$ 70 mesh Wi-Fi system: Vilo is really good

CNN
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The going rate for a reliable Wi-Fi system that covers a home with a reliable Internet connection can cost several hundred dollars, and sometimes more. If Vilo, admittedly a company we had never heard of before this review, succeeds, home Wi-Fi systems are about to get really cheap. Like $ 69.98 for a three-pack mesh Wi-Fi system. If you need more, you’re looking at $ 27.98 per unit.

Over the past 10 days, we have installed Vilo in our home office, connecting several devices to its wireless network. During our testing, we didn’t notice too many hiccups or slowdowns, which proves to us that Vilo is on to something here. But the system is not perfect. Let’s explain ourselves.

Who is he talking to : Vilo’s mesh system is perfect for someone who doesn’t have a high-speed internet plan, but is struggling to get reliable Wi-Fi in every corner of their house. It’s affordable and easy to set up, and the app doesn’t make it too difficult to manage your network.

What would you like to know: This system lacks advanced features to manage the network, as well as Wi-Fi 6 for increased Wi-Fi throughput, but that’s to be expected with an entry-level mesh system. The app you use to manage your network has some frustrating bugs, but you shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time using it once your network is up and running.

How it compares: Our top pick for the best mesh Wi-Fi routers, the Eero 6, is currently priced at $ 279 for three units. And it’s one of the cheapest mesh systems we’ve tested. The Velop MX4200 currently sells for $ 499 but also offers 6 Wi-Fi connectivity. When you look at the prices of competing mesh systems, it quickly becomes clear how ridiculously low the cost of the Vilo system is. Eero, and Velop systems for that matter, are intended for spaces with several heavy internet users, while the Vilo is more intended for spaces that can get by with a basic Wi-Fi system.

All mesh Wi-Fi systems rely on a series of access points that create coverage for your space. Each point broadcasts a Wi-Fi signal and is in constant communication with the rest of the access points that are part of the same network to ensure that each connected device receives the best signal and the best possible speed.

As you walk around your house using your phone to stream music, each access point automatically transmits the connection to the node that your device will benefit the most from.

And because a mesh network is made up of multiple devices, you can create a much larger Wi-Fi network that should also be more reliable and offer better speeds.

Vilo’s three-pack system projects a large 4,500 square foot net and each point covers 1,500 square feet. The units themselves are quite small and opt for a rectangular construction that reminds us of the Wyze Cam Pan or a miniature version of the Linksys Velop MX4200.

The front of each unit has an LED indicator and a small button. This button is used to connect, while the light gives you status update based on the color of the light.

The back of each mesh point is a bit busier and starts with a pinhole for a reset button to factory reset each device. There are also two LAN ports, a WAN / LAN port and a power button. The ports are used to provide internet to the Vilo network on the main node (more on this in a minute), or to connect a nearby device to the Vilo network via an Ethernet connection. Everything is quite practical.

Vilo’s design is minimal and doesn’t take up much space, and even if you’re limited to a white case, they’re not going to distract from your home decor, even if you have to place one of the dots. ‘access on an end table.

The complete installation took less than 20 minutes. You will need to download the necessary iPhone or Android app before connecting any of the Vilo units to power. The app not only helps you control all aspects of your network, but it also guides you through every step of the setup process.

As expected, the necessary steps including connecting to your router and power, scanning a QR code on the bottom of the unit, and creating your wireless network. Adding the second and third access point to the network is even easier. You just need to plug them in and wait for them to find and connect to your newly created network.

It is quite convenient that the mesh points connect automatically, but it only works if you are using Vilo units in the same box. If you bought a total of four devices, it will work on the three that came in the same box, and connecting the fourth access point requires a bit more work. You will need to log in and press the mesh button on the front, which will then allow it to find and join your mesh network.

Vilo recommends placing each unit within 30 feet of each other, but we placed ours a bit above this range and had no issues. Your experience will surely vary depending on the type of obstacles – like walls, appliances, or furniture – that are between each mesh point.

This is by far one of the simplest mesh setups we’ve tested thanks to all the units already paired and ready to connect with each other. Other systems require you to use the app to add more mesh units to your network, extending the time it takes for your system to be up and running.

However, we would be hesitant to recommend the Vilo system to a household where multiple people regularly stream 4K videos, gamble online, or perform other bandwidth-intensive tasks. This system is simply not designed to handle this type of work. It’s best to think of the Vilo Mesh setup as an entry-level Wi-Fi system that will extend your coverage and provide a more reliable connection, but that’s not going to impress with a heavy bandwidth workload.

Running multiple speed tests, only once we saw the results break 100 Mbps per second when connecting to the Vilo network, and that was immediately after restarting the Vilo main node. Otherwise, it averaged over 90 Mbps. We’re also testing the Wi-Fi 6 compatible Plume SuperPods right now, and in the same speed test that exceeded 100Mbps, the SuperPods hit speeds of over 560Mbps.

Even though Vilo’s test results fell far short of the speeds of our current Wi-Fi 6 system, over 90 Mbps on a speed test is still more than enough for gaming, streaming 4K videos on YouTube, or participating in a Zoom call. .

In fact, our MacBook Pro automatically connected to the test network one morning when we had a lot of Zoom calls, and we didn’t notice any difference. It wasn’t until after the last call, when we went to change networks, that we realized that we were connected to the test network all the time.

Each Vilo unit is equipped with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios compatible with 802.11ac Wi-Fi. If that’s all gibberish to you, just know that 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios are designed to spread connected devices across multiple bands, which should help eliminate slowdowns on your network. As for 802.11ac, it is the Wi-Fi standard for non-Wi-Fi 6 devices that are capable of transmitting and receiving data at blazingly fast speeds.

Even though the Vilo system is not Wi-Fi 6 compatible, Vilo states that it is capable of handling 300 Mbps on its 2.4 GHz radio, or 867 Mbps on 5 GHz. Our house has a 1.2 Gbit (1200 Mbps) connection from our ISP, so either speed should have been achievable for the Vilo system.

The entire Vilo application, once setup is complete, seems both slow and incomplete. When you receive an alert that a new device is found on your network, the alert does not arrive quickly. It may take a few minutes to show that a new device is connected in the app itself. This is a feature that every Wi-Fi system should have, and so we are happy that Vilo included it, but not with the implementation.

Another problem is updating the firmware. Whenever we were prompted to update, the app told us it had failed because the progress bar hit 100%. Only so that we go back to the home screen and the app tells us that there is no more update available. Why? Because the update was successful.

It’s a basic app that makes sense, but it’s also buggy.

Vilo looked like too good a mesh network setup to be true. $ 20 a knot? Get out of town. Yeah, sure.

It surprised us with reliable and consistent performance. And they’re clearly targeting the system at someone who doesn’t want to pay to rent a Wi-Fi setup from their service provider, while increasing their overall coverage.

We would say the Vilo system is ideal for the average person who doesn’t need huge amounts of bandwidth to accommodate multiple 4K streams, online games, or countless smart home devices. If your Wi-Fi network serves as a means of home work and entertainment, the Vilo system is more than capable of enhancing your overall experience.