Mesh Wi-Fi is there to boost your Wi-Fi signal at home or in the office.

It helps eliminate dead zones and strengthen the wireless connection in every room.

Mesh Wi-Fi has recently become available for consumers, and is worth considering if you have a larger home and need high- speed, long- range access to Wi-Fi. Previously, mesh Wi-Fi was only used for businesses, where teams needed access to secure networks throughout the building.

What is mesh Wi-Fi?

Mesh Wi-Fi means combining a Wi-Fi router with mesh satellites throughout the building to make sure there are no dead zones in your home or office.

If you use a mesh Wi-Fi system, your device will seamlessly connect to the satellite or router which is giving off the strongest signal in that area.

Mesh Wi-Fi is a great option for large buildings like offices with multiple floors, or large houses, especially if they have thick walls.

Mesh Wi-Fi gives you faster speeds, more coverage and a reliable connection wherever you are in the building. Hyperoptic’s Total Wi-Fi gives you all this by providing you with both a router and a Minihub, which can be strategically placed to stop you experiencing internet “dead zones” in your home or office.

Advantages of mesh Wi-Fi

Mesh Wi-Fi gives you plenty of advantages over traditional router setups, including:

• Wider coverage: multiple units (made up of routers and satellites) mean your home or office has strong Wi-Fi signal wherever you are, and there are no dead zones.

• Uninterrupted internet connection: devices seamlessly connect to the nearest unit as you move around, meaning there’s no interruption in the service.

• Easy to setup and manage: mesh Wi-Fi can usually be set up simply using a mobile app. You can add guest access, parental controls, and device prioritisation from one app.

• Simple to expand: adding another unit is easy and won’t disrupt the rest of the system.

• More reliable: if one of your units goes down, the other units can easily pick up the slack.

If you have dead spots in your home or office building, or simply want faster Wi-Fi around your home, mesh Wi-Fi could be the perfect solution for you.

How does mesh Wi-Fi work?

Mesh Wi-Fi is a single network made up of multiple units. It usually includes a main router which connects to one or more satellites throughout your home or office building.

Each unit acts as a point of communication, distributing the Wi-Fi signal across a wider area than a single router can. As you move around the building, your device (your smartphone or laptop, for example) automatically connects to the nearest unit with the strongest signal. This provides uninterrupted connectivity without the need to manually switch between networks.

Mesh Wi-Fi systems use dynamic routing algorithms to find the best path for data to travel between the units to get to your device. This ensures that the data takes the most efficient route, minimising latency and maximising speed.

The units communicate with each other through backhaul links. These can be wireless (using a dedicated Wi-Fi band) or wired (Ethernet connections). This backhaul communication helps to maintain strong and fast connections between the router and satellites.

Do I need mesh Wi-Fi?

If you need a faster and more reliable internet connection, mesh Wi-Fi may be the solution.

Here are some of the benefits of mesh Wi-Fi systems:

• Eliminating dead zones. If there are areas of your home or office building with no Wi-Fi or a connection which drops in and out, you may need mesh Wi-Fi.

• If you already have several routers or satellites but have to manually connect to each when you move around, mesh Wi-Fi will give you a seamless connection and allow you to automatically connect to different units.

• If you have a growing business and expand your office space often, mesh Wi-Fi can ensure your team is connected wherever they need to be.

• Homes over 3,000 square feet will often benefit from mesh Wi-Fi. Homes with more than two stories and thick walls (usually brick) can also benefit from mesh Wi-Fi.

As a rough guide, here’s how many units (routers and satellites) your space may need:

2,500 square feet or less – 1 router

2,500 – 3,500 square feet – 1 mesh router + 1 mesh satellite

3,500 – 4,500 square feet – 1 mesh router + 2 mesh satellites

Mesh Wi-Fi vs Wi-Fi extenders

Mesh Wi-Fi provides a large home or office with seamless and consistent internet coverage. Wi-Fi extenders are ideal if you have one specific area which is unable to receive internet signal.

If you have a large house with a whole floor struggling to receive fast internet service, or a whole area of the house, mesh Wi-Fi is the ideal solution. Wi-Fi extenders are slightly more cost- effective, but are only suitable for specific dead zones in a building. For example, one corner or one room where devices are experiencing slow or no internet.

Mesh Wi-Fi is:

• Suitable for larger homes or offices with a few rooms or large rooms with no internet connection

• A single network with the same name. You won’t need to connect to different units using separate names and passwords

• A solution for seamless coverage – there will be no drop-out as your devices connect to different units

• Self-optimising. The units in the mesh network automatically find the best path to send the data to your device

Wi-Fi extenders are:

• Suitable for just one room or one corner with no internet connection

• More cost effective than mesh Wi-Fi

Mesh Wi-Fi vs Wi-Fi repeaters

Mesh Wi-Fi is ideal for large homes or offices that aren’t getting seamless and consistent internet coverage. Wi-Fi repeaters (first generation Wi-Fi extenders), on the other hand, help if you have a specific area with low internet signal.

Wireless repeaters take the Wi-Fi and re-broadcast it to a specific, localised area in your home or office. They are more cost- effective than mesh Wi-Fi, but better suited to smaller dead zones, for example in one corner or room. Mesh Wi-Fi works for whole floors or large rooms with dead zones.

Mesh Wi-Fi is:

• The best option for larger homes or offices with a few rooms or large rooms with internet dead zones

• A single network, with the same name and password

• A seamless coverage solution – there will be no drop-out when your devices connect to different units

• Self-optimising. The units in the mesh network automatically find the best path to send the data to your device

Wi-Fi repeaters are:

• Suitable for just one room or a small area with no internet connection

• Less reliable than mesh Wi-Fi. Latency (Wi-Fi network response time) is increased

• Unsuitable for streaming in most cases

• More cost effective than mesh Wi-Fi

What do I need for a mesh Wi-Fi system?

For a mesh Wi-Fi system, you will need to ensure your current router is able to handle mesh coverage. You will also need more nodes or units, usually from the same manufacturer.

Many of the most modern routers can be used as base stations for your mesh network, but you’ll need to check with the manufacturer or your broadband provider.

All you need is:

• A router which can act as a mesh network base station

• 1+ satellites to use as nodes (the number you need will depend on the size of the building)

For full coverage in every room, use Hyperoptic’s total Wi-Fi mesh service.

Can I use any mesh Wi-Fi with an existing router?

Mesh Wi-Fi requires a router which can handle this type of connectivity. You may be able to use your existing router, but you’ll need to check with your broadband provider or the manufacturer.

Most mesh networks will only work with certain providers and devices. Total Wi-Fi only works with Hyperoptic broadband.

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