Tenda ME6 Pro (3-Pack): Affordable and easy to set up and use, this dual-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh offers decent speeds and range on the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands from the main router, but you’ll need wired backhaul to get good speeds from the nodes. Connectivity was patchy, sometimes dropping for no discernible reason. I don’t think two band mesh systems are a good idea if you use wireless backhaul because the 5-GHz band ends up being shared between the nodes and connected devices, so it can get very congested. Each of the three units has a generous 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN and two Gigabit LAN ports. The app is basic but includes free parental controls. But ultimately, while the low price looks like something of a bargain, I also have concerns about unpatched vulnerabilities in this brand’s firmware, so I can’t recommend this system at this time.
Asus ZenWiFi BD4 (3-Pack): One of the first Wi-Fi 7 mesh systems from Asus that might be described as affordable, the BD4 looks like an interesting prospect on paper. Each unit has two 2.5-Gbps ports; installation was easy, and you get the usual subscription-free parental controls and security software. But is a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh a good idea? You don’t get the faster 6-GHz band, and if you plan to use wireless backhaul, speeds will suffer for connected devices, although the BD4 can employ MLO to connect on both bands simultaneously. Sadly, I found the BD4 was erratic. A firmware update failed, and I had to factory reset. My internet also dropped several times, and I had to keep resetting my modem.
Vilo 6 (2-Pack): The original Vilo system impressed with an impossibly low $60 price for a three-pack, but it did not support Wi-Fi 6. Vilo’s latest release does, and, in theory, that means better coverage, faster speeds, and connectivity for more devices. Unfortunately, in practice, it was a different story. I found the system difficult to set up, performance proved inconsistent, and the network dropped altogether and required a reboot several times in the first three days.
Netgear Orbi RBK863 (3-Pack): As good as the Netgear Orbi 860 series is, the high price will repel most people, especially since it’s a Wi-Fi 6 system. Opt for a three-pack, and the range is unsurpassed. It’s also very fast (though there’s no support for the 6-GHz band), and it proved rock solid during my testing, with zero glitches and no downtime. These routers are among the largest in the mesh market. Even with deep discounts, this is overpriced, and why buy it now when you can snag a good Wi-Fi 7 system for a similar price?
TP-Link Deco S4 (3-Pack): The Deco S4 is a dual-band system that offers pleasingly wide coverage and stable connectivity, but I recommend Wi-Fi 6 support as a minimum now, and this is a Wi-Fi 5 mesh. It is easy to set up and use, and each router has a pair of gigabit ports. The app offers basic parental controls and QoS, but it is distinctly bare-bones.
Wyze Mesh Router and Wyze Mesh Router Pro: More affordable mesh systems can only be a good thing, and the dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) mesh router from budget security camera brand Wyze looks promising at first glance. Each router has two gigabit ports, covers up to 1,500 square feet, and can connect more than 50 devices. Setup was a breeze through the regular Wyze app. While it mostly worked well for day-to-day video streaming and online gaming, I found that speeds were inconsistent (with fluctuations of more than 100 Mbps). I also encountered a few complete drops. Features-wise, there is free security provided by Firedome, but not much else. The tri-band Wyze Mesh Router Pro adds Wi-Fi 6E support and performed far better, but failed to match some of our picks above. I also have concerns about security breaches at Wyze.
