Mesh networks have a unique network name or SSID, in addition to the same password. This makes you always connected, since all the satellites and the router or base are interconnected forming a mesh network. What they are going to do is assign us a different satellite depending on the circumstances in order to always have the most optimal connection possible. In other words, you are not always going to connect to the one closest to you, since it could be that if you connect to another you would have more speed and quality.
Therefore, Wi-Fi Mesh systems will manage the connection better than repeaters or PLC devices, which are two of the main alternatives. Each of your devices will not connect directly to the router, which would reduce the quality as they move away, but they will always connect to each other. This way they will be able to calculate at any time which node you are going to connect to and you will be able to move freely around your home and automatically connect to one or the other according to certain factors.
What advantages does it have
you may wonder what advantages does a Wi-Fi Mesh have over a repeater. The main objective of the two devices is to take the connection from one place to another. However, as you are going to see, there are different positive points that can tip the balance in favor of using a Mesh Wi-Fi.
Satellites connect to each other
One of the advantages is precisely its operation. are going to connect all devices with each other and they are going to create a mesh network. This will allow each of the satellites to connect to the others and not directly to the router. It is a differential point compared to wireless amplifiers or PLCs.
This will help the quality of the connection to be optimal. It will allow you to move around the house and your devices to connect to different Mesh satellites depending on the circumstances and always have the best possible performance for the Internet connection.
It is scalable
You can have a Mesh system as complete as you need. There are those with just the router and a satellite, but also with three, four or more satellites that allow expand coverage. Therefore, it is another clear advantage over Wi-Fi repeaters that are more limited in this regard.
Also, if at any given time you need to expand the capacity, you can do so. If, for example, you have a model that comes with a router and two satellites, you can buy another one separately and add it to expand the available area and thus have better access to the Internet connection.
Can cover a very large area
Precisely the fact of being scalable and being able to have many satellites is going to make it cover a very large area. you will be able to cover several hundred square meters without too many problems, so it does not matter if you have a large house or a two-story house. This system is very useful for these cases.
Of course, logically the speed is not going to be maximum. Even if you get to have coverage in other places, it will not be the same as connecting right next to the router. However, the results that you are going to obtain with a Mesh Wi-Fi are very good if you compare it with other alternatives.
greater stability
You will also have more stability. Surely this is important. You will not suffer the annoying cuts or loss of signal that you will have with other devices. A Mesh system is more stable and also allows you to connect on the move without having to do anything. It is an automatic process and it will connect to the different satellites depending on which one is the best at each moment.
If you’re looking to have a reliable connection that doesn’t drop constantly and you don’t have to reconnect, this option is ideal. You will take advantage of the fact that it maintains a single SSID and password for all the satellites, something that makes it much easier to connect and is a clear advantage.
What to consider when buying one
You will find many different models, with distinct characteristics. Therefore, it is important that you choose well which one to buy and in this way be able to take advantage of its specifications and that they meet what you expect. We are going to show what to take into account when purchasing this type of device.
number of nodes
One of the most interesting points that you should check is how many nodes or satellites it’s going to have the Mesh Wi-Fi that you’re going to buy. That will be decisive in order to have more or less coverage. Each additional satellite will add more square meters in which you can connect other devices to the Internet.
The most common is to have a router and two additional satellites. However, you can find models that range from a router and a satellite to others that have four or five nodes. You will have a range of options to choose the one that most interests you according to the area you want to cover.
Maximum speed
What is the maximum speed of the Mesh system that you are going to buy? That is also essential. There are double and even triple band. can you reach multi-Gbps speeds as a theoretical limit. If, for example, you are going to play online, you are going to upload a lot of content to the cloud or play streaming videos in maximum quality, you are interested in buying one that has the maximum possible speed.
There are models that only work in the 2.4 GHz band and in those cases you will not be able to reach the maximum speed of fiber optics. You will be limited. Therefore, take a good look at what speed you are going to need and acquire a device that can reach that amount so as not to have problems. You should also make sure you have WiFi 6.
Have Gigabit ports
Of course, whether or not you have Gigabit Ethernet ports is another factor to take into account. Are you going to connect devices by cable? For example, connect a computer by cable, a television or a game console. In that case, you want it to be Gigabit and thus be able to reach the maximum Internet speed.
If you buy a Wi-Fi Mesh that only has Fast Ethernet ports, the cable speed will be limited to 100 Mbps. If, for example, you have contracted a 500 Mbps fiber optic rate, you would be limited to those 100 Mbps and you would not be able to take advantage of it . On the other hand, the Gigabit ports will allow reaching up to 1 Gbps.
supported encryption
Security is a very important factor and it is also something that counts when choosing which Mesh system to buy. If you want to protect the wireless network to the maximum, today it is interesting to acquire devices that are compatible with the WPA-3 encryption. It is the latest to protect Wi-Fi.
Therefore, if you decide to set up a Wi-Fi Mesh at home and want to prepare it as well as possible to avoid attacks, it is a good idea to buy a device with WPA-3 encryption. This will provide extra security to prevent your neighbors or any intruder from entering the wireless network.
Maximum capacity of connected devices
How many devices will you want to connect to the Internet at home? Here you can find big differences. Some models do not support more than a few devices connected at the same time, while others can go over 100 without much trouble. This will depend on each case and the needs you have.
However, what is interesting today is that it supports the more devices the better. IoT devices are increasingly present in our lives. We are talking about smart bulbs, sensors, televisions… That makes it necessary to have connections that support a large number of devices without problems appearing.
In short, these are some important issues related to Wi-Fi Mesh systems, with their operation, advantages and also main features to buy the best model. They are very useful devices that will help you have a better wireless connection and avoid cuts.
