AppleInsider Staff
On the heels of Apple's official discontinuation of AirPort Wi-Fi hardware, Linksys on Tuesday announced a new dual-band version of its Velop Wi-Fi mesh system that packs many of the same features as its bigger tri-band sibling into a smaller, more affordable package.
Building on the success of its Velop Tri-Band system, the first third-party Wi-Fi router to be sold by Apple, Linksys is introducing a mass market mesh networking option that provides customers a slew of features at an attractive price.
AppleInsider reviewed the original tri-band version and found the setup to be top notch in terms of performance and convenience, but noted a two- or three-node solution can be quite expensive at just under $500.
Limited to dual-band connectivity, the new Velop family member is smaller than the tri-band iteration, but includes a number of advanced mesh networking features. The nodes, for example, are AC1300 devices with dual-band dual stream (2x2) capabilities supporting 802.11ac, offering combined speed up to 1300 Mbps. The devices feature MU-MIMO radio configuration, modular wired/wireless design, integration with Velop mesh technology, Amazon Alexa compatibility and more.
Along with connecting to each other via wired or wireless technologies to form a blanket of Wi-Fi coverage, each node can also act as a parent or client access point, allowing users to expand on existing systems as their wireless needs grow. For those who already have a Velop outfit, the dual-band version is interoperable with tri-band hardware, making extensions to existing wireless infrastructure easy.
As with the tri-band version, the new dual-band devices are controlled via app, feature "spot finder" technology for optimal node placement, boast the ability to self-heal a constructed network if a node should go offline and run an automatic update cycle.
The new dual-band Velop will be sold in one-, two- and three-pack configurations and is available for pre-order today through Linksys for $129, $199 and $299, respectively. Pre-orders are expected to launch on Amazon later today. Linksys is in talks to sell Velop Dual-Band through the Apple store, but for now Apple customers are relegated to the more expensive tri-band offerings.
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Malcolm Owen
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21 Comments
"Amazon Alexa compatibility" doesn't give much away. So how can you use it in conjunction with Alexa? "Alexa, disconnect Dad because he's watching sport again", or "Alexa, increase my QoS because I want to watch an 8k stream" - or - what, exactly?
Links?
Curious as to how these will work and how well they will work. How do they handle backhaul?
So this cheap(er) lower power mesh system is supposed to pacify Apple users? Not likely. The shape is a knockoff of the Extreme and doesn't really add anything to what we already have. As for including Alexa, forget it.
I was researching internet providers on San Juan Island, WA, and found Rock Island Communications supports San Juan as well as Orcas Island with gigabit fiber internet. They also can provide an AirTies mesh system. They mention the same dual band, 2x2 components as Linksys is talking about although AirTies also sells a 3x3 model. I don't remember hearing about this manufacturer. It seems it's the choice of some internet providers around the world.
--AirTies' customers include: AT&T, Atlantic Broadband, Deutsche Telekom, Frontier, Orange, Midco, Singtel, Sky (SKY Q in the UK; Germany; Italy; and New Zealand), Swisscom, Vodafone, Waoo, and many other operators.