Router technology has come a long way in recent years, but if you have only a single router supporting a larger home, you may still be dealing with dead zones without any connectivity, or areas with a spotty Wi-Fi signal that can cause instability and speed decreases. To solve that issue, invest in a mesh router system. With a mesh setup, you place several routers around the house to create excellent coverage wherever you are.
If it’s been more than five years since you last bought a router, it’s definitely time for an upgrade. By making the switch to a mesh router system, you can help eliminate dead spots throughout your home. Plus, most of the latest mesh router models support blazing-fast speeds for smooth browsing, streaming, and gaming. To help you find the right router for your home and your budget, we’ve rounded up some of the best bargains you can take advantage of right now below.
By placing mesh routers around your home, your wireless connection can be extended over a much larger area than a single router can offer, so even the outer reaches of your property can get a signal. Each mesh router relays your wireless traffic back to your modem, and your devices will seamlessly switch between different mesh routers in your home as you move around for the best connection.
If you’re on the hunt for a good deal on a great mesh router, check out our regularly updated list below and score yourself some savings.
Best mesh router deals
TP-Link Deco S4 (3-pack): $115
The Deco S4 is another affordable Wi-Fi 5 mesh networking system, down to just $115 right now. The three-piece kit on sale offers up to 5,500 square feet of coverage and AC1200 speeds. Each Deco S4 unit has two gigabit Ethernet ports with support for wired Ethernet backhaul for improved speeds. If you don’t have an abundance of Wi-Fi 6 devices in your home, it’s a good option for those looking to spend as little as possible for whole-home coverage.
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TP-Link Deco X55 (3-pack): $170
The Deco X55 is a great budget Wi-Fi 6 mesh system that can cover a whopping 6500 square feet. That’s probably more than you really need, but having some overlap can be useful, so it’s a great option even for a smaller home. It can hit a maximum of 3,000 Mbps across its antenna, and each unit has 3 gigabit ethernet ports for more flexibility.
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TP-Link Deco XE75 (2-pack): $210
Here’s another mesh system with full support for Wi-Fi 6E that’s on sale right now — the TP-Link Deco XE75.
We were impressed with the system’s fast, consistent performance when we tested it last year, and we love the way the extenders automatically pair with the mesh as soon as you plug them in, which makes setup an absolute breeze. At $210, this is definitely an upgrade pick worth considering.
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Netgear Nighthawk AXE5700 (3-pack): $500
Save $50 with My Best Buy Plus
This three-piece tri-band mesh system from Netgear comes with one base router and two satellites and provides a strong signal for an area of up to 6,750 square feet. It boasts impressive speeds of up to 3.6Gbps and Wi-Fi 6E support, as well as backward compatibility with Wi-Fi 5 devices. It also takes just minutes to set up, and you can add even more satellites if you need wider coverage. You can save $50 with a My Best Buy Plus membership right now.
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Asus ROG Rapture GT6 (2-pack): $400
The Asus ROG Rapture AX10000 is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 gaming mesh system that has a third 160MHz channel and provides up to 5,800 square feet of coverage. It tops out at a whopping 10,000Mbps and offers LAN aggregation and a 2.5Gbps WAN port.
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Netgear Orbi AX6000 (2-pack): $400
This tri-band mesh Wi-Fi 6 system includes a router and one satellite extender. The system reaches speeds of up to 6Gbps and can handle up to 100 connected devices. Plus, it provides up to 5,000 square feet of coverage. You can add additional satellites to extend coverage by up to 2,500 square feet per satellite, but those are sold separately. Luckily, if you do want to add one to your order, each satellite is discounted by $100 right now.
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How do I know if I need a mesh network?
The main benefit of upgrading to a mesh network is to rid your home of dead zones. Since mesh systems offer a greater coverage area than a stand-alone router, they’re well-suited to medium or large homes. If your home is spread across over 1,500 square feet, you likely have some harder-to-reach spots for a traditional router.
Smaller properties may be serviced just fine by a regular router. Still, if you find internet speeds plummeting in the rooms farthest from your router, it might make sense to upgrade to a mesh system.
Will a mesh network replace my existing router?
Yes, your new mesh network will replace your current router. A mesh router will connect directly to your modem via Ethernet, like your existing router does, with any other mesh devices being connected to power at other spots in your home.
Importantly, you’ll see just one network in your home and phones, tablets and other devices will automatically switch between the various mesh devices in the background as you move around so you’re always connected to the optimum mesh device.