Nokia today expanded its range of Wi-Fi products with the addition of the Nokia Beacon 1 mesh system. With prices starting at $130, the Beacon 1 is an affordable alternative to last year's Beacon 3 and shares many of the same features.
Like its predecessor, Beacon 1 supports 802.11ac and can be used to extend your Wi-Fi coverage to more areas of your home, eliminating dead spots. The dual-band system also features the same easy setup procedure that involves scanning a QR code in the accompanying mobile app with subsequent Beacons being plug and play.
No more dead zones
Nokia Beacon 1
Nokia's new entry-level Beacon 1 mesh networking system features smart bandwidth optmization for a reliable Wi-Fi experience. Each beacon offers up to 1,500 square feet of coverage so you can eliminate Wi-Fi dead spots in your home, too.
The system is limited to AC1200 speeds — unlike the Beacon 3 which supports AC3000 — but there are built-in features to optimize the available bandwidth such as 'Intelligent Channel Selection' that allows beacons to detect both Wi-Fi and non-WiFi interference and choose the best Wi-Fi channel and band automatically. The Beacon 1 system can cover approximately 1,500 square feet per beacon and the mobile app will provide a Wi-Fi heat map of your home to help you find the optimal placement for each one. It also features a bridge mode that works with your existing router/modem combo as the gateway while the beacons provide the smarter Wi-Fi coverage.
Mesh networking systems are becoming more prevalent and the competition is already fierce in this market with the likes of Amazon-owned Eero, Netgear Orbi, and more already in homes of many consumers. Nokia appears to be using cost as a differentiator, stating that "Beacon 1 is an entry-level, whole-home mesh WiFi system for consumers looking for the best performance at the best price".
Nokia Beacon 1 is available to order now at Amazon. The 1-pack retails at $130 with the 3-pack on offer for $300.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Samsung's Galaxy S21 series misses out on this useful Android feature
The latest Galaxy S21 series phones from Samsung lack a useful feature that Google had launched five years back: seamless updates.
Is 2021 going to be the year you ditch Samsung?
Samsung continues to be a dominant force in the Android landscape — but that doesn't mean everyone is thrilled with where the company is heading.
These are the best Android phones you can buy right now
There are so many great Android phones to buy, so it can be tough to know which one to get. These are the best of the best at each price point.
These cases will help keep your Nokia 7.2 chugging along forever
The Nokia 7.2 is widely considered to be quite an impressive mid-range phone with a great combination of hardware, software, and battery life. But with a device as great-looking as the Nokia 7.2, you'll want to find the right case and we have found quite a few to choose from.