Mesh WiFi is a great way to get your internet to cover more ground and kill any WiFi dead spots in your home. However, many people may not know what setting up a Mesh WiFi system in your home entails. For example, does setting up a Mesh WiFi system involve replacing your current router?
Yes, setting up a standard Mesh WiFi system will replace your current router with a router built for the Mesh system you’re setting up. If you have a router/modem combo unit, you will need to put the unit into Bridge Mode to turn off the router functionality of the unit.
Regarding Mesh WiFi systems, some of the most common questions readers ask are “What are the pros and cons of Mesh WiFi?” and “What are the best Mesh WiFi systems on the market?” So let’s go through some of these questions in more detail to help you decide whether you should set up a Mesh WiFi system.
Does a Mesh WiFi System Replace Your Router?
Yes, setting up a Mesh network in your home will replace your current router. This is due to the way that mesh WiFi works.
When you set up a Mesh WiFi system, you don’t just set up one device; you set up a couple of devices. This is why it’s a Mesh WiFi system, not a Mesh WiFi router.
A standard Mesh WiFi system comes with a main router and a couple of WiFi nodes. This router is the primary source of your internet, and the nodes spread the WiFi from your router along a larger distance.
Usually, these nodes are connected to the router wirelessly, but some higher-end models will have the nodes connected to the main router via Ethernet cables. This is known as a wired Ethernet backhaul, resulting in a much stronger performance than a standard Mesh system.
So why can’t you use your old router as the main router for your Mesh system? The answer to this question is simple: your router wasn’t made with Mesh networking in mind. Unfortunately, this will result in a much weaker signal than if you had used a router made for a Mesh system.
What are the Benefits of Mesh WiFi?
Mesh WiFi itself was created to combat one problem: area coverage. Since your router can transfer signal through several nodes you place around, your WiFi will spread for much longer distances.
No WiFi Dead Zones
One problem that people with large houses (or just large spaces that they need to cover with WiFi) face is WiFi dead zones. These areas of the house either don’t get a good WiFi connection or don’t get any WiFi connection.
Mesh WiFi almost eliminates this problem. If you have a WiFi dead zone in your home, all you have to do is place a node somewhere in the direction of the dead zone, and your WiFi signal will be boosted in that direction.
Can Scale Coverage
Another benefit to Mesh WiFi is the ability to scale your WiFi coverage. If you want your WiFi to be spread as far as possible, keep your nodes further from the router. If you’re trying to do something more WiFi intensive, try moving the nodes closer to the router, and your signal should get stronger.
A Mesh WiFi system also makes problems happen less often since all the devices do the same thing. So, for example, if one of your nodes were to crash, you would not lose WiFi because the router and the other nodes are still working.
What are the Disadvantages of Mesh WiFi?
One of the main problems with Mesh WiFi is that since it spreads your WiFi over a longer distance, it also makes it a bit weaker overall. As a result, Mesh WiFi systems reach lower internet speeds on average than standard WiFi systems.
Complicated Set-Up
Another issue is that setting up the Mesh system is more complicated than setting up a standard WiFi router. For example, one problem in setting up a Mesh WiFi system is figuring out the optimal place to set your nodes.
Often, your node placement is dictated by latency issues, which can take quite a bit of trial and error.
Uses More Electricity
A slightly smaller issue is that Mesh WiFi systems use much more electricity than a standard WiFi router. Since you have multiple devices plugged in at once at all times, a Mesh WiFi system can drive up your electricity usage, which can be bad both morally and monetarily.
What are the Best Mesh WiFi Systems?
If you’ve determined that you would like to enter the wide world of mesh WiFi, the next question on your mind is obvious. Which Mesh system should I get? Let’s go through a couple of the best Mesh WiFi systems on the market to help you get a feel for what’s good.
The Eero Mesh System
The Eero Mesh system (on Amazon) is great for those who want a good Mesh system on a budget. Getting the Eero comes with one main router and two nodes. This pack of three devices is available for around $300.
This three-Mesh system is guaranteed to cover up to 4,500 square feet with blazing-fast WiFi. You can even manage almost every aspect of this system using their app. Using this app will display the current status of each device, your WiFi status, and your latest speed test of your WiFi.
Overall, the Eero Mesh system is an excellent choice for those who don’t want to spend their entire bank account on WiFi. And, despite being relatively cheap, it still gets you some great quality WiFi.
Netgear Orbi WiFi 6
The Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 (on Amazon) uses the new top-of-the-line WiFi 6 standard. Using it, you’ll get much faster speeds and can support more devices at once than other mesh WiFi systems.
Buying this system comes with one router and one node. And the best part of the Orbi system is that all you have to do to expand the system is buy more nodes. You can add as many nodes to the system as you can afford.
This system guarantees you an impressive 2400Mbps network for communication between your nodes.(You can view our Orbi troubleshooting guide here).
Google Nest WiFi
Finally, our last system to recommend is the Google Nest WiFi system (on Amazon). The best part about this system is it is straightforward to install and set up. All you have to do is install the Google Home app, plug the router into your modem, and scan the QR code on the bottom of the router.
This will bring up a menu where you can create your network’s name and password. Next, you have to select what room your router is in and place your nodes.
Google Nest WiFi’s routers are tiny and discrete. This makes them perfect for those who don’t like how standard bulky routers look. However, if Google Nest WiFi sounds like the best option for you, a pack of two routers can be purchased.
We’ve covered how to set up your Google Nest Wifi (plus troubleshooting) in this article.
Are Mesh Networks More Expensive than Regular Routers?
Yes, Mesh networks are generally more expensive than regular routers. You probably began to suspect this once we mentioned that a cheaper Mesh system is around $300. But a mesh system being more expensive than a standard system makes sense once you think about it.
When you purchase a traditional router, all you purchase is one. On the other hand, when you buy a Mesh system, you get a router and at least one node, though most systems come with more than one. A Mesh network is more expensive than a regular router because you get multiple access points throughout your home.
You can spend more money to upgrade your Mesh system. Most Mesh systems allow you to purchase more nodes to expand the distance your Mesh system can cover. If you choose to do this, your Mesh system will cost even more money.
Can Mesh WiFi Routers Connect to Your Current WiFi System?
For the short answer to the question above, yes, you can use your old router as part of your Mesh WiFi system. However, this usually produces a worse quality system than a standard Mesh system. So, why would someone want to do this in the first place?
The most common thing leading people to use their old router in a Mesh system is their router and modem are a combined unit known as a gateway router. You literally can’t use your old router in a Mesh system if the router and modem are combined.
So how do you set up a Mesh system using your old router? You need to put your gateway router into Bridge Mode to do this. This will disable the router function of your gateway router, essentially turning it into a regular modem.
To do this:
- Access the configuration panel of your gateway router (if this isn’t an option, you may need to call your ISP).
- On the configuration panel, you need to search for and activate a setting called Bridge Mode. In some cases, it may also be called Passthrough Mode.
- After this is turned on, double-check that turning on Bridge Mode turned off your WiFi radios (some models do this automatically, and some don’t).
- After this, you’ll use your gateway router like it’s a modem and set up your Mesh system normally.