Final Thoughts
Coming in to this review we were exited to take a look at a product that could help provide greater WiFi coverage via mesh technology; something that has become more important with the sudden growth of those working from home. Being able to easily expand your wireless network from a single access point to three systems in a mesh configuration by simply plugging in the extra units is as easy as it gets, and the option to use a wired backhaul for the M3 Dot devices is a great feature for added reliability. Our use of the MeshForce M3 Whole Home WiFi system proved to be quite positive, with general use of the system giving us no issues. And while the test numbers we encountered go back and forth with our other WiFi test device, the natural fluctuations in wireless speeds is expected, and caused us no issues.
We do want to take some time here to focus on the this system’s security and configuration options, or lack there of. The 3 Whole Home WiFi system is definitely not designed for buyers who are looking for a comprehensive and totally customizable mesh network solution. This is quickly realized once you start working with the My Mesh app. We were certainly not expecting to see so many features available to enable but without any real configuration. This includes QoS, which provides no customization, and Parental Control, which is nothing more than a network access scheduler; definitely not a feature designed to keep kids safe on the Internet during their allowed times. Additionally, there are no firewall settings to be found anywhere within the My Mesh app. One must assume that MeshForce is relying mostly on NAT to provide enough protection for the devices being served by this system.
Found on our favorite online retailer for $169, the MeshForce M3 Whole Home WiFi system is a quick and easy way to add extended WiFi coverage to your environment, but lacks the configuration options and security details that we expect from our networking equipment. The MeshForce M3 Whole Home WiFi system earns a 7 out of 10.
Pros:
- Easy Setup
- Quickly Add WiFi Coverage to Environment
- Modern Looking Design
- Affordable
Cons:
- Lacks Some Basic Configuration Options – DHCP Scope Adjustments, QoS Settings, Renaming M3 System Devices
- Lacks Basic Security Configuration Options – Firewall, IDS/IPS
- Misleading Features – Parental Control
