Linksys Velop - WiFi that sets you free

renfred89

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Just gotten myself a set of Linksys Velop (3-pack) and here i am sharing with you what this product is about.

This post will not be a full review as many others have already done online. Youtube videos are all floating around so you can choose to browse over there for unboxing and set up process.

I'm starting this thread so as to consolidate the issues you have while using this, and also to gather answers for the sake of forum users who is looking at this product. We already have Netgear Orbi thread, now its the time for Linksys Velop. Hopefully someone can create one for TP-Link Deco soon when it reaches our shore.

Just to start the thread with some pictures:

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Front view of the box

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left view of the box

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right view of the box

Now notice that linksys claims there's 100% performance for wifi? I did a read up from SNB, linksys velour is a triband mesh system with 2.4Ghz and x2 5Ghz-es. So what it does is that every node will broadcast 2.4Ghz and one 5Ghz, while another 5Ghz is mainly for backhaul. As such, there is no bandwidth reduction as opposed to singtel wifi mesh and netgear orbi. Netgear Orbi works different, i will explain later.

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back view of the box

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inside the box

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App based setup process. Note that Velop has no WebUI interface, all things must be done through the app, available in App Store and Play Store.

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Bottom view of the nodes, having 2 gigabit ethernet ports, power switch, reset button and AC supply.

Experience
I have placed all 3 nodes in the house, covering all areas. The initial set up process was rather time consuming, but it was pretty intuitive. I let my mum go through the set up process alone and she did it, despite being a noob in networking. In the process, you will see pictorial guidance with animation and that once you have done all you need to do at each stage, just tap Next and the app will bring you to next step. The only hurdle she encountered was to choose which type of set up we need to choose;

1) Modem with router and
2) Modem-Router.

For Singapore fibre ISPs, usually is Modem-Router mode. If you choose modem with router, the app will instruct you to remove the router and use Velop as a router instead. So after choosing Modem-Router mode, just connect the Parent Node to the wireless router and it will automatically acquire DHCP from your main router.

So after the initial set up, the app will attempt to upgrade the firmware of your Parent Node first before allowing you to add more nodes into the system. Add of nodes is as simple as the parent node. subsequent child nodes can be added after you completed the setup process too.

The initial feel of the wifi is that the signal coverage is indeed impressive for an internal antenna design. I could receive the same signal strength as my tplink c5400 at my bedroom on 5Ghz. As for the speed wise, it depends on the location as mesh systems will allocate the appropriate band based on RSSI. Otherwise, no difference in real life usage as comparing to using a wireless router, unless you are torrenting something which is speed sensitive.

Roaming between node to node is seamless, but not entirely perfect. Don't expect the node to handover your device from one to another at a flick of a finger. It will take several seconds for your wireless client to recognise a drop in signal strength before the node hands the client over to another stronger node with better signal, so you will see a drop in signal strength before bouncing up after a few seconds. Tested on s7 edge, macbook pro and tab s2.

As my dad is using an oneplus 1, i realise that the time taken for the phone to be handed over to another node sometimes work and sometimes it took a while longer than my other devices, i went back to linksys promoter and he advised the handover mechanism is from the wireless client itself. So i presume older devices might have a longer switching time comparing to newer devices?

So to put a benchmark on the speed you will be getting with a link rate,

866mbps link rate i'm getting about 500mbps+/- download/upload (e.g. macbook pro, s7 edge)
433mbps link rate i'm getting about 200mbps+/- download/upload
144mbps link rate i'm getting about 74mbps+/- download/upload

So any other users already got their velop? Share some ways on how you deploy the nodes leh..
 

manyu882

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Can share with us what is the floor size ran the tested on?. Many performance reviews are base on big houses oversea, would be interesting to see one from HDB.


For your dad's device(and the others), if it is able to be configured to high roaming aggressiveness, that will reduce the time to switch between APs. the downside is you may see an increase in latency as the client is searching for stronger signal frequently.
 

renfred89

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Can share with us what is the floor size ran the tested on?. Many performance reviews are base on big houses oversea, would be interesting to see one from HDB.


For your dad's device(and the others), if it is able to be configured to high roaming aggressiveness, that will reduce the time to switch between APs. the downside is you may see an increase in latency as the client is searching for stronger signal frequently.

oh well, i have no idea how to tweak the aggressiveness leh.. as far as i know, the app does not allow such advanced configuration.. Nevertheless, he's fine with waiting for a while when he roamed from living room to kitchen..

i'm at a 5 room flat.. Linksys claims that each node can spread coverage as far as 2000 sq feet, my house aint that big either to test out the claim. lol.. :D
 

renfred89

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Your Velop packaging got say where is the service centre?

there is no service centre in singapore... The process of RMA-ing the product is to call the hotline, let them diagnose the issue, generate a RMA ticket then FedEx will come with a brand new package for 1-1 exchange...

I heard that the distributor for linksys might be the service point like how avertek is a service centre for asus.. However its in the future, no one knows until its materialised..
 

Qubicfactor

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there is no service centre in singapore... The process of RMA-ing the product is to call the hotline, let them diagnose the issue, generate a RMA ticket then FedEx will come with a brand new package for 1-1 exchange...

I heard that the distributor for linksys might be the service point like how avertek is a service centre for asus.. However its in the future, no one knows until its materialised..

Means the no local service ctr caveats of buying a Linksys still applies then. Your set is local?
 

renfred89

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Means the no local service ctr caveats of buying a Linksys still applies then. Your set is local?

yup local set. got the IMDA compliance logo and singapore safety mark. :D

buying non local set is even worse... Completely cannot claim warranty in singapore and that imagine you order from US, your set has to go back to US, tour around the states then finally reach the service centre/retailer, 2 3 months gone(#exaggeration). :D
 

renfred89

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Show us some speed test and diagrams! :D

i will when i have more time. need to screenshot and upload to photo bucket etc..

what diagram you want?

Screenshot_20170422-125843_zps8bsogksy.png


Connected at 702mbps on s7 edge, one wall apart in my room when the parent node is placed in the living room..
 
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manyu882

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i will when i have more time. need to screenshot and upload to photo bucket etc..

what diagram you want?


A sketch of your house and Speed test at different location ( near, middle and far corner of the house from the router) - Do it when u have the time, no worries :D

Usually the best placement nodes is by triangulation. so the mesh system got more choices to choose the best path.
 

renfred89

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A sketch of your house and Speed test at different location ( near, middle and far corner of the house from the router) - Do it when u have the time, no worries :D

Usually the best placement nodes is by triangulation. so got more choice to choose the best path.

sorry man, too lazy to do the layout, and i couldnt do the triangulation setup cos of house layout.. but in the end, i'm glad its still working fine for me...

even if i find a further spot to test, there isn't any significance to the result unless your house layout is the same as me, and that you have the same placement of the nodes like me. :D:D
 

toyknight

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How is this compare to Airties? In terms of coverage and performance.

Have you tried the ethernet backhaul?
 
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renfred89

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How is this compare to Airties? In terms of coverage and performance.

Have you tried the ethernet backhaul?

Both velop and airties are different in specification and also different in the way they establish the mesh system.

Velop - has 2x2 for both 2.4ghz and 5Ghz,and is a triband mesh system. One of the 5Ghz will be dedicated as a backhaul so that your wifi bandwidth does not reduce for every node you add in.

Airties - has a 2x2 2.4Ghz and 3x3 5Ghz. Part of the 5Ghz will be used as a backhaul, so in terms of speed performance, you'll get slightly less than the velop.

If I rmb correctly, airties allows broadcast of 2 separate ssid for the dual band and you can choose to set the system to auto steer between bands, but for velop no option is available for that. Whichever band the velop offers, you've to take it.

So depending on your preference and how much you're willing to spare, both products offer different needs to different segment of consumers..

Also, regarding the wired set up, Velop does support ethernet backhaul, but still require to be set up wirelessly first..
 
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renfred89

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Woohoo, now everywhere i walk my signal strength is full bar.. :D:D

Initially i connected the 2 other child nodes into my main router which doesn't work. Both child nodes gave me red LED, which means no internet access.

However i remembered about daisy chain, so i connected the parent node to a child node, then from there connect to another child node and the 3rd node, i put in a PC via LAN.

And wala, it works like a charm..
 

toyknight

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Thinking whether worth to upgrade to velop from airties or not. Hmm...
 

renfred89

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manyu882

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Woohoo, now everywhere i walk my signal strength is full bar.. :D:D

Initially i connected the 2 other child nodes into my main router which doesn't work. Both child nodes gave me red LED, which means no internet access.

However i remembered about daisy chain, so i connected the parent node to a child node, then from there connect to another child node and the 3rd node, i put in a PC via LAN.

And wala, it works like a charm..

Ya, connect to router can not. The mesh need to identify one parent node, which is the node that communicates to WAN. Putting all the nodes at the same tier confuses them

U must have 2 Ethernet ports at each location to connect via Ethernet daisy chain? Else u must be running many cables
 

renfred89

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Only 2 nodes are wired. The third is on wireless mode.

Only parent node is connected to router and the 2nd node must be connected to the first node via lan.. I guess this is because velop don't do double Nat.

Overall coverage and speed is better, but my devices are confused as to which one to connect, though obviously I know the devices should connect to the nearest one..

Ya, connect to router can not. The mesh need to identify one parent node, which is the node that communicates to WAN. Putting all the nodes at the same tier confuses them

U must have 2 Ethernet ports at each location to connect via Ethernet daisy chain? Else u must be running many cables
 
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