If you've been working from home, you have likely been using the Wi-Fi network and technology you had for basic home needs. You might be at a point where you're interested in how you can upgrade your experience and be even more productive. We'll look at how mesh routers work to see if it's worth the cost of the investment.
A mesh router is a system that has multiple access points (sometimes called satellites). Instead of getting a Wi-Fi signal from one location, you set up different locations to harness the router's signal and then rebroadcast it. The exact number of points will depend on your home. For medium-sized homes, it might be one access point linking to the modem and then one placed in a dead area of the home. For larger properties, you might set up several access points so there's no chance of losing connection.
One benefit of working from home is that you have the freedom to come and go as you please. If you don't want to work at your desk, you don't have to. Sometimes switching to the couch, a patio chair or kitchen counter is just what you need to recharge your creativity. But if you have a large home, you might notice that certain areas have poor connection. You might get spotty reception or your connection might drop off entirely. This can restrict your workflow when at home and make for less appealing conditions. A mesh router can help alleviate this issue.
If you're used to staying in one place all day and find that the location is always consistent, then a mesh router is almost undoubtedly not worth the expense. The same is true if your home is on the smaller side. Not only are you already getting the quality service you need, but you can also keep your equipment to the bare minimum.
However, if you wrestle with concern about your next Zoom meeting or if you're afraid you're going to lose your work because the Wi-Fi cut out at the worst possible second then a mesh router can be a lifesaver.
Not only can you expand your coverage but the systems are automated and allow for easy management through a network app. So even if you're not at home, you can check the speed of your connection, control Wi-Fi access and create guest networks.
Mesh routers differ from range extenders in that they don't require a separate Wi-Fi network to get more coverage. Even as you move from room to room, you won't have to worry about whether you're jeopardizing your coverage. Finally, many of the kits are also known for their security support. The network management and automatic firmware updates all make it possible to keep your home safe from malicious software or opportunistic hackers.
I'm John Mahan, Sales Associate with William Raveis Real Estate, Harwich Port Office.
Throughout his childhood, John Mahan spent summers on Cape Cod at his parents’ home in Dennis Port. His intro to the Cape was, as he puts it, when his parents “carried me down the stairs at Sea Street Beach when I was a week old.” With a lifelong connection to Cape Cod, it seemed only natural for John and his wife, Mary, to move to Harwich – where they still reside – with their two young children in 1996.
Prior to moving to Cape Cod, John lived in the Worcester-Auburn area where he worked for Mass Electric for 10 years and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Utility Workers. When John and his family moved to the Cape, he worked at NSTAR for six years.
John began his career in real estate in 2002 when he joined Team Waystack Realty in Harwich Port. He has been a consistent top producing realtor in the Harwich area for the past 20 years. John’s approachable demeanor, combined with an integral understanding of the Cape Cod residential real estate market, have allowed him to build trusting, long-term relationships with his clients – both sellers and buyers.
