I went out and bought the Orbi AX4200, after watching this video. I'm so glad I did. Even with 350mb broadband I was only getting around 10mb in all other rooms apart from the living room. I'm now getting 300+ in almost all other rooms. Apart from the kitchen, which is hovering around 40. But thats up from zero, so I'm happy. Thanks! Love your content. Keep up the good work!
So one key thing to think about when buying a router is whether the software/firmware is really carefully coded or flaky. For many years I had the Apple router, not because it was the greatest router in the world in terms of speed or coverage, but because Apple paid attention to the quality of the router software as well as the hardware. In the past, I've had Linksys routers, netgear routers etc. and all of them had just crap software that made them pretty hard to live with over the long term. They'd randomly crash and need to be rebooted for no reason, or the company would carelessly push out some buggy firmware update that hadn't been properly vetted, etc. FWIW, the guys that originally made the Apple router now work at Ubiquiti, and that is what really pushed me in the direction of the Alien, as it is about as close as you can get to a modern version of the Apple router. I've had it for about six months now, and just like the old Apple router I had, the Alien never crashes, it just purrs right along. Maybe these other mesh systems have decent software now too, but I would love to see how many of these routers will provide six months or a year of uninterrupted up time in a busy house. At these prices, when the internet does go out, you really should never have to ask the question "is it the router"?
Very true. Another plus with the Amplifi is you can still access the router and it’s settings if the internet goes out, with Ines like Eero you cannot as everything it does is in the cloud, including it’s settings. I have the Eero Pro 6 but am in 2 minds about keeping it due to this, Amazon is collecting a lot of data, it’s a slick system though. Also the Amplifi has Ethernet ports.
I have 3 backhauled Amplifi Alien routers. Small house but older house with concrete and plaster walls. One is definitely not enough. I tried 2 at first, one in the back of the house and one in the living room. Needed one for the carport and converted garage bedroom. Perfect. Total area of house from front yard to the back is covered.
@@datsuntoyy I should clarify, I have 3 wired backhauled routers. Backhaul or backbone, is the connection between the mesh points. I used ethernet cable to connect each router so they all have the strongest connection to provide the max WIFI at each location.
I have a 2 story (plus basement) house and I have the last generation Orbi. It covers my WHOLE house corner to corner. I have 300 mpbs service and I get 300 megs everywhere. The Orbi mesh system is amazing. I can't say enough great things and love to rep it every chance I get.
This was one of the easiest and straight forward review/comparison vids I've seen. Tech terminology for the techies and simple references for the not so experienced/everyone. Loved the bar graph comparisons and the similar/multiple staging areas for fair comparison. Thorough, but not lengthy. Amazing job, brother. 👍🏾✊🏾
I bought the Asus XT8 to replace a very old Asus router that was close to 10 years old and starting to struggle - what it would have been like in lockdown with the entire family streaming is just not worth considering. XT8 for me has been rock solid. Set up is, as Chris described, maybe not the easiest and wired backhaul option is buried deep in the setup webpage. I have 2 units because the basement is separated from the rest of the house by a thick high grade concrete floor. The old router did not penetrate that (except in one point where there was glazing rather than concrete). The XT8 has no such difficulties, I could run an entire 2100 sq foot house off a single node but having a second node dedicated to the basement is a massive step up.
Ive had 2 of the Amplifi Aliens since they came out, connected with a Cat6 cable through the attic, instead of wirelessly bridging them. They call it an ethernet backbone. Holy cow, best freakin home network. Really happy with this setup. 42 Wifi devices and a few hardwired. Really dependable. I've owned several flagship routers, and while they work great in the first 3-4 months, I was getting intermittent issues after some time has passed. No problems so far, runs fine after over a year...
I have one alien and would like to add another. What you do called “Ethernet backbone.” Because I was thinking of switching it out because I can’t add the mesh point to it. You actually have to buy that as a package. But if I just buy another actual router then I am in and if they still work together.
I recently purchased an ASUS RT-AX89X & meshed it with an ASUS RT-AX82U. Running the AX82U on a dual-band wireless backhaul has no loss in bandwidth/speed. Even if you didn't outright purchase a mesh system from ASUS, I would still recommend looking into buying two routers from the company just to mesh them. (You could get two RT-AX3000 units for $179.99 each and have a mesh system with 8 usable ethernet ports)
I purchased Net-gear M3 Nighthawk Mesh Wi-Fi 6 about a year ago. The system works with all my Wi-Fi devices, all 23 of them. The problem I only have 2 devices that can actually make use of the Wi-Fi 6 abilities, my cell phones. All of the other 21 devices only operate at Wi-Fi 5. My laptops could be updated, but only if I crack open the machine and exchange the Modems. The other problem is drivers, there is no guarantee the drivers will be compatible in the systems. Why is it nobody is making Wi-Fi 6 upgrade adapters? I think most of my 21 devices have an Ethernet ports, a stamp computer with a Wi-Fi 6 modem would solve my problems. (My Ring cameras don’t have any direct connections) The Wi-Fi 6 technology would help eliminate devices talking over other devices thus reducing error messages and speed up communications for all my devices. Great show I wish I had watched your video before buying my Net-gear M3 Nighthawks I have 3 Mesh system and I haven’t noticed any slow down in my house(2100 Sq.Ft.). Net-gear forces you to switch your antivirus to Bit Defender in order get rid of their annoying messages. Do any of the router in this video do the same thing?
This was exactly what I've been looking for. I had an issue with with my NetGear RAX120 4 months after purchase and they won't honor the warranty unless I pay $149 for phone support. So I really needed to know how the different brands compare on speeds. It also really helped that you showed the speed from the second mesh unit, that is a huge issue for us. My daughter is also using a computer without WiFi 6, and that made a big difference in my decision. I'm going to look at the Deco X90 but will probably go with the ASUS.
Yo Chris, my man! Thanks for this review. You have no idea how many other youtubers did videos on some of these routers and didn't show any real world results. They just simply unboxed and talked about specs and called it a "review". Anywho, your results definitely confirmed I will be rolling with the Asus zenwifi xt8 mesh system. Thanks for the great content.
Yes!!! Lower end - multi unit! Wired backhaul tests for handoff issues! Lots of 3 story homes in HTX that are all wired with an IDF. Would be so great to light up ports on each floor and MESH the place! Fantastic Videos!!
I decided to go with the Orbi AX4200 for $399 at Costco right now. This provided a huge a boost in speed and I feel it’s more than enough for most people. More importantly the consistency of the signal has been drastically improved from my prior setup with a Nighthawk modem/router combo and a Nighthawk range extender. It actually comes with a router and 2 satellites, which provided a great value at that price.
How many connection streams do you have at any one time? I was looking at this unit as my current wifi can't handle 3 phones, a tab, 3 tv's, security system, door bell, AC controls, ect, ect. I have a $139 wifi/cable modem combo.
@@datsuntoyy Not sure what you went with but I have the Orbi Mesh (2 APs, 1 Router). We have the following devices connected to it without issue: My Office: - Smart TV - 5 Laptops (Work) - 2 Desktops - 3 Phones (Duo, Apple, and Samsung - iRobot Vacuum (basement unit) - 4 Smart Lights (Philips using their Bridge attached directly to the Router Sons Room: - Smart TV - Laptop - Phone Son #2 Room: - Laptop - Desktop - Pixel Phone All Exterior Doors on August Locks (4) each with a Bridge all on the network 3 Nest Camera (Exterior) 1 iSmartGate for the Garage Door Master Bedroom: - Smart TV - Google Home - Google Clock - 14 Smart Lights (including bathroom - Phillips) Kitchen: - Google Home Living Room: - Smart TV - iRobot 2nd Floor Vacuum - 12 Smart Lights - Phillips Dining Room: - Google Device - 5 Smart Lights - Phillips Miscellaneous Smart Lights Inside: - 14 Lamp lights throughout the first floor - 12 Lamp lights in the basement Basement: - Smart TV - Google Device BackPorch: - 12 Smart Lights (non-Phillips) - Smart TV Front Porch: - Next Camera/Doorbell - 4 Smart Lights Essentially we easily have over 50 devices all running through the Orbi. We use MetroNet 1 Gig for our Provider and I generally can see 300-400 Mbps Up and Down in my office which has an AP outside the door but is also in the basement and furthest away from the main router and line drop. I will never use another device than the Orbi.
@@StephenSchusterE We haven't upgraded yet. We need to as ours is dying. Your list is impressive, I'll consider that one when we get one. I like the idea of having that much of the house on a network.
I’d definitely appreciate a video comparing some budget options. These look great but would be wasted on the slow internet speeds available in my area.
Wifi 6 also provides a more stable connection. There are zero downsides and you are truly getting what you're paying for and more especially when modern devices are becoming wifi 6 compatible and are slowly having 4x4 instead of 2x2. this product will future proof you too. no drawbacks.
@@Blackfeet In rural areas, the chances of getting gigabit internet before these routers become obsolete is pretty low. If you get 100Mb or less for speeds, it would be a much better option to go budget and upgrade in the future if your internet can take advantage of the better routers.
Terrific comprehensive overview. Replacing my ancient router and in the midst of new router information overload. This great side-by-side helped to clarify things.
Man when I say YEARS later I mean it bro. We been through the Infiniti forums (helped me get my numbers for the 20x10.5s) We been through the Audi forums You helped me pick out a projector You helped me get the Klipsch Saved me from splurging on a Roomba And now I'm back here getting my mesh network right Man you've been a Godsend all these years! Hopefully you can help me with some Tesla stuff soon....
Thank you. I bought the Alien and I LOVE it. It looks amazing as well. Alien is so easy to work and I have noticed a significant difference in connectivity. I do not experience lag time anymore when I watch youtube or other streaming programs.
Also, just found a 2 pack of the w3600for $150 from walmart. That's a steal. If he had tested it at this price, the w3600 would have easily beaten the Asus in terms of value imo.
If you can, just get Xiaomi Ax3600 with Chinese firmware. You can configure it in Xiaomi App in English and you get a monstrous signal range. You can get one on Ali for around 100$. The only real downside is lack of USB ports. It handles Oculus Quest 2 like a champ!
First time viewer & shopping for a higher end wifi 6 mesh system. Your video is awesome...well organized, logically presented and easily digestible. Thank you so much!
I was looking for something to boost my Mbps, some type of booster, mesh, whatever. I came to your page looked at reviews and ended up getting the Asus Zenwifi AX. I only bought one, figured I didn't need 2. I just hooked it up today and getting around 133mbps on each of my 7 devices I have hooked up which is crazy to me coming off of 2-5mbps of each of them especially at night. Its early to give it early good reviews about it but we will see overtime. So far very impressed! The Orbi was to expensive for me, maybe in the future. Thanks Chris..but loving it so far.
I got the Netgear Orbi wifi 6 a few months ago and its a beast able to run my 1GB with a speed test around 950mbs consistent with my wifi 6 devices like my Galaxy Fold, Samsung Flex and Xbox Series X I also have 3000 sqft townhouse with over 100 connected devices. Garage doesn't give me an issue and my Arlo cameras never have an issue as well
I really liked this roundup, thanks for sharing. My suggestion goes in another direction then what you were planning, into higher end AX setups, would be great to compare - Ubiquiti Unifi 6 LR AP - EnGenius ECW230 - Ruckus R750 - Aruba AP-515 - Meraki MR36 - Zyxel WAX650S, etc.
I got the Deco x60 3 satellites and have been very satisfied and happy with the speeds of my 4K 4 story house. No issues setting up. Downloaded the updates easily and the app has been easy to use. For the price, very satisfied.
@@tuomasholo yah i’ve been searching around, we pay for 1 gig speed so i don’t need a $600+ setup that supports speeds most people don’t have, this should work fine if not i’ll find a different one
Awesome review. I think you should also mention the cost for tech support. Netgear offers free support for 6 months then charges a ridiculous amount when others are free. If I knew how much the cost for tech support I would have never chosen Netgear. Netgear support prices 6 month plan $89.99 1 year $139.99 2 year $229.99 Or price per incident $49.99
Thanks, Chris. Considering the EERO for my 1500 sq ft house...as my router is in the back in my den, but my Ring doorbell at the front of the house is dropping signals and I have not been able to get it to connect for weeks! I like the way you bust through the info, so I subscribed.
I went through and tested the orbi, two aliens, and Google nest systems and the alien blew all of them away. You should run the updates on the alien and retest, stay safe and awesome content!
@@ChrisMajestic aye that's awesome! My house is laid out really weird so getting signal to the car in the garage and the room above it was the hardest part. The only complaint I have is the connection drop when it's switching to the other alien, do you encounter that as well?
I just can imagine the pure efforts, time, focus and preparation that video took you from A to Z then upload it. This is one of the best videos I've seen comparing couple of mesh systems together in pure logical and scientifically presentation. Subscribed immediately. Big like and high respect 👌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻
Great informative video, thank you. Yes, please make a video on less expensive router options, some people may be under budget constraints but need more coverage/speed.
My TP-link router has been almost flawless in my 1500sqft house. I have connection issue on the far end of the home because of placement (literally 2 furthest ends of the house), but I plan to remedy this soon with moving the router to a central location in the home (like the dead center of the house). So I agree with your comment that the size of the home with dictate if you really need a mesh system at all. Thanks for the vids. Happy New Year.
Congratulations on pronouncing "wifi 5 speed" without stumbling... :) Great review by the way. Was considering buying eero pro 6 (2 pack), but might go with the Orbi. Will get high-speed Internet later this year, and needed a wireless connection between modem (which will sit in the garage) and the rest of my wired network, without having to drill holes in the walls. Thanks for your complete review!
Your review was the best. I’ve looked at several and you actually explained things a bit differently to where it filled in some blanks in my knowledge. Thank you very much! 👍
Last years video was so helpful. I’m still getting a fraction of my gigabit plan but seeing these prices def makes waiting easier. Keep up the great work!
Great video keep up the awesome work you do. My Question is my home is approximately 6,600 sqft, we have live in the country where there is no high speed internet provider( cable) have have antenna on side of home hits tower antenna max speed is 50 download 10 upload. More computers and phones found that no good. Only have one router that came with system do you recommend a good system to use with my situation?
Great overview, Chris. Toss up between the Orbi and eero for me when comes time to ditch my Synology set up. Noticing that companies are moving away from having a desktop web interface and relying solely on their smart app. Lastly, kudos for reminding folks that routers NEVEr give you speeds greater than the package they’re paying for. Too many folks scammed by those useless products promising faster speeds over and beyond.
I just recently upgraded my Eero Pro Gen 2 to Eero Pro 6! and I'm very happy! like you said very consistent results which is a big deal for me as a streamer and use a lot of zoom for work and school!
That is funny. I have the Eero Pro Gen 2 and I am extremely disappointed. I straight up can't load websites standing right next to the satellites when all my hardwired devices are pulling in 900mbs. I run a health check in the Eero app and it says everything is working great! When they do work, I have more dead spots in my house than I did with my old single router.
@@jamesdafirenze5161 dannnng, before eero I had the apple airport WiFi they were ok then when I switch to eero pro they was amazing and now I have the eero pro 6 and the speed is much faster and more consistent!
I was an early adopter with the original Velop System. Of time, it slowed down to the holes in my home were enormous. Yes, I wired the back hall to keep it alive. After my extended warranty was gone, I switched systems. I have been impressed with the eero 6 Pro model. My speed test have been uniform throughout my home. And now my speed test are in keeping with everything I am paying the cable company to provide! One surprise, this unit doesn’t like 5e cabling. I patched in a cat 6 to keep my tv running. I have purchased cat 6A, which will likely get installed tomorrow. I especially like how this system connected to all of my Ring cameras and door bell. It was seamless. On nice surprise, we have one Alexis devise in our home. It’s in an upstairs bedroom and only has WiFi in the room. It was funny when Alexis made an announcement that the network printer was running low on black ink! I didn’t do anything to the printer besides connect it to the network (it essentially made the connection on its own. The announcement via Alexia was a complete, but wonderful surprise!
While I didn't comprehend much of what you were talking about, I did find it helpful. My house is less than 1400sqf but we have 5 smart TVs, my son's have gaming systems, smart phones, computers, etc. So I'm hoping a single Orbi RBK852 would give us more than we need. So, with all that said, thanks for your video.
Watching your video on the last year routers I got the Orbi RBK50 and it’s been amazing. Even while gaming on the PS5 with 20 other devices on the WiFi I never experience any lag.
This is the best I have seen on WIFI 6 and Mesh routers. Well done. I just upgraded to COX Gigablast that has possible up 940 MBS. But I am getting 400+ wired and 150 WIFI Thanks
We live in home with metal studding. Only 1200 sq ft; use 2-3 pcs, smart tv, and 2 cell phones and printer. Would like less expensive but will need to pay more if we can't improve on Spectrum's delivery. Supposed to get 350mbs but speed tests only getting 160download at best. We have tpLinkAC 1750.
Always enjoy your videos. I would definitely like to see one with lower costs. Or a comparison: "if house A has 2 people who WFH, don't game, do stream, get this". Versus: "House B has 3 kids, everyone has multiple devices, gaming, etc." Thanks!
I have a large home in MD. I use 4 Asus Zenwifi routers to cover up to 8000 sqft. they work well on an ethernet backhaul and i get fast speeds throughout.
Every Linksys product I've bought in the last 10 years has had stability problems of some sort. Not surprised to see this one also comes with headaches. Nice review
Yes. As a wifi installer (broadband & ftth) your videos are gonna come in handy to the general public. Our rental routers ummm are ...well I can’t really say publicly. But you know
Incredible video, I would look forward to the review of single router units. I would also like to see something that is more geared towards heavy users like the most cost effective way to get multi gig networking.
How do you not have more subscribers?! This video was amazing and gave exactly the information you need to make a sound decision. Thank you very much Chris!
I bought the Alien Amplify and love them. I get to see a lot of details of what's going on, who's connected and they are the easiest router I have ever set up. Speeds and stability are noticeably up compared to my previous Apple express setup.
I haven't tested all of these, but I have tried a few-- the Eero has by far worked the best for me in terms of overall sustained connectivity and range. I use it with ease across the street from my house. It's phenomenal!
Can you permanently disable the 5GHz bands on the Eero? I understand that will slow it, but it will also stop me from getting headaches so that’s worth it being a little slower. The max speed I can get from any ISP is far lower than it’s capable of anyway.
i'd rate you the best on youtube with this kind of reviews Chris! I bought my eero pro about a year or two ago by watching your video. it's been a fantastic experience and i've gone with eero pro 6 this year. one question that i have is- no matter how close i am to the router, the fastest speed i can go with my iphone 12 pro is around 300 mbps while i see you were getting 6-700 mbps..
Thank you so much for this round-up. I ended up purchasing the Asus ZenWifi because of the pricing and because it tops your WiFi 5 tests because let’s be real most of our home networks will be WiFi 5 for the foreseeable future but WiFi 6 is currently a means of future proofing.
my iPhone 13 and iPad Air use wifi6, my macbook air M1 also have wifi6. my PS5 is wifi6, my Xbos Series S seems to be wifi5 though 😂 and the oneplus 9 i traded for my iPhone was also wifi6. i even replaced the router + repeater at my parents house for a 4 pack mesh system with wifi6E. buying any router/mesh locked to wifi5 seems odd in 2021?
Great video. What would be a nice addition is if you did a quick google search on each product to see what the community is saying. For example, i bought the Linksys Velop last year and wish i had searched the forums first. You mention “inconsistent” results with the Velop, with longer term usage you’ll find it’s actually “unreliable” and a horrible product. A large number of angry customers with Linksys right now as we dropped over $500 for these mesh routers and they are garbage. Linksys is either oblivious or doesn’t care.... Search the forums before you buy! I bought the Netgear Orbi and the forums seem to support your conclusion on it being one of the best.
What a fantastic video, thank you so much. This was exactly what I've been looking for, explaining everything well, and giving good comparisons on value vs performance.
Hands down the best produce, pleasant to watch, most informative, review video I've ever sen. Excellent work, thanks for the info. I'm sure I'll be watching it again as I narrow down my selections.
Which. One. Gave. You. A. Great. Signal. In. Your. Basement. That’s literally the only question I wanted answered and you completely swung hard whiffed bad on it…
I'd love for you to highlight which systems require connectivity to a 3rd party service for management, and which systems allow you to control and configure them without a remote management interface.
Been tip toeing around mesh the past few months finally getting serious bout gettin one... 🤦🏾♂️ This video definitely put alot in perspective and im also kicking myself cause i missed a orbi sale last week and literally stood there debating if i should get one and ultimately declined to.... Hopefully i find a good balance. Great video btw 💪🏾😎
Really really excited to see your video on the gaming routers. We game on 5ghz wifi and right now have this asus wifi 6 gaming router which has been doing well, but wanna see what all other options can offer. A1 videos, keep it up man!