What is mesh Wi-Fi, and do I need it?

If the Wi-Fi is great in the living room but drops out in the bedroom or basement, a mesh system is usually the fix. Here’s what it is and whether it’s worth it for your home.

The short version

A regular setup has one router, usually the box your internet provider gave you, sending Wi-Fi out from one spot. The further you get from it, and the more walls and floors in the way, the weaker the signal gets.

A mesh system uses two or three small units placed around your home. They talk to each other and act as one network with one name and one password, so your phone or laptop quietly switches to whichever unit is closest as you move around.

Signs you’d benefit

• Video calls freeze or buffer in certain rooms.
• The Wi-Fi disappears in the basement, upstairs bedrooms or the backyard.
• You have a Wi-Fi “extender” that works some days and not others.
• Your home has several floors, brick or plaster walls, or the router sits in a corner.

When you probably don’t need one

In a smaller condo or apartment, a single good router placed centrally is often enough. Sometimes the problem is simply that the router is tucked inside a cabinet or behind the TV. Moving it into the open can make a real difference, and it costs nothing.

What about my internet provider’s box?

You keep it. The provider’s modem still brings the internet into your home, and the mesh system plugs into it and takes over the Wi-Fi. We usually turn off the Wi-Fi on the provider’s box so your devices don’t get confused between two networks.

How many units do I need?

As a rough guide, two units suit most condos and townhomes, and three suit most two-storey houses or homes with a finished basement. Where you put them matters as much as how many you have, which is where most do-it-yourself setups go wrong.

What it costs

Good mesh systems for a typical home range from roughly $150 to $400, depending on size and speed. See our picks for the two we install most often.