Linksys has announced that at CES 2018, it has expanded its Velop whole home mesh Wi-Fi line. The company has added a Dual-Band offering and new software advancements that enhance performance with Intelligent Mesh technology. The new additions include security features with advanced parental controls, network traffic monitoring, and web site blocking in the Linksys app.

“Velop is now the most flexible whole home mesh Wi-Fi system on the market.  It can be installed in different configurations to support any type of home, is compatible with any ISP modem or gateway, and both Dual-Band and Tri-Band nodes are 100% interoperable and interchangeable,” said the company in a statement. Linksys is showcasing its Velop product line at CES this week in the South Hall 3 – Booth #30750.

Linksys Velop Dual-Band Whole Home Wi-Fi Mesh System
Linksys is expanding its Velop product line to include a Dual-Band modular Wi-Fi system, the world’s first mass-market Flexible Wi-Fi System, (available in 1-pack, 2-pack and 3-pack options) that can be installed in various mesh configurations providing fast and reliable Wi-Fi to the edge of a home network. Velop Dual-Band nodes are designed for performance as well as elegance.

The devices stand about two inches shorter than the Velop Tri-Band solution and small enough to be placed anywhere with a clean and attractive look that appeals to everyone –  which is unique to the mesh category of solutions for the home.  Each Velop “node” is a powerful Dual-Band AC1300 device that serves as router, range extender, access point, and bridge which provides users the future proof technology they need as they bring new and more devices into the home.

Each node is configured during setup by the accompanying Linksys app (available for iOS and Android), which provides the industry’s simplest and most intuitive setup 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 useful features, such as guest access, parental controls, device prioritization, and insights that help Velop users get maximum performance and utility from their network. Velop helps users get the most out of their broadband subscription by delivering 100 percent of their speed to the edge of their network.

“According Industry Reach Group, NPD – Mesh Wi-Fi systems grew 338% in 2017 and will continue to grow in 2018; so we wanted to make sure that consumers had price and performance options to choose from,” said Justin Doucette, the senior director of product management at Linksys. “Our new Velop Dual-Band provides the price for performance that customers are looking for plus all the intelligent software and security features that continue to be updated for real time access to the latest enhancements.”

Key highlights include:

•  Powerful Dual-Band – Each Velop node is a Dual-Band AC 2×2 802.11ac Wave 2 with MU-MIMO radio configuration with combined speed up to 1300 Mbps*.
• True Modular Mesh Design – Each node is built to connect with each other over Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet or combination of the two for best performance.  They auto configure to connect in multiple different mesh topologies.
• Intelligent MeshTM Technology – The Velop system adapts to a user’s Wi-Fi needs. It self-heals and optimizes to consistently deliver fast, flawless Wi-Fi everywhere in home.
• Velop Dual-Band and Tri-Band are interoperable – Velop is the most flexible wi-fi system which users can simply select a Velop system based on size of their home, internet connection or smart home readiness. Velop users can use both the Tri-Band and Dual-Band versions on the same network. Adding a Dual-Band node to an existing Tri-Band mesh network is an affordable way to extend coverage. Introducing a Tri-Band node to a Dual-Band mesh network will unlock future-proofed smart home capabilities and improve performance.
• 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 transition from current networking hardware.
• Patented-Pending Spot Finder Technology – The placement of each node is critical to establish a reliable connection. During setup, Velop will recommend the best placement to reduce latency, maximize throughput and improve range and signal strength.
• Velop works with Amazon Alexa – Velop includes custom Amazon Alexa “skills” that can turn the guest network on/off and read back the credentials of both the main and guest networks
• Automatic Updates – Velop is connected to the Linksys cloud service and will automatically monitor for updates and apply new firmware that unlock new features, resolution to security vulnerabilities, and improved performance as they become available. Some Whole Home Wi-Fi systems require manual firmware updates making them vulnerable to security infringements. Users have the option to turn automatic updates off. Also, frequent updates to the Linksys app ensure that the Velop experience will continue to get better over time.
• Superior Warranty and Support – Velop comes with 3-years warranty and support

Intelligent Mesh and New Software Features Rolling Out To All Velop Users
Linksys is also introducing Intelligent Mesh, an evolution in Home Wi-Fi engineering, that combines Linksys software and hardware to deliver Wi-Fi via the fastest path to the internet for the best experience possible.  Intelligent Mesh helps provide better speed at distances, improved client handling between nodes, and dynamic improvements to back-haul to always ensure the best connection to the Internet.  Velop Intelligent Mesh is organized into these 4 pillars and works seamlessly and automatically across both Velop Dual-Band an Tri-Band nodes:

1. Self-Organize:  The Velop system is a modular mesh system that support both Wi-Fi and wired back-haul, configures in AP/Bridge mode, works with any ISP modem or gateway and interoperates seamlessly across Dual-Band and Tri-Band nodes.
2. Self-Optimize: The Velop system continuously calculates the signal strength and speed between nodes to help deliver the best internet connection to your devices.  For Example, Velop uses patent pending Spot Finder technology during setup to automatically configure the mesh network optimizing both Wi-Fi channels and bands to provide best performance to each client device
3. Self-Healing: The Velop system will reconfigure itself if a node goes offline so that the network continues to perform. Also, the Linksys app includes the Channel Finder feature to initiate a new channel scan to avoid interference or crowded wireless signals.
4. One Network: The Velop system uses one network name, one password, one admin password for a consistent and secure mesh network of multiple nodes. Velop’s guest network will extend to all nodes and changing passwords to stay secure only requires a single update in the Linksys app or web interface.

Linksys is also adding new software features in its Intelligent Mesh architecture to enhance the performance of Wi-Fi throughout the home as well as new parental control and security features thru in-app purchases that will add to the overall value of the system.

• Client Steering by node: (Self-Optimize).  Ensures device is connected to the closest node for optimal performance.
•  Backhaul Reconnect and Optimization (Self-Optimize, Self-Configure, Self-Healing). Nodes will reestablish best connection to the Internet in the event one of the nodes fails or joins the network.
• Parental control improvements including website category content filtering with allow and block overrides
• Automatic network traffic security monitoring for malware, phishing, and blocking of malicious web sites

The Linksys Velop Dual-Band Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System (available in 1-pack, 2-pack and 3-pack) is planned to be available this spring in US and Canada. Prices will be announced when product is available at major retail and online stores. Pricing and availability for the EMEA region will be announced at a later stage.

The new software features will be released as they become available via firmware updates and Linksys app updates for all Velop models starting soon.