Mesh Wi-Fi: What it is, how it works and do you need it?

Mesh Wi-Fi. Know more…

Thursday, 26th August 2021

Nowadays, an increasingly common term in-home or office settings is mesh WiFi. The elegantly named system claims that its exciting wireless network has better coverage without loss of performance. However, they are also a bit expensive, which makes many people wonder whether they really need to be updated.

But what exactly is Mesh WiFi? How does it work, and what are its benefits compared to other implementations that can increase your WiFi range like a simple range extender? Most importantly, does your environment really need a mesh network? These are some of the questions we want to answer today.

What is Mesh Wi-Fi?

Mesh WiFi is a multi-node WiFi network. You not only have a router connected to an internet cable or modem, but also a combination of the main router and several other nodes. These nodes act as extensions and can be placed in your home or office environment to extend the range of your WiFi network.

This will be useful, especially if you have a larger house, perhaps with several stories. More rooms mean more concrete walls, which generally reduces the range of your WiFi and affects performance. Mesh WiFi solves this problem by using its strategically located nodes, in most cases, providing the same experience for all devices in the home.

Also Read: Amazon Launches Second-Gen Echo Show 8 in India, Starting at Rs 11,499.

How does a mesh network work?

In a mesh network, multiple nodes are not connected in series, but they can interact with each other independently. In a network with two or more nodes, the mesh network system will determine the fastest route from the main router to the device you are using (and the route with smaller devices). This minimizes congestion on a single channel, while other channels remain unused.

Benefits over range extenders

A mesh network may look similar to a WiFi range extender system, but it is not. Unlike mesh systems, the performance of range extenders is usually poor due to the impact on bandwidth. This is because most range extenders only repeat existing signals and cannot send and receive signals at the same time.

The Range Extender will eventually become a completely independent network, so it is not a true "extension" of your existing network. Therefore, there are usually as many networks (SSID networks) in your home as range extenders. Not all devices are smart enough to automatically switch between these pseudo extensions and it will still be problematic.

On the other hand, the Mesh network is simpler and smarter. In addition to spreading the same SSID across all nodes, mesh networks are also ideal for larger spaces and generally support more configurations than the usual two-node and three-node configurations.

The News Talkie Bureau

Source:

IndianExpress