Last time, I shared an article on achieving whole-home WiFi 6 on a low budget. Many friends might have purchased it, haha~
Can you believe you can achieve whole-home WiFi coverage for three floors with a budget of 150? Here’s a recommendation for a cost-effective router that supports Mesh networking~
Last time, the budget was around 50 per unit, and for larger homes or multi-story buildings, multiple units can be used to achieve Mesh networking and thus provide whole-home WiFi 6 signal coverage.
Some friends might ask, can we lower the budget even more (manual dog head)? As a budget-conscious individual, we pursue cost-effectiveness. Indeed, this time we are still picking up bargains, and this whole-home WiFi 6 solution can be achieved with a budget lower than the previous 150, by another twenty or thirty yuan, leaving the rest for network cables~ Actually, someone in the comments mentioned this, and I was planning to share it later, but let’s bring it up this time~
The price of 40 mentioned by the commenter is still high; actually, you can get it for around 35 with free shipping at the seafood market (manual dog head).
Or on a certain platform, you can get a new one for 40 each with subsidies~ Quite attractive, three units for 120, which is 20 less than the previous 150~
This is a mobile customized version of the TP-Link device, usually provided with broadband services. The body is very small, and the antennas are built-in. The WMC180 has AX1800 specifications and supports WiFi 6. How do you like this appearance?
It supports TP’s EasyMesh networking, and this model has no locking cases, so you can use it with confidence. It is compatible with all three major networks: China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom broadband.
It has three Gigabit Ethernet ports, supporting WNA/LAN automatic recognition, which is sufficient for general use. If not, you can add a switch~
The firmware supports both router mode and bridge mode. By the way, the processor is the classic MT7621DAT with 128MB of memory. Coupled with the TP system, it is suitable for users who do not want to tinker. This processor and system combination is quite stable for daily use.
For specific disassembly details, you can check out this review by a certain expert, which is very detailed~
https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv17891446/
However, the wireless signal does not have an amplifier. One unit is suitable for houses within 80 square meters; for larger areas, multiple units are needed for networking. Compared to the WTC181, the WTC181 is still stronger, so I recommend this model for friends with broadband under 600 megabits~ If you have a gigabit connection, I suggest spending a little more to get the WTC181 recommended in the previous article~
To summarize the pros and cons of this router:
Pros:
1. Cheap, supports WiFi 6, and various features like IPV6 are supported, handling 500-600 megabit broadband without issues. It is compatible with all three major networks, and I haven’t seen any locking cases so far.
2. Supports TP EasyMesh networking, can be combined with all EasyMesh-compatible devices, consumer versions, and cross-operator customized TP models can interconnect. It is recommended to choose the strongest one as the main node.
3. The TP IoT APP can be used; remember to log in to the router’s backend account first. There is a chance to use the TP-Link APP, but I feel the IoT APP is more user-friendly.
4. Although TP hardware has been downsized, the system is definitely reliable, suitable for users who do not want to tinker, and stability is quite good.
Cons:
1. The signal is not very strong, suitable for small homes; for larger homes, two units are needed for coverage, and for multi-story buildings, multiple units are required.
2. Another downside is that it is not brand new, but we are picking up bargains, haha~
As for networking, everyone can just get hands-on; I recommend wired Mesh networking for a better experience. If wiring is inconvenient, wireless Mesh can also be used, but the experience is not as good as wired~
Alright, this article on picking up bargains ends here. If anyone has good recommendations, I will share more later~
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