As of late, mesh Wi-Fi systems have been taking the home networking world by storm, pushing just about every player in the space to release a system of their own. Samsung is by no means new to mesh technology, and today, it has announced an updated version of its popular SmartThings Mesh Wi-Fi System with a refreshed design and equally noteworthy spec improvements.
Samsung’s new mesh 802.11ac Wi-Fi system ties into the company’s line of smart home oriented gear via the SmartThings ecosystem just like its previous iterations. However this time around, Samsung has partnered with Plume Design out of Palo Alto to bolster its mesh system capabilities.
Mesh Wi-Fi systems typically rely on placing a few different access points around your home, which then create a network which adjusts based on where devices are, along with other factors. Now with a new company partnership by its side, Samsung looks to leverage Plume’s artificial intelligence to handle bandwidth allocation more efficiently and to more-effectively blanket your home in coverage.
In practice, this pretty much means that your home’s Wi-Fi network will be as flexible and adaptive as needed to always ensure you get the best speeds possible. A single router can cover 1,500 square feet, while three can manage 4,500 square feet with ease.
Aside from upgrading its Wi-Fi capabilities, Samsung’s new mesh system also incorporates enhanced SmartThings features. Past generations of the SmartThings hub have primarily relied on Z-Wave Plus to connect with smart home accessories. While that’s still the case here, it also now sports Zigbee and Bluetooth 4.1 compatibility. This should not only open the door to new accessories in the future, but make devices that are already compatible with SmartThings more reliable.
Samsung’s new home Wi-Fi system is currently available for purchase. There are two different starter sets, both of which are priced competitively with other mesh options on the market. You can pick up a pack of three for $279.99, or opt for a single router at just under $120. For someone looking to finally jump on the mesh Wi-Fi bandwagon and dive into home automation, the SmartThings system has always been a reliable solution.
Should you already have a Wi-Fi setup you’re happy with but are intrigued by smart home tech, Samsung also released a third generation of its standalone SmartThings hub. It includes all of upgraded features of the SmartThings Wi-Fi System, and sports a new form-factor as well. Samsung has also removed the necessity for an Ethernet connection, which should make the hub more flexible for fitting into a variety of smart home setups. The new SmartThings hub sells for $69.99 and is joined by new upgraded sensors and accessories starting at $20.
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