We must say that this new router is Belkin’s first home mesh Wi-Fi system. It is called the Linksys Velop and it is placed somewhere between the Netgear Orbi and Google WiFi in terms of performance.
Key points
Without a doubt that there is always room for a new category of routers on the market. But, we must also say that this category comes with middling performance, a low number of features and a higher price than any other product on the market.
So, it seems that it is hard to recommend a device like this. But, we are sure that there are customers who want a mesh Wi-Fi system into their homes.
So, let’s start with the price. The new Linksys Velop is available at the price of 500 dollars.(Official Website)
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THE GOOD The Linksys Velop delivers fast Wi-Fi speed over a large area. Its hardware is well designed, and the system is generally easy to use. THE BAD The system is expensive and lacks basic settings as well as common features. An account is required for its mobile app to work and its parental control feature is poorly designed. THE BOTTOM LINE The Velop is an effective mesh Wi-Fi router, but it doesn’t have a competitive edge due to its high cost and limited feature set. |
In this price, the company includes a set of three units, which are often called nodes. But, customers should also know that there is a 350 dollars option, which includes two units and a 200 dollars package that comes with only one unit.
We must say that this system is a little bit expensive compared with other devices on the market.
For example, the Google WiFi is available at the price of 300 dollars for a set of three nodes, and 130 dollars for a single unit.
On the other side, there is the Netgear Orbi that costs approximately 400 dollars for a set of two units. But, we must add that Orbi’s units are strong enough to deliver the same Wi-Fi coverage as three units of other systems.
The best thing about these mesh Wi-Fi systems is that there have been plenty of new devices unveiled at CES 2017. All those systems will be available later this year and will cost less than the new Linksys Velop.
Customers should know that the new Linksys Velop is very easy to setup. Like many other Wi-Fi systems on the market, customers will have to use one unit as the main router to connect to an internet source, just like a broadband modem.
After the connection has been made, people who have a large home can put the rest of the units away from the main unit to automatically extend their Wi-Fi coverage.
It is important to know that the setup process is easy as long as people have smartphones.
Why? Because, like many other mesh routers on the market, there are no other alternative set up options, for example a web interface. People will just have to download the Linksys app and follow the instructions to register and log in with a Linksys account.
But, the main question remains.
Why is the new Linksys Velop more expensive than the Google Wi-Fi?
Well, because the most important thing that makes this router better than the Google WiFi is the fact that each unit is a tri-band dual stream router that features two 5GHz bands and one 2.4GHz band.
This means that the system dedicates one 5GHz band for backhaul. This feature minimizes the effect of signal loss and links the units together.
