WillaMesh Equipment
Introduction
To connect to WillaMesh, you will need a fewrouter piecesand ofan equipmentoutdoor installedradio.
The router handles Wi-Fi in your house and is where you connect your computers, phones, game consoles, and set-top boxes that need Internet access. You plug the router's "WAN" port into the cable going to the outdoor radio.
The outdoor radio is mounted outside your house and points at youra location.WillaMesh Checkrelay. outIt the photos to seeis what theconnects devicesyour look like, when they are needed, and their cost.
Routers
InsideThere are two options for routers. Option 1 is recommended for most installs. If your building,house will be a relay for other sites, then you will need option 2. Your installation advisor will tell you need a router. This provides Wi-Fi to the computersoption and devices in your home or office and securely connects your internal network to the larger WillaMesh network and the Internet. Although these are standard hardware units, they are using special software and configurations to allow them to work properly with the community mesh network technology, so be sure to acquire them from us. If you have one of these models already, we'll be happy to see if we can reconfigure it so you won't need to purchase another2 router.
Option 1: Linksys EA6350
This is our "go-to" option for a router. It provides good performance and is our least expensive option. It costs ($50.00.
Option 2: Linksys WRT32X
This is a powerful device that is only recommended for larger homes or businesses that need more extensive Wi-Fi coverage or for sites providing WillaMesh relay service to dozens of other sites. It is significantly more expensive than the Linksys EA6350 at ($200.00.
Outdoor RadiosRadio
A typical installation will require your site to be connected to a WillaMesh relay using special outdoor Wi-Fi radio mounted on your roof or side of your building.
Ubiquiti Loco5AC
This is what we would use if your site is very close to an existing relay. It is the least expensive option, but will not be a good fit if the relay is not within clear line-of-sight of your location. It costs $50.00.
Ubiquiti NanoBeam ($90)
The NanoBeam is the radio that would be used in most scenarios. It provides great performance and is pretty reasonably-sized. It costs $90.
Mikrotik OmniTik
The OmniTik is a good solution for neighborhoods with low-density housing. This radio is a multi-tasker. It serves up standard Internet connectivity and is the foundation for a local disaster communications network to empower information exchange and outreach during power outages, severe weather events, or other adverse scenarios. It costs $130.
