Mesh vs. Extended WiFi Networks
About a week ago, Sean Flynn, a contributing writer for Deal News, wrote a short article with the title What is a Mesh WiFi Network?. The article is definitely short, and slightly inaccurate in its definition of extended WiFi networks, and wholly misleading on the context of mesh WiFi networks. To ensure folks understand the differences between the two and why both exist, let’s define what each of these are, their pros and cons, and in what environments they are suited for.
Extended WiFi Networks
WiFi extenders go by many other names: repeater, booster, range extender, and extender. Any device labeled as one of these is still just an network extender regardless of the linguistic marketing ploy used by a particular brand. The function of a WiFi extender is to simply extend the range of the wireless signal. By default, to get the best wireless network range in a specific location, it needs to be in a centralized location. Let’s not forget to take into account walls and ceilings that may potentially block or distort WiFi signals.
For the consumer, and even businesses, it isn’t possible to centrally locate a wireless router or access point. Often this is because the provided connection from an Internet Service Provider is located in an inconvenient location like an exterior wall. To reach the other side of a home or business, the wireless range for the wireless network needs to be increased. A wireless network extender communicates directly with the home or office router, re-broadcasting the network ID (SSID).
Need more range? Install a range extender, and you’re all set! Not so fast!
There is a small, but not insignificant, problem with range extenders - they are dumb devices. What this means is that the extenders do not contain software to automatically connect a device to it once said device is range. Rather, the mobile or computer device has to detect it is out of range of the primary WiFi network before selecting the network range extender for service. This can be incredibly frustrating for a user who is traversing or sitting between the ranges of both devices. Their device may disconnect and reconnect to both network devices in proximity over and over again, resulting in dropped or slow connections to the network.
There is truly only one benefit of a range extender: price. Range extenders can be purchased online and from most big-box stores for under $30, even from high-end reputable brands. Range extenders are impressively cheap and it is because they are a dumb device that serves to only extend the range of accessibility of a wireless network. The cons are many and in addition to what was described above, range extenders’ network quality and performance rely on the quality and performance of the primary network provider. This means that if the wireless router is putting out weak signals, so too will the range extender.
Meshed WiFi Networks
Enter mesh networking, a form of networking that has been around for the last two decades or so. In a physical network, one with switches, routers, and other network interfacing devices, there is no hierarchy of service. All devices connect to each other directly and dynamically. This means if a user needs to print to a printer on the 5th floor from their 10th floor office, they can do so. Their request is sent over the network and the intelligence of switches and routers locate the proper network interface to send the print request to. Many network and IT professionals and enthusiasts will recognize such the term star topography, which is the predecessor to the mesh network.
A mesh WiFi network is similar, creating a single network in a home or office, meshing together a number of network service providing devices to allow instant and efficient connection to the network. The devices of a mesh network are considered intelligent, meaning they have software operating within that seamlessly hands off a device from one WiFi access point to another when the software deems the signal strength to be better for a connected device.
To elaborate, a user is sitting in the living room working from a laptop. That user needs to move to their home office that is upstairs at the back of the house. As the user moves throughout the house, the user’s laptop is handed off to whatever network access point is closest. What does the user have to do? Nothing, absolutely nothing. The entire time they traverse through their home, their laptop remains connected to the network. If they were playing a YouTube video in the living room and continued playback to their office, the video would continue to play with no interruption.
Meshed WiFi Offerings
Mesh WiFi networks do not create a separate network, although in base terms, they do extend the reach of your network, but logically and physically, rather than just physically as with a range extender. Google, eero, Linksys, Luma, and a handful of other manufacturers offer WiFi mesh systems. While you could mix and match devices between the various manufacturers, you wouldn’t want to. The reason is that the software that operates on each of these branded devices will differ from each other, and the success of meshed WiFi networks is based almost exclusively on the intelligent software used in these devices. The software uses complex logic to route traffic correctly without overloading or otherwise impacting the traffic of its brethren on the network.
The only con for a WiFi mesh network is the cost. To create a meshed WiFi network, you have to have a minimum of two (2) access points at a cost of $120 each, on average. This cost is nearly four times the cost of a WiFi range extender, but the functionality, efficiency, and performance of a meshed WiFi network is worth it.
Complete Transparency
I have used both forms of these WiFi networks and can attest to the performance of a meshed WiFi network over a typical and cheaper extended WiFi network. I have used both in professional and personal settings and can attest to the ease of configuration and management. As a professional, I’ve used the Cisco Meraki MR-26 access points and swear by the devices for whole office WiFi. They are simple to deploy and super easy to manage with a number of useful tools such as network monitoring alerts and connectivity control.
At home, I have Google WiFi that provides WiFi network coverage for the garage, house, yards, and even into my neighbor’s yards. Having used enterprise-grade meshed WiFi networks, I do wish for some of the management capabilities and functionality of those to be present in Google WiFi, or any of the other consumer brands, but I understand the need to make the devices and their configuration and management simple.
Summary
Given the proliferation of always on and connected devices, from mobile phones to thermostats, it is essential for consumers and businesses to have quality wireless networks with seamless connectivity regardless of the location a user or device. Mesh networks are certainly the best way to achieve efficient and worry-free WiFi performance, and I hope this article did a better job of explaining it than the original article that prompted this writing.