In the age of the always connected household, the WiFi dead zone was inevitable. Until now. Enter mesh WiFi. A mesh network can extend your coverage to all corners of your home allowing you to stream movies in the backyard, work from the patio or watch the Jags game in the garage.
What is mesh WiFi?
Mesh WiFi is a shared home network that extends coverage across your entire home, and even to your outdoor living areas. No more dreaded WiFi dead zones. It’s perfect for larger homes (+3,000 square feet) or ones with custom layouts (think: home offices, bonus rooms, the back patio or pool, etc.).
How does it work?
It all starts with a mesh router and one or more satellite mesh units which work together to blanket your home with WiFi. Traditional WiFi routers transmit a signal from a single fixed point in your home. The further you move away from the router, the weaker your WiFi signal becomes. Mesh routers work differently – constantly communicating with the mesh satellite units to share information about your WiFi coverage and ensure a quality signal throughout your home.
What is the difference between an extender and mesh WiFi?
WiFi extenders simply repeat your primary router’s WiFi signal, and lose significant performance in the process. They may create multiple confusing “extension” networks in various parts of your home, creating the potential for signal interference and requiring that users change their WiFi settings when moving from room to room.
A mesh WiFi system replaces your current traditional WiFi router, with one or more mesh units that act as beacons, transmitting and sharing the signal throughout your home. These mesh units use adaptive and dynamic routing technology which maps the best, most efficient path for transmitting your WiFi signal. And if one node goes down, the system adapts and routes all traffic to the other nodes in your network, something a WiFi extender simply cannot do.
Who should use a mesh router?
Mesh routers are a smart solution for your connected home. But if you have a smaller home or apartment or fewer than 10 connected devices, your current WiFi router may meet your needs. The best candidates for a mesh router system are:
Larger and Multi-Level Homes
Larger homes (+3,000 square feet) are excellent candidates for a mesh network. Traditional routers often cannot cover second-story homes, garages, backyards, etc. Installing a mesh network can ensure proper coverage all over your home.
Gamers and Streamers
A lagging network is a buzzkill for gamers. A mesh system can ensure their connection is as steady as their aim by ensuring a high-quality, responsive WiFi signal. A lot of households now use streaming services to watch their shows or movies, like Netflix, Hulu or YouTube, rather than traditional cable, and a high-quality WiFi connection is critical.
Multi-Device Families
The average home has 11 connected devices, and that’s expected to grow to 20 in just four years. If you’re running a Zoom meeting, smart TV, tablets, phones and laptops all at once, a mesh network will help you stay connected at consistent speeds.
A mesh WiFi network is ideal for the always connected family. It is preferred for the steady connection it provides, but it is only as fast and reliable as your internet service provider (ISP). It’s important not to overlook the key variable in maintaining a consistent WiFi signal: fiber-optic internet. Fiber provides the fastest, most reliable connection to power your modern internet household. IQ Fiber is coming to a Northeast Florida neighborhood near you.