What is Mesh Wi-Fi and Do I Need it?

Shoppers looking to improve their Wi-Fi network often get advice to replace their routers with mesh Wi-Fi routers. While many know what routers are, they usually ask questions like: what is a mesh Wi-Fi router? And how do mesh routers compare to regular routers? Mesh routers and regular routers are equipment for creating Wi-Fi networks for homes and offices. These networking devices connect to modems to share the internet access provided by internet service providers (ISPs) with multiple wireless devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers.

If you’d like to cover every inch of your home or office with a consistent Wi-Fi signal, then you should learn more about mesh Wi-Fi. A thorough understanding of these networking devices will help you choose the right option for your Wi-Fi network.

Also known as whole home Wi-Fi, mesh Wi-Fi is an extensive wireless network created using specialized routers known as mesh routers. A mesh network blankets an entire home or office with consistent wireless signals. It's necessary to know how a regular router creates a Wi-Fi network to understand how mesh Wi-Fi works.

Mesh routers are routers used for creating whole home or mesh Wi-Fi networks. A mesh router is one of two or more identical routers used to create a mesh network. Therefore, it needs other mesh routers to maintain consistent high-speed Wi-Fi connection over a large area.

The whole home Wi-Fi network created by identical mesh routers looks like a mesh because the main hub connects to all the nodes and each node connects to the main router as well as every other node. To extend a mesh Wi-Fi network, you only need to add more nodes. A whole home mesh Wi-Fi is self-configuring, so it recalibrates itself to accommodate newly added mesh routers.

A mesh Wi-Fi system finds the most efficient paths for connections between its mesh routers and connected devices. The obvious question to ask then is, how do whole home Wi-Fi systems work if a node goes down or suffers from network congestion? When this happens, the mesh Wi-Fi network reroutes internet traffic around the downed nodes to maintain consistent throughput and signal strength.

Unlike a traditional router which broadcasts its signal from a single device, a mesh router emits a signal from multiple units strategically placed around your home. a networking hub for managing wired and wireless internet traffic and creating a Wi-Fi network. This central device connects client devices to the internet and controls the flow of data from and to connected devices.

A Wi-Fi network created by a regular router transmits wireless signals from a central location. These signals degrade the farther they move from the router. Therefore, devices that aren't close to the router may struggle to stay connected. In a Wi-Fi network created by a regular router, the router is the only access point and every device in the network must connect to it. For large and mid-sized spaces, you may find you have some dead zones and require Wi-Fi extenders to boost the Wi-Fi signal.

In contrast, a whole home Wi-Fi mesh network creates a mesh that spans the entire area. The main mesh router connects to the modem, while the others serve as nodes spread out across the space. In a mesh Wi-Fi network, every mesh router is an access point and devices on the network can connect to the internet via any of the nodes.

A regular router connects to a modem and serves as a gateway between an ISP's internet access and the devices joining the Wi-Fi network it creates. A modem router has a built-in cable or DSL (digital subscriber line) modem. This is the type of router ISPs provide to their subscribers. As a 2-in-1 device, a modem router simplifies the process of installing and setting up the necessary equipment needed for home/office Wi-Fi networks. Fiber routers are like regular routers but designed to connect to the fiber-optic infrastructure of ISPs. In locations where it’s available, fiber-optic internet is usually faster than cable modems, which is why it’s often referred to as high-speed internet.

Compared to a regular Wi-Fi network, mesh Wi-Fi offers clear benefits. Mesh networks are easier to set up and expand when needed. Most mesh Wi-Fi systems have companion mobile apps for users to create, monitor and manage their Wi-Fi networks. Plus, if you want to automate daily tasks with smart home devices, such as smart lighting and smart thermostats, you’ll need to have a strong signal in each room of your home. This is especially true if you’ll be using smart speakers and displays that enable managing systems with a vocal command.

When expanding a mesh Wi-Fi network, you only need to add new mesh routers and set them up from the companion app. The mesh network automatically does the rest. In contrast, extending the reach of a regular router with a Wi-Fi extender requires creating and setting up a second Wi-Fi network for the extender. When moving away from the main network, you’ll have to log onto the second Wi-Fi network to enjoy good signal strength and connection speeds.

With mesh Wi-Fi, the addition of more mesh routers doesn't create another Wi-Fi network. Therefore, you don't have to switch networks while moving around. The mesh outlay of a whole home Wi-Fi system is also ideal for spaces with multiple floors. Regular routers, even with extenders, may struggle to cover such spaces. Therefore, you may need a mesh Wi-Fi network if you live in a mid-sized, large, or multi-story home.

It's important to note that all mesh routers don't perform equally. Users running bandwidth-intensive tasks may want answers to the question, what is the best whole home Wi-Fi system for online gaming or streaming content on a 4K Ultra HD TV? For such demanding applications, look for triband mesh routers as these deliver the fastest speeds and are unlikely to struggle with network congestion and wireless interference. Choose Wi-Fi 6E mesh routers if you want a future-proof whole home Wi-Fi system that'll deliver ultrafast broadband internet even as you add more devices.

Now that you know what mesh Wi-Fi is and understand the difference between a regular router and a mesh router, you can easily find the right networking devices to improve your home Wi-Fi network and eliminate dead zones. Once you find the best mesh router system for your needs, schedule a home Wi-Fi setup to ensure your home is properly optimized for internet usage.