The best Wifi routers for families typically have these characteristics:
- They stream video and play games anywhere in your house, without lag
- They can handle all of your work from home needs, including video calls
- They include safety features for parents
- They are easily expandable as your needs change, or if you move into a bigger house
- They are easy to set up
- They don't cost a mint
Before we get to the picks, there are a few things that you should understand.
What is Mesh Wifi?
These days, many wifi systems will be "mesh". A mesh network includes multiple "nodes", which automatically "mesh" together to provide fast and reliable wifi coverage, even in large homes. A typical mesh network consists of a base station and one or more satellites, all of which connect together automatically.
Mesh networks also support dynamic routing, so you can have a single wifi network and single password, and your devices (even as they move around) will automatically connect to the fastest available node.
In the past, if you had areas of your home that had poor wifi coverage, you would need to install a wifi extender or repeater. These are a pain to set up and are always significantly slower than your main router. Fortunately, those bad old days are over — with mesh routers, it's all completely automatic.
Today's wifi network environments also include many different types of devices, and some of them (mainly smart home appliances) don't support 5G networks, so in the past you've had to set up different networks (2.4G vs 5G) for different devices. Mesh systems let you have a single network with a single passcode that all devices can use; devices just connect using whichever network works for them. You can still set up separate networks if you want — but it's not necessary.
How many nodes / satellites do you need?
Unless your home is small and you don't have any issues with wifi speed today, then you'll want at least 1 base station and 1 satellite node. My recommendation:
- Apartments or homes under 2,000 sq ft: 1 base station (you can always add satellites later)
- Homes up to 2,500 sq ft: 1 base station + 1 satellite
- Homes above 2,500 sq ft: 1 base station + 2 satellites
You'll want to add nodes if you have challenging setups like plaster walls, metal structures, or homes that are very widely spaced out. If you're not sure how many satellites you need, it's usually best to start with 1 and then expand — most manufacturers sell single nodes.
BTW, there is such a thing as "too many" nodes, so don't overdo it!
Ben's Picks
Now that we've covered the basics, let's get to the picks!
- Best overall pick: ASUS ZenWifi AX XT8. It's a fantastic system that's very easy to set up, rock-solid, and has plenty of configuration options. It runs about $240 for two nodes, or $140 for one.
- Best upgrade pick: TP-Link Deco BE63. It supports WiFi 7, so it gives you future-proofing if you need it. (This is only helpful if you have gigabit internet; if not, it's just extra money you don't need to spend.) About $320 for two nodes.
- Best budget pick: TP-Link Deco S4. It's only about $50 per node, so you're looking at $100 or less for the typical 2,000 - 2,500 square foot home.
Other Things to Know
Here are a few concepts to understand when shopping for a mesh router.
Modems vs routers
There are two devices you need at your house to get online — a modem, and a router. While a modem connects your home to the internet, it's the router that shares this internet connection with your devices.
Typically, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) will provide you with a modem, and sometimes a router too. You'll want to use the modem they gave you — it's specially designed and configured for your service — but what router you use is up to you.
I recommend not using the router from your ISP for two reasons:
- It's not going to have the capability of any router you can buy
- You're probably paying a monthly fee for it
You may already have a router from your ISP. If not, no sweat — it's very easy to swap in your own. Send the ISP one back if you're paying for it!
Wifi 6 vs Wifi 7
When you're looking at mesh systems, you'll often come across the terms "Wifi 6" and "Wifi 7". This refers to the WiFi protocol the router supports. WiFi 7 is technically faster — and if you have gigabit internet you might notice the difference — but chances are you don't have a device that can make use of it. WiFi 7 is more "future proof", but honestly you'll probably replace the router before your devices notice the difference.
Wired backhaul for the win
If you happen to have wired ethernet installed in your home, you can take advantage of the "wired backhaul" feature to make your network even faster and more stable. It works by connecting the base station and one or more satellites via ethernet, which lets the satellite nodes offer a much stronger (and faster) signal.
Other useful features
- Guest network — most mesh systems include a guest network, so you can create a separate network name/password just for guests. Very handy for when you don't want to share your family's passwords!
- Self-healing nodes — if one node fails, devices automatically connect to the available node(s).
- Ethernet ports — most nodes include one or more ethernet ports, so you can connect devices that don't have built-in wifi (older Sonos devices, TVs) or devices that need a very stable connection (e.g. game consoles).
If you're unsure which mesh router fits your home, call or message — I'm happy to talk you through it. No contract, no obligation.
Ben is the owner of Spruce IT, a technology support and advisory service for small businesses and individuals in the Harleysville, PA area.