OneMesh: Create a Whole-Home Wi-Fi Network with Your TP-Link Devices
Tony
In our home, we usually install a Wi-Fi extender to get complete coverage throughout the house. But we soon run—well, walk—into some problems. For instance, moving from the living room to our bedroom, we’re hounded by “buffering” as we switch between the router’s and the extender’s network. The new trend of whole-home mesh Wi-Fi can eliminate them. However, setting up a whole new Wi-Fi system can not only be costly but may also make your existing network equipment obsolete. Is there any good way to spend less and greatly enhance your wireless experience? Luckily, TP-Link’s OneMesh™ is designed to optimize your whole-home network with your existing TP-Link devices through one simple firmware update. So, if you’re looking to set up a new Wi-Fi ecosystem, don’t go spending money you don’t have to.
Traditional Extenders vs. OneMesh™
Traditional extenders increase Wi-Fi coverage by connecting to your existing Wi-Fi router and creating a separate Wi-Fi network. You'll have to switch your devices between the router and the extender’s networks as you move around the house. If you don't, you'll receive poor Wi-Fi performance since your devices will stay on the same, weak network until it switches to another network with a stronger signal. Do you really want to exit your video chat, movie, or game, open your settings, find the stronger signal, tap into it, and switch back to what you were doing every time you go to another room?
Don't forget, setting up and maintaining a traditional wireless network can be daunting. It's time-consuming visiting multiple configuration pages to set up and manage different routers and extenders. It's even worse when your extender comes from a different brand, you’ll need to install multiple sets of software.
Even if you configure all your network devices to use the same wireless network name that does not give a seamless network. You just happen to have multiple network devices with the same name, but that will not change the client device needing to leave whatever network device it is connected to and join another. This process is what will cause your network device to lose network connection as it moves over. Worst yet, your client device may stay connected to the original network device no matter where you go, giving the impression your extender is giving a weak wireless signal even though you are next to it.
The OneMesh™ solution, however, works as a system to extend Wi-Fi to all areas of your home, providing you with better performance, broad coverage, and a seamless network connection. Not to mention, it's easier to use and manage without the frustrations you typically face with traditional extended networks.
Unlike traditional extenders that simply communicate with one central router, OneMesh™ devices communicate with each other. When a OneMesh™ device turns off or gets blocked by interference, your devices will automatically switch to the active device with the strongest signal to keep you connected. It’s like driving on the road and taking a quick detour to avoid waiting in line for heavy traffic or accidents up ahead.
With TP-Link’ s AP Steering, OneMesh™ routers and extenders share the same Wi-Fi name and security credentials to deliver a seamless and consistent network connection as you move around the house. Once connected to the OneMesh™ network, your mobile devices will connect to the OneMesh™ device with the strongest signal. Now you can stay connected to the same network and enjoy uninterrupted streaming, downloading, and more throughout your house.
In a network of multi-band OneMesh™ devices, TP-Link’s Band Steering steers your devices to the best available Wi-Fi band to ensure all devices connect where they will obtain the best performance. With TP-Link’s Adaptive Path Selection, OneMesh™ keeps the network running at the top-speed by intelligently choosing the fastest connection path between Wi-Fi 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands for your data. This improves overall wireless performance and ensures the stability and efficiency of the whole Wi-Fi network for everyone that’s connected.
Best of all, unlike traditional routers and extenders that require complicated configuration, setting OneMesh™ up is a breeze. TP-Link’s user-friendly Tether app and Web UI allow you to easily set up and manage your whole-home network by providing you with easy-to-follow instructions and helping you customize wireless settings. These include the network name, password, and advanced features like Parental Control and QoS. If your OneMesh™ devices have WPS buttons, one- touch connection is available. Just press the WPS button on the router and extender, respectively, to quickly set up a OneMesh™ network.
Upgrade to a OneMesh™ Network
If you currently use TP-Link's wireless devices and want an easy and affordable way to improve your home network performance, a OneMesh™ network is the best option. OneMesh™ is coming to all TP-Link SOHO product categories, including wireless routers, 3G/4G routers, XDSL modem routers, range extenders, and powerline adapters. A simple firmware update is all you need to upgrade your existing TP-Link router with OneMesh™ capability. Then, just connect one or more OneMesh™ extenders for a seamless, reliable mesh Wi-Fi connection throughout your home.
* To know more information about TP-Link's OneMesh™, visit https://www.tp-link.com/onemesh
* Check the full list of OneMesh™ routers and extenders at https://www.tp-link.com/onemesh/compatibility
Know More about OneMesh™
Q1: Can I set up a OneMesh™ network with routers or extenders from other brands?
No. OneMesh™ is only supported by TP-Link's wireless devices. Check the full list of OneMesh™ compatible devices at: https://www.tp-link.com/onemesh/compatibility. OneMesh™ will be offered alongside all TP-Link small office and home office product lines, including wireless routers, range extenders, XDSL, 3G/4G routers, and powerline adapters.
Q2: Can I set up a OneMesh™ network with two OneMesh™-supported routers (for example, two Archer A7's)?
No, only one OneMesh™ router can be used as a root access point in a OneMesh™ network.
Q3: What is the difference between OneMesh™ vs having the same SSID, I get one network name either way?
OneMesh™ provides true seamless roaming by utilizing wireless protocols so you do not drop any connections as you move from one node to another. Having a non-mesh network means your device will need to drop the connection as it connects from your router to the range extender and vice versa. You may also experience issues such as a device continuing to stay connected to a network device even though it is physically closer to another one. With OneMesh™, your network will recommend your client device to connect to the best network device in order to have the best performance.
Q4: Do my extenders connect to the router only or to each other?
When you set up the OneMesh™ range extenders, it will pair preferably with the router, but may also choose another extender if that is a better connection.
Comment
I have given up on Power line kit wpa-7510 ever getting firmware for onemesh support.
Can I use 2 Archers A7, 1 configured as router and 1 configured as access point to create a Onemesh network?
Thanks for letting me know.
The OneMesh network can only have one router. So you will get one Archer A7, and then the other network devices will be range extenders that support OneMesh.
Does anybody know how to make the archer A7 a secured network.. my WiFi is telling that my network is unsecured, please help!
If your network is unsecured then the wireless password may be disabled which is enabled by default. What would also be helpful is to find out why or what is informing you why that is happening.
I don't how to secure my Wi-Fi network on my A7 router can anyone help me with that.
I have an Archer A7 v5.0 that is a few years old, with 1.0.15 Build 20200721 rel.40773.
I currently have it setup in AP mode, since my main router is from Verizon their latest Fios Home Router Model G3100.
I'd like to return that Verizon router and make the Archer A7 my main router and use One-Mesh.
Is it a supported router for use with Verizon Fios, cause according to Tenwitch.com it is.
So I should be good to go.
Question 1: However, I have some dead areas that are distanced from where this A7 as the main router would be (in the downstairs Family Room).
So would the TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Extender (RE300) with OneMesh give me good extended WiFi into the Sunroom addition (downstairs) but attached to the home?
I could put the extender in the sitting room that leads to the sunroom so it could pick up good signal from the main router with only one doorway as an obstruction.
Hopefully that position would even boost the signal to the second floor main bedroom above that sitting room.
Question 2: Since I have now pulled the A7 from the upstairs office to be the main router, what do I replace it with, cause I need some wired connections as well as wireless in the 2nd floor. Should I buy another A7 and put it in AP mode like the current one is now, or should I put in a TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Range Extender (RE305), and preface it with a gigabit switch to it's gigabit port so I would have wired from the switch for my printer and security system, and then have WiFi since it will now run as a access point?
So a key question is, when the RE305 is running as an access point, does it still perform with One-Mesh with the main A7 router?
Every environment is different so it depends on what obstacles are in the way. The least amount of obstacles then the better it will perform so I would try putting the extender in the sitting room.
You can not have two routers on the same OneMesh network only one OneMesh router. So if you need a wired connection for the upstairs office, then yes, go with the RE305 v3 since that has OneMesh and an Ethernet port where you can connect a switch. The extender should still act like an OneMesh device even if connecting a device to the wired port. to get an internet connection.
I bought a OneMesh for Ahanaval , but its lights do not turn on. I do not know what the problem is.
I have an Archer 1750 router and purchased RE450 extender. Setting up the extender was a breeze using Tether app on the phone. I ran speedtest on the phone from where the extender is in the living room downstairs and got great results, with no signal strength loss.Way better!
But I had to manually switch the connection from router to the extender (they have different SSIDs),
Question: How do I set it so the phone switches to the extender's connection automatically? Can I make the SSIDs the same?
If the device is not powering on that sounds like it may be malfunctioned out of the box.
The RE450 does not have OneMesh firmware so you can't create the OneMesh network. You can make both wireless networks the same so you have "one" network. What will happen is it will then be up to the devices themselves on what to connect to. With OneMesh, the network will recommend what node to connect to, but ultimately it comes down to the device to make the final decision.