Linksys Velop – whole of home Wi-Fi modular mesh system

The Velop comes in single, double and three packs to cover up to 560 m2. Mesh effectively means that you place one unit at the internet connection point, the second on say, another level in the home and the third elsewhere etc. While the Mesh concept seems like a range extender it is not – each unit communicates with each other via Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet and calculates the best way to deliver the Wi-Fi signal using one SSID (service set identifier network name).

With a traditional router and range extender combinations, the Wi-Fi speed is cut in half with each “hop” from one access point to the next, resulting in users receiving only a fraction of their broadband Internet speed at the edge of the network.

Chet Pipkin, Founder and CEO of Belkin International, said, “This is the reason I purchased Linksys in 2013.  I had a vision of solving a huge problem in almost everyone’s life, slow and unreliable Wi-Fi. Linksys has always been pioneers in home networking and I knew this was the team that could innovate and deliver the ultimate Wi-Fi experience.  Velop is a union of performance, design, and ease-of-use and provides what everyone wants – seamless, reliable Wi-Fi.  Linksys has set the bar for true mesh networking systems.”

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Velop helps users get the most out of their broadband subscription by delivering 100% of their Internet speed to the edge of their network. Each node is configured during setup via the Linksys app leveraging Bluetooth to securely communicate between the mobile device and each node.  After setup is complete, the Linksys app serves as a powerful Wi-Fi management tool with features such as guest access, parental controls, device prioritisation, and more. 

Velop uses the three radios dynamically to determine the optimal path from the modem and “parent” node to each “child” node to ensure the fastest speeds to all client devices, regardless of which node they are connected to. Dynamic channel scanning algorithms evaluate the unique conditions of the wireless environment to select the best band (either 2.4 GHz or one of the two 5 GHz radios onboard) as well as the channels within each of the bands to improve performance between nodes and client devices. 

Each node is a small tower standing just 18cms in height, with a footprint 88% smaller than the average router. The vertical orientation also has performance benefits, with the six antennas placed at the top and middle of the unit, some pushing signal up and down and others pushing signal left and right. 

This improves Velop Wi-Fi performance in both single story and multi-story homes.  To eliminate cable clutter, the base of the design features a cavity where power and Ethernet ports are hidden and a small notch with rubber tabs to organise cables in a clean and tidy manner. The result is an elegant and home-friendly device that can live in any environment or décor.

Technical highlights include:

• Velop Hardware – Velop uses a highly integrated System on a Chip from Qualcomm, the first of its kind that incorporates a 716 MHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 processor, three Wi-Fi radios (one 2.4 GHz and two 5.0 GHz) and two auto-sensing LAN/WAN Gigabit ports. This is complemented by 4GB of flash memory, 512MB DDR3 memory and a Bluetooth 4.0/LE radio.  Velop contains six antennas and high power amplifiers.
• Dynamic Tri-Band – Each Velop node is a Tri-Band AC 2x2 802.11ac Wave 2 with MU-MIMO radio configuration with combined speed up to 2200 Mbps.  This technical design provides faster speeds at the edge of the network by using algorithms to achieve optimal path calculations.  This eliminates the bottlenecking effect that is present with traditional router and range extender combinations as well as dual-band modular Wi-Fi systems.
• True Modular Mesh Design – Each node is built to connect with each other over Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet if present. They auto configure to connect in multiple different mesh topologies.  The nodes have the ability to choose the best path to route data between a client and the Internet.  In the event any node loses connection to another node, the remaining nodes will self-heal and re-establish Internet connection through other nodes.
• Dynamic Channel Selection – Velop will dynamically scan the available channels and select the best combination of bands and channels to optimise performance at the time of setup or whenever the user chooses.  The Linksys app has a channel finder feature which will automatically find the best channels on demand and resolve congestion and interference issues that can be created by competing Wi-Fi signals.
• App-Led Setup – The new Linksys app automatically identifies the nodes to be setup using Bluetooth and creates a secure connection between the mobile device and each node. The app guides users through the installation process using visual animations where needed to clearly explain each step, including the uninstallation of current networking hardware. 
• Patented-Pending Spot Finder Technology – The placement of each node is critical to have a reliable connection.  During setup, Velop will recommend the best placement to reduce latency, maximise throughput and improve range and signal strength.
• Bridge Mode – Many consumers using Internet Service Provider (ISP) issued hardware (gateways are known as consumer premises equipment (CPE) devices or a Modem + Wi-Fi Router) cannot remove or replace as the hardware enables other services such as voice or IPTV. With Velop configured in Bridge Mode and connected to the gateway, wireless devices connected to the ISP gateway network and wireless devices connected to the Velop mesh Wi-Fi network will be able to communicate with each other and eliminate issues, such as Double NAT.  For example, if there is a printer on the ISP gateway network and a computer on the Velop network, the computer will be able to access the printer to print. 
• Seamless Wi-Fi Experience – Velop supports one network name and password, one admin login, one interface for management and monitoring; and one guest network for the whole home.   As a result, mobile devices, such as iPhones and laptops, will roam seamlessly and reliably from node-to-node without interruption.
• Airtime Prioritisation - Airtime Prioritisation enables faster devices to transmit at faster speeds while the slower device will not impede the speed of Wi-Fi network
• Automatic Updates – Velop is connected to a cloud service that will automatically monitor the status of firmware and update accordingly for security and performance.  The combination of firmware and app updates will continue to unlock new features and improve performance. Some Whole Home Wi-Fi systems require manual firmware updates making them vulnerable to security infringements. Users have the option to turn off automatic updates. 
• Futureproofing – As a Tri-Band MU-MIMO router Velop will be relevant technology for years to come and has features that will continue to delight users as it becomes enabled with new applications and services.

Specifications

• Wi-Fi Technology: Tri-Band AC2200 (867 + 867 + 400 Mbps) with MU-MIMO and 256 QAM
• Simultaneous Tri-Band Wi-Fi Mesh System
• 3-Year Warranty and Support
• AutoFix & Instant Alerts
• Wi-Fi Bands: Simultaneous Tri-Band (2.4Ghz + 5GHz + 5GHz)
• Number of Ethernet Ports: 2x WAN/LAN auto-sensing Gigabit Ethernet ports
• Antennas: 6x internal antennas and high-powered amplifiers
• Processor: 716 MHz Quad Core
• Memory: 4 GB Flash and 512 MB RAM
• Wireless Encryption: WPA2 personal
• Dimensions (LxWxH): 3.1" x 3.1" x 7.3" per Node
• Beamforming: for 2.4 GHz and 5GHz bands

Pricing and Availability

The Linksys Velop Whole Home Wi-Fi is available from JB Hi-Fi & Harvey Norman

• 1-pack - $349.95
• 2-pack - $649.95
• 3-pack - $799.95