Best Mesh Wi-Fi Systems (2026): Netgear, Asus, Amazon, and More
NEWS | 19 June 2026
Asus ZenWifi BD5 Outdoor for $194: While I listed the cheaper TP-Link Deco BE25 as my top outdoor pick, you should always choose a node that is compatible with your existing mesh system. If you are running an Asus setup, the BD5 Outdoor is the way to go. It features dual-band Wi-Fi 7, an IP65 weather-resistant rating, and two 2.5-Gbps PoE ports—allowing you to power the unit and run a wired backhaul over a single Ethernet cable. Thanks to AiMesh support, it integrated flawlessly with the three different Asus systems I tested it with, and it will easily blanket your backyard in strong Wi-Fi. TP-Link Deco BE67 (2-Pack) for $430: This tri-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh is a little cheaper than our top pick but offers similar performance. The setup was a little glitchy for me. Each unit has one 10-Gbps Ethernet port, one 2.5-Gbps port, a Gigabit port, and a USB 3.0 port. Performance was consistently impressive throughout my home, with some of the fastest speeds I have recorded at close and medium range. The BE67 falls between the BE63 and the flagship BE85, and might be the sweet spot in TP-Link’s lineup. The Deco BE68 is the same system as the BE67, but exclusive to Best Buy. Netgear Orbi 370 Series Photograph: Simon Hill Netgear Orbi 370 Series (3-Pack) for $300: While it is great that manufacturers offer budget-friendly options, dual-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh routers are a tough sell. Not only do you miss out on the 6-GHz band, but the 5-GHz band must be shared between your devices and the wireless backhaul traffic connecting the nodes. In my thick-walled Victorian home, this resulted in terrible performance for anything connected to a satellite node. Even after extensive tinkering with the Orbi 370, I struggled to get more than 15 Mbps from a node despite having a 1 Gbps internet connection. While it is an affordable system that offers the same easy setup as our top pick, there are simply too many caveats for me to fully recommend it. TP-Link Deco BE25 (3-Pack) for $200: Almost everything I just said about the Orbi 370 Series applies to the dual-band Wi-Fi 7 Deco BE25. But, this mesh is cheaper, the units are smaller and disc-shaped, and they’re all identical, with two 2.5 Gbps each. Speed and range on the 5-GHz band were better with Netgear’s 370 Series, but the opposite was true on the 2.4-GHz band. Netgear Orbi 870 (3-Pack) for $1,064: This tri-band mesh from Netgear is a step up on the 770 Series above, adding a 10-Gbps WAN/LAN port and doubling the bandwidth on the 5- and 6-GHz bands. My experience with the 870 Series was flawless. The setup was straightforward, performance was top-notch on every band and at various distances, and this mesh system was near the top of the table in all my tests. It also proved extremely stable and had no trouble covering my entire home and garden. The only reason the 870 doesn’t appear above is that the 770 is likely enough for most folks, but if your internet connection is faster than 2.5 Gbps, this is what I recommend. Asus ZenWiFi BT8 Photograph: Simon Hill Asus ZenWiFi BT8 (3-Pack) for $850: Based on its mostly stellar speed and range, the tri-band BT8 is a Wi-Fi 7 mesh worth considering. Sadly, the highs were hamstrung by inconsistent performance and perplexing intermittent lag, which made testing the BT8 a frustrating roller-coaster experience. A step down from the BT10 but still more than fast enough for most homes with 2.5-Gbps or slower internet connections, the BT8 was a breeze to install, offered impressive speeds across all three bands, and delivered excellent range. Consider the subscription-free parental controls and security software, and the BT8 looks like a real contender. While the release firmware was poor, this system is now consistently stable, and Asus has started to offer tempting discounts. TP-Link Deco BE85 (2-Pack) for $700: The Deco BE85 was TP-Link's first Wi-Fi 7 mesh. As the flagship, it offers unrivaled performance, with double the bandwidth of the more affordable BE63 listed above. Each router boasts four auto-sensing WAN/LAN Ethernet ports, two 10-Gbps ports (one is an SFP combo), two 2.5-Gbps ports, and a USB 3.0 port. It delivered wide coverage and excellent performance in my tests, but unless you have a very fast multi-gig internet connection and loads of Wi-Fi 7 devices, it will be overkill for your home.
Author: Matthew Korfhage. Simon Hill. Boutayna Chokrane. Christopher Null. Kat Merck. John Brandon. Nena Farrell.
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