What is a Mesh WiFi Network?
Definition of a Mesh WiFi Network
A WiFi mesh network is also called a âmulti-hopâ?network. Itâs a wireless technology that is nothing like the traditional wireless setups that you are used to. This network relies on peer-to-peer and multi-hop routing network technology. Regarding the characteristics, this network is very similar to mobile broadband, and it can be self-organizing, dynamically extended, self-balancing, and self-managing. It can also automatically repair itself.How Does a Mesh WiFi Network Work?
Traditional networks have to rely on a number of wireless hotspots or wired access points to connect users. A wireless mesh wifi network spreads the network connection among hundreds of mesh nodes that speak to each other and share the connection in a large area. Basically, the nodes of the mesh network transmit the data for the network. Every single node cooperates with the others and relays the information (data) in the network. The flooding technique is designed to make the mesh network work properly. The source sends the message, and that message is relayed from node to node until it reaches the matching receiver. By this flooding method, all of the nodes participate when the transmission process is on, even if some of them donât work at the moment. This self-healing technique makes the job easier for engineers to find issues with the data propagation. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_video src=”https://youtu.be/cYN2poDFiec” _builder_version=”3.6″][/et_pb_video][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.6″ inline_fonts=”Georgia”]Advantages and Disadvantages of a Mesh WiFi
As with any other network connection, this one also has its own advantages and disadvantages. Letâs take a look at both of them.Advantages
1.Quick and easy installation of the device
Easy configuration of the device allows you to power it up easy and access the networks automatically without any wiring and complicated installation.2.Non-line-of-sight
The data can reach the equipment without being in the sight of users and the primary equipment. The transmission begins at a starting data point and travels to each node to reach the receiving userâs equipment. This is how a mesh WiFi network can expand the coverage and broadband applications. It has a very wide range in public places, and outdoors.3.Stable network
The mesh WiFi networkâs data can be transmitted and forwarded through multiple different nodes. If a node becomes disturbed or faulty, the data is still able to be forwarded through the nodes that are still working. Through this process, the network itself is not affected at all.4.High bandwidth
If the distance of the communication transmission is very short, it will be easier to have higher bandwidth. Also, if the distance is shorter, the transmission will have a lot less interference. Because of this, multiple short âjumpsâ?will allow the data to be transmitted very effectively and also obtain higher bandwidth in the mesh WiFi network. Also, nodes arenât only able to receive and transmit the information, but they also act as routers to keep the information flowing to the other nodes. All you have to do to increase the network bandwidth is to increase the number of possible paths and the number of nodes.Disadvantages
1.Delay with the communication
The data in the mesh WiFi network first passes through the middle node. Each âjumpâ?after that will cause at least some delay. When you expand the mesh network, there will be more delay. More jumps will result in much longer delays and will cause some problems to the network overall. The solution to this problem at the moment is to add more nodes and make the network protocol more appropriate. We expect engineers to resolve the problem very soon, however, as they expand mesh technology update it daily with new advancements.2.Expensiveness
Building this kind of a network requires many devices and a relatively large capital investment. Some people find it to be too expensive. However, we believe that if you do install a mesh WiFi network, you will be spending your money fairly and the service youâll get will be worth it.What do you need to consider?
The Band
Single-band routers are limited but affordable
As the name suggests, a single-band router offers only a single frequency band. Older versions of single-band routers were able to transmit data at 54 Mbps in total. They first hit the market in 2003. To be more specific, some routers of this kind operate at a new standard called âWireless-N.â?These routers theoretically operate at a speed of 800 Mbps. You will probably never get this speed, however, because of other important factors, such as the limitations of your internet service. The advantages of a router like this are that they are compatible with almost any device and they have a very low price.Dual-band routers are a smart middle ground
These routers support the same standard as the previous one, but they also support the higher frequency bands and they operate on a more updated standard. Theoretically speaking, they are able to support a speed of 2,167 Mbps or higher. These routers provide connections to fit the usersâ?needs. Many wireless networks suffer from interference because of the prevalence of consumer gadgets, such as cordless phones and microwaves. But because the dual-band routers can utilize 5 GHz, they will help you avoid these problems with their 23 available channels for usage. As these routers are able to separate interfaces of a wireless device for each band, they can provide the best flexibility for a home network. Smart home devices sometimes require a better signal reach and legacy compatibility. Some of them are compatible with 2.4 GHz, but most require a better bandwidth, so 5 GHz will help. These routers also have MIMO (multiple-in, multiple-out) configurations. The multiple radio frequency combination that these routers support provide much better performance for home networks than single-band routers.Tri-band routers are for multiple users
These routers came out only a couple of years ago. They can handle even a speed of 4,000+ Gbps. Engineers call them âtri-bandâ?because they feature two GHz bands and a single 2.4 GHz band. These routers can reduce interference with the signal much more than dual-band routers can. Tri-band routers also feature Linksys Smart Connect and can offer devices a 5 GHz band. Also, the 2.4 GHz band is available for older devices. Itâs similar to adding a bike lane to a downtown road, and this is why tri-band routers are very handy for places that have a constant connection of 5 GHz devices. The investment you make in one of these is going to be very worth it if you are looking for a router and you want it to last for at least a couple of years. For example, if you have an apartment where you have a laptop, a gaming console, and a smartphone, you are good to go with dual-band routers. You wonât need to spend any more money on your WiFi setup. But if you plan to watch Netflix in 4K while your wife is streaming in the kitchen from a table, your child is constantly listening to their favorite Pandora station, and your guests like to do raids on World of Warcraft, you probably want to get a tri-band router to support your WiFi better.History of the WiFi
The first generation of routers for home networks came out in the late 90s and early 2000s. These routers operated on a 2.4 GHz band, and they used a single WiFi radio frequency. At the time, many business networks were already supporting 5GHz devices. Manufacturers designed the first dual-band routers with a plan to support networks that had both clients. Starting with 5 GHz devices, the standards for wireless routers had to include both 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz support to be considered good.Speed
Many people are now upgrading their routers because they canât stand the low speed of their home network. This is because most people are using more and more electronic devices and therefore require high and reliable wireless speeds The wireless network has two types of speed, the upload speed, and the download speed. Usually, when people are talking about the speed of a wireless network, they refer to download speed as they consume more media than they need to upload.Mbps
Mbps stands for one megabit per second (or one million bits). You will need to have at least eight megabits per second to move a file of one megabyte. A digital photo, for example, is usually two or three megabytes in size.Download Speed
This speed controls the delivery of data to your computer. In other words, itâs the info the connected device, such as a laptop or smartphone can receive from the internet in a single second. Megabits per second are how download speed is always measured.Upload Speed
This is the same as download speed, only reversed. It measures the amount of info that your device can send to the internet. As is the case with download speed, we measure it in Mbps.Multiple-User, Multiple Inputs, Multiple Output Support
MU-MIMO. Designers created it with the intention to support networks where many users are trying to connect to a wireless network at the same time. Almost all of the smartphones in 2018 are 2×2 MIMO for the wireless network. Rumors say that smartphones are going to switch to 4×4 MIMO during this year or in the next one. Comcast already features 8×8 gateways. The only downfall of them is that you need an 8×8 client to achieve that speed.Control and Setup
In the past, we didnât have the technology to manage and set up our own wireless network. Now, we do, and we can change certain settings any time we want to. In my case, after I set up my, Iâll probably forget that it exists for the next couple of years. That is, until I want to add a device and program its IP to a specific IP address. Smart routers can provide interaction with Web-based and APP control. For example, you can use a web portal to monitor the traffic of connected devices, change the settings of the router, view live network cameras, restrict access to some websites, and stream or browse photos. That gives us amazing control over how users engage the internet over your server. You can set up any number of parental controls. And if youâre managing a business network, you can help keep employees focused by restricting internet usage.Security
You will never find a network that is 100% secure. However, a good device/router can make your network less vulnerable to most of their known threats and WiFi hackers.Before you purchase a mesh WiFi system, we recommend that you to consider these questions.Disclosure
- Do you live in a very large house with a lot of dead spots in your wireless network?
- Do you live in a place that has multiple floors and the coverage of the signal is not ideal?
- Do you and your family own a lot of devices that require WiFi to surf the internet?
- Have you already tried to fix your wireless signal but you werenât able to get a higher speed?
- Do you like to catch up with new products and new technologies?
