Hardware

What is a Mesh WiFi System: Pros, Cons, How The Technology Works

Mesh WiFi systems are the newest addition to wireless networks and promise to solve signal coverage problems in all corners of the home while making it easier to install and configure the network. But is there more to Mesh WiFi?

asus mesh triple routers

It must have happened to you to sit quietly browsing the Internet in your own home and suddenly run into connection problems in certain rooms or when too many devices are connected simultaneously and are transferring data.

Changing your router to a more expensive model doesn’t always solve the problem. Wireless signals behave like high-frequency radio waves, i.e. they are absorbed by walls and obstacles, resulting in a weaker and weaker signal the further you move away from the source, the wireless router in this case.

The emergence of WiFi networks in the 5 GHz band, with the idea of increasing transfer speeds by decongesting the 2.4 GHz area, previously used, has only exacerbated the problems as the distance increases. The higher frequency deteriorates the signal much faster with increasing distance. The New 6 GHz WiFi 6E standard only worsens this issue. I don’t expect WiFi 7 to be any better.

Alternatives exist, such as using a long-range router with stronger antennas, repositioning it in the middle of the house, using wireless repeaters (boosters), or adding access points (old routers can be set up to work as APs, by the way) in problem areas, but installing, configuring, and managing these systems is not simple, especially for a home user. Not to mention that not all problems are solved.

The solution that networks equipment manufacturers are banking on is called wireless mesh systems, or mesh WiFi. All the big names in the industry are now offering WiFi mesh systems that any user can install in minutes in their own home without having to bother with complicated configuration options. Let’s take a look at what mesh WiFi is, how it works, and the benefits of wireless mesh technology, a name we’re hearing more and more often.

Technology Explained: What is a Mesh WiFi System?

Simply put, a WiFi mesh system creates a uniform blanket of radio signals through which devices connected to the network receive access to the Internet.

In a traditional system, all devices connect directly to the router, where they “fight” for its attention, with the maximum bandwidth being divided by the number of gadgets connected at the same time (if all transmit and request data).

In the case of a mesh system that uses several identical nodes, each device in the network communicates directly with the nearest node that provides the strongest signal. The nodes usually communicate with each other through a separate WiFi channel (backhaul channel), thus maintaining the maximum transfer speed for each device.

When using a range extender, the bandwidth is effectively split in half. One part goes to the connection with the router, and one part to the connection with the device. In addition, the name of the WiFi network (SSID) is always kept, and switching between nodes is transparent to the user, similar to automatic cell switching in a mobile phone.

The Internet connection in a wireless mesh system is provided either by one of the nodes, the one into which the WAN cable plugs in, or by a traditional router, into which it is sufficient to connect one of the nodes of the mesh network.

The mesh nodes can also be connected to the Internet by wire, not necessarily by WiFi. It depends on the system you choose. What is worth remembering is that the mesh network can be expanded at any time with new nodes to cover an even wider area than before.

Wireless Mesh Systems: Advantages and Disadvantages

If we abstract things a bit we see that a wireless mesh system is basically a mini apartment Internet network that uses several nodes to cover as best as possible all the corners of the apartment.

Much the same can be achieved using multiple routers, access points, and range extenders. With a little skill and patience, you can solve the problem of inconsistent signal quality without having to buy a dedicated mesh system. Mesh systems simplify this process significantly, but they are not without their problems. We’ve made a short list below of the pros and cons of mesh WiFi:

Pros of Mesh WiFi

Ease of installation and management – the main idea behind mesh design for residential premises is the ease of installation: plug all nodes into the socket, plug the WAN cable from your ISP into one of the nodes, or use the connection to your already installed router to extend network coverage. System configuration is done via a mobile app.

You can see how many nodes you have installed, how well they see each other (signal quality), how many devices are connected at any given time, and what each one is doing. You can set priorities, you can create guest networks for guests, who get access to the Internet, but not to the computers in your network. Smart apps can even recommend where in your home to install more nodes, or whether to move a node to a better location. Newly added nodes are automatically recognized and configured.

In the case of router + access point or router + bridge (range extender) systems, you have to configure each node from its own interface. You need additional networking knowledge, you need a desktop to access the configuration interface and in addition, you will use cables to connect each access point to the router. Things are much more complicated this way.

home mesh wifi diagram

Throughput – most wireless mesh systems are multi-band and know how to use separate bands for communication between nodes, allowing in theory to maintain maximum speed for connected devices. In the case of wireless repeaters, the speed automatically drops to half. Not only that, but mesh nodes know how to automatically change the wireless channel and frequency band to avoid an overly congested radio spectrum. All this is done without your intervention.

Also read: How to boost Intel NICs WiFi speeds with just a few clicks and tips to increase WiFi speeds.

Seamless Internet access – perhaps the most important aspect for a user connected to a WiFi mesh network is that you don’t have to worry about changing your current wireless network the moment you reach a problem area. Switching the connection to an optimal node is done automatically, and transparent to the devices in the network. This is not possible when using access points and range extenders.

Design – the vast majority of WiFi mesh systems come with a simple, modern design, no visible antennas, and no multi-colored LEDs, all to blend harmoniously into the design of your home. For some users this is an important advantage, that’s why I mentioned it as a plus.

Firmware updates – the mobile app also allows quick, automatic software updates of the nodes every time the manufacturer releases a new firmware update for those devices. In the case of traditional wireless devices, you have to visit the manufacturer’s page to download the latest version, then follow a series of steps to update the firmware.

All of this causes many home routers to use old versions of software, exposed to old security holes that have not been covered by the update, even though they have been fixed by the manufacturer.

Cons of Mesh WiFi

Advanced configuration – unfortunately the simplicity of installation and configuration is at odds with the idea of advanced configuration, which is usually lacking in mesh systems. You can’t have simplicity and complexity at the same time. That’s why my recommendation is to connect the mesh system to an existing router, used for securing the network and for advanced configuration of the connection to the outside world.

mesh wife mobile app

Cost – WiFi mesh systems are not cheap, so expect to pay quite a lot for a premium three-node system. This means that you can often get away with buying two routers with powerful antennas or a router and a few bridges/repeaters/access points. Over time I’m sure prices will come down as the offer diversifies. But for now, you pay for the novelty factor.

Compatibility with other brands – perhaps the biggest issue is the interoperability of devices from different manufacturers. The WiFi Alliance consortium has developed a new connection standard called Wi-Fi EasyMesh, but not many systems are using it at the moment.

What this means for you is that network expansion can only be done with nodes from the same manufacturer. In the worst case, you will have to buy the same node model to complete the existing network.

I expect the compatibility problem between different brands to improve in the coming years. At the moment the situation does not look good from this point of view.

In my view, mesh WiFi technology is still in its infancy, but it looks very promising. If you find yourself experiencing loss or even complete WiFi signal drops in your own home then it might not be a bad idea to take a look at the mesh products in stores. You may find a great deal.

Avatar for Ionuț-Alexandru Popa
I'm a writer and Editor-in-Chief at BinaryFork. I am passionate about technology, science, space exploration, and movies. I started writing about tech more than 20 years ago, after graduating in Computer Science.
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