How can I get better WiFi coverage in my home?
Are you frustrated by the lack of WiFi in certain places in your home?
Is your WiFi slower than the speed you are paying for?
Are you having to change to a different WiFi name each time you go into a different room in your home?
Photo courtesy of Eero
If you answered Yes to any of these questions, then you should upgrade your WiFi to a mesh network. What is a mesh network? Think of it as a way to cast a WiFi net over your home. Usually mesh networks consist of two to three “hubs” or “satellites” that allow you to connect to your WiFi. If two to three hubs don’t do the trick (especially if you have a larger home), you can easily add hubs to fix those nasty dead spots.
Also, a mesh system is capable of handling the faster fiber optic speeds that AT&T, Comcast and Google offer. If you’ve had fiber optic installed in your home and didn’t upgrade your extenders, it’s very possible you’re not taking advantage of the speed you’re paying for. A mesh system will help carry that super fast fiber speed throughout your home.
There are several companies that sell mesh-like systems. At She’s Wired, we’ve tested three different systems with equal success. There are other companies out there. We just haven’t tried them yet. We found all three fairly easy to set up if you have some sense of how these systems “talk” to each other. If you are new to mesh systems, give us a call to help set it up.
Eero was by far the easiest to set up and, from our testing, provided the most solid WiFi throughout the home. You do have to set up Eero using their iOS or Android app on your phone. Keep an eye on Amazon pricing. Recently a client purchased the three Eero Pro system for $100 off the retail price of $499.
Google WiFi, while easy to set up, had some issues with any device we connected to it, such as a printer. After some negotiating with the device, we got the printer to print. You must have a Google or Gmail account to set up Google WiFi. A Google WiFi 3-pack starts at $199.
The Netgear Orbi was the most frustrating to set up. It has lots of bells and whistles that tech geeks will love. But for a consumer who just wants good WiFi, it’s over the top on features. Once it’s all set, the system worked very well and at great distances in larger homes. We also tested the Orbi outdoor satellite and were very pleased with the results. The Orbi system we tested was the AC3000 series. Systems start at around $300.
You can’t go wrong with any of these devices. While mesh systems come with some sticker shock, keep in mind that they will handle any speed adjustments to your home WiFi in the coming years. And, as we all know, we want our devices to run faster every day.
If you have a question about WiFi Mesh systems or anything else digital, give us a call at 404-935-9614 or email us at wecanhelp@sheswired.com.
Get more Tech Tips from the She’s Wired team
