When you buy a router, it's supposed to give you perfect coverage over your entire house, right? As you have probably already experienced at some point, that is not always the case. Certain building materials, large spaces, and heavy tech equipment can disrupt your Wi-Fi signal and interrupt your connection.
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If one router fails to provide every corner of your home with adequate Wi-Fi coverage, mesh network systems and range extenders are great ways to strengthen Wi-Fi signal and fix dead spots in your home. But what's the difference, and which one is best for you?
It's important to note that range extenders and mesh systems aren’t a magic fix that improve speeds in every situation. If your problem is caused by congestion from your neighbors, a poorly placed router, or a cheap internet package with slow speeds, a mesh system isn’t going to solve your problem. Before buying anything, do the following:
(Credit: InSSIDer Lite)
“Mesh systems and extenders are primarily designed to solve one problem: Bad signal strength,” says Joel Crane, a Certified Wireless Network Expert and Wi-Fi Engineer at Juniper Networks. “Before making an investment in a mesh Wi-Fi system, check to see if you have any signal strength issues in the places where you need to use Wi-Fi.”
He recommends using a free tool like InSSIDer Lite to map your home’s signal strength—as you walk around the house with the tool running, make note of any spots that have poor signal. “Any signal strength between -67 and -30 dBm is good,” he says. “Once you dip below -67 or -70 dBm, performance will start to degrade. Below -80 dBm, things probably won't work reliably at all.” (Remember, those are negative numbers, so -80 dBm is lower than -67 dBm.)
(Credit: PCMag)
If you don’t find any dead spots, then the problem could be with your internet package, rather than your Wi-Fi network. Check your bill to see what speeds you are paying for, then take a moment to test your connection to see if they match.
Do the speeds match? If you find this speed to be too slow, you would need to upgrade your internet package to see faster speeds (or switch to a faster ISP entirely). However, if the speeds are significantly slower than what it says on your bill, you may have some work to do or equipment to buy.
If you have outage areas or aren't getting the speeds you should expect, there are simple ways to boost your Wi-Fi signal. For instance, you could move the router to a new location in the house and solve the problem without needing to buy new hardware.
Basic dos and don'ts including placing your wireless router in the center of your home, away from walls, heavy-duty appliances, electronics, and other obstructions. You may also want to position any external antennas vertically and elevate the router as high as possible. Doing this will help optimize the router's ability to cover your entire house.
TP-Link AC1750 Wi-Fi Range Extender (RE450) (Credit: TP-Link)
If you do need some help extending your Wi-Fi, you’ll have to choose between a range extender and a mesh system. “Wi-Fi extenders typically connect to your existing wireless network, broadcast a new network name, and blindly relay traffic back to your wireless router,” Crane explained to us. “This usually means that you'll see two network names: One network offered by your wireless router, and another network offered by the extender.”
You’ve probably seen this before, where a home’s network has a "SmithHouse" for upstairs and "SmithHouse_EXT" for downstairs. Your devices will often stay on one until it's completely out of range, then you can switch over to the closer range extender to get a better connection.
However, this also means you still have slow Wi-Fi at multiple points in your house. Repeating the entire Wi-Fi signal is inefficient—that extender merely listens to every packet and rebroadcasts it. There's no internal logic that sends packets to the right path. Plus, having to manually switch back and forth between networks as you move around is a huge hassle.
More importantly, though, range extenders can often slow things down. Wireless is “half duplex,” which means a wireless device can't send and receive information at the same time—every device on the same channel has to take turns talking. Range extenders exacerbate this inefficiency, says Crane, since they have to repeat every single thing they “hear” like someone following you around all day, repeating everything you say before someone else can talk.
Finally, managing these extenders is often a pain. Many routers require you to go to a web page to alter settings or download updates, and if your extender is from a different brand, you'll be dealing with two sets of software. In many cases, that software can feel complex and archaic.
There are exceptions to all of these points, of course. Some range extenders have more modern software and can overcome some of the bandwidth issues when paired with routers from the same manufacturers that are designed to be used together. But there's no guarantee you can do it with your existing router, and at that point, the line between extender and mesh system gets a bit blurry.
Amazon Eero Pro 6E (Credit: Amazon)
Unlike an extender, which you can add to an existing Wi-Fi network, mesh systems are typically complete replacements for your home Wi-Fi. You can use them in tandem with your current router, but there's usually little reason to (unless your ISP requires it). They're designed to replace your complicated router-and-extender setup with multiple identical units placed around your house that are used together.
While replacing your current router might scare some folks off, remember that this is currently a much more attractive option than in previous years since routers supporting the Wi-Fi 6 (or even Wi-Fi 6E) standard are becoming more common. Wi-Fi 6 offers significant improvements in both bandwidth and security, so replacing your older router with either a Wi-Fi 6 router or a compatible mesh system makes sense now that prices are coming down.
Even without Wi-Fi 6, mesh systems have several advantages over traditional extenders. “Home mesh systems like Eero, Google Nest WiFi, and Linksys Velop use mesh ‘access points,’ which are all aware of each other, and can wirelessly forward traffic around the network as needed,” says Crane. “They all broadcast the same network name, which enables your Wi-Fi devices like phones and laptops to roam between mesh access points as they choose,” which makes the handoff more seamless than extenders.
Furthermore, because mesh units run the same software, they're able to relay traffic more intelligently. That means if you're connected to the second node on the far end of your house, it's only going to rebroadcast packets if the client in question is actually connected to it.
Mesh systems can also overcome some of the speed problems that extenders have by using multiple radios to send and receive information simultaneously. “They can use a 2.4GHz channel to communicate with the client and then use their 5GHz channel to relay data to the other mesh access points on the network,” says Crane.
Amazon Eero app (Credit: Eero)
Some mesh systems may even have three radios—one dedicated to communicating with the router, and two radios to communicate with laptops, phones, and other devices. This is particularly useful when you have a lot of devices on the network. If you can buy a tri-band model, I’d recommend doing so.
Amazon Eero Pro 6E is a tri-band mesh system that supports Wi-Fi 6 and includes a Zigbee smart home hub built into the core router. Its lower-end sibling, the Eero 6, is a relatively affordable way to jump into mesh networking.
Finally, setting up and managing your network is much easier with modern mesh systems. Instead of dealing with multiple configuration pages, you can manage the entire network from a smartphone app. Many mesh systems also update their firmware automatically, which is a huge step up over the days of having to check the manufacturer's web page for updates, downloading a file, and sending it to your router manually.
Most users don't even go through this arduous process, leaving them vulnerable to security threats. With an all-in-one mesh system, you're more likely to get regular updates, which improves usability and security. That's huge.
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As a modern alternative to the traditional router, you would be forgiven for thinking that a mesh router would automatically be "better" in all cases than a simple, standard Wi-Fi router. However, this isn't always the case.
We now have to give more thought to the underlying connectivity in our homes. Mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices ranging from security cameras to smart appliances, have all increased the load shouldered by our routers.
Also: The best mesh Wi-Fi systems right now
The face of modern-day work has changed as well, with the adoption of remote and hybrid working. Despite the resistance of some companies to continuing these arrangements, home offices are likely to be a common feature in homes for the foreseeable future.
This is where mesh networks come in. Designed to lighten the endpoint load and reduce congestion, mesh systems can be invaluable for maintaining connectivity -- but they aren't suitable for every household. Sometimes, you only need a high-quality standard router, whereas a mesh network could be overkill. When it comes to speed, Wi-Fi routers (and LAN cabling) are often king.
ZDNET explains the difference and why you should adopt a mesh network over a traditional router system -- and vice versa.
Also: The best Wi-Fi routers (and where you should place yours)
A traditional router acts as a central hub for internet connectivity. Traffic requests from devices funnel through a main router's internet service and a single access point. Routers can be accessed through wireless channels or by plugging in an Ethernet cable. Typically, these routers are password-protected.
Image: Getty Images
Standard routers are generally more affordable than mesh network products. While you can still expect to pay hundreds of dollars for a premium router, many options are budget-friendly, quick, and stable enough to keep your home office running effectively without further input.
Many routers today, such as the Netgear Nighthawk or TP-Link models, are designed with the technology needed to meet heavy bandwidth and streaming requirements.
Also: Modem vs router: What's the difference?
Gamers and live streamers, for example, should generally stick with wired Ethernet connections and traditional routers, as they will likely provide improved speeds and stability over wireless-first products.
A standard router is often less hassle to set up than a mesh network. For something that "just works," a typical router might be the best option. Set it up, make sure updates are automatically applied, and forget about it.
There are three key disadvantages of using a traditional Wi-Fi router:
Coverage issues: As internet access is distributed through a single point, this setup can mean that areas far away from your router will have slow or spotty connections that drop. Range extenders can help remove this barrier, and while they can still be cheaper than investing in a mesh network, it's an additional expense.
Overload: Unless extenders or channel separation features are used, too many connections may result in overloading, bottlenecks, lags, and connectivity drops.
Tweaking: If you want to tweak the more advanced settings on a router, this can often require annoying visits to a platform via desktop, rather than the seamless mobile app connectivity we have learned to enjoy for many of our modern services.
You need to decide whether the financial outlay for a whole mesh network is worth it. In larger homes with dead spots, mesh networking can provide a way to improve your Wi-Fi signal strength and coverage immediately.
However, it can be expensive to overhaul your existing router setup for a large home. Going for a complete mesh system may be overkill unless you consistently have multiple users and connected devices competing for bandwidth.
A Wi-Fi extender can be a worthwhile investment instead if you decide to stay with a traditional home router but need to expand coverage.
Some mesh network systems, such as Google Wifi, Netgear Orbi, and Amazon Eero, are relatively cheap to set up if you don't need too many satellites.
Also: The best mesh Wi-Fi systems you can buy
If you're the only person using your network and need a stable, powerful internet connection -- such as for resource-hungry work applications or gaming -- a traditional router and an Ethernet cable may be all you need for reliable and rapid internet access. Wired internet speeds should be quicker than wireless if the connection is working properly, and investing in a simple Ethernet cable, easy to find for no more than $10 or $15, could be enough. This could save you the cost of a complete overhaul.
Wi-Fi range extenders, too, could be considered an alternative to mesh if you need to boost coverage and throughput in some areas, and they will likely be less expensive than purchasing individual mesh nodes. Some vendors also offer mesh "bolt-ons," such as Asus' AiMesh, which creates a mesh-like coverage wireless network without ripping everything out and starting again. However, the downside is that you will probably have to spend some time setting these bolt-ons up and tampering with your router's configurations.
The best way to answer this question is to consider latency. Overall, many mesh systems today trade extended coverage for potential downgrades to speed.
If your household has gamers using consoles casually, it shouldn't matter what type of router you use. However, professional and dedicated gamers will absolutely notice small lags or latency issues -- and they will want the best speed and stability available. In these cases, a wired, traditional router is likely your best bet.
I prefer an Ethernet, cabled connection for PC, Internet-based gaming and sessions with friends, and while my mesh network would probably be adequate, I don't want to risk lagging.
While both mesh Wi-Fi and extenders will improve the coverage of your home, there are disadvantages to both.
Mesh systems require investment and the cost can add up quickly, but they provide seamless transitions between Wi-Fi access points dotted around your home. Furthermore, you can rapidly change settings or perform updates via mobile apps.
Wi-Fi extenders can't be tweaked so easily. However, they are cheaper and are the best option if you just want to tackle a few dead zones, as you just need to plug one into your main router. Keep in mind that, unlike mesh nodes, Wi-Fi extenders won't improve congestion or eradicate bottlenecks.
Before changing your setup, you should review your ISP package. If you're subscribed to a low-speed offering, or your internet provider throttles your speed at peak times, new equipment is not going to help. Instead, a package upgrade could be a better option.
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