Innovative Systems Blog Mesh Networks: A Better Way to Take Advantage of IoT in the New Year

Mesh Wi-Fi has been the latest talk in the consumer space this year, but enterprise-level organizations have been using mesh networks for years to extend their office space, secure their networks and easily connect near-range mobile employees in rural or mining operations. Though the limited budgets and reduced technology capabilities of smaller businesses in the past prevented SMBs from taking advantage of mesh-networking flexibility, recent increases in Internet speed have helped businesses of all sizes tap into the wide-ranging benefits that mesh offers. One of the biggest benefits SMBs are now experiencing with mesh is their newfound ability to drive business forward using IoT (Internet of Things) devices. What Is Mesh Networking? Mesh networking is a long-standing method of easily extending Wi-Fi range throughout an area, such as a large office or even an outdoor space, without having to manage multiple networks or a complex arrangement of integrated routers. Using a single Internet access point as a base signal, the mesh system boosts your Internet signal through well-placed "nodes" (signal repeaters) that can eliminate Internet dead zones in your offices. In the past, mesh networks were solely of interest to larger enterprises, as these companies were the only ones that could afford the ultra-high-speed connections mesh required. Though mesh networks do effectively extend an Internet signal, the signal strength ever-so-slightly reduces when it "hops" (extends) through a node; you can imagine how this was a serious problem with old, slow broadband connections. Fortunately, today's Internet speeds for SMBs often reach [...]