though and to the far end of the house. At points in the house I have some 1200ac ethernet powerline units for wired devices (Raid Discs f/e), and a few Powerline WiFi units. As you can imagine the general network performance at the far end of the house is atrocious. The Ethernet over Power performance degrades, and so too as a consequence, general network performance, and so too the internet speed, of course. So what I’m thinking is would a mesh of, say 4 units, in sequence, say the ASUS Wifi 6 devices, make a difference? Would a mesh (of multiple devices in sequence) make the blindest bit of difference to the network speed across the house? Sorry for the length of the question, but your thoughts on this challenge would be greatly appreciated. BTW, does WiFi 6 have better penetration of things like walls than WiFi 4? That’ll be an important factor, of course.

     Reply

     • Those impenetrable stone walls! Glad you had doors on them, Allan! A couple of things to try here:

       First, check out this post.

       a. Running network cables outside your home (or on the roof). There’s work, but it should be much easier than running them inside since you just need to drill a couple of holes. This is what I’d do. Or
       b. Use a tri-band mesh system — this is a must, don’t even think of a dual-band one. Place the first broadcaster near a wall, on the other side, find the farthest place where you still get (almost) full bars connection from it, that’s where you place the 2nd broadcaster. Repeat that with the other walls.

       Considering your broadband speed, it doesn’t matter Wi-F 5 or 6. But 6 is generally better obviously, tier by tier. If budget is an issue, get a high-end Wi-Fi 5 set, and not a low-end Wi-Fi 6 one.

       Hope this helps

       Reply

213. Dong,
     THANK YOU your review was awesome.
     I want the best WIFI 6 mesh system and I am guessing basing on info the ORBI AX6000 853 is the go to.

     I have XFINITY rental modem that I will replace also. What is the best modem to match up for XFINITY and ORBI Netgear CM1200 or CM100 or another brand?

     Reply

     • Check out this post, Bill.

       Reply

214. Hi -> If you’ll choose between the 3, which one you’ll get and why? Thanks.

     Orbi Wifi 6 – ($699)

     Amplifi Alien – ($699)

     Linksys MX10 – ($600)

     Reply

     • This post might help, Ken.

       Reply

215. Thank you soo much. you answered the question that i was looking for an answer too for a long time^^

     Reply

216. Looking at both the Orbi RBK852 (two units) and RBK853 (three units). My house is 3200 sq ft, plus another 1000 sq ft in the basement. Thinking about placing one unit in the main floor office (hardwired) and the satellite in the basement. Is the RBK853 (with the extra unit) overkill for my house?

     Reply

217. Hi Dong, I’m looking to swap out my XT8, which has been very buggy since I purchased it 3 months ago. Would you recommend the arris pro or Orbi 6000? It is a 3500 sqft house and I would like to get Wi-Fi to a barn 100 ft off the back deck. Thanks!

     Reply

     • I can’t say about your barn, Steve, but yes, the Orbi worked well in my testing.

       Reply

218. Hi Mr. Dong.

     I saw the great article amd I would like to ask you a question because I trust your thought. What is the best Mesh router if I dont care how much it cost. Zenwifi ax xt8 or orbiRBR 850

     Reply

     • I’d go with the Orbi, Sultan. It’s much better now with the latest firmware.

       Reply

219. Hi Dong, another great review. Thank you. I’m moving into a small house, 1300 square feet. One story. I want to set up WiFi 6 system right from the start. I want the WiFi to go out the sliding glass doors onto the patio in the back yard.

     Given these dimensions, would you go with a mesh (such as the Netgear Orbi AX600 or Asus Zen WiFI AX) or would you go with a WiFi 6 router (such as the Netgear Nighthawk AX-12 or the Asus RT-AX89X) with satellites? If I go with a mesh I will have to use wireless backhaul.

     Best,
     Brian

     Reply

     • This post might help, Bian. But personally, I’d get a single router first (place it near the sliding door) and scale that up if need be. That said a mesh-ready router is a must, considering you’ll go wireless, a tri-band router makes more sense, so maybe the Asus GT-AX11000.

       Reply

220. Hi Dong. Love your reviews and the excellent data you provide.
     But I was wondering if you keep those tables available somewhere for review separately? I’d like to just check the data of each routers performance as you update the lists ie: compare all the ac routers or ax routers against each other without having to scroll down the reviews to get to them?
     Keep up the great work, its very much appreciated.

     Reply

     • Hi Paul. I keep all the data offline, I might make a post on just the performance number at some point.

       Reply

221. Great reviews. You often mention how many 80 MHz channels are supported in router reviews. I’m curious if these mesh routers support all 6 channels or if they are locked into 1 or 2. Also,does each node need to be on its own channel or are they all on the same channel? They don’t seem to be configurable. Thanks

     Reply

     • Generally, you only get a total of four usable 80 MHz channel (or two 160 MHz channels), Andrew. More on that in this post. As for which they use, it depends on the environment, and they will pick that themselves. It doesn’t matter if they use the same one (and they might) considering they are far apart.

       Reply

222. Hi, thank you for the excellent reviews. We currently have an Arris TG862G modem and Eero mesh router pulling down 282 Mbps.

     The current set up is I have the main router in the office on the 1st floor. I have one satillete in the family room on the 1st floor and the 2nd in the basement.

     I’m thinking about upgrading to the Motorola MB8600 and a Wifi 6 Mesh. I want to future proof myself, so I am leaning toward the Orbi RBK852, but having a tough time pulling the trigger due to the cost.

     Do you think it’s worth the cost difference compared to the Nighthawk MK62/63?

     Reply

     • Yes, Neal. You might want to check out this post, too.

       Reply

223. Great article and reviews, thank you.
     Question… Does the Asus ZenWifi accept additional nodes? How many nodes can the system support?
     Thx ahead

     Reply

     • Yes, Firas. You might not want to use more than four nodes total (5 including the router unit). More on that here.

       Reply

224. Hello – very helpful site Dong! Have you heard much about the new ASUS – ZenWiFi AX Dual-Band Mesh Wi-Fi System (3-pack) that was just released last week I believe? Only available with Best Buy for $300 that I could find but seems to be a good price for AX with wired backhaul: https://www.asus.com/Networking/ASUS-ZenWiFi-AX-Mini-XD4/

     Reply

     • I’m getting it for a review, Nik. Check back soon to find out. In the meantime, here’s my quick take on it.

       Reply

225. If the mesh worked before, it should work now, Matt. My guess it’s something to do with the DNS setting of the router unit of the mesh. That said, you can try upgrading the system’s firmware to the latest and then resetting it and setting it up from the beginning. Or you can change the DNS server setting to something else. More on this in this post. And no, I don’t think you need to get a Wi-Fi 6 system just yet.

     Reply

226. Thanks for the quick response, i will check out the links you suggested

     Reply

227. Hi Dong,
     Thanks for the reviews, i came across your website searching for the perfect mesh system. This is all new to me and we are moving into a new house. My only problem is from my research i cant seem to find a system that will work with At&T. Can you suggest a good mesh system that will work best with at&t fiber internet. Money not being an issue also do you have any suggestion of how one might set it up. TIA.

     Reply

     • Glad you’re here, Chris. First, read this post: How to Pick that Perfect Router for Your Situation.

       1. All routers (or mesh system) will work with any Internet source (AT&T or what’s not)
       2. If you have to use a gateway from the ISP, check out this post to see if you can turn it into a modem.
       3. It’s always a great idea to run your home with network cables.

       Hope this helps.

       Reply

228. Thanks, for the fast reply, Dong!

     Reply

229. Hi Dong,

     Great site. I’ve spent a lot of time reading your reviews and articles since discovering a day or two ago. Thank you!

     I’m looking to upgrade/replace my existing router/network (Airport/TimeCapsule and NetGear EX7300 range extender).

     I’ve got a long, open L-shaped ranch house (about 2500 sq ft) and I’d like to extend wifi coverage to some of my outdoor areas: garage and freestanding barn, which is downhill about 50 feet from the main house. The interior of the house is partially wired with a ~50 ft run from my gateway and main router to an office–could use for wired backhaul.

     I currently have about 30 devices in my growing network (computers, phones, tablets, Firestick, AppleTV, Arlo cameras/lights, Sonos devices, RachIO irrigation, Samsung SmartThings, and IOT light switches. A couple of the Arlo cameras are at the far limit of the system’s range. So I’m thinking of adding a second Arlo basestation to my IOT set up.

     After reading your reviews, I’m leaning toward an Asus setup–I like the flexibility that the AIMesh concept brings. I have security concerns about TP-Link (similar reservations about Eero and Google), and it seems that some of the Netgear Orbi solutions don’t support 30+ devices very well. I’m not a hardcore geek, however, I do work in IT (enterprise software) and I like getting into the details occasionally.

     Three questions, related to IOT mostly:

     1. If the majority my devices are IOT devices like light switches, that should be always connected (although I’m currently having issues with this) but don’t require much bandwidth, how important is it to choose a router/mesh setup that claims to support a large number of connected devices?

     2. Do you recommend connecting the IOT devices to a separate WiFi network/VLAN from the computers, to secure and separate my valuable devices/data from the IoT devices which may be more vulnerable to hacking?

     3. My current inclination is to start with one of the high-end Asus routers, which I think can cover most of my main house, and then add additional Asus routers using AIMesh after I see how the first router performs. What do you think?

     4. I think I could do powerline ethernet to the barn if I want/need to put a wired connection down there. Thoughts about that?

     Apologies for the long post. Feel free to direct me to other relevant threads if I have missed them. Thanks in advance!

     Best,

     Stephan

     Reply

     • Glad you’re here, Stephan. You might want to check out this post.

       1. It’s not important. Any routers can handle those things, just make sure you use a large IP address pool (that post above talks about that.)
       2. No. That’s partly because doing so might cause them not to work the way you want. I use all of mine in the same main network. However, do use a router with built-in protection. (All Asus routers have that, some TP-Link routers, too).
       3. That’s a good hunch.
       4. Powerline is OK, though it can be very slow or unreliable. More on that here. I’d recommend running network cables (CAT5e or better).

       Reply

230. Appreciate the feedback! (Yes am using cable, a Arris TM1602A was provided)

     I actually put 3 RT-AX92U’s on order but am now considering running Ethernet cables between devices to create a wired backhaul. A few quick questions:
     1) Given I’m getting max ~400mb from the ISP should I only run Cat 5e or upgrade to Cat 6 cables?
     2) What would be your router/satellite recommendation for this setup (again, a $600 total budget)
     3) Trying to minimize the number of lines I need to run between the subfloor.
     So, 3a) Can I a single line from the main router half way under the house and add a switch and then run independent lines to each satellite?
     3b) Better off running independent lines from the main router to each satellite
     3c) Daisy-chaining from satellite #2 to satellite #3

     (alternatively I can just stick with the RT-AX92U’s and then add in wired backhaul when I get the motivation)

     Reply

     • 1. It doesn’t matter, Magoo. More on that here.
       2. Since you have three identical routers, just pick one of them.
       3. Either is fine and will deliver the same result, so pick the one that saves you the most time.

       Reply

231. Hi Dong,
     Your advice, please. I live in a ranch adequately served by existing WiFi router placed next to the DSL MODEM.

     While I doubt WiFi 6 really benefits me due to the slowish DSL service, nevertheless I’m interested in a WiFi 6 mesh because of a detached building 100′ behind the house. FWIW, I connected it to the house with two Cat 5e cables (underground within PVC, one for regular network traffic and the other cable for the security system). Anyway, I put a WiFi router in that building (but with DHCP disabled, e.g. IP addresses assigned by the primary router). So basically, it’s working as a switch for the two computers and printer, but with WiFi for my phone service (needed because the building is all metal and effectively a Faraday Cage so getting any bars is iffy). Problem is the hand off from one router’s radio to the other when I go back and forth between the house and the building.

     So what I’m wondering is, can I use a WiFi mesh, instead, to address the handoff issue and have just the one WiFi? What I am thinking is for a WiFi 6 mesh router to replace the existing WiFi router, and then add the second WiFi mesh node within the building (connecting it to a switch that would replace the secondary router), Basically, by using the Cat 5e as a backhaul it connects to main WiFi 6 mesh router (thus replacing the existing WiFi router in the building). I think this solves the issue of switching off from one router radio to another nicely. Your thoughts?

     Last thing, I’m really interested in a 3-pack or even a 4-pack system because the WiFi router by the MODEM is very close to the back bedrooms (it’s in the garage which shares a wall with the bedrooms) and with a second node in the house, I could put it in the living room (also wired with Cat 5e) where I already have a 4-port Gigabit switch for the laptop computer and NAS. I’m thinking adding a node there would put it within 10′ of where we spend a lot of time browsing using an iPad or a 2nd laptop using WiFi. The 4th node would go in the building to spread the WiFi love more effectively. Thoughts?

     Anyway, I was considering a Netgear Nighthawk Whole Home Mesh WiFi 6 System, 3-Pack – but – I’ve read this system tests fine in the lab but isn’t that great in the real world when moving around – that would stink since moving around is the problem I’m seeking to resolve. Anyway, researching further led me to your website, where I was super impressed by your work. Bottom line? I’m quite willing to buy something other than the Netgear system based on your recommendation. Note, I’d happily backhaul all the nodes because I have Cat 5e running everywhere so I don’t plan to congest the backhaul using radio.

     Reply

     • Glad you’re here, John. Get a set of Asus AiMesh, if you don’t have wired backhaul then get a tri-band one, if you do, a dual-band will do. For a general idea of what to do, check out this post.

       Reply

232. Hey Dong,
     Thank you so much for your in-depth reviews – you have saved us all countless hours! I was wondering if you had any insider info on when the TP-Link Deco X90 will finally launch in the U.S? Everything I have read says it was supposed to be April 2020 but we are already at the end if May and I can’t seem to find it anywhere. I’m looking to upgrade from my Velop system I purchased in 2017 since we have several WiFi 6 devices in our home already and 500mbps internet (may upgrade to Cox Gigablast if I can get a good deal). I have Cat6 cables in five rooms in the home we recently moved to so I was considering the X60 since I will be able to use wired backhaul….I have also considered Ubiquiti access points although I am really just a bit beyond novice with networking so I’m not sure I’m up to the task of configuring one of those. I have pretty high hopes for the X90 since it will be the best of the three – do you think it is worth waiting for or should I just settle for the X60? Thanks for your input and again for all your awesome reviews!

     Reply

     • Sure, John. I’m not sure, and neither is my rep at TP-Link. If you have wired backhaul, go with the X60, it’ll work out great.

       Reply

233. Great article!
     Love your advice on my setup.

     Just upgraded isp and testing 350mb at the modem.
     Need a 3 piece system due to L-shaped house.

     Wireless required from router to #1 satellite. (about 25’)
     Then a 50’ Ethernet cable from #1 satellite to satellite #2.
     LAN connection from satellite #2 to my main workstation. (Fastest speed here is primary goal)

     ~$600 usd budget. No existing hardware. ~40 networked devices. Mesh desired. Minimal WiFi 6 devices but would like to future proof. Need strong WiFi from satellites as well. No other features required.

     Reply

     • Thanks, Magoo.

       Not sure what type of Internet you use but if you use cable, read this post to figure out what modem you’d like. Now get a pair of Asus RT-AX92U for #1 and #2, and a RT-AX3000 for #3 and you’re all set.

       Reply

234. Dong, always enjoy your articles! You mention that you test with 4×4 Wi-Fi 5 clients. Can you tell me what clients are 4×4? Cell phones I think are 2×2, along with laptops. I think the MacBook is a 3×3, but that seems to be the exception.
     Thanks,
     John K.

     Reply

     • Glad you’re here, John. I mentioned that 4×4 adapter in this post.

       Reply

235. Hello, I have one story above ground and one story below. 5ghz band is terrible extending to basement below ground it seems. I have old mesh system now, and i setup one pod halfway down the steps (there is a landing) and then one pod at each end of house upstairs and all seems to work with that config…not very fast but functioning fine. I want to upgrade from the old Google AC1200 mesh to new Wifi 6 Mesh. I don’t really need Ghz speeds around the house, but would prefer to have very solid 300mhz + speeds throughout. I will setup the main router in my office upstairs on one end of house and use ethernet from my main PC. Everything else can be wireless. I also think the latest Orbi three pack at US $1000 is ridiculous! I am not wired and need to rely on great connection between pods wireless.(I thinkj I need three due to placing one halfway down steps to basement) I am ok up to about US $450 or so…Recommendations?

     Reply

     • You’re in a tough situation, Mike. I think running at least one cable is a must. Check out this post for more.

       Reply

236. I think I found your post on this: https://dongknows.com/mesh-wi-fi-system-explained/

     Such a thorough website!

     Reply

237. Dong,

     Looking more into this, I think the most cost effective way to handle this would be to have a dual band router covering the house and run a network cable out to the outdoor living space. I did not know this was an option to connect other hardware to the router without having to manually switch WiFi networks (this is my current situation).

     Thank you for the suggestion! Now I am off to decide between ASUS RT-AX3000 and TPLink AX50, as well as finding some kind of hardware for the node out back. Do all range extenders require me to manually change to a new WiFi connection?

     B

     Reply

238. Good afternoon!

     I appreciate the time you took to review these mesh systems, the detail and data you present are very useful.

     I am upgrading from a nearly 10 year old Arris surfboard router. I would like to purchase a WiFi 6 router system after researching it. I would like to request your opinion on which system would work well for my set up.

     I have a 1700 sqft ranch home with a detached garage ~50-75 feet away from the back of the house that I would like Wifi in for music/movies/gaming outdoor in this converted living space. There is also an outdoor living space in between the 2.

     I keep thinking the 3 router system would work best for this so I can set one up in the detached garage, but I cannot decide between TP-Link Deco x60, Asus ZenWiFi, or another system entirely. I certainly don’t think I need the very expensive set ups considering we are only paying for 100 Mbps.

     Thank you ahead for any advice you can offer!
     B

     Reply

     • If you can run network cables, BT, just get a 3-pack dual-band system. If not, get a tri-band one. Try a 2-pack first (one at the main house, the other at the outdoor living space), if that doesn’t work, you’ll need a 3-pack, one unit at each place. But you should read this post (and those from the links within.)

       Reply

239. My gut is telling me I should skip both of these and go with the upcoming AX86U, but from my research, it seems like the price is going to be a bit higher since it has a MSRP of 1999 Chinese yuan or the equivalent of 280 USD.

     I know theres no performance metric for this upcoming unit, but I would make a logical guess that it performs similarly to the AX88U in both wifi5/wifi6 5G metrics.

     Just questioning to my self if its worth the price hike… Maybe I should have kept my AX58U I had but I was kinda let down by the WIFI 5 performance and 2×2 limitation which impacts my old mac. I guess its the same for the GT-AC2900 in 160mhz mode as it also limits bandwidth down to 2×2 like performance.

     Reply

     • I’d say go with your gut, Jake. Always. 🙂

       Reply

240. Hey dong. I know you didn’t review it exactly.. but I scored an ARRIS AX7800 wifi6 MESH router for $199.99 from a walmart clearance.. The problem is.. bought a GT-AC2900 (86u rebrand) for 169.99 the week prior and I’m not sure what to keep. The AC2900 has 160mhz channel support at the cost of overall range (pseudo wifi6 performance) The Arris only supports 80mhz or so..

     Basically these two routers (GT-AC2900 and ARRIS 7800) perform well but I’m not sure if I should keep the 7800 since the backhaul is adding lag and randomly drops performance at times. The GT-2900 is a GREAT router, but I do have an AX200 desktop and would prefer to go AX right now but theres nothing with 4×4 enabled hardware (Range benefits) except a much more expensive AX88u or nighthawk AX8 (which is on sale for 299 for Best buy members.. I had tried AX3000 and while a good router it lacks range/speed for my wifi5 clients in my front room.

     I’m just so confused what to do atm.. I know the Arris 7800 sells for around 500, but its very barebones. On the contrary the GT2900 is basically an 86u, and only supports wifi5 but very good range..

     Reply

     • Definitely keep the Asus, Jsz.

       Reply

241. Thanks

     Reply

242. Hi Dong. The reviews you are making are amazing and the best. Congratulations
     I need your advice.
     I think it is time to upgrade my current wired and wireless system.
     I already have several components with wifi 6 (computers and phones) but really the big problem is the coverage and this is why I need to take ta decisión.

     Actual System in a 4500 sq ft divided in three floors:
     1. First floor: Modem with optical service in bridge mode (200Mbps) wired to Time Capsule
     2. Thrid floor: Wired from Time Capsule to first Airport;
     3. Second floor: Wireless from Time capsule to second Airport.
     I can make a wiring to the second floor but it is an important building work

     I have thought of the following solution
     1. First Floor: Modem with optical service in bridge mode (200Mbps) wired to Asus RT-AX89X
     2. Third floor: Wired with CAT6 from Asus RT-AX89X to Aimesh AX XT8
     3. Second floor: Wireless from Aimesh AX XT8 (third floor) to Aimesh AX XT8 (second floor). In this case, I will use one band for wireless conection between AX Xt8

     What is your opinion?
     Regards, Jose

     Reply

     • That will work really well, Jose. Considering you have wired backhaul, you can even go with less expensive routers, like the RT-AX3000. But if you want to go with tri-band routers, I’d recommend using the GT-AX11000 in the place of the RT-AX89X.

       Reply

243. Thank you dong for your extensive reviews I came across your website a couple of days ago and boy oh boy i went into a deep hole .. i was upgrading my parents house setup which is almost 10 years old . I did extensive research and decided to get them the eero pro 3 pack 9 my father had a budget of 5004 approx and they live in a big house then I cam across the new orbi AX4200 I really want to hear your thoughts on it

     Reply

     • Glad you’re here, Fouad. I can’t say much about the Orbi AX4200 since it’s not out yet (and there are NDAs and embargoes) but there are many other *much* better solutions than the Eero. But if you want to learn about the Orbi AX4200, chances are it’s going to be similar to the Orbi AX6000. Also, if you consider yourself an advanced user, take a look at Asus’s AiMesh, too. You’ll have lots of options.

       Reply

       • Hi Dong,
         Love your site and all the insightful wifi reviews. However, a tech challenged person in me is still undecisive.
         My home is 2800 sq/ft, 2-story, stand-alone router centralized on 1st flr, 4 people, 20-22 devices, comcast download up to 600mbps. Currently our linksys ea8300 works great downstairs with consistent dl speeds over 300mbps , but fail to reach 1 corner of the house on 2nd-flr to keep my teenage daughter happy. Hoping to avoid having to upgrade our router every couple of years, I wonder if there is a particular stand-alone router you could recommend to meet these criterias:
         1. Extend a bit further coverage to 2nd flr
         2. Reliable
         3. Keep up with time for the next few years, particularly the demands of new devices and perhaps speed increases.
         4. Price of $300 or lower
         I like your review of the Asus RT-AX82U and think this may work. Your thoughts? Thank you in advance

         Reply

         • Thanks, Chien.

           Wi-Fi varies a great deal. There’s no one-size-fit-all solution, so, it’s impossible to know which one will work for your situation, this post will help you figure it out. Read it!

           1. Generally, Wi-Fi range depends on the frequency band, be it 2.4GHz (longer) or 5GHz (shorter). Routers of higher tiers or standards can only help a little bit.
           2. This depends on your home and your devices, too. More on that here. Most of the time it’s the QoS issue. All router I recommend on this list passed my 3 (or longer) days of stress test.
           3. All Wi-Fi 5 routers (or later) can do that. This depends on what you mean by “keep up”.
           4. Just get a high-end Wi-Fi 5 router in this list (the Linksys ea8300 is a relatively cheap one.)

           The RT-AX82U is likely better than the Linksys you have but it’s not as good as the RT-AX86U. If you can wait for another month or so, there’ll be more options within budget.

           Reply

           • Thank you again. I will review that today.
             Really appreciate your help and feedback!

             Jason

           • 👍