For those of you that have deployed "consumer Mesh wifi"...

[VirtualLarry]

How is it typical to configure them?

I've always used a wired PC or laptop to configure most consumer routers.

With a consumer mesh setup, with a base station (wired WAN), and two wireless satellites, I would assume that I would login to the base unit to configure.

But does that configuration automagically replicate to the satellites, or do you need to log into each of them to configure? Even if you don't need to, can you?

 

[JackMDS]

There is variation between systems in specific deployment and configuration.

One do not necessarily need to agree with the recommendation, but is a good description of what is commonly available.

https://www.pcmag.com/roundup/350795/the-best-wi-fi-mesh-network-systems

And a specific example - https://www.extremetech.com/electronics/251626-setting-mesh-network-home-small-office

 

[VirtualLarry]

from that extremetech article:

Many of the newest solutions rely heavily on the cloud. That can be great for auto updating. But it means you can be susceptible to outages caused by server issues, and that information about your home is being sent off to who knows where. Google, for example, has made no secret of the fact that it data mines information from its consumer devices.

Quite frankly, that's frightening. Scratch Google off my list of potential Mesh vendors.

I mean, it's one thing to data-mine, if I choose to use their services (Search, GMail, YouTube, etc.) It's entirely another to actively spy on my entire internet connection. People go for this???

 

[mxnerd]

from that extremetech article:
Quite frankly, that's frightening.

What do you expect?

You basically give up everything when you use Android phones, Gmail and Google Search

 

[VirtualLarry]

Guess I'll stick to dd-wrt and Tomato, among others.

 

[mv2devnull]

Quite frankly, that's frightening.

Yes, but also good. We (partially) know what Google does. Honesty is a virtue?

Think about all the other vendors, who do not disclose that they do exploit us no less than Google. Well, maybe they don't.

 

[XavierMace]

What do you expect?

You basically give up everything when you use the internet

FTFY.

 

[John Connor]

I use one of those WIFI boosters from eBay with an ASUS N66U flashed to ASUS Merlin. Never a drop or anything and the router is downstairs.

 

[ch33zw1z]

from that extremetech article:



Quite frankly, that's frightening. Scratch Google off my list of potential Mesh vendors.

I mean, it's one thing to data-mine, if I choose to use their services (Search, GMail, YouTube, etc.) It's entirely another to actively spy on my entire internet connection. People go for this???

I really think the average person simply doesn't care, doesn't want to care, and even if they do....feels helpless when it comes to tech.

 

[DooKey]

I've been running an Orbi for a year now and it was super easy to setup and it has outstanding speed across my 3000 sq/ft home. It's the best wifi I've ever had.