If youve got several rooms and areas that struggle to get a decent signal, its worth upgrading your home Wi-Fi setup with a completely new mesh networking system instead.During the day youre joining Zoom calls; in the evening youre trying to stay entertained with Netflix and perhaps some online gaming.
And for most people, a conventional Wi-Fi router will be able to handle things perfectly well: we round up the best Wi-Fi routers for Mac users in a separate article. In this article we look at one solution to this situation: a mesh networking system. The cheapest Orbi models start at around 130, but only provide dual-band Wi-Fi, so we reckon its worth paying a little extra for a tri-band system that can cope with quite a few devices streaming online at the same time. Both routers provide tri-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi with a total speed of 2200Mbs, which should be more than adequate for most home broadband services. Theres no USB port for connecting a printer or hard drive, but that probably wont be a deal-breaker for most people. Its very easy to use and quickly guides you through the initial setup process, but its parental controls are fairly basic and it relies on selling you a subscription to the Disney Circle service to provide more advanced controls. But while Wi-Fi 6 is super-fast, its really not essential for the more modest speeds provided by most home broadband services, so were happy to stick with its more affordable 802.11ac models. However, the satellite unit is specifically designed to work with the Deco mesh systems, and rather than simply boosting the Wi-Fi in one room it can add a whopping 1600sq ft to your Wi-Fi coverage, allowing the E3 to cover medium-size homes of up to 2500sq ft. And, if you ever need to upgrade or extend your network even further, you can buy additional satellite units for about 4050 each. You can buy one, two or three Velops as required for the size of your home, with either dual-band or tri-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi - with new Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) models coming soon as well. That should cover homes of up to 3000sq ft, and larger homes can opt for a kit that contains three nodes for a very competitive 150229.99. And, if you prefer to step up to a tri-band mesh system then you can buy a two-node kit for around 215299.99, or three nodes for 250329.99. This allows it to provide extra security for other HomeKit devices, such as smart lights and security cameras. Eero only sells a three-piece mesh system, which includes three Eero Pro routers for 430399, and is suitable for mega-homes of up to 6000sq ft. But, if you live in something a little more modest, then you can just buy two individual Eero Pro routers costing 179199 each. Theres also a third option for customers in the US, using a less expensive add-on device called the Eero Beacon - although this doesnt seem to be available in the UK at the moment. Best Wifi Router Devices Free Wired ConnectionOur only real complaint is that the compact design of the Eero Pro (which is quite attractive) means theres only room for two ethernet ports, so you dont have a lot of options if you need a lag-free wired connection for devices such as games consoles or a smart TV. Smaller homes can have trouble with Wi-Fi too, especially in older buildings with thick concrete or brick walls. Even the ceiling that separates the ground from the first floor can cause problems. In these places youll find the Wi-Fi signal is too weak to be reliable, and whats the point of working from home if you cant chill out in the garden while youre checking your emails.
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December 2020
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