Let the WiFi fail for a minute and our daily lives come to a halt! Work, streaming movies, homework, and our connection to the outside world seems suspended in time until that little light blinks on again. In only two decades WiFi has completely changed the way we work and live. Kind of scary, but we will let the sociologist argue over the virtues and vices, for our part, we’re concerned with installing WiFi for our clients that is fast and dependable. Our favorite component in fast, reliable WiFi systems is the Ubiquiti UniFi Mesh Network.
What Impacts Your WiFi Performance?
The Internet: Depending on where you live, you generally have two options for getting the internet to your home. In Fort Worth, those options are AT&T or Spectrum. Both companies offer excellent service. The problem is they are only responsible for the signal received up to their modem, and the speed you pay for is tested at that modem. After the modem, the performance of your WiFi network is your responsibility.
The Router: You can use your internet provider’s router, or you can supply your own (which Blu Glo recommends).
Location of the Router in your Home: Material density from sheetrock, wood studs, metal ductwork, appliances, mirrors, and other structures reduces the speeds you can achieve with your WiFi. Did you know that plaster walls built before 1970 all have metal in them that can affect your WiFi performance?
The Device Receiving the Signal: The actual device being used at any given time on your network plays a role in performance. For example, newer iPhones work faster on WiFi than older ones do.
Interference From Other Sources: Sources like radio frequency interference (RFI) and electromagnetic interference (EMI)—both inside and outside your home—can negatively impact your WiFi performance.
Number of Devices on the Network: Anytime you add a device to your network, it takes up bandwidth. Depending on how much bandwidth you’re paying for, loading down your network with too many devices can cause it to lag or stop working altogether. It’s not uncommon for our clients to have as many as 100 devices connected to their network!
What Is a Mesh Network?
There are many WiFi distribution products on the market, including simple repeaters and extenders. These products can boost range, but not without a significant loss of speed and bandwidth.
Blu Glo professionals offer a better solution that is called a mesh network. A mesh network consists of several devices placed throughout your home that act as local access points for your router.
This type of network will connect your device to the access point located closest to the device. Then, it will route its signal to the router and out to the internet—all without sacrificing speed and bandwidth! So for example, if you are using your iPhone in the bedroom, your WiFi signal might bounce (or connect) to a mesh access point in the kitchen, and finally to the router in the study.
Blu Glo Ubiquiti Installation
When installing a mesh network, we place the access points in areas of the home that will offer the best coverage. We then calibrate the system using the most robust software available. If necessary, we’ll even service the system from our offices!
Whether you have a new home or are undergoing renovations, we can pre-wire your home for the Ubiquiti Mesh Network. And we can often retrofit an existing home with Cat6 wiring.
Once we have the opportunity to assess how your home is built, we can determine how many access points and additional hardware are needed to install a successful mesh network. For instance, it’s typical for a 3,000-square-foot house to use four access points. But we’ve done systems with as few as two access points and as many as 18.
An access point resembles a smoke detector and can be installed in many different ways to be as inconspicuous as possible. Furthermore, there are specialized system components that can extend the system’s capabilities, such as building bridges to supply WiFi to barns or docks, and installing all-weather access points for use in the elements.
Why We Use Ubiquiti
The mesh products we install are made by Ubiquiti, which is a sub-brand of the UniFi residential product family. In our opinion, it is the most reliable mesh network on the market. It outperforms consumer brands like Linksys, Netgear, and Google Nest.
If you’ve been losing a wrestling match with your WiFi, equipping your home with the Ubiquiti UniFi Mesh Network will turn the tide. To learn more about the process or speak with us about a consultation, contact Blu Glo today!
