There’s a new way to guarantee a reliable connection from cellar to attic
What is it?
A term coined by US router company Luma (https://getluma.com) to describe a new form of Wi-Fi. The technology connects several routers around your home to extend coverage, similar to how wireless speaker systems like Sonos play music in different rooms.
How does it work?
You plug a Luma router into your modem, then open its app on your phone or tablet to find out the best place to position others. These connect with the first router in order to ‘surround’ your home in a blanket of Wi-Fi, helping to eliminate dead spots and the need to re-connect as you walk from room to room.
Is it different to using Wi-Fi range extenders?
Yes. Range extenders aren’t routers – they simply pick up then repeat the Wi-Fi signal of your router. By contrast, each router operating through Surround Wi-Fi is connected to each other, creating what is known as a ‘mesh’ network.
Luma is very keen that you don’t mix up the two. On its website the company says that its routers have “very little in common with today’s extenders”. Now don’t ask again.
OK, but are they better than range extenders?
That remains to be seen. We’re certainly in no hurry to bin our range extenders, having seen some impressive results from them recently. Web User tested 11 extenders in July, awarding Gold to the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900. Silver went to the Linksys RE6500.
But extenders aren’t perfect, are they?
No. The main drawback is that they effectively halve your bandwidth because they rebroadcast the signal in both directions between the router and the computer. This affects the streaming speed of music and video, but not simple web browsing.
So should I ditch my extender?
Not just yet, because the Luma routers are available only in the US. And in any case, their appeal lies in more than simply boosting your Wi-Fi. Like Google’s new OnHub router (https://on.google.com/hub), the Luma devices make it much easier to control your Wi-Fi from one place. Using the app you can set parental controls, block people trying to access your Wi-Fi, and see which devices in your home are connected to the web (see screenshot below left). You can even see what website someone else on the network is visiting, which may lead to some family fall-outs. We hope it’s as easy as Luma makes it look in this video: www.snipca.com/18649.
Do Luma’s routers look nice?
We think they’re more pleasing on the eye than most of the white boxes sitting in our living rooms, but you can judge for yourself. Luma’s slick marketing will try to convince you that the routers are as exciting as a new laptop, phone or tablet, which is just as well because they cost about the same.
But how expensive exactly?
Well, they’re not cheap – a pack of three costs $499. That converts to around £330, but as with most tech they will probably cost more in the UK. If so, most people will stick with their uglier – but cheaper – range extenders.