The mesh WiFi market started out with only a few big contenders, but by now, most tech manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon, so there are a lot of different systems to compare. To hone in on the right model, start with these questions.

If your house is 3,000 square feet or less, you’ll only need a mesh WiFi system with two nodes. If it’s between 3,000 and 4,500 square feet, get one with three nodes. If you need to cover more space than that, you can buy a mesh WiFi system with up to six nodes. (If you’re considering getting more than six nodes, a traditional wireless router with separate wireless access points may work better for you.)

You’ll need to connect one node to your modem, but after that, you get to decide where the other nodes go. Nodes can connect both wirelessly and via Ethernet cable. Ideally, each node should go in a spot where you know you need fast internet access.

Mesh WiFi systems aren’t just faster and more convenient — they’re a lot prettier, too. If you want a set that fits with your style, there are a lot of options, but be forewarned: most of them are white.

Every mesh WiFi system can get you fast WiFi, but there are some extra features on some sets that are worth paying more for. Here are the must-haves on our list.

If you have multiple devices that use a ton of data, get a mesh WiFi system where each node has at least two LAN (Ethernet) ports. With multiple Ethernet ports, you can even connect a network switch, so you can create and manage your entire wired network alongside your WiFi network.

Mesh WiFi systems are perfect for people who like to “set it and forget it,” but it’s still important to make sure you maintain ongoing security. The best mesh WiFi systems are frequently updated in the background. Dig through user reviews once you have your search narrowed down, and if a model has a bad track record with security updates, don’t buy it.

If you have kids at home, it’s important to keep them safe when they go online. Look for a mesh WiFi system with built-in parental controls to help you manage your kids’ screen time and ensure they don’t end up on websites they’re not supposed to.

Between $100 and $200, you’ll see a lot of mesh nodes being sold individually. You’ll also see underpowered “budget” systems that aren’t fast enough for more than a few devices. If you’re adding on to your existing mesh WiFi system, this will be your price range. If you’re serious about bumping up your WiFi, you’re going to need to spend more.

Between $200 and $400, you will find some solid mesh WiFi systems with only two nodes. If you’ve got an apartment, you don’t need to spend more than this. But if you want a system with advanced features like LAN ports, don’t settle for the systems in this price range.

Between $400 and $600, you’ll see the best values: sets with three nodes from reputable manufacturers with strong support records. If you’re building a mesh WiFi network for multiple users across your home, this is the price range to focus on.

• If you have kids, set up your mesh WiFi system’s parental controls before you do anything else. Parental controls can be easy to forget about, but they’re pretty important if you have minors in your home. Most mesh WiFi systems come with basic parental controls, although some offer them as a paid service alongside additional features like virus protection.

• Once you’ve narrowed your search to a few specific mesh WiFi systems, go to your smartphone’s app store and read user reviews of the associated apps for each system you’re considering. User reviews will tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly of each system’s app, so read them closely, and consider the app experience before you make your final decision.

• If you have concerns about internet data privacy, sign up for a VPN service. Many mesh WiFi systems are made by manufacturers who also specialize in collecting and tracking user data. While that’s nothing new, it can be a tough pill to swallow for privacy advocates. A third-party VPN service will route your traffic through their servers and prevent other parties from seeing and collecting your traffic data.

TP-Link is fast becoming one of our favorite brands in tech. They’re ultra affordable while still keeping up with evolving standards. Their Deco Mesh WiFi System is the brand’s first foray into mesh networking, and not surprisingly, it delivers a killer feature set at a fraction of what competitors cost.

For larger homes, we recommend the ASUS Home WiFi system. It’ll cover your whole home (and most of your immediate neighbors’ homes) in WiFi, and it’s fast enough for handling a whole family’s worth of devices. ASUS’s mesh WiFi system also has excellent parental controls that allow you to schedule your family’s internet usage.

Q. How are mesh WiFi systems different from traditional WiFi routers and extenders?
A. Mesh WiFi system nodes work together to get data from the modem to your devices in the fewest steps, and they collectively work together as one WiFi network. In contrast, with a wireless router, you typically have to set up a second network when you add extenders, or you have to manually manage your WiFi networks on each device. Mesh WiFi systems are more expensive and typically better for apartments and houses. Wireless routers are better for online gaming and are more scalable in large environments.

Q. Is it possible to have too many nodes in a mesh WiFi system?
A. Yes. Most mesh WiFi systems don’t recommend using more than six nodes. In most cases, three is more than enough.

Q. Does every node in a mesh WiFi system need to be hardwired to my network?
A. No. Mesh WiFi nodes can also wirelessly connect to one another. In most cases, using a hard-wired connection will result in faster WiFi speeds overall, but they’re still plenty fast when they’re wireless.