INTHEBLACK July 2026 - Magazine - Page 56
WORK SMART
TECH STACK
Home
mesh
wi-fi
Patchy home wi-fi could soon be
a thing of the past. Mesh networks
promise seamless, whole home
coverage by working smarter
than a single router ever could.
Words Adam Turner
Instead of relying on a single wi-fi router
to cover an entire home, mesh wi-fi uses
several base stations spread around the house
that work in unison to provide blanket coverage
and avoid patchy reception.
Most mesh wi-fi kits come with a primary
hub and one or two “satellite“ hubs, with the
ability to add more to extend coverage.
The primary hub features an ethernet WAN
port for plugging into a broadband modem,
along with ethernet LAN ports for connecting
wired devices.
The wireless mesh appears as a single
wi-fi network, allowing devices to seamlessly
switch connection between base stations,
similar to the way smartphones switch
between mobile towers.
Some satellite hubs also enable the
connection of ethernet-only devices like
desktop computers, network printers
and network drives, so they can access
the internet without the need to run cables
around the house.
For optimal coverage, place each base station
in a central location, up high, free of obstacles
and away from other electrical equipment,
ideally. Placing a base station on each level
of a multistorey home can make much
more of a difference than simply upgrading
to a more powerful single router on the
ground floor.
The price of mesh wi-fi kits varies
considerably, with more expensive models
typically supporting faster signals, extra
channels and greater coverage.
The new wi-fi 7 standard increases speeds,
56 INTHEBLACK July 2026
