by Jason Snell
Wi-Fi Mesh systems compared
Over at The Mac Observer, Dave Hamilton picked a good time to discuss next-generation Wi-Fi routers that are alternatives to AirPort base stations:
I’ve tested three currently-available mesh offerings: eero, Netgear’s Orbi and Ubiquiti’s AmpliFi. While they all solve the same problem in basically the same way, they each have strengths and weaknesses. If you’re finished reading and just want to buy, my TL;DR advice is that, at this very moment, I feel like eero is the best product to recommend to most users. That said, it’s worth watching what Netgear does with Orbi over the next six months. If they keep adding features to it, Orbi could easily take the lead due to its tri-band Wi-Fi hardware. Still, even today Orbi or AmpliFi might be right for you, and I’ve listed more than a few points of comparison to help you make your choice.
There are lots of great details in Dave’s article. Netgear’s hardware seems to have some very interesting upside; and of course Google Wifi looms.