If you live in a large household, getting a WiFi 6 mesh router for seamless internet connectivity throughout your living place is imperative. As the WiFi 6 is the latest wireless standard, it’s advised to invest in it, but finding the right one can be difficult with so many options in the market.
Since you’re here, it is evident that your place is large, and you want seamless wireless connectivity that won’t leave a dead spot. The good thing is, whether you live in a 2 story house or your place has thick internal walls, the mesh routers in this list won’t interrupt your internet usage.
If you’ve used a mesh router before, you must know that, unlike a standalone router, mesh routers use multiple devices to provide WiFi at different places/floors. Basically, it’s like using more than 2-4 routers at your place. However, you can’t just rely on a random setup for internet connectivity at your place.
That’s why I have looked into multiple WiFi 6 Mesh routers. After analyzing their actual speeds, features like link aggregation, operating frequencies, QoS, bandwidth management, etc. I have shortlisted devices for different scenarios that are not limited to gaming support, smart home automation, and enterprise solutions.
Best WiFi 6 Mesh Routers in 2021
After comparing Mesh Routers from Netgear, Linksys, ASUS, Google, Eero, I have narrowed it to the 7 best WiFi 6 mesh systems. My list includes both Dual-Band and Tri-band routers ranging from budget-friendly solutions for medium households to routers designed for small enterprises.
1. Best Overall: ASUS ZenWiFi XT8
- Speeds: 574 + 1201 + 4804 Mbps
- Range: Up to 5500 Sq Ft
- No. of Devices Supported: 70+
- Ports: 3 LAN + 1 WAN + 1 USB 3.0
- RAM: 512MB
- Storage: 256MB
The two-pack ASUS ZenWiFi XT8 offers high-speed internet that comes with comprehensive parental controls and network security offered by AiProtection and support for WiFi 6, and 160MHz bandwidth makes an interesting case for a perfect premium WiFi 6 Mesh system.
Speeds & Coverage
The router delivers high-speed internet at 574mbps on 2.4GHz, 1201mbps, and 4804mbps on dual 5GHz bands. With a significantly longer range of 5500 sq ft, it can support over 70 devices across multiple rooms with the support of OFDMA and MU-MIMO.
Design & Hardware
At 1.6 lbs, the Asus units are lightweight and sport a simplistic round-edged rectangular design with a ventilated front. The 512MB operating memory and 256MB of flash memory combined with a quad-core processor clocking at 1.5GHz to support seamless gaming and 4K streaming at your home.
Antennas & Ports
The unit comes with 6 internal antennas. There are three Gig LAN ports, a 2.5Gig WAN port, and a USB 3.1 port to allow enough room for ethernet backhauling, high-wired connections, and sharing network drives at your home.
Setup & App Support
The Asus application has an intuitive interface that translates into a quick setup and management. The web GUI offers extended control over the customizations in the home network. If the complexity of controls bothers you, AiProtection Pro brings a plethora of control under singlehood.
Security Features
Ranging from parental controls, QoS priority, real-time traffic monitoring, firewall configurations, the web GUI is comprehensive. With multiple user profiles and categorized content filters, your worries about kids’ exposure to inappropriate content can take a back seat.
Final Thoughts!
The 2.5 Gigabit ports, 160MHz bandwidth support, and a USB port make this ASUS Mesh system a viable solution for large homes with a diverse group of kids, teens, and working professionals.
- Multi-Gigabit LAN port
- 160MHz bandwidth
- Alexa Voice control
- 1.5GHz Quad-core processor
- AiProtection Pro-Lifetime
- Easy setup AiMesh
- Expensive
2. Best Runner Up: Netgear Orbi RBK752
- Speeds: 600 + 1200 + 2400 Mbps
- Range: Up to 5000 Sq Ft
- No. of Devices Supported: 40+
- Ports: 5 (3+2) LAN + 1 WAN
- RAM: 1GB
- Storage: 512MB
The Netgear Orbi brings network security features and comprehensive customization through its web interface. Superfast speeds of WiFi 6, complemented by powerful antennas geared with bi-directional MU-MIMO, OFDMA, make this a powerful network solution for your business.
Speeds & Coverage
The Orbi mesh router complements your ultrafast internet connection by supporting speeds up to 600mbps in 2.4GHz and 1200 + 2400mbps in dual 5GHz frequency. Geared for seamless business conferences, streaming 4K media on Fire Stick, or supporting a professional gaming environment, the system can handle up to 40 devices across 5000 sq. ft.
I tested this router with Spectrum Internet Gig 940 Plan and this wireless device performed really well.
Design & Hardware
Weighing 1.5 lbs each, the Orbi hexagonal towers have an imposing presence. The towers house 512MB of flash memory and 1GB of operating memory, allowing data-intensive activities across a small business setup.
Antennas & Ports
The units have 6 high-performing internal antennas, which should ease doubts of coverage and signal strength. The routing device has one Gig WAN port, three Gig LAN ports, and the satellite extender comes with two Gig ethernet ports. The ports support link aggregation and Ethernet Backhaul and allow room for a flexible VLAN configuration.
Setup & App Support
Netgear offers a dedicated application (Insight) that enables local and cloud management. If you have to customize your network to suit your business, Netgear comes with a web-based GUI that gives you comprehensive control to customize your network.
Security Features
Designed for businesses, the Netgear Orbi comes with a plethora of security options. The interface allows you to block/unblock devices, limit access using keywords, enable/disable services with a schedule.
Final Thoughts!
The Netgear Orbi comes at a premium price. With support for WPA3 encryption, wired/wireless backhaul, VLAN bridging, and multiple SSID for network separation, it offers a perfect solution for small businesses like hostels, Beds & Breakfasts.
- Excellent speeds & Coverage
- Supports over 40 devices
- Wall-mountable
- Target Wake Time
- OFDMA technology
- Link aggregation
- No USB port
- No parental controls
3. Best for Hotels: Linksys MX8000
- Speed: 600 + 1200 + 2200 Mbps
- Range: Up to 5400 Sq Ft
- No. of Devices Supported: 80
- Ports: 3 LAN + 1 WAN + 1 USB 3.0
- RAM: 512MB
- Storage: 512MB
The Linksys AX4000 is a WiFi 6 enabled Mesh router that offers a budget-friendly solution for hotels or homes with large backyards. Easy installations and router management complement the high-speed internet potential of MX8000.
Speeds & Coverage
The Linksys router is capable of high speeds of 600mbps in 2.5GHz, 1200mbps, and 2200mbps in dual 5GHz, conditional to the speed offered by your service provider. The router can support up to 80 devices in the network spread across a surface area of 5400 sq ft.
Design & Hardware
Weighing close to 2.08 lbs, rectangular towers sport a minimalistic design and a well-ventilated top. The tower houses a quad-core processor clocking at 1.4GHz, 512MB of operating memory, and storage memory that provides sufficient power for gaming, video calls, 4K streaming in a large household.
Antennas & Ports
Powered by the latest MU-MIMO and OFDMA technologies, 9 internal antennas disperse stable WiFi signals. The router accommodates one Gigabit WAN port, three Gigabit LAN ports, and one USB 3.0 port in every unit. Sharing network drives and high-speed wired connections for smart TV, PlayStations is well within its purview.
Setup & App Support
The Linksys application’s intuitive interface makes the process of network installation and management uncomplicated. The web GUI offers comprehensive control over network management.
Security Features
The parental controls in web GUI let you control the kid’s internet consumption (websites and schedules). Linksys offers features like WPA-3 encryption, setting up device priority, guest network access, MAC filtering, and other advanced settings that protect your network from unauthorized usage.
Final Thoughts!
While the lack of 160MHz bandwidth might be a potential downside, this sub-$300 router offers the right mix of port selection with backhaul, high-speed internet, and network security options at an affordable price for large households looking for a budget-friendly Tri-band WiFi mesh system.
- Ethernet Backhaul
- WPA3 encryption standards
- Beamforming & OFDMA
- Bulky
- No support for 160MHz bandwidth
4. Best Under $200: TP-Link Deco X60
- Speeds: 574 + 2402 Mbps
- Range: Up to 5800 Sq Ft
- No. of Devices Supported: 150
- Ports: 1 LAN + 1 WAN Each
- RAM: 512MB
- Storage: 128MB
Powered by a Quad-core processor, the TP-Link Deco X60 supports high-speed internet with 802.11 ax support, offers extended coverage, and comprehensive control over your home network with advanced features at a sub $200 price.
Speeds & Coverage
The two-pack Deco X60 can support internet speeds up to 574mbps on 2.4GHz and 2402mbps on the 5GHz band. The dual-band router can cover large homes, offices up to 5800 sq ft and support over 150 simultaneous connections.
Design & Hardware
Each Deco unit approximately weighs about 1 pound, and the white cylindrical towers fit into any household. The main unit houses 512MB of operating memory, 128MB of storage memory, and a quad-core processor clocking at 1GHz, ensuring seamless online gaming and HD streaming across multiple devices.
Antennas & Ports
There are four internal antennas on each unit, geared with MU-MIMO and beamforming, which should clear your doubts over signal quality. With a limited selection of two Gigabit Ethernet ports per unit, Deco leaves the user to reserve the wired connections for the most important devices.
Setup & App Support
The Deco app remains the sole controlling application for this TP-link mesh system. The advantage of the most intuitive interface saves the trouble of identifying suitable placement for the units. The application gives complete control over the router, even if you are away from home.
Security Features
If managing multiple profiles and access schedules is a concern, the mobile application has an easy interface to restrict content with four levels of age-appropriate content filters. Built-in antivirus, WPA 3 encryption standards, device blacklist, and firewalls protect your network from unauthorized usage and intrusions.
Final Thoughts!
Albeit its limited selection of ports, the Deco X60 offers an affordable network solution for a large home or office. The comprehensive parental controls, security of TP-Link Homecare, and user-friendly application make this an affordable WiFi 6 Mesh solution to keep a tab on your kid’s and teens’ internet consumption.
- Exceptional range
- Robust parental controls
- HomeCare security
- OFDMA & MU-MIMO
- Supports over 150 devices
- QoS, Antivirus, WPA3
- Dual-Band
- No USB port
5. Best for Offices: Netgear Nighthawk MK63
- Speeds: 600 + 1200 Mbps
- Range: Up to 4500 Sq Ft
- No. of Devices Supported: 25
- Ports: 3 LAN + 1 WAN
- RAM: 256MB
- Storage: 128MB
With WiFi 6 support and other features, the Netgear makes up for its lack of advanced customization and parental controls. For people looking to equip their medium-sized offices with a budget dual-band WiFi 6 Mesh system, the three-pack Netgear Nighthawk MK63 would fit right into their offices.
Speeds & Coverage
The router brings HD streaming and online gaming under its purview with speeds up to 600mbps in 2.5GHz and 1200mbps in 5GHz. Netgear claims the WiFi system can cover an area as large as 4500 sq ft with 25 simultaneous connections.
Design & Hardware
At 0.63 lbs each, the router and units are lightweight. The compact rectangular design has an amicable presence, defined by its black body with triangular air vents. The potent combination of a 1.4GHz quad-core processor, a RAM of 256MB, and storage memory of 128MB will handle simultaneous HD streaming and downloads.
Antennas & Ports
The router can cover large surface areas with 4 internal antennas powered by Beamforming, OFDMA, and MU-MIMO. The router has 1 Gig WAN port, 1 Gig LAN port, while the satellites come with a 1Gig LAN port. The lack of more connectivity and USB ports may limit the wired connections and shared devices across the home network.
Setup & App Support
The setup is easy with the nighthawk mobile application. The application doesn’t allow any parental controls. The web interface opens up to an inbuilt firewall that enables access control, keyword filtering, schedule blocking of internet and services, and prioritize traffic with Dynamic QoS.
Final Thoughts!
If you are looking for a budget solution for a small hostel for working professionals and trying to avoid complicated settings, the Netgear Mesh WiFi system offers a 3-pack system with a host of features at an affordable price.
- 1.5GHz Quad-core processor
- Explicit Beamforming
- Uplink and downlink OFDMA
- Backhaul compatible
- Limited control/customization
- Supports only 25 devices
- No USB port
6. Best for Lots of Devices: ARRIS Surfboard W121
- Speeds: 600 + 1200 + 4800 Mbps
- Range: Up to 5500 Sq Ft
- No. of Devices Supported: 150
- Ports: 1 LAN + 1 WAN
- RAM: Unkown
- Storage: Unkown
The ARRIS SURFboard W121 has Multi User-MIMO, OFDMA, Beamforming with WiFi 6, and link aggregation making this a capable router to handle a plethora of data-intense activities.
Speeds & Coverage
High-speed internet of 600mbps in 2.4GHz, 1200 + 4800mbps in dual 5GHz falls within the realm of ARRIS Surfboard. Hosting conferences and meetings becomes easier with the Surfboard, thanks to its support for over 150 simultaneous connections in a 5500 sq ft area.
Design & Hardware
Weighing over 1.37 lbs, the Surfboard comes in white cylindrical with a silver bottom. Powered by a quad-core processor and complemented by a decent operating memory, the router is VR-friendly, capable of supporting 4K streaming, gaming, and video conferencing simultaneously.
Antennas & Ports
With 12 powerful internal antennas to disperse internet signals, the router has three Gig ethernet ports and one Gig WAN port to facilitate wired high-speed connections. The lack of multi-gig ports may limit the high speeds exceeding one gigabit despite the link aggregation capability.
Setup & App Support
If you are a novice user with a preference to skip complicated settings, you will rejoice at the simplified setup of the SURFboard Central application. On the contrary, the absence of a web interface limits the potential of this powerful device.
Security Features
The applications allow you to create user profiles to create scheduled times, pause internet connections. The router supports WPA2 encryption and comes with WiFi security, firewall settings with UPnP, and port forwarding to protect your home network.
Final Thoughts!
The lack of advanced security features might go against this powerful unit. It’s a strong processing unit, complemented by adequate storage and operating memory, that finds a solution for a medium-household filled with creatives, gaming aficionados, and streamers.
- Appealing design
- Link aggregation Capability
- Quad-core processor
- Compatible with Alexa
- Parental controls
- Expensive
- WPA2 encryption standard
- No USB port
7. Best for Home Automation: Amazon Eero 6
- Speeds: 574 + 1201 Mbps
- Range: Up to 5000 Sq Ft
- No. of Devices Supported: 75+
- Ports: 2 Gig LAN
- RAM: 512MB
- Storage: 4GB
The aggregate speeds on Tri-band, Zigbee compatibility (Alexa devices), and support for WiFi 6, executed through powerful hardware put together in an elegant-looking design, makes this Amazon Eero 6 a suitable choice for home automation.
Speeds & Coverage
The routers deliver an aggregate speed of 1800mbps over 2.5GHz and 5GHz frequency. Talking of individual band speeds, the 2.4GHz band provides a speed of up to 574mbps, while the 5GHz band provides a speed of up to 1201mbps. The three-pack Eero Pro can cover up to 5000 sq ft and easily handle up to 75 devices that include smart-home devices.
Design & Hardware
The three-pack system weighs over 6 pounds. The router and mesh units sport a flat rectangular simplistic design with an inconspicuous presence. The unit houses a powerful quad-core processor, RAM of 512MB, and storage memory of 4GB, making Xbox One gaming, Twitch streaming, and video conferencing possible.
Antennas & Ports
MU-MIMO and beamforming powered internal antennas offer extensive coverage. If you rely more on wireless connections, the requirement for wired connections being limited benefits you. The Eero 6 router unit has only two Gigabit LAN ports to accommodate them.
Setup & App Support
The Eero application takes you through the initial setup and guides you to pick up the right spots for the mesh units. The application keeps the network management to basic levels, targeting novice users.
Security Features
The Eero mobile application allows homemakers to group devices into profiles, set schedules, pause the internet, and apply content filters. They can categorize profiles using age-based content filters. Eero secure subscription alleviates the concerns of anonymity and security with VPN and antivirus protection.
Final Thoughts!
The Eero Pro WiFi mesh router offers WiFi 6 support but costs less than its competitors. If you want a WiFi router for a crowded apartment and to keeps your smart devices connected 24/7, the Amazon Eero 6 three-pack system fits right into your requirements.
- Zigbee for smart homes
- WPA3 encryption standards
- Abundant storage and RAM
- Supports 75+ devices
- OFDMA & Beamforming
- Limited customization in-app
- Expensive for the given specs
Frequently Asked Questions
The major benefits of mesh routers are easy home network management, range extension/ coverage, and security options with ease of control. The WiFi 6 enabled mesh routers are a great fit for the latest gadgets like iPhones, PlayStation 5, etc. It helps you with home automation and remote management of your home network.
Suppose you are a large multi-plex house/farmhouse resident with a large backyard & front yard. If you are automating devices at your home and would like to monitor/control devices at your fingertip, you can consider WiFi Mesh Routers as an appropriate choice.
Depending on the brand and underlying networking standards, the mesh systems incur high costs. With a budget mesh router costing over 250 dollars, the price of the mesh routers can escalate as the features and units increase.
Unless the surface area is enormous and there are multiple devices, a router and range extender would cover dead spots at your home. Finding a better position for a router or adding a range extender/amplifier will improve the strength of your WiFi signal.
Ethernet Backhaul is an important feature prevalent in Mesh WiFi systems. It is a feature that enables the mesh units to be connected to the router through an Ethernet connection. The Ethernet backhauling improves bandwidth allocation and creates a more stable & faster internet connection to the devices.
Verdict
A WiFi mesh system with multiple units plays a vital role in keeping the automated homes and other devices connected to the internet. Understanding the preferences and requirements helps the user to get the best out of the WiFi 6 mesh router.
- If you are looking for the high-end WiFi 6 mesh router that offers the best combination of features and overall value for the money spent, Linksys MX8000 would be my go-to recommendation.
- For users limited by budget, TP-Link Deco X60 would be an excellent choice. I bet you, there’s no better WiFi 6 mesh system at that price.
- Budget not being a constraint, entrepreneurs in search of enterprise networking solutions can opt for Netgear Orbi.
