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Wi-Fi connections bounced between the satellites and the main unit slowed to between 100 Mbps and 200 Mbps.

That’s not far behind the fastest throughput overall, which was 647 Mbps, achieved by the TP-Link Deco X55. Eero advertises that it is suitable for homes with 900 Mbps (or slower) broadband connections, though we weren’t able to reach that limit, measuring at about 590 Mbps on the laptop connected to the main base unit. Spending 50% ($150) more buys small improvements for few people like those willing to tweak settings to achieve even better connections.ĭuring our testing, the Eero 6 offered fast performance when our laptop was close to the base router, but throughput dropped off when the signal was bounced through the add-on adapters or through multiple walls. When considering both features and our test results, we looked for “ the best for the most for the least.” Right now, paying around $300 buys you excellent performance and features that offer real benefits. But we don’t consider the cheapest or the fastest to be the best.

Not all manufacturers disclose the CPU and memory inside of their routers, but when we find outstanding specs, we do consider them when deciding what to test. The slow processors found in most cheap routers can still drag things down, no matter how good the radios that broadcast the Wi-Fi are.
#ORBI WIFI MESH DOWNLOAD#
In our tests, network speed-or throughput-varies from “This YouTube video will never finish loading” to “You can download a video game in an instant.” Generally, we looked for the mesh kits that performed above average, and we dismissed the slower routers. Good speed test results: Speed claims on the box don’t mean much in the real world.You should be able to get your home on the internet in less than half an hour with a mesh network. Ease of setup and administration: Setting up a new network is often hard, but it doesn’t need to be.Wi-Fi 5 laptops, phones, and other devices will continue to dominate your home for the next few years, and you can save some money while you take care of existing needs.
#ORBI WIFI MESH UPGRADE#
While we think this year’s new standards of Wi-Fi 6 or 6E are the best options for most people (both our main and upgrade picks are Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems), based on our tests and research, we continue to recommend a Wi-Fi 5 (aka 802.11ac) mesh system as our budget alternative. Most people, however, don’t need mesh Wi-Fi, and if you live in an average home or apartment, a regular router is just fine. Mesh-networking systems take the weight off just one router, instead spreading multiple access points around your house to improve the range and performance of your Wi-Fi.Īfter spending hundreds of hours evaluating and testing 64 Wi-Fi mesh-networking kits in home and lab environments over the past four years, we’re confident that the Eero 6 system is the best mesh router for most people who need one. Wi-Fi that sucks can be more frustrating than no Wi-Fi at all, and the culprit in many cases is one router trying to cover too much house.
