Picture this. You’re wandering around your home or office and there are “annoying” weak spots where your internet feels like its wading thru mud. Pages load slowly or not at all. You find yourself turning off Wi-Fi and hoping your cell phone’s internet is working ok. These are all tell-tale signs of a Wi-Fi network that is suffering. One solution to consider is a mesh network, but be aware there are a few questions to ask yourself before you choose to pony up the cash for a new system.
- Where do you live? apartment? single family home? townhouse?
- Have you always had this issue or did it get worse recently?
- How many people are accessing your Wi-Fi network?
- Have you added alot of “smart home” devices that attach to your Wi-Fi?
- How large is your home or business?
- Do you have a single floor or multi-floor setup?
These questions are important in choosing the right solution. Here are a few reasons. Apartments are notorious for packing people together closely and hence Wi-Fi interference. Wi-Fi uses channels for data and if you and your neighbors are on the same channel, that will torture your router when it tries to get you a signal. Learn about your router and how to change that Wi-Fi channel. Consider 5GHz, 6GHz routers that will give you more channels to play with to avoid that pesky interference. Mesh Wi-Fi is BEST suited for large spaces think over 1500 square feet or more. So packing mesh Wi-Fi routers too close together will actually “create” interference.
If the issue started recently, then trace your steps. Did you add smart home devices? Did a new neighbor move it with a MEGA Wi-Fi system that is now overpowering yours? Are more people using your Wi-Fi these days? If that’s the case, it might be time for a speed upgrade from your ISP (internet service provider). Remember that UPLOAD speed is just as important as download. If you saturate your upload, prepare for painfully slow internet.
If you have a multi-floor setup, then a MESH network is best as Wi-Fi signals will have a difficult time getting thru thick concrete or metal between floors. Which mesh network to try? There are many and it depends on how much management you want to do. Want an easy option that does it all via apps on your phone? I recommend the Eero series of routers from Amazon. They are not ULTRA configurable, but your average home user doesn’t need complicated. They just need something that works.
This was just a quick review of some things to try. YMMV (your mileage may vary) depending on how your structure is built and other factors, so do your homework before you decide mesh is the way to go. Don’t believe the marketing and hype. Find the right solution for you… Happy Wi-Fi-ing.
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