Linksys - Velop AC2200 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 5 System (3 Pack) - Black

Over time, the number of Wifi enabled devices one owns grows too large for the standard-issue, crappy Internet Services Provider (ISP) Modem/Router. At least mine did, even with a Wifi repeater, reception in my two story home was barely acceptable. And we pay for 100 mbps internet service. After the router went down recently for the 3rd time, we had to yet again get the ISP to replace it, getting even worse Wifi reception. It was clear it simply wouldn’t ever come close to meeting our needs. Enter Linksys Velop total house Tri-Band Mesh Network. I did my homework. The top names in whole-house Mesh networks are Eero, Google Wifi, Netgear Orbi and Linksys. When PC Magazine and several other reviewers found them all good, but heaped praise upon praise on the Linksys Velop, I was pretty much pre-sold. After a visit to my Best Buy store however, it became clear. Two knowledgeable salespeople both gave the Linksys their top recommendation. Many reviews suggest it’s easy to set one up yourself. I’m moderately tech-savvy, but I just didn’t want any frustration, so I chose to let Best Buy install the system. Included in the installation was hooking all 22 Wifi enabled devices, such 3 Alexa, multiple laptops, iPhones/iPads, Arlo Wifi Security Camera, Printers, Ring Doorbell, multiple 4K TV’s, etc. The installer did an outstanding job and it took him a couple hours to get everything installed and connected. The last step was the most difficult as it required asking our ISP to bridge the new Router, turning off internet from their Modem/Router. They messed up the process, making nothing work. Thankfully, our Geek Squad installer was able to tell Spectrum what they needed to do and got us back up running. I’m telling you, unless you’re great with electronics, pay a pro to get you going properly. Then sit back and enjoy the blazing fast internet speeds you’ve been paying for, but probably weren’t getting with the crappy Modem/Router from your ISP. A few things to know about the Linksys Velop. It is what they call self-healing. This means the Velop optimizes the internet to all the stations (we got the three-station system) to ensure fast Wifi anywhere in our home. Our three-station system is supposed to be able to cover a 6,000 square foot home. Our home is only 2200 square feet. But I am glad we got the three-station system. Internet from any spot in our modern concrete Florida home is fantastic. The Linksys Velop is a dynamic tri-band system. It features MU-MIMO technology (multiuser multiple input, multiple output technology). The other higher end brands don’t offer this, like Google Wifi for example. MU-MIMO gives each device its own dedicated full-speed Wifi connection. Multiple devices can connect at the same time without slowing down the network. Testing this in every room in my house, it does its job admirably. Setting up the Linksys via the free app on my iPhone couldn’t have been simpler. Once the base router communicates with the App, you name the router and create a password you want to use as your Wifi password. So nice to not have to refer to a written note with the odd letter/number, upper/lower case password the ISP Router comes with. And the app shows every connected device, which of the three stations it’s connected to and for the most part posted the right name for each device. Our laptops were named by their internal names, but it’s very simple to just tap on any device and rename it for easier recognition. Note: The App itself doesn’t offer the option to run a speed test. But you can go out to Linksys.com and sign into your account online and run a speed test there. And was I ever pleased with the result. I pay for 100 mbps service and I’m actually getting closer to 120mbs service. Nothing has ever downloaded or opened as fast as it does now. The Linksys Velop is attractive. Our electronics are black, so we chose the Velop in black. Turns out if you want the Velop in white it costs $20 more. Just for white. I happily saved $20 and the black base stations better match the electronics in our home. I am simply stunned with how terrific this system is. It’s attractive, and should provide years of stable internet service to the many devices we have connected to it.

I wanted to cover a 2400 sq.ft. house and a 900 sq.ft. detached garage apartment with a WiFi signal. The house was easy enough, my 5 y.o. router handles it no problem, but I really thought I was going to have run CAT cable from the modem-connected router that's located centrally in the main house to a slave router in the apartment which is approximately 35 ft away. I discussed my situation with a Best Buy employee and he suggested trying the Linksys Velop mesh router before I run cable. I had my doubts but I'm happy to say that climbing around the attic and digging a trench to hide a CAT wire between the 2 buildings won't be necessary, the Velop system works beautifully and set-up couldn't have been easier; the app walks you step-by-step through the process. I have a strong WiFi signal in both buildings and everywhere in-between. The signal even covers my entire back yard which is a pleasant surprise and is good enough everywhere to stream movies and play on-line games. My expectations are seldom surpassed but this Linksys Velop mesh WiFi system did just that. Great product!

For the past few years I've solely used Apple's AirPort Extreme Base Stations in all my homes and have numerous current generation models bridged and running well. As Apple has officially announced leaving the networking market, I began researching mesh networks. I decided on the Linksys Velop system as it's the only alternative Apple currently sells and endorses, thus it should be a perfect fit for my homes as my computers are Mac's (with a few Windows systems) and my mobile devices are iOS based (iPad Pro 10.5's and iPhone X's). I also have numerous HomeKit smart home devices from smart locks, lighting systems, garage and gate openers, thermostats, etc. and servers in my Berlin and New York homes. If Apple supports it, then it should be a perfect fit, especially as I use some of my servers for Time Machine. I haven't dealt with non-Apple routers in my home in years, so I was a bit trepidatious as my previous experiences with Linksys were far from great. The nodes are small and contrary to what some others have stated they aren't eyesores. In fact, I found the black nodes to be the perfect size, shape, and they blend in with their surroundings. I tested this unit in my 5,000 sq ft home which has two current generation Airport Extreme Base Stations (one in bridge mode). Either node can be the main node connected to your modem. The mobile app walks your through the setup process which was very easy and quick. After the first node is setup, simply follow the instructions to place the second node (and third if you have more). After the nodes were placed, the system ran tests to ensure each node was in the best location, then scanned your network for devices and analyzed your setup proper optimization. The two nodes cover 5,000 sq ft well, which saved me from having to purchase the three node system (and you can always add more nodes). My only issue with the nodes are the limited ethernet ports (two for each). As this is a mesh system, wireless connectivity is its main priority although you can connect the nodes with ethernet cables should you have them already placed. Simply setup the nodes wirelessly first, then connect each node to your wired setup. Unlike traditional routers which broadcast 2.4GHz and 5GHz as separate networks, these systems broadcast both under one wireless network name and use the 5GHz band by default, automatically switching to the lower ranger 2.4GHz depending on device and/or range. Each node's processors constantly evaluate the signal strength of each device in order to ensure the everything on the network has the best connection. Essentially, it's akin to an easy to setup bridged network system with intuitive and seamless device prioritization. The "Channel Finder" feature in the app evaluates connected devices and node placement should you wish to check that the system is properly functioning, however this is done automatically in the background. The speeds were slightly than my current AirPort Extreme Base Stations even though each utilize the same protocols. Trio-Band mesh networks are superior in this area as they are constantly adjusting to your needs. I tested this on my 300 Mbps down and 30 Mbps up system and found wireless speeds to be faster and more consistent, especially in area's that seemed to struggle maintaining a connection. The downside is the mobile application necessary for setting up and monitoring the system (although the desktop browser portal is a much better method as it allows for more fine tuning such as port forwarding, device prioritization, security options, etc). The iOS app UI seemed extremely basic and disappointing. In fact, it turned me off so much that I'm on the fence whether or not I should keep this system or sell it online. It's very limiting especially with naming and categorizing devices (the icons are not only hideous and generic at best, they are limiting as only a handful of devices are listed). Port forwarding allocation is archaic and my Synology servers did not recognize the systems UPnP or NAT and many manufacturers have been slow in developing proper mesh system support. Port Forwarding and DHCP Reservations are the only way to ensure LAN and external connectivity, which I normally do for all my systems. Unfortunately I experienced a handful connection issues over the 2-3 weeks in which I used the system. Sometimes a node would drop its connection, requiring the system to search for the node and ensure it was properly functioning. I had to restart it a few times as well, which I rarely had to do with my Apple wireless routers. At the end, a windstorm came in and the power flickered yet was never lost and my equipment is attached to server grade UPS's, etc. Yet the entire system lost all the settings. As there is no way to save your configuration to your computer as you can with other systems such as Apple's Airport Utility, this meant I had to setup the entire network from scratch. At this point, I packed up the system and reconnected my AirPort Extreme Base Stations and in a few minutes was back online. Pros: Speeds, coverage, seamless adaption Cons: Terrible mobile app necessary for setup and usage, lack of ethernet ports (although a simply switch remedies this issue), no dedicated desktop apps, no way to backup your system configuration should it fail

This system is exactly what I needed to switch to a mesh network. I read a bunch of other reviews which had excellent advice. Happy with the purchase and have been using for several months. The only problem is if you move a node the chord may come loose and disconnect from the network. This has happened a few times and can be problematic.

Solid connection and very fast speed. If a node drops my connection usually stays up, but I think a better placement of the node would help with minimal disconnects. The node usually only drops with a power cut or other interference. It rarely happens, but if it does it is easy to wake the node/s up. Also to save others time, disable the WiFi on your router if you have AirPrint or other device connection issues, and use the mesh network to broadcast the WIFI. This is better than bridging as you can keep the smart features on the mesh network operating. I believe the mesh network does a better job of prioritizing traffic, etc, than my new WIFI 6 router. Awesome network very happy with the speed and solid connection!!!

My internet provider is Cox Communications. I pay them every month for the 300mbps high speed internet plan. I was getting only 40 - 80mbps download and was losing my mind. I had enough and went to Best Buy to see what they had that could help... I bought the big Linksys Velop Tri band and can tell you that I get 300+ mbps (343) download speed and 32mbps upload speed and it is phenomenal!!! One of the best purchases for my home. Everyone can stream HD movies surf the web play video games and use tablets and phones all in the house and nothing slows down. Amazing!

Installed this systems with only the base unit connected to hardwire. The other units were in a sequential chain used to provide Internet access to multiple exterior buildings that extend about 500 feet from base unit. Full signal in all buildings (that are metal :) ).

I resorted to the Velop mesh WiFi 2 router system after my Apple Airport starting going out. I tried multiple higher end routers but they all failed to connect to my most distant bedroom Tv. The Velop mesh router is only router that has been able to provided consistent connectivity without disruptions. This is due essentially having two routers available throughout the house. Your devices connect to either one depending on the range and signal strength. The downside is I still have interruptions for steaming to the furtherest TV unless I use an ethernet cable attached to the second router (hence the reason for only 4 stars). You also need to download the app to a phone or device for installation. I have only had it for less than a month but so far the extra cost is paying off.