3 Things To Know About Mesh Wireless Networks
Are you not happy with the wireless network at your home or business, and not sure what you can do about it? You may want to make an upgrade to a mesh wireless network. Here are a few things that you should know about this different type of wireless network before you make a decision to upgrade.
What Is A Mesh Wi-Fi Network?
If you are only used to using a traditional Wi-Fi router, you are likely familiar with how it plugs into your modem and acts as a single access point for wireless devices to connect to. All devices must be in range of the wireless router for them to receive a signal, and that signal must go through whatever walls and floors are between the router and the device. This can cause the signal to degrade as it goes over a further distance or has more obstacles in the signal's path.
A mesh wireless network is a bit different since it uses multiple access points to extend the network. It doesn't matter which access point you connect to, since each utilizes the same wireless network name and password. In the past, you would need to have a separate network for each wireless router that you have.
How Do The Mesh Wi-Fi Network Access Points Connect To Each Other?
The mesh access points connect to each other using one of two methods. The most reliable method is to have each access point connected to an Ethernet cable, which gives the access point a direct connection to your router. However, that is not always possible, which is why people use mesh Wi-Fi networks in the first place.
The other method is that the mesh access points all communicate with each other, creating a daisy chain that expands your network into places where you cannot typically get a wireless signal. For example, you can have your main access point in your basement, a second mesh access point on your first floor, and a second access point on your second floor. The three access points work together to get a strong signal to the second floor, rather than the signal needing to travel all the way from the basement to the second floor.
How Easy Is It To Use A Mesh Wi-Fi Network?
It is not complicated to install and use a mesh Wi-Fi network. These routers typically come with a smartphone app that allows you to connect to the access point and add it to your existing network. The mesh network then works behind the scenes to decide which access point will be the best to connect to, so you don't need to manually switch between them on your devices.
For more information about wireless network solutions, contact a local company.
