Linksys Velop: Expand your Home WiFi Coverage with a Mesh System

[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-justify”]If you are looking to improve the WiFi coverage of your home, check out the Linksys Velop. It promises to improve the reach of your wireless internet by making use of a whole home WiFi mesh system. This has been a growing issue that affects many Singaporean households and often stays unsolved because of the complicated technical jargon that comes when trying to implement something else; which is where the Linksys Velop comes in to target these types of scenarios where the user should not require any prior knowledge in networking.

[/cs_text][x_video_embed no_container=”true” type=”16:9″][/x_video_embed][x_custom_headline level=”h2″ looks_like=”h4″ accent=”false”]Tri-Band Radio[/x_custom_headline][cs_text class=”cs-ta-justify”]Now you have probably seen all types of Wireless Repeaters or Boosters that you can plug into a power source claiming to improve your range. Honestly, these methods result in your throughput being cut by half which ultimately still causes a slow wireless internet connection even if your WiFi signal strength is at full bar.

The Velop avoids such a pitfall by using a Tri-Band Radio in each unit. Two 5GHz bands (867mbps each) and one 2.4GHz band (400mbps) which effectively makes it an AC2200 device with 2×2 MU-MIMO. One 5GHz band would be dedicated to backhaul communications between the nodes while the remaining 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands would be accessed by clients.

[/cs_text][x_custom_headline level=”h2″ looks_like=”h4″ accent=”false”]What is a WiFi Mesh?[/x_custom_headline][cs_text class=”cs-ta-justify”]A traditional WiFi router would serve all clients at once from a single point. In a WiFi Mesh System such as the Velop, multiple nodes would form a dedicated connection with each other allowing a seamless connection to the client with no bottle-necking. The nodes have the ability to choose the best path to route data between a client and the Internet. In the event a node loses connection to another node, the remaining nodes will self-heal and re-establish a connection through other nodes in the network.

The Linksys Velop can automatically switch and operate in different types of mesh topologies depending on the current environment. The three radios determine the optimal path from the primary node to each secondary node to ensure the fastest speeds to all client devices, regardless of which one they are connected to. In-built channel scanning algorithms would then evaluate and select the best band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band) and channels for the best performance between nodes and clients.

Each node is able to connect with each other over wired Ethernet as well if an existing infrastructure have been in placed. The 2 gigabit ports located below the node would automatically initiate inter-node communication helping to establish WiFi coverage in distant locations, such as the basement.[/cs_text][x_custom_headline level=”h2″ looks_like=”h4″ accent=”false”]Easy Setup Process[/x_custom_headline][cs_text class=”cs-ta-justify”]The new Linksys app makes it very easy to setup the Velop system. The setup process starts with connecting to the node using Bluetooth with a secure connection. Simply follow through the installation process aided by visual animations on each step and you are good to go! Power users should be informed that the Velop does not feature a manual configuration page at the moment as this product is targeted at average consumers.

Available on Android or iOS devices, the Linksys app makes it easy to manage your WiFi name & password, create an optional guest access, parental controls and device prioritization. It even sends you a notification when your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is experiencing a downtime.[/cs_text][x_custom_headline level=”h2″ looks_like=”h4″ accent=”false”]Specifications[/x_custom_headline][cs_text class=”cs-ta-justify”]

Wi-Fi Mesh Connectivity for Seamless Wi-Fi and Simultaneous Streaming	Wi-Fi AC2200 (867 + 867 + 400 mbps)* with mu-mimo 2.4 GHz radio – 400 Mbps* 5 GHz radio 1 – 867 Mbps* 5 Ghz radio 2 – 867 Mbps* Simultaneous Tri-Band IEEE 802.11B/g/n – 2.4 GHz – 256 QAM support IEEE 802.11B/n/ac – 5 GHz – 256 QAM support Beamforming for 2.4 GHz and 5GHz bands Seamless roaming technology
Processor and Memory	716 MHz Quad Core 4 GB Flash and 512 MB RAM
Antennas	Six antennas and high powered amplifiers
Wired Connectivity for WAN and LAN Connectivity	Two auto-sensing Gigabit Ethernet ports for WAN and/LAN connection
Bluetooth 4.0/LE for Secure and Easy App Based Set-up Security	WPA2 personal wireless encryption
Dimensions	3.1 inch Square base 7.3 inch from top to bottom
Required for set-up	Mobile devices with Android 4.0.3 or iOS 8 and higher

[/cs_text][x_custom_headline level=”h2″ looks_like=”h4″ accent=”false”]Availability[/x_custom_headline][cs_text class=”cs-ta-justify”]We find that the only downside to the Linksys Velop is the exorbitant price of this thing. Buying a single Velop would set you back SGD349 which by the way, is pointless since you need 2 or more nodes to form a mesh system in your house.You would be better off purchasing a single high-end router.

Recommended Retail Price:
1 pack (WHW0301) – SGD349
2 pack (WHW0302) – SGD599
3 pack (WHW0303) – SGD749

The Linksys Velop comes with a 3-year warranty and 24/7 customer support for an added peace of mind.

Available for purchase at all Challenger stores and at Singtel outlets with a Singtel Fibre Broadband subscription (3 Pack at S$30/month over a 24-month contract) from 22 April 2017. All other retailers such as Newstead and selected popular outlets would be made available from 12 May 2017 including Atlas showrooms where you can view a demo.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_share title=”Share this Post” share_title=”” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” google_plus=”true” linkedin=”false” pinterest=”false” reddit=”false” email=”true” email_subject=”Hey, thought you might enjoy this! Check it out when you have a chance:”][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_recent_posts type=”post” count=”3″ offset=”” category=”” orientation=”horizontal” no_sticky=”true” no_image=”false” fade=”false”][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]