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    Linksys is bringing wall plug-in nodes to its Velop home mesh Wi-Fi system

    Linksys is bringing wall plug-in nodes to its Velop home mesh Wi-Fi system

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    Linksys is adding wall plug-in nodes to its Velop home mesh Wi-Fi system, following in the footsteps of router companies like Netgear and Eero, which was the first to introduce the concept.

    Mesh Wi-Fi systems are useful when multiple nodes are placed around large homes to provide stronger wireless signal coverage, and the plug-in nodes are a good alternative to having to place routers on shelves. They’ll first be sold bundled with the AC4800 Whole Home WiFi Intelligent Mesh System, which includes one tri-band node and two dual-band wall plug-in nodes.

    The Velop plug-in nodes are pretty clunky and rectangular compared to some other companies’ routers, which can look like little doorknobs or hockey pucks, for better or for worse. But the Linksys Velop routers are the only third-party routers sold at Apple stores and on Apple.com, and are supposed to be a suggested alternative after the company discontinued its own AirPort routers. The tri-band node is supposed to offer up to 2.2 Gbps of transfer speed, and the dual-band nodes offer up to 1.3 Gbps.

    The AC4800 system is available for preorder now on Amazon for $399.99, and will be released October 29th.