88 | MACFORMAT | DECEMBER 2019 macformat.com @macformatThere’s plenty of variety here, from the
rather nondescript lumps of white plastic
favoured by Netgear and TP-Link, to the
compact lozenge of Zyxel’s Multy U. Zyxel
even includes a trendy leather strap for
dangling the Multy U up on a wall – which
can help to improve signal range. The
eye-catching pyramid design of the Asus
Lyra Trio angles the internal antennae so that they beam the
Wi-Fi signal out both horizontally and vertically.
Most of these mesh routers also include two Ethernet ports
for wired connections, although Netgear’s high-end Orbi routers
include no less than four Ethernet ports, as well as a USB port for
connecting a printer that you can share on your network. And
while the TP-Link Deco P9 doesn’t look particularly exciting,
it does provide both Wi-Fi and Powerline connectivity.Most of these mesh routers are fairly easy
to set up, with apps that guide you through
the process. The D-Link app allows you to
scan a QR code that automatically sets up
your new network in no time – but then
gets bogged down with multiple passwords
as you create on online account.
Asus provides two options, with simple
apps for mobile devices and a browser interface for more advanced
users. Zyxel’s Multy app doesn’t seem to like iPads, but once we
switched to an iPhone it breezed through, even analysing the
Wi-Fi signal to recommend the best spots for router placement.
Netgear’s Orbi app is a bit sparse, but it does get you started
quickly. As well as automatically detecting the two Orbi routers
and linking them together, the app also works with Touch ID for
extra security, and offers two-factor authentication.Most of the corresponding apps used
to control these mesh routers provide a
similar basic set of features, including
options such as a network map that shows
all your routers and the devices connected
to them, as well as the ability to create a
guest network for people who may be
visiting your home or office.
The Netgear Orbi app doesn’t go much further than that
though, and we were a little disappointed to see that it doesn’t
offer much in the way of parental controls. Instead, Netgear
recommends using the Disney Circle app, which offers some basic
parental controls for free, but requires a monthly subscription to
use its full range of features.
The four rival apps all go further, with more extensive parental
controls that allow you to create schedules that limit internet
access to certain times of the day. We also liked the helpful speed
test and diagnostic tools included in Zyxel’s Multy app.There are lots of technical details that
affect the speed of a router – such as the
number of antennae and radio bands –
but they all boil down to some quite simple
numbers. And, for the most part, these
routers all performed in line with the
manufacturers’ quoted speed ratings.
The low-cost D-Link Covr is rated at
AC1200 and managed a speed of 125Mbps in a hard-to-reach back
office. That was the slowest in the group – but it’s still perfectly
adequate for most homes that probably have far less than 100Mbps
speed for their internet access.
The Asus Lyra Trio, TP-Link Deco P9 and Zyxel Multy U all
provide similar levels of performance at around 250Mbps. But,
unsurprisingly, it’s the expensive Netgear Orbi that tops the
performance chart, breezing ahead with a speed of 450Mbps.
That’s impressive for larger homes – but might actually be
overkill for more humble abodes.TEST RESULTS
TEST RESULTS TEST RESULTS
TEST RESULTS
Test 1 Looks & design Test 2 Getting started
Test 3 App assistane Test 4 Performance
The visuals and the connections How easy is the setup process?
What do the apps have to offer? How do the speeds compare?
Asus Lyra Trio HHHHH
D-Link Covr C1203 HHHHH
Netgear Orbi RBK50 HHHHHTP-Link Deco P9 HHHHH
Zyxel Multy U WSR30 HHHHHAsus Lyra Trio HHHHH
D-Link Covr C1203 HHHHH
Netgear Orbi RBK50 HHHHHTP-Link Deco P9 HHHHH
Zyxel Multy U WSR30 HHHHHAsus Lyra Trio HHHHH
D-Link Covr C1203 HHHHH
Netgear Orbi RBK50 HHHHHTP-Link Deco P9 HHHHH
Zyxel Multy U WSR30 HHHHHAsus Lyra Trio HHHHH
D-Link Covr C1203 HHHHH
Netgear Orbi RBK50 HHHHHTP-Link Deco P9 HHHHH
Zyxel Multy U WSR30 HHHHHAPPLE CHOICE Group test