This article explains if you really need a mesh network at home. The article also explains how to setup a mesh network at home and identify appropriate mesh wireless routers to setup the network.
Is mesh Wi-Fi network really needed for your home
Lets take two home scenarios. One home is around 1000 sqft and has only one floor. The second home is 2000 sqft but has two floors.
For the first home, you may not really need a mesh network. A powerful router with good signal range would work. Or you could use a Wi-fi extender with your existing router to improve the signal.
But for the second home, a mesh network would be an ideal choice.
A mesh network is recommended when you have a large home with multiple floors. In this setup, the probability of Wifi dead zones are very high. Even if your wireless router is powerful, the signals may not reach all the rooms.
How to identify the right Mesh W-Fi router
Mesh networks are designed considering the area of the home. Mesh routers comes in different packs. Based on the area requriement, you can purchase it accordingly.
The following are three types of TP-LINK mesh routers which comes in 1.2 and 3 packs.
The TP-Link Deco WiFi 6 Mesh WiFi System is a suite of mesh routers. The routers comes in three packs.
If you have a home which is less than 2000 sqft in size, you can purchase the TP-Link Deco WiFi 6 Mesh WiFi System 1 pack router which would provide coverage upto 2200 sqft.
If you have a home which is less than 4000 sqft in size, you can purchase the TP-Link Deco WiFi 6 Mesh WiFi System 2 pack router which would provide coverage up to 4000 sqft.
If you have a home which is less than 6000 sqft in size, you can purchase the TP-Link Deco WiFi 6 Mesh WiFi System 3 pack router which would provide coverage up to 6000 sqft.
Based on the size of your home, the number of packs can be identified and purchased.
FAQ
1. I have a single floor house. There is weak W-Fi signal in one of the rooms. Should I buy a mesh router ?
You can buy a mesh router and that would be a good choice. But that may not be needed. You could use a Wi-Fi extender or a Powerline extender to provide coverage in the area.
Mesh routers would be costlier when compared with the other two solutions.
2. I have a three storey house where there are Wi-Fi dead zones. Should I buy a mesh router
In this case, a mesh router would be an ideal choice. This would solve the problem of Wi-Fi dead zones in your home.
3. I have a single storey house which is 3000 sqft. Do I need a mesh router.
You may not need a mesh router. A powerful router which can provide 3000 sqft range can be used. An example would be ASUS WiFi 6 Router (RT-AX3000) – Dual Band Gigabit Wireless Internet Router
4. Which vendors manufature mesh routers
Mesh routers are manufactured by different vendors like TP-LINK, netgear, Google etc. You can check our for more details here – Mesh Routers
Check out our – Home Networking Guide. The ebook explains different case studies and solutions which can be used to setup and configure your home network.