Xiaomi has been a leading manufacturer of small appliances and smart devices for many years. In modern homes, it is increasingly important to ensure connectivity at all levels. Over the years, Xiaomi has provided many solutions for homes and small offices and continues to adapt to modern challenges. The more connected we are, the more connected our environments are too. However, the option of a single router is not always enough. This is where Xiaomi Mesh solutions can optimize your installation and improve performance.
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Beyond the conventional product range, the brand has carved out a decent market share when it comes to its smart products. Over the years, we've reviewed several of them on Fortress, including the Mi Robot Vacuum solution, as well as the home security camera.
Often these solutions are not standalone devices but can be connected to a smart network that can be used anywhere. Having quality network coverage throughout your home or small office is essential. Disconnecting or moving out of range of your router often results in poor performance of your devices. This could mean your security network is failing or even your remote meetings are disrupted. This is where mesh networks can help you solve these problems.
What is a mesh network?
In its simplest definition, a mesh network consists of multiple wireless streaming devices connected to a single network.
In a typical home or office network, only one router (wireless broadcaster or Wi-Fi) is used. However, its range is limited to a few meters of open area, further reduced by concrete walls and other wireless interference. In these cases where the range is limited to the area you are trying to connect, the solution is to add other wireless broadcasters to the network. This is a mesh network solution.
These cases require APNs, Wi-Fi extenders, routers with stronger signal and range or a mesh router system. It should be noted that adding other wireless broadcasters to a network is not always preferable to a single router approach, but is a necessary alternative.
An optimal solution to this problem is to create a mesh network for better coverage in large homes or buildings using multiple access points. These access points work together as a single SSID (a single Wi-Fi connection) over the entire range without interference from each streaming device.
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Xiaomi's mesh solutions make it easier
For many households and small offices, a single router is usually the optimal solution. However, when multiple rooms are divided by thick walls and there is no centralized location for installing a single router, a mesh network is an ideal solution. That being said, this solution hasn't always been easy to implement for many novice users, often leading to suboptimal wireless networks with poor internet connectivity.
Besides better coverage around the home and office, a mesh network also improves the battery life of all connected devices. Your smartphone is a great example. When connectivity is weak, a smartphone attempts to increase its signal to better connect to a router. This reinforced signal requires more energy, which consumes more battery, resulting in low battery life. The same goes for your laptops and other devices.
Choosing the type of mesh solution is essential to achieve the best results. That's where Xiaomi Mesh solutions come in. Xiaomi's latest range of wireless devices aims to simplify setting up your home or business mesh network.
Xiaomi offers three everyday devices to optimize your home or small business network:
- 4C – The Xiaomi Mi 4C offers omnidirectional external antennas with speeds of up to 300Mbps and 5dBi signal. This is a great option for extending network coverage in homes or small offices before needing a full mesh solution.
- AC1200 – The Xiaomi Mi WiFi Range Extender AC1200 pairs seamlessly with existing routers to create a more optimized network. In addition to extending Wi-Fi range, it offers 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz band options, effectively eliminating dead zones or areas of poor coverage at home or in the office.
- AX3000 – For a completely seamless approach, the Xiaomi AX3000 Mesh System 2 Pack is the best solution. The mesh network provides area-wide Wi-Fi 6 coverage, which covers up to 4,000 square feet. When connected to the Wi-Fi network, users can move around the building network and switch between mesh routers seamlessly. Additionally, you can add up to 10 AX3000 routers to the mesh solution for completely seamless coverage.
Xiaomi's range of mesh networking solutions are available at Takealot, Makro and Incredible Connection stores nationwide.