Nokia is doubling down on dwelling networking. Simply final yr, the previous smartphone titan acquired mesh networking startup Unium and bowed its first wi-fi router, the Beacon 3. Now the corporate is again with a sleeker, cheaper mesh router that may work in tandem with its pricier sibling.
On sale beginning as we speak, the $129 Beacon 1 (or $299 for a bundle of three) makes use of the identical mesh-networking expertise that powers the $199 Beacon 3, together with a brand new clever channel-hopping function and a bridge mode that’s suitable with an current router.
Dubbed “Intelligent Channel Selection” by Nokia, the Beacon 1’s sensible channel-switching function lets the router decide one of the best channels for the two.4- and 5GHz frequency bands by analyzing close by wi-fi utilization patterns over time, fairly than merely selecting the clearest channels in the meanwhile the unit is first configured.
The Beacon 1 additionally boasts a bridge mode, useful for turning the Beacon into an entry level that you should utilize with, say, the combo modem/Wi-Fi router your ISP provided.
Nokia’s Beacon 1 mesh Wi-Fi router encompasses a sensible channel-hopping function, a bridge mode, and an app with a warmth map detailing the sign energy for related units.
The brand new bridge mode and clever channel-switching options are coming to each Beacon fashions, Nokia stated.
The twin-band AC1200 Beacon 1 helps the 802.11ac Wi-Fi normal and multi-user MIMO, and it comes outfitted with a gigabit ethernet WAN port and a gigabit ethernet LAN port. The bigger, extra highly effective AC3000 Beacon Three sports activities one WAN port and three LAN ports.
Like many different mesh Wi-Fi units in the marketplace, Nokia’s Beacon routers eschew the clunky black shells and exterior antennas of conventional wi-fi routers for a modern white design, with the Beacon 1 boasting extra of an oval form in comparison with the cylindrical Beacon 3.
Apart from its normal setup and community configuration settings, the cellular app that accompanies the Beacon 1 and three routers encompasses a warmth map detailing the sign energy for any related units, good for pinpointing spotty wi-fi protection areas. The app additionally comes with a sign indicator that helps you place the Beacon items in optimum spots in your house.
Nokia says the three-pack Beacons will come pre-paired, that means that you just’ll want solely to configure the router that’s related to your modem; as soon as that’s performed, the satellites ought to connect with the principle router as quickly as they’re powered on.
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