networking

With the increase in the number of connected devices in homes and especially in home or small offices, simple networking solutions, like home routers, can no longer keep up with the increased demand. Not to mention the sometimes complicated structure of buildings. For such challenging networks, you have a choice between using Wi-Fi range extenders or mesh networks, the latter of which is becoming more popular of late. Linksys is offering a sort of middle ground with the RE9000 Max-Stream Wi-Fi Range Extender that looks almost like a router itself and even acts like one when needed.

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eero's mesh router wants to be your internet watchdog as well as getting all your gadgets online, with the addition of new security tools to the company's eero Plus subscription service. Launched alongside the second-generation eero system earlier this year, eero Plus started out with two of what the company said were users biggest demands: whole-home network security, and parental controls with content filtering.

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The growing number of devices in our homes and the complexity of home networks mean that conventional networking devices like simple routers are no longer enough. Once considered just something for geeks, mesh networks are starting to become more commercialized, easier to install and use. There will, however, always be a business around installing such networks for customers. To appeal to this professional installation market, eero is launching not just a new adapter and mount to let users install the Wi-Fi system anywhere they want as well as a remote management tool for keeping those networks in check.

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The Internet needs of a modern household has far exceeded that of not more than 5 years ago. The growing number of devices and streaming services, not to mention the growing complexity of house designs, have pushed network hardware makers to come up with solutions to address those needs without requiring a computer science degree to operate. D-Link’s new Covr is one such solution, one that combines a powerful AC26000 dual band MU-MIMO router with an AC1300 Gigabit Extender to cover every square feet of your house.

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There seems to be a prevalent trend, or collective desire, to go back to some glory days of the past, from gaming, to politics, and, now, to Wi-Fi. Remember the good old days when Wi-Fi was simple? No? Yeah, Wi-Fi has never really been simple. But it doesn't have to be complicated either. At least not if you ask ASUS. Its new Lyra home networking systems aims to take the pain out of covering your entire house's networking needs, without having to resort to overly expensive routers or poor-performing repeaters.

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You might associate Bluetooth with cutting the cable between your headphones and your phone, but Bluetooth Mesh aims to make it a ubiquitous backchannel for the Internet of Things. Launched today, Bluetooth Mesh is a way that low-energy radios can build many-to-many (m:m) links between devices, evolving to encompass new gadgets, temporary blackouts, and more. Initially, it's setting its sights on the lucrative smart lighting segment.

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No good idea in the tech world goes without replication, and while eero may have started the home mesh networking segment, it can't afford to rest on its laurels. Throw open your doors, therefore, to the second-generation eero and the new eero Beacon, promising more flexibility, a more competitive price, and more speed. Indeed, performance is said be as much as twice that of the original eero, which launched back in 2015.

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eero kick-started the home mesh WiFi revolution, now it's rolling out two new models and a subscription based filtering and security service to keep its edge. The 2nd-generation eero, eero Beacon, and optional eero Plus network protection package promise more speed, more safety, and even more flexibility. Still, they also take pains not to undermine the reputation for plug-and-play ease that eero has become known for.

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Routers may not be sexy but they can definitely be ambitious, with Qualcomm looking to replace your Echo, router, and smart home bridges with a single unit. The company unveiled its Mesh Networking Platform and Reference Design at Computex 2017 this week, an all-in-one that combines mesh networking, self-healing and -organizing configuration, voice agents like Alexa and Google Assistant, and all the radios to talk to your connected lights, locks, speakers, and more, in a single box.

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Mesh networking favorite Eero has cut the price of its router system, aiming to get its distributed WiFi system in as many homes as possible before adding more ambitious functionality. Launched a year ago, the unimposing white boxes led the charge in domestic mesh networks where, rather than a single router being the point of contact for every WiFi device, several act as nodes for broader coverage. That way, both speed and network availability is improved.

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Among its CES wares is the ASUS HiveSpot and HiveDot mesh networking system, something the company describes as a modular and high-speed solution for home networks that’ll get rid of poor connections and dead zones in one’s residence. The system is comprised of HiveSpot and HiveDot ‘nodes,’ of which at least three are required to get a home mesh network up and running. The system maxes out at five nodes.

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Linksys has joined the mesh networking club, launching Velop, a multi-unit WiFi router system at CES 2017 this week. Aiming to blanket your home in wireless coverage, each of the Velop units - a white, 7-inch tall monolith - interconnects with each other, forming a mesh of connectivity. Meanwhile, there's the promise of automatic firmware updates should security loopholes be spotted down the line.

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