Linksys will offer a mesh Wi-Fi system with Velop, their new modular setup of Wi-Fi access points that are designed and meant to deliver whole home coverage so you’re never left without a signal and a means to connect to your home internet. Linksys calls each one of these access points a “node,” and mentions that each node actually serves as multiple devices including an access point, a Wi-Fi router, a range extender, and a bridge to make sure that all of the nodes in a system can connect to each other and work together to deliver Wi-Fi throughout the whole house. Each node can also connect to each other through both a wireless connection or a wired ethernet connection making the setup a little more versatile.
Like other systems, such as Google Wifi, Linksys will be offering Velop either as a single unit or in a pack of three nodes for consumers who need a little bit more coverage. Unlike Google Wifi, Velop will also be available in a two-pack bundle as opposed to having to buy two single nodes, and each pack has its own special price point. One Velop node will cost $199.99, while a two-pack will cost $349.99, and a three-pack will cost $499.99, making this system a significantly more expensive option than Google Wifi and Luma mesh Wi-Fi systems, but just about on par with eero.
Linksys has designed each Velop node to be Tri-Band AC 2×2 802.11ac Wave 2 with MU-MIMO compatible, and according to Linksys, each node can support combined speeds of up to 2200Mbps. If you’re someone who needs an extremely fast internet connection in the home, Velop may be the best solution, although how it compares to other similar systems is currently unclear, and would likely vary depending on the configuration of the home. In addition to the boasted speeds, Velop was also designed to work together with Amazon’s Alexa software and it even comes out of the box with customized Alexa skills that allow you to enable and disable your guest network, as well as get the details for the guest network and the main network. Linksys is selling the Velop Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System through various retailers, including their own website, Amazon, Best Buy, Fry’s, Newegg, and others, with pre-orders reportedly starting today, and actual sales beginning on January 15th.
