Customer Ratings & Reviews

The Linksys - Velop AC2200 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 5 System was just what I needed to link my garage theater room from the main house. My first plan was to run cable underground to the garage to bring ethernet to my new LG OLED 77" TV but winter set in fast and I gave up on that idea. I saw this system on sale at Best Buy and thought it might be what I needed. It was easy to set up hardwired to the first node set in the window. Second and third node wireless in the downstairs and upstairs of the garage. Works great no digging trenches and running cable. My garage is about forty feet from the house and the wireless connection works fine at that distance. I did need some help from Linskys tec to get it working but once it was up and running no problems since. I would recommend this product. Four stars for set up because I needed some Linskys Tec help.

So I've been using the Linksys Velop 3 Node whole home system for about 5 days now and I feel that I'm in a good spot to give it an honest review. I have been using a mesh Network system currently, the Netgear Orbi and prior to that I've used a host of high-end routers and range extenders to try and get coverage across our home which is about 4000 square feet. Let me start with my quick Likes and Dislikes: Likes: • Build and design is solid and small footprint • Connection and range are excellent • Setup is very easy • Triband system Dislikes: • Mobile app only administration – no web utility • Mobile app is very buggy (Android) • Only 2 Ethernet LAN ports per node • Node handoff and device prioritization by 2.4 and 5 GHz bands is inconsistent • Most all advanced router functionality is removed Now what I love about the Velop system is that like the Netgear Orbi it's a tri-band system and what that allows it to do is communicate the backhaul with itself over a dedicated 5 GHz band while continuously providing bandwidth and range across the other two bands and never sacrificing speed or range like you would get using the traditional router and range extender. I will say that if you need or like to configure very specific router Administration functions, the system may not be for you as it has primarily stripped away most advanced router administration tools and settings and is built predominantly for easy setup, mesh network coverage range and speed and ease of use. All of the setup and configuration is done through their Linksys app available for IOS and Android and I must say using a router that has no web-based utility to access tools and administration and settings is a bit odd. I think over time I can get more used to it however the app right now is very buggy, at least on Android. The startup and configuration of the nodes can hang up and if that happens you simply need to power down, recycle and start again. I did try a couple times and I will say when it works the way they designed it the setup is extremely fast and easy starting with the first node and then configuring the additional add-on nodes all through the app. The app also doesn't tend to show me all of my online devices. I can be on one two or three devices and the app will show them as offline. The speed test that they give you in the app to natively test your ping and speed has never worked for me so short of uninstalling and reinstalling the app and trying again the app definitely right now has some major bugs which I'm sure Linksys will address with an update. Now our home is 4000 square feet and I figured having a three node system would be slightly overkill but I was looking forward to that thinking that I'm just going to soak the house in coverage and eliminate all dead spots and have maximum bandwidth in all corners of the house. So I started by using all three nodes throughout my home; one on the far East Side one on the far west side and one in the center of our two story home. Initially for the first day or two I was quite disappointed because I didn't seem to get the same amount of speed and range that I was getting with my Netgear Orbi which only has two modules. So I tried everything I could think of - power cycling, changing what settings I could in the app etc. and nothing I did seemed to get me the speed and coverage that I was used to. So what I ended up doing was removing one of the nodes from the loop. I simply uninstalled one of the nodes from the network and left the two on the far sides of the home connected and what I found is my speed and coverage immediately came back and has even shown improvements over the Netgear Orbi. So having all three nodes configured and running was a detriment in my home, which again is about 4000 square feet. So I'm not sure if my devices were unsure of which node to connect to or I'm not sure if the device prioritization within the node software could determine the best path and bandwidth and speed for all my devices but once I removed one of the nodes my speed and coverage has been fine. I'm seeing improved throughput on all of my devices compared to the Netgear Orbi. However with that said I have had some trouble with the Velop system prioritizing my devices across the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. There have been plenty of times where my phone or iPad or some other 5 GHz device is only connected to the Velop on the 2.4 gigahertz band. Now what the Velop tries to do internally via its software is determine the best possible band across all the devices to optimize both speed and range so it tries to automatically set the device to the appropriate band so that everyone maintains speed and connection. And this is something that you cannot set within the administration tools, what channel certain devices should connect to. With the Netgear Orbi I've never had that problem all of my 5 gigahertz devices remain connected to the 5 gigahertz band however with the Velop system I notice that maybe 60% of the time my devices will be on the 5 gigahertz band and then I think especially when I'm roaming the home or when the device needs to switch from one node to the other it takes the system a very long time to complete the handoff and then reconfigure on the new node what band my device should be on. There have even been times where I've needed to turn off Wi-Fi on the device turn it right back on reconnect to the nearest node and that generally gets does the trick, but it’s annoying to have to do that, so something I think Linksys really needs to look at is the node to node handoff and the band prioritization. In fact I would love it if they added that as an Administration tool that you can set what devices should be set to which bands manually so that you're guaranteed certain devices will always remain on the 5 gigahertz band or the 2.4 gigahertz band if you so choose. So when everything has been working as expected I am quite pleased with the range and the speed that I get from the Velop system and that's with having one node taken out of the loop. So before you buy, I would really look at your own environment and try to decide if you need a single, two or three node system. You can always add nodes if you need them, and the retail price of the whole home 3 node system is pretty steep. In terms of hardware the system seems very well built, the construction feel solid they do have a smaller footprint than most high-end routers and even the Netgear Orbi. They are even smaller then apples AirPort Extreme or time capsule in which they share a common cylinder type aesthetic. The connections are all made in the bottom of the unit. Each node has two ethernet Lan ports, a reset button and the power button. In terms of ethernet Lan connections, this is really the only other negative that I can see to the system. Most if not all routers today come with a minimum of 3 or 4 LAN ports, some can give you 8 etc. and so for the main node that would replace your main router, only having 2 ethernet Lan points can be a problem especially since one of them needs to be the ethernet connection to your modem. So essentially you're only getting one additional Lan port on one of the nodes. For me that was troublesome because I have a desktop Apple Mac connected LAN to my router as well as a security system router as well as a network hard drive. So with the Linksys Velop system I could not hook all of those devices up at the same point in the same place that I could say with my Netgear Orbi. If you don't use a lot of ethernet connected LAN devices then this shouldn't be an issue for you but if you do then you definitely need to consider would this system work for you knowing that the nodes only have two ethernet Lan ports on them and for at least the one that connects to your modem, you only have one additional. What I would love Linksys to do is build the node system where at least one the main node that you would use to connect to the modem includes more ethernet Lan ports to it or potentially at least add one dedicated LAN port for the modem and still give the user two available LAN ports for devices if they needed it because this could potentially be a problem for me long term. All in all the system is very nice. Range and speed are great, improved over what I’ve been using in the past. If you are looking for a simple to install system that doesn’t include all the bells and whistles of a high end router, but soaks your home in coverage and speed, then I would definitely take a look at the Linksys Velop. Once Linksys irons out some kinks with the mobile app and software bugs, this system is going to be king.

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 :) ).

My internet plan supports speeds up to 400mbps and with the spectrum modem/router combo wouldn't even go past 75mbps. Spotty Wifi even with range extender wouldn't go past Half the house and unreliable connection over all. Replaced it with a modem only and this mesh system and it has changed the performance of all devices used in the household. We have on average 10 devices at a time connected. 2 laptops 1 gamin console 3 tvs and 3 cable boxes plus smart phones. 10 running. at the same time with no interuptions what so ever. If we have had one it was due to modem connection never the wifi. Easy to set up and selects the best settings for you automatically. Recommend it only thing missing but I still give it 5 stars is a usb connection for a hard drive setup on network.

For almost 1 1/2 years, We were suffering with the internet speed from this rural area of Hyannis, MA! After several visits by Comcast technicians, they could not resolve the problem! We went to BestBuy for consultation! 3 days later with $ 1G ( mostly the equipment-a modem, a 5-port router, and 3 Lynsys dotes that covered my 4000 Ft. home! My 3 kids played Ibox with excellent speed!

Wow! Am just amazed at how easy the Linksys VELOP was to set-up, its speed, and the terrific coverage even in remote locations both in and outside of my home. Living in our mild climate of North Florida we spend lots of time outside on the patio, deck, and in the front and back yards of our property. When my Grandchildren are over we virtually live outside. Unfortunately, my existing router was not able to provide the kinds of performance to allow us to use Wi-Fi devices in any of my outside 'play' areas. However, that has positively changed installing the Linksys VELOP, 3-Pack, Whole Home Wi-Fi system. Now, I can actually video conference with my Son and Daughter in real-time so that they can see my Grandchildren enjoying the tree swings I put up for them. When Grandma brings out snacks and lunch we can now sit on the patio while watching an Internet kid's programs or videos on my I-Pad or laptop. And, in the morning Grandma can use her tablet while I use my I-Pad to catch up on the morning news and e-mails while we have our coffee on the deck. The Linksys VELOP has opened-up our outdoor living up to Wi-Fi devices we could not use before. It also saves me from having to use costly cellular data on our smartphones with the terrific Wi-Fi signal strength we get outside, too. WooHoo! Out of the box the physical set-up of the three nodes is fast and easy. They are well designed and stylish for technology devices. Each node is attractive enough to place anywhere in your home. One node replaced my old router in my home office location. I placed the other two strategically near most of my Wi-Fi devices like the Smart TV and Wi-Fi sound system in the living room and Smart TVs and laptops in the bedrooms. I placed these nodes as high as I could get them. I also plugged them into surge-suppression' strips. They are too expensive to leave unprotected from lightning and electrical surges where I live. Later on I experimented with placing the other two nodes near the outside walls to get front and back outside coverage too. It does not make any difference which node you set-up to be the 'parent' router. But, since each node only has only two Gigabit Ethernet ports the one you use to connect to your modem leaves you with only one left for a peripheral, or, direct connection to another node. All of my devices are Wi-Fi including my printer, so that is not a problem. However, there is no USB port in any the nodes. I could not connect my USB, auxiliary hard drive to the VELOP system. Keep that in mind if you have several USB connected devices. Not having an available USB port is not a 'deal-breaker' for me, however. The signal strength, coverage, and speed is more then enough to offset that issue. I downloaded the Linksys App before disconnecting my old modem. Then I powered my 'parent' node to an A/C, 120V, surge suppression strip and connected my modem with the supplied Ethernet cable. When I 'opened' the app It walked me through the entire installation through the Bluetooth on my smartphone. The Linksys App prompted me to name my Wi-Fi network and supply a password. It even guided me through the uninstallation of my existing router. Gotta' hand it to the Linksys IT folks. They made this unbelievably simple through 'active' screens on my smartphone and step-by-step instructions along with troubleshooting tips to install my 'parent' node and each additional satellite node. On the top of each node is an LED light, which will blink blue when it is first plugged in. It blinks purple when it is paired with my smartphone for set-up, and solid purple for set-up. It also blinks solid yellow when it is too far away, or, interference like too many walls, etc. are keeping the unit from connecting to another node. Linksys' proprietary Spot Finder Technology guides you to the best location for coverage and signal strength. Firmware updates are an automatic, enabled feature by default, you don't have to worry about future updates. Once logged-in I can go to my dashboard and under Menu go into 'Administration' to allow Guest Access, Device Prioritization, apply Parental Controls, Speed Test, and visually see the number of devices connected to my network. Be aware that there is no web-based set-up – it is all done through the Linksys App using a smartphone. The entire set-up process is easy and It was so uncomplicated, even a Grandpa like me was able to do it all in just over one hour. From a technical standpoint the Tri-Band Linksys VELOP network uses 3-AC2200, MU-MIMO routers or nodes. Each node houses a Qualcomm Chip, 716 MHz Quad Core, ARM, Cortex A7 Processor. Three Wi-Fi radios, one 2.4 GHz and two 5.0 GHz utilizing Dynamic Frequency Selection, which will switch to the best and fastest connections of bands to give you constant maximum speed and performance. It is also worth noting that Linksys offers a 3-year warranty with VELOP, which is unheard of by other router manufacturers. And, if you are interested VELOP works with Amazon's Alexa on some limited features. Additionally, the three nodes can be connected together by Ethernet cable exclusively (LAN), if your home or building presents difficult Wi-Fi, radio broadcast scenarios. My home is one story with patio, decks, and garage, approximately 3,500 square feet of total space. The Linksys VELOP is stated to cover optimally up to 6,000 square feet, dependent on number of walls and type of construction. I also have a home office, which is much better served now with VELOP. I just love the increased performance of my Wi-Fi devices inside my home (no more buffering). I have a laptop and tablet that are MU-MIMO, but really never knew what that meant up until the last few days. They are lightning fast since I can now take advantage of 802.11ac , future-proof technology. I really cannot say enough good about the outside range of VELOP, which is changing my outdoor lifestyle, dramatically. Being blessed with good weather most of the year allows me and my family to spend lots of time outside. VELOP helps us to enjoy the great outdoors now in so many more ways with our Wi-Fi connected devices. YooHoo! I highly recommend the purchase of this Linksys VELOP., 3-Pack, Whole House Wi-Fi System. It is 'state-of-the-art'. If you have a smaller footprint for living space you may be able to purchase just one or two nodes for whole home Wi-Fi. VELOP nodes can be added on as needed and are not limited to just one, two, or three nodes. The system is easily expandable. VELOP's strength of signal and tri-band node configuration gives me my 'money's worth'. It allows me to check my ISP' speed anywhere inside or outside of my home at anytime. VELOP is pricey, but you get what you pay for. The reliability, performance, and simplicity of this system is absolutely amazing. You do not have to be a techno-wizard to install and administer this system. I recommend the Linksys VELOP Wi-Fi System for seniors, like myself, mainly for its simplicity and fantastic coverage. And, because the Linksys VELOP will be around for many more years.

This system is specifically designed for someone that wants to supply Wi-Fi throughout their house without having a gaudy looking, “alien like” router being the center piece of it. The design of each node is like a small vase or one of those Glade automatic air fresheners, with wires easily guided behind it and hidden underneath, too include a very “modern looking” power adapter. The Linksys Velop is directly aimed at someone that wants a simple method to set it up and a simple way to manage it. With the Linksys app it walks you through the process step by step and works its “magic” as it displays during setup. Managing the system is simple and straight forward through the app which is only available on iOS (8.0 or later) and Android (4.0.3 or later). The app allows you to control each devices access, enable/disable guest networks, and manage other technical aspects of the network. Using three nodes you can seamlessly cover a large area without ever needing to understand how it works. With the two Ethernet ports on each node you can also provide wired Ethernet connections to remote devices while wirelessly connected back to the internet. In my case my son’s room has always been a weak Wi-Fi spot and his old computer has just remained off the internet for years now. With this system he now has excellent Wi-Fi coverage and his old computer is connected via Ethernet cable to a wireless network. The Linksys Velop is an easy, simple and elegant way to provide a single hi-speed Wi-Fi network throughout a large area. On the flip side though, I am a tech nerd and I like to have much more control over my devices. For instance, you cannot control these network devices with a computer. Unlike other Linksys devices that you can use the Linksys app for, you can usually use the computer to get even more refined details, such as separating the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands into separate networks or setting times to restrict access for parental controls. With the Linksys Velop you must use the app, even after the network is set up. If you attempt to log into the main node via IP, it will remind you that you must use the app. The other side effect to the app is that it is only available on iOS and Android devices that must already have an internet connection, because you have to download the app before you even start setup. So, if you only have an old device (earlier than iOS 8 and Android 4.0.3), or a Windows based phone, and don’t already have Wi-Fi or data services on your device, you will not be able to set this system up. During the set-up process, though simple and guided, there were several times that I was on a waiting screen with no feedback other than a pinging blue circle or a rotating blue ring and the statement telling me it will take some time or please wait. After waiting over 15 minutes, two separate times, I restarted everything and it only took about 5 minutes to complete setup of the first node. The second node was even quicker and the third node required a hard reset of holding the reset button for 10 seconds, as directed by the app, though it installed after that with no issues. I just feel that the app should realize that after about 5 minutes of being on a single screen that something may be wrong and suggest restarting. The Wi-Fi connection is truly seamless. Going from node to node is not noticeable unless you are looking for it and that is where I noticed that it only changes nodes over when it is at near loss of the previously connected node. For instance if connected to node 3 and you walk to node 2, you will not switch over to a stronger signal unless the other signal is so weak that you may lose connection anyways. Due to the size of my house, my devices only switch once I was at node 1, which was in my basement. This is a good thing, as it prevented actual loss of connection, but to me did not seem like the best option as the signal is stronger and most likely faster if I am a few feet from node 2 as opposed to 20 feet from node 3 or 1. The speed of this connection also ran between 80 and 100Mbps, which is good enough for my internet connection, but not the fastest local network speed. Overall, Linksys Velop is a great looking system and works as intended. If you are looking for a simple and kind of discreet way to provide Wi-Fi throughout your house, this is the way to go. If you are like me and want more control over your home Wi-Fi, you might want to consider something like the Linksys WRT3200ACM.

Easy to setup and works in minutes out of the box.

Very powerful wireless, great coverage, covers our entire 3,000 Square Foot, 3 floor house. Easy to setup, also has a great app to control the system.

Happy couple, happy life. My husband and I have separate home offices. Lucky for me, I am closer to our modem and router, and get excellent internet speed. My husband's speed is half of mine. Hoping to neutralize this hot topic, we went searching for a solution. Our Best Buy Customer Service Rep, Jerry, steered us well in buying the Linksys Velop Tri-Band Mesh WIFI 5 System. Now, we both get super high speed internet. Plus, the Nodes are sleek and attractive. Couldn't be happier. Thanks Jerry.

A great addition to our Linksys Triband Wifi Router! Setup was a breeze and our entire home has high speed wifi now! Highly recommended.

I really liked the product it got minus one because out of box one node wouldnt connect. Had to reset fully like four times. It eventually connected and then even far part in House it provides heat coverage. No drops yet in two weeks. Covers 2 story 2600 sqft well. Backyard and driveway too. Nice if I forget a podcast or something I get full speed download outside Plug is kinda big but product is. Nice looking. You can plug two units directly into any one that isn’t taking the input forum router blue light can be bothersome but just put in another room

Moving on – the technology WiFi march We’ve been impressed with Linksys/CISCO’s latest foray into all-home WiFi with their latest leading edge Linksys Velop WiFi tri-band System ( http://www.linksys.com/us/p/P-WHW0303/ ) to provide all-home WiFi at 2,000 sq ft per Velop node e.g. 1-node – 2,000 sq ft.; 2-nodes – 4,000 sq ft; 3-nodes – 6,000 sq ft.. An attractive feature of the Velop System is that it provides seamless WiFi throughout any home but more importantly it’s a 300Mb WiFi ‘bandwidth pipe’, end to end; there is no diminishing bandwidth as you move farther from the router or node as in previous router/extender systems. An Android or Apple IOS Tablet or Smartphone are required for setup that’s accomplished with aplomb for multi-story or ranch style homes. The new Linksys Velop 3-node system replaces a Linksys EA9200/AC3200 Tri-Band Smart Wi-Fi Router and Linksys RE6700 Range Extender combo system. With our previous Linksys EA9200/AC3200 Tri-Band Smart Wi-Fi Router and Linksys RE6700 Range Extender combo, we began having to deal with frequent dropped WiFi signal(s) with our computing appliances read: 2x Galaxy Tab S2’s, 1x Galaxy S7 Smart phone, 1x Galaxy S8 smart phone, 2x desktops (wired), Vizio 70” smart UHD TV. 2x Android Security System w/ 17 wireless security nodes throughout the home including a workshop, 1x Onkyo AV (wired) surround sound amplifier, and an 8 sound zone Amplifier system, a Lorex 8-camera security monitoring system as well as a Vonage VOIP telephone system and direct smartphone WiFi calling. Additionally we recently added the Amazon Firestick for ‘cut-the-wire’ television viewing, all riding our WiFi backbone . From the above the reader should understand that reliable all-home Gigabit WAN/LAN & WiFi is important to us as well as securing our home network security. Linksys and Netgear are two leading purveyors of home networking systems that excel at support and leading edge technology. We find our use case to be multiple systems, mobile & desktops accessing our WAN/LAN & WiFi systems simultaneously, and frequently we find ourselves wondering throughout the home while talking on wireless telephone systems and Skyping with our kids and grandkids. Pervasive networking under all situations is a must. We loved the simplistic, non-rocket science approach by Linksys to the Velop system installation and setup and how easily the 3-node system we installed integrated into our home with signal strength indications with the installation of each node, driven by a Linksys provided App available from the play store, and running on our smartphone or tablet where the network management takes place. After a few days of accessing and stressing the new home network system, we are excited at the possibilities and reliability of the system. At $488.00 including tax for the 3-pak, we find the new system is perfect for a complicated home network of systems. Yes, we’d recommend the Linksys Velop system in either the 2-pak or 3-pak flavor depending on the home in which the system is being installed; and Yes, we’d buy this system again.

The setup for the Linksys Velop Whole Home Wi-Fi System was so easy that I feel even non-tech savvy people can quickly and easily be up an running in less than 15 minutes. After taking the items out of the box, a card said to download the Linksys APP to my phone and that it was, “that easy.” After I downloaded the app, I signed in and it asked me what I wanted to set up, with the Velop system being the number one choice. After that, all the steps were laid out to me in easy to see images. You even have an option if you previously had another router that you are trying to replace, so that it isn’t as confusing for those who don’t mess around too much with routers. The key feature of this product is the ability to extend your WiFi network all over your home. My home is 3/4s of an acre and I need a system like this. After plugging in the first of the three provided nodes (little white towers), the app will recognize it and you will be asked to set up the name of your wireless network and your password. From there, you are given instructions to connect other nodes that you want. Another feature that I enjoyed was the ease of prioritizing the devices that connect to the system. Imagine a world where the device you use the most gets the internet priority versus other home inhabitants who may also be on your network but don’t necessarily depend on the internet. With the app, it’s easy to assign specific devices to take over the network vs. other devices. The performance of Velop system was better than expected. I connected the main one upstairs, which is where my router is. The next one was plugged downstairs in the main living room, and the third one was installed in my kitchen. The kitchen one had trouble picking up the signal, so the app told me the first time that I needed to move it closer to another node. After I moved it just a few feet, the app said that the Kitchen node was picking up signal, but that it was weak. It asked me to leave it there if I wanted to or it recommended moving it to an even closer location. To be honest, the kitchen is blocked by a bunch thick walls, since it was made after the home was completed as an addition to the house, so it made sense. I moved it a third time and everything worked. The Linksys Velop Whole Home Wi-Fi System meets my expectations. My kitchen, the most difficult room in the house to get Wi-Fi signal and I was able to stream my shows at that location in HD at full speed. The price for this system can be hefty but the value that they provide is insurmountable for homes where every family member or guest expects WiFi around the home. I highly recommend this to people who have a high speed internet system and a home where certain areas have a weak WiFi signal. The features from the product make it ideal to manage devices for the younger ones and for the household breadwinner, you can prioritize your internet needs by device. Overall, it’s a good investment. I can foresee me keeping this sytem for over 5 years, making the price per year seem more than affordable.

I didn't realize the limitations of my very expensive overpriced Xfinity wifi, until I purchased and finally set up the Linksys 600. We have a fairly large size home. The router is in basement. So, we were constantly having issues with the two upstairs levels obtaining wifi on TVs, laptops, etc. Had to call Linksys customer service to assist with set up. The 5minute process took about 45mins. But, they were patient, explained everything and I think our setup and results are far better than had I left it to the self install. It's been hooked up for a few weeks now. Needed to disable the original Xfinity wifi so our home products are not searching and defaulting to the Xfinity wifi vs the Lynksys. Had to reestablish and activate all products to the new network and opt for forget on the original. Works amazingly. No delays, laptop, Firestick, everything, comes right on and search time is instant. Very pleased. The Bestbuy rep told me about it several months back. However, had to do more research, finally get fed up with not being able to successfully work from home due to connection issues and then wait for the right sale. One tower on each lever of house...but when first installing, they all need to be within 5ft of each other for initial setup and pairing. Ensure all lights turn and stay blue before separating. Great investment. Very pleased.

I was having signal issues in my house so I did some reading and decided to give these a try. I am glad I did they work amazing! I have a 3200 sq’ 2 story house and I don’t have signal issue anywhere. I even have a strong signal out at my pool that is 75’ from my house. I would definitely recommend these to anyone that needs signal strength everywhere.

Recently upgraded our Internet to fiber optics through AT&T. There were several spots in the house that did not receive the strong signal, after installing all three nodes the download is 889 Mbps and 934 Mbps. I would definitely suggest the product for those that have a movie room or a large home that has lots of devices that stream.

Mesh Wi-Fi systems seem to be the hot new thing in home networking. Linksys may not have been first out of the gate with the Velop, but it has delivered a stylish and blazing-fast system that should make it stand out against the competition. Here's my take: SETUP AND MANAGEMENT: - Amazing first impressions. If you enjoy the unboxing experience of new electronics, you won't be disappointed. From the sturdy box to the minimalist packaging and layout, there is no doubt that this is a high-quality product. - Sleek, understated design. Each of the three towers or "nodes" is slightly shorter than an Amazon Echo. There is only one tiny LED status light at the top of each node. The Velop system should seamlessly blend into any home decor. - Incredibly easy setup using the Linksys iOS or Android app. Simply plug in a Velop node, open the Linksys app, and follow the instructions. Once you've set up the first node, place the other two nodes where you want them and repeat the process. Within ten minutes, I had setup all three nodes throughout my house (one in the home office, one in the kitchen, and one upstairs) and my Wi-Fi network was ready to go. It doesn't get much easier than this. - The Linksys app provides an overview of all devices that are connected to your network. It also has options for Guest Access, Parental Controls, Device Prioritization, and some other advanced network settings. PERFORMANCE: - My previous setup consisted of a Linksys EA7500 router and a range extender. This worked well, but speeds were noticeably slower when connected to the range extender. The Velop system eliminates this problem by reserving one of its three wireless bands for backhaul -- the communication between the main node and satellite nodes. - I calculated throughput on each of the three nodes: the main node in the home office as well as the two satellite nodes (kitchen, ~20 feet away from main node; and upstairs, ~45 feet away from main node). Keep in mind: these results are not my Internet speeds. They are the speeds at which I transferred a large file between computers on the Velop Wi-Fi network, averaged over 5 tests. - Standing just a few feet from the main node (home office), throughput averaged 462 megabits per second (mbps). At the kitchen node, throughput averaged 386 mbps. The farthest-away, upstairs node averaged 264 mbps. All things considered, these results are incredible and allow me to max-out my Internet speed of 150 mbps from anywhere in my house. In comparison, throughput on my old range extender typically maxed out at around 100 mbps. - Perhaps most importantly, there are no longer any dead spots in my 3,200 sq. ft. house. I've conducted speed tests from every corner of every room, and I've maxed out my Internet speed every time. COULD BE BETTER: - The wall plugs are oddly shaped and might take up a lot of space on your wall outlet or surge protector. - Setup and configuration can only be done from the Linksys smartphone app. There is no way to access the Velop system's settings from a computer or web browser. - There aren't many advanced networking settings offered in the Linksys app, so if you're a power user who needs to fine tune every last detail of your network, you might be left wanting more. (For example: you are unable to create separate SSIDs for the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands.) - Only two ethernet ports on each node. On the main node, one of those has to be used for your cable modem, which leaves only one ethernet port to connect a desktop computer, home security system, or other device that you would prefer to have hard-wired. If you want more ports, you'll have to connect an ethernet switch. - No USB ports for those who would like to create a network storage solution. OVERALL: The Velop is perfect for the average user who wants to eliminate any and all problems with Wi-Fi. The system provides and easy and seamless solution to whole-home Wi-Fi coverage without the need for any advanced configuration. Other systems like Google Wi-Fi and Eero lack the tri-band technology which makes the Velop really fly when connected to the satellite nodes. It might be a bit more expensive than other options, but the Velop delivers the best overall throughput performance and range of any Wi-Fi system I've ever used. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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!

Here are the different sections of the review Packaging -------------- The Device came in a beautiful package, the package itself looks expensive and the 3 node routers neatly arranged with minimal paperwork. Setup ------- You will need a smartphone or a computer with bluetooth for the setup. easiest is to setup using your smartphone. its so easy that even a 10 year old can setup. the app for the smartphone is very user friendly and has a nice interface. I was very impressed. I connected one of the nodes first and turned on the bluetooth in my phone and installed the app and it was just clicking "next" "next" and following the instructions. Connectivity & Speed ------------------------------ Only one node ------------------- With just one node, it will be able to replace your existing router. I had the ASUS AC-1900 router which is a fairly powerful router, i think by just using 1 node, i can replace the router easily. I did a speed test with the speedtest app and measured the speeds by placing the router in the living room and went to the basement to test the speed. Check my picture for the speed with just 1 node. Adding a node -------------------- Then i added a note to the grid. adding a node again was very very simple. just connect the node to power and use the app to set it up. you will need to go to my account to add a node, again very simple You can see that after adding a node, the speed is same as as if i was sitting in the living room, that good! Now to summarize the Pros and Cons Pros ----- 1. Easy Easy setup 2. Excellent speed and reliability 3. Very Small, yet powerful. 4. its beautiful, will go with your room decor and people wont even notice 5. Excellent App to setup, you can control everything using the app 6. Guest network setup 7. Excellent coverage with all 3 notes, easily covered by 3000 sqft home. Cons ------ 1. Cannot individually control 2.4 vs 5Ghz. this is automated 2. Some folks might need a USB for file sharing but this router does not have one