If your Wi-Fi router is having difficulty covering the entirety of your home and you’re frequently encountering dead spots, two prevalent options you may come across are mesh networks and range extenders. Though both aim to enhance your Wi-Fi signal, they utilize fundamentally different technologies, leading to unique trade-offs in terms of price, user-friendliness, and performance.
A mesh network, frequently promoted as a comprehensive home Wi-Fi solution, consists of interconnected devices including a main node and one or more satellite nodes. These nodes work together to form a single, cohesive Wi-Fi network that encompasses your entire residence. By strategically placing the satellite nodes throughout your home, a mesh network can provide superior coverage in a smooth manner compared to a standalone router.
In contrast to mesh systems, a range extender or repeater is situated within the coverage zone of your existing router. It captures the signal from the router and retransmits it as part of a new Wi-Fi network. This extends the original Wi-Fi signal to areas of your home that were previously inaccessible. However, when choosing between the two, you must evaluate their advantages and disadvantages to determine what is most important for your home network.
