ASUS - ZenWiFi AX6600 Tri-Band Mesh WiFi 6 System (XT8)

Netgear isn't who I'd recommend. Not only are they expensive but they need a specific base station router rather than all the satellites being capable of running the whole thing. ASUS with AImesh is the most versatile as it will work with any of their own products even older ones and you can mix and match freely. I don't think you can mix and match TP link but at least they don't require a specific base station so you can use the routers in any location/configuration and extend/replace as needed without a worry that it's not compatible because it's only a satellite/base station. TP-Link/Netgear software and features are worse than ASUS and far more basic/limited. Eero requires a subscription for stuff you get for free/default on ASUS, also MerlinWRT is a god send.

Unifi is not the way for WiFI mesh and even if you don't need mesh it's not for the average joe either. They are expensive but the easiest setup and most feature rich for the average consumer is ASUS.

Yeah I like the ASUS approach as well. Mine just works, and it is so easy to add another node anytime I want since their stuff is all interoperable with the AiMesh setup.

The folks suggesting Omada and Unifi aren't wrong. Those are *great* systems, but they're pretty "pro". If you don't need advanced networking features (e.g., VLANs beyond isolated guest networks, traffic rules)/want something that's more plug-and-play, a mesh system that supports wired backhaul might be a better fit. Asus ZenWiFi performs well, supports wired backhaul, and offers some useful advanced settings. It's not as configurable as Omada or Unifi or MikroTik, but it's simpler to manage and "good enough" (multiple isolated guest networks, band-specific networks, QoS) for lots of home users. Eero also performs well but doesn't support as many advanced features as Asus.

Eero (Amazon), tp link Deco, and Asus ZenWifi are all well-reviewed and perform well. If you've got to go mesh, look for a tri-band system with a dedicated backhaul channel (Eero, Deco, and ZenWifi all have models). Eero and Deco are a little more "plug and play". ZenWifi is also easy to set up, and some models give a few more config options/control than Eero or deco. The tricky part is that you don't know how well mesh will perform until you set it up in your place. Two nodes might be enough, but you might need three (or four). A 6 ghz backhaul channel might work, but, if the walls and floors in your place cause a lot of interference, you might see better perf with a 5 ghz backhaul. So buy from a place you can return it, maybe start with three nodes, test how coverage and speeds look, go from there. All three have 2.5 Gbps ports. 3 gig is a *lot* of bandwidth for a residential setup. Unless you're regularly downloading gigantic files (video, game updates), you probably won't exceed ~300-500 Mbps, and WiFi will de facto limit the perf on any device to ~200-600 Mbps. For most homes, 200 Mbps is plenty. If the 3 gig price isn't much different than ~300 Mbps (if you're in the US, it's hard to find service under ~300 Mbps), go for it, but if you're paying a premium for 3 gig, you can save some coin and you almost certainly won't notice a difference in performance. If you're in Europe, you rule!, fiber away because you're prob only paying like €40 for 3 gig.

I have been using the Asus AI-Mesh system for years. Seems very robust, to me. Devices seemlessly switch between the nodes. It handles 2.4ghz and 5ghz fine. Sonos works without a hitch. I am definitely using wired ethernet backhaul, however, from the remote node. Currently two of the Asus RT-AX55.

You must have gotten a dud. Deco BE95 system. Simply amazing. Had it for 12 weeks now. Zero drops. 5800 sq ft home. ISP 6 Gig up and Down. Wired backhaul. 121 connected devices. Wired devices that can handle multi gig speeds - 6 GIG WiFi 7 - 2.5-4.3 GIG WiFi 6E - 1.8-2.4 GIG WiFi 6 - 1.1-1.6 GIG WiFi 5 - 600 mbps - 900 mbps WiFi 2.4 - 200-500 mbps The consistency, reliability and speed blow every simple competitor out of the water in my experience! Amazing system and have tried them all! Eero Max 7, Orbi 970s, Asus ZenWifi

Older ASUS AiMesh user here, and similar story. Portal plays shockingly well, and my PS5 isn't even hardwired.

Hey OP. I've been living with wireless backhaul mesh for the last few months in our new place and with a few tweaks, it's been fine. I'm using Asus AiMesh with two remote nodes, plus a couple of old OpenWRT routers purely as bridges for wired devices. I'm in the process of running cable just now just to make the most of my FTTP connection but some generic tips that seemed to help me, if you do go down the wireless route. - Choose a system with multiple radios in each node, so you can dedicate a channel to the backhaul. - Look for mesh nodes that allow you to plug devices into them and position them accordingly. The "wired" devices will obviously still be using wireless via the mesh, but keeping their own radios quiet keeps the spectrum free for the mesh nodes and wireless-only devices to talk. The mesh nodes will almost certainly have better antennae and radios than the client devices. - Try to position the nodes so they are all talking with the main router rather than hopping via each other. On consumer gear this can be more of an art than a science but it boils down to finding different locations with the same signal strength to the main router so they link directly. - Although not acting as mesh nodes, I've repurposed a couple of old routers running OpenWRT + Relayd in the office and games room, so my PCs and old consoles without wireless can get internet. - Some mesh systems allow you to lock clients to a particular node. Play around with this - you can steer dumb devices to their nearest node rather than them trying to pick up a faint signal from a further one and shouting over everything else. Smart speakers and displays are particularly bad for this. In my office, about 25 metres and 1.5 floors (it's a L-shaped split level house) away from the main AP, my main PC wired into a mesh node can pull around 400Mbps down on a 990Mbps fibre connection. Previously with the PC and laptop using their own radios, I'd be lucky to see over 150 on either. Good luck!

I've been using AiMesh since the beginning, and it was rocky at first, but now I'm currently quite happy with it. One solid main router and two APs outside. What unifi did you get to replace your setup and do you think it was worth the cost?

My Asus XT8 does have separate bands. A number of their other systems do as well.

I'd avoid TP-Link out of security concerns, Asus ZenWifi or Alta Labs AP's with the Route10 is the way I'd go.

To echo what plenty of others are saying, but also provide links to specific items to Do-It-Yourself and save money but still get good finished product. Assuming you have roof/attic access above the rooms and can run power to the attic: * buy bulk CAT6 cable, shielded twisted pair, not CCA (CCA stands for copper coated aluminum). [Get good shielded copper wire, like this](https://a.co/d/ijNWYa0). * buy a [crimper toolkit like this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7GRX9DW) * watch a few youtubes on terminating Cat6 cable. * buy a mesh wifi system like Amazon Eero, tp-Link Deco, Asus Zen Wi-Fi, etc. [Here's a good article / review of mesh systems and what to look for](https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/best-mesh-wifi-routers/) **NOTE:** mesh wifi is the consumer grade solution. If you can afford it, you're better off getting Wifi Access Points (APs) - the business grade solution - Ubiquiti is the best known of the AP options. Connection works similarly, with one key difference -- APs require power over ethernet (POE) instead of an electrical outlet / power supply. There are pros and cons of installing either Mesh or APs. * buy at least one [Unmanaged Ethernet Switch like this](https://a.co/d/88WLwNn) - this one is 8 port (1 connection in, 7 out). * You'll run an ethernet cable from your Comcast box to your wifi mesh router. Then you'll run a **long** ethernet cable down toward your L-corner dead zone. You'll plug that long ethernet cable to the Unmanaged Ethernet Switch. Then you'll run another ethernet cable from the Unmanaged Ethernet Switch to one of your mesh wifi satellites. BAM! Good internet within reach of that mesh satellite. You'll need to estimate/experiment with how many satellites the system needs (get multiple people to watch netflix on iPads, and spread them along rooms close to the mesh satellite -- see how many people / how many rooms you can cover before you need to add another mesh wifi satellite). I did a low-key simplified version of this at my house. Reply here if you have questions / need help. # You can do this yourself.

I've had 2 Asus ZenWiFi meshes, the XT8 and now the BT10, used with wireless backhaul. Both have been great, but we have sheetrock walls and hollow doors :-). About the only good thing with the flimsy construction in our house. The current ZenWiFi BT10 works exceptionally well, with MLO backhaul "channel". Very fast. However, if you have walls that are thick or have metal in them, you're going to need to wire your backhaul or use MoCA if you happen to have coaxial cable in your walls from having cable TV installed. That's just physics, wifi signals are attenuated by thick walls, or walls made of lath and plaster, etc. And if you're going to wired backhaul for a mesh, you might consider using wired AP's instead of a mesh. Just a thought :-).

I have had nothing but problems with 2 generations of this mesh system. No devices connect to any nodes, only the primary access point. One of my nodes constantly disconnects from the main access point despite being 40 ft away with 2 walls between. It's driving me insane.

I've been using Asus Aimesh for years. 3 nodes and seamless switching when walking around. There does seem to be a client limit at about 75-80 wifi devices whiche forced me to move iot devices to a separate wifi network. Asus is great to start with but unifi likely my next system

Rog gt6 here. Don't allow the iPhone devices (which have mac randomization) to join the wifi at all. It would flood the wifi with bunch of crap, causing all sorts of diaconnects, even with other devices. and indeed, logs aren't verbose enough. Never ever asus again

I am on Asus, much better than the Hawaii stuff beforehand (their USP was power line backup, but they weren't great on the whole). Asus is rock solid and fast so far.

Har to XT8 med ethernet backhaul og er kjempefornøyd. Veldig god dekning, god hastighet, veldig stabilt, kanskje 2 nedetider på 4 år som løste seg med reboot. Ikke noe spesielt vanskelig oppsett av dem heller.

WiFi Mesh in my experience is great if there are good sight lines and few thick walls! Can you wire the house for Ethernet backhaul? My wife won't let me wire the flat (which twists and turns and has very thick 19th century walls - and has the internet intake in absolutely the farthest corner from where I'd want it) so I've finally just gotten a decent mesh going with two Asus BQ16s and two Zen XT12. I found the high end processors in the 12 made a huge difference when I upgraded from the XT8. The BQ16 are a really good upgrade but not absolutely necessary: I could have stayed with an all XT12 set up but the XT8's were simply not powerful enough for my set up. Obviously I have a long daisy chain going but it now works well and is fast. In a consumer/prosumer set up you won't get the monitoring/notifying you seem to want - they all are pretty much set it up and hold your breath.

I've been running the Asus ZenWiFi XT8 for a while now and it's been solid. No dead zones, handles streaming and gaming without breaking a sweat, and the setup was dead simple. Plus, it gives you a decent amount of control if you're into tweaking settings. Would totally recommend if you don't need Wi-Fi 7 just yet.

I replaced powerline (nightmare) with 3 ASUS XT8's (been rock solid). I suspect my house is a lot smaller and newer but had similar challenges (thick wallls with steel beams...... bison slabs/concrete floor upstairs). The powerline never really worked 100% with intermittent dropouts and had to manually switch APs as we moved around the house. Even tried 2 brands separately; TP link and Netgear. Our sockets are distributed on separate electrical circuits so I suspect that it might have influenced it. My guess in OPs case is his setup might just be too complicated for ASUS and something like Ubiquity might be better. A mate of mine has it and he swears by it ....... but he's over-provisioned IMO, slower broadband connection, smaller house, no concrete floor upstairs.

ASUS aimesh is the best option besides true ap based systems.

I have a 2 ZenWiFi AX's on each floor of my house. WiFi everywhere, including a bench at the back fence of the property kicks butt. I'm using wired backhaul over coax between the two and another wired to living room entertainment center that has a lot of smart home hubs. I have 1gig up and down fiber to the house and the 1gig coax adapters I use work well. The entertainment center that is after two coax connections gets 650 gb still.

I love the Asus Xt8. The issue is when I want to upgrade to take advantage of the new hardware for wifi 7. But I feel like most newer ones aren't as stable as the xt8

Totally agree! It depends on the house layout and router placement, but XT8 packs are doing their thing!

Asus AiMesh can be configured without an app and uses local credentials for management.

Hello! I have an asus zen WiFi mesh net with two of the three nodes set up. I have Ethernet over coax and have the downstairs node connected via Ethernet. I should (based on the range of these routers) have excellent coverage in the house. I have noticed however my devices sometimes get confused which node it should connect to, resulting in sub par speeds. The nodes are very far apart. When I did add the third node I felt I was getting crazy interference. Any suggestions?

Most mesh systems will support as many nodes as you wish. But not all nodes are created equal. You'll obviously need fewer nodes with a high powered node vs a cheap node with little range. I would HIGHLY suggest wired backhaul if possible, no matter the hw you ultimately decide upon. Ubiquity has a good solution for your use case at attractive price points. Asus' AIMesh setup also works well, allowing you to easily tailor the hw for your home's needs

Yes. That's what I did. Twice actually. First time I got XT7 model (older) but I didn't like that it was black and it always lagged behind its XT8 friends when doing any changes to my network, so I got another XT8. Easy peasy. The phone app is GREAT!!!

It's called a wired backhaul mesh. Look it up. The point of using mesh nodes connected through ethernet is to keep the "seamless" transition between nodes without having any network degradation between them.

Har XT8. Hadde trøbbel i starten men etter en FE-oppgradering og litt omlokalisering av node (kjører backhaul via 5Ghz) så har den vært dønn stabil hele tiden. Jeg måtte flytte noden pga en pipe og et bad med omfattende varmekabler, vannkabler og styr som kom i veien for signalet.

From your list, I'd strongly recommend the Asus ZenWiFi XT8. I've been running a 2-node setup for about a year and it's an absolute beast.

I have been an Asus AIMesh user for a long while now. I have/had a fairly robust Asus system when I lived on my father's property and I built out a system to cover both the main house and the detached studio I was living in. I like the Asus products for all of the settings and lack of subscriptions. The products can be a little buggy when they're first released (I would not rush to buy a new product), but Asus is generally good about pushing updates out and they have been relatively rock solid. I moved into my own house about 3 months ago and haven't moved any of my network equipment over yet, because I've dreaded having to mess with his setup. I need to get my Asus Wifi 7 router back from his house and set up one of the nodes to act as his main router. Frontier gave me an Eero 7 that I have been using at my house and it SUCKS. I easily have 60+ devices, with a lot of smart home/IoT devices, and the Eero has not been reliable in keeping everything connected. If I was starting from scratch I would consider Ubiquiti, but the Asus has been good to me for 5+ years. If you are in the United Sates, I would be nervous about purchasing any TP-Link products with the possible government ban looming. All of my switches are TP-Link, so that's a bummer if they get eliminated from the market.

It can be great. I assume there isn't interference from your neighbours. I love Asus's AImesh system, as you can choose from many different options. Also, you could pick some used devices for cheap, maybe to test them out. Is there COAX in the house?

Avoid tp-link and any other CCP networking equipment. Don't intentionally put stuff with backdoors in them just to save a few bucks. Unifi is great but it's expensive and you really should use it wired. If you're just looking for plug and play mesh Asus has good offerings. Their AI mesh system works well

Asus has worked fine here.

In that case, you may want a more powerful mesh model then. You'd want to look for something with dedicated backhaul channels in the marketing. The asus zenwifi xt8 is an example, or the eero pro 6 if you're fine with them.

This is the answer. I've got three of them spread out and they are all hard wired to a router in my basement. I've never had an issue with mine in 4 years. Updates have been good and it's still going strong. Will definitely get new ones if and when these die.

Older ASUS AiMesh user here, and similar story. Portal plays shockingly well, and my PS5 isn't even hardwired.

Since you have cable Internet and it runs into the basement, you hopefully have coaxial cables available to you throughout the house, and usually in key locations. Just look at the area where all the coax ends should meet, likely in the basement where your modem/router is at and plugged into. If you do find this bunch of coax, you can use it with MoCA Adapters to build a wired Ethernet network inside your home. If you can achieve that, then getting good WiFi everywhere will be easy, as well as providing wired capabilities for other devices in needed locations. MoCA Adapters can be a bit expensive, but worth the cost. If you can build this MoCA network, then whatever you choose as the router and Access Points will work very well, including a 3 pack of a reputable mesh brand. For mesh, I use and can recommend eero. But ASUS Zen mesh is also praised a lot, and has more configurability. If you want to go higher end, you can get an Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway router, a Ubiquiti PoE switch, and some Ubiquiti Access Points. It's more expensive, but very capable of advanced setups, and is very stable. I use Ubiquiti at another home and in my office location, and I can recommend them personally as well.

I've been using AiMesh since the beginning, and it was rocky at first, but now I'm currently quite happy with it. One solid main router and two APs outside. What unifi did you get to replace your setup and do you think it was worth the cost?

I would upgrade to better mesh system. ASUS makes nice mesh routers. I have zenwifi AX they are great get WiFi all over the house and good bit in tho the yard around the house. House location has no cell phone service.

May be overkill for them, but I have the Asus xt8 system in my home. 2 units covers from the basement to 3rd floor. Whatever you choose, do yourself a favor and make sure it is a tri band system. That 3rd band transfers all the data and leaves the 2.4 and 5ghz bands open for maximum data transfers.