How to Tell If It’s Time to Upgrade Your Home Network to a Mesh Network

Ken Colburn
| Exclusively for The Republic

Question: My current router is quite a few years older now and I’m moving to a bigger house, so I’m wondering if it’s time to upgrade to a mesh network.

Answer: There are many things to consider when upgrading your wireless networking equipment, and moving to a larger home is certainly one of them.

Another thing to consider is the number of people/devices you plan to have on your network, and whether any of them have special bandwidth requirements (gaming, 4K streaming, etc.).

If you are moving from a single-story home to a home with multiple stories, your insurance needs will also change.

If something works well…

From a technical perspective, upgrading to the latest technology will likely yield better results, but will come at a significant cost.

If you have the patience, I suggest you first test your new home to make sure it provides good coverage in all the important areas using your current equipment.

If your new home is long all the way around and your ISP’s signal reaches it at one end, the signal at the other end may be weak.

Running speed tests and checking the Wi-Fi signal strength in your desired location using your current router should help you make your decision.

If you want to get really technical about your assessment, download the NetSpot app (https://netspotapp.com) on your phone or computer and use the Wi-Fi Inspector and Speed Test options to collect data.

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Routers wear out

Even though a wireless router has no moving parts, their performance degrades over time.

Heat and dust are two major factors that contribute to thermal degradation of capacitors, integrated circuits, and even the power supply. Dust acts as an insulator, causing higher operating temperatures for a device that is always on.

If your router is over 5 years old or you’re starting to experience connectivity issues, buying new hardware may be a good idea.

To connect or not to connect?

The larger size of your new home doesn’t automatically mean you need to upgrade to a mesh network, but there are some significant benefits you should consider.

Mesh networks use multiple “nodes” to spread a signal over a large area more smoothly than using Wi-Fi range extenders (see Range Extenders vs. Mesh Networks: https://bit.ly/3U1Vwf3).

As you move around your home, you don’t have to manually change your Wi-Fi connection like you do with a signal booster.

They’re also scalable, meaning you can add nodes as your coverage needs change, like adding a security camera outside your garage or other internet-connected devices near your backyard.

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All you need to add a node is an electrical outlet, and setting up a new node is simple, even for users with no technical knowledge.

Aesthetically, mesh nodes are typically more discreet because they do not have protruding antennas.

The mesh network starter pack includes 2 nodes and is priced $100-$150 more than a standalone router.

This higher cost is somewhat offset if it turns out that a range extender needs to be added, and it is certainly a more user-friendly solution because the network decides when to switch to another node, not the user.

Ken Colburn is the founder and CEO of Data Doctors Computer Services, datadoctors.com. Ask any technical question at facebook.com/DataDoctors or on Twitter @TheDataDoc.