Can’t decide whether you should invest in a mesh WiFi router or a traditional one? To lessen this dilemma, we have come up with this post to help you in making the best choice between Mesh WiFi and traditional routers. Let’s delve in.
What is Mesh WiFi?
Mesh WiFi or whole-home WiFi systems are home networking solutions to WiFi connectivity issues. Instead of compelling every device in your house to wirelessly connect to the same router, which may not always be placed in an ideal location, mesh WiFi systems depend on multiple WiFi nodes.
One node (classified as the primary router) is directly connected to your gateway using a wired connection. While other nodes act as satellites. Collectively, these nodes function as a single flawless network. In case you are in the living room, you will connect to the closest WiFi node. That’s how you can get the best home WiFi network performance.
All in all, mesh WiFi provides you with faster speeds, greater WiFi coverage, and smoother reliability all over the home or workplace.
Mesh WiFi Vs Traditional Routers: What’s the Difference?
The main difference between mesh WiFi systems and conventional WiFi routers is that the former is centralized while the latter is not.
Once you set up a traditional router through 192.168.1.1 IP, it transfers all wireless traffic to that single point-of-access. But in the case of a mesh WiFi system, there are numerous points of access. This structural, fundamental difference can permit mesh WiFi to endow users with superior speeds, reliability, and coverage.
What to Look For in a Mesh WiFi Router?
- Speed
When it comes to WiFi connectivity, it is always best to have more speed as compared to the opponent. And mesh WiFi systems are no different.
It endows you with greater speed and more bandwidth for intensive things such as 4K media streaming. The mesh WiFi router also lets you connect multiple devices to the same network without any interference.
- Design
As you are going to put a number of mesh WiFi nodes around your home, it doesn’t hurt for them to look visually appealing. Owing to various small internal components, many networking brands have switched to minimalism when it comes to aesthetics.
- Coverage
Taking about a traditional router, when you set it up via the default routerlogin web page, it provides you with a fast internet connection only when you are near to the router. But when you go a little far from the router, you will get no WiFi or poor connectivity. This is not the case with mesh WiFi routers.
Mesh WiFi systems will give you more mesh nodes to deal with dead zones. The better the coverage from each mesh node, the fewer mesh nodes you will require to cover your home inside out.
- Software
Another factor to look for in a mesh WiFi system is the ease of use. Most of the old-school routers come with the manual to make the setup and installation easier. For instance, if you own an N600 router, you would obviously have a Netgear N600 manual.
But the mesh WiFi systems come integrated with software apps that not only make the setup easier but also lets you keep a tab on your home WiFi network.
Mesh WiFi Vs Traditional Routers: Who is the Winner?
In case you are residing in a house with multiple occupants, it is best to go for mesh WiFi systems.
On the other hand, if you care a lot about 4K streaming, gaming, and yearn for the fastest speeds possible, there are good reasons to consider a traditional WiFi router.