ASUS Lyra Challenges Mesh WiFi Network Market

It looks like nearly every router company is getting into the mesh Wi-Fi game these days and for good reason. Mesh networks make a lot of sense for consumers and they’re a legitimate way for these companies to make more money, basically selling you multiple routers in a single box. The newest player in the mesh game is the ASUS Lyra.

At its most basic level, the ASUS Lyra operates like every other mesh network solution out there. The standard package includes three units that all communicate with one another to create one cohesive and seamless WiFi network in your home. No more dead spots and the hand-off is supposed to be seamless.

I really like my Linksys Velop and Tyler really liked the TP-Link Deco M5. The ASUS Lyra borrows some inspiration from both of these competitors. It’s a tri-band solution like the Velop; one 5GHz band is dedicated to communication between the Lyra units, while the two other bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz) are for your wireless devices. Also like the Velop, you can expect up to 6,000 square feet of coverage with three hubs.

The puck-shaped design and smaller form factor are more reminiscent of the TP-Link. And also like the Deco M5, the ASUS whole home Wi-Fi system also comes with built-in protection by way of Trend Micro. You also get advanced parental controls and a convenient mobile app to control it all.

You can find the ASUS Lyra 3-pack on Amazon for $399.99 MSRP, making it cheaper than Linksys ($499), but more expensive than the TP-Link ($243) and Google WiFi ($268). It’s also available through B&H Photo, Fry’s, Newegg and “other leading resellers.”