Linksys Velop - Anyone not having problems with it?

[PinkyMacGodess]

I've got the three node Velop mesh package, and it's been flaky ever since it was installed, but the flakiness has gotten loads worse in the past month or so.

One node keeps disappearing, just out of the blue. I can't connect, and go to the Velop app, and it shows either the entire network offline, or one or two of the nodes offline. I spent 5 hours on a tech support chat last night trying to get the latest outage logged and addressed. And the Velop app was recently updated, and in the old app, all the passwords were saved in the app somehow (they weren't in the Passwords section of Setting) and were 'forgotten' post update, making it a struggle to get through this latest incident.

Linksys seems to have a flaky product, some decent support people, and a flaky website to support it all.

Why in the heck did Apple decide to force their customers into the short small arms of Linksys (and others). I donated the Apple Airport Extremes we had because they were 'dead', no longer supported, and sure wish I had them last night. Velop seems like a joke.

One laugh track was their app still showed the 'bad child' node as being connected, and it was in my hand, totally/completely disconnected. I could even tap that node in the app and get information supposedly from that node. That kind of programming stupidity is stunning. HAH!!! Their brain dead app is STILL SHOWING THREE NODES!!! It's been over 10 hours since that node was disconnected. Stunning isn't the word...

And this was all brought to a head because of Webex. The Velop mesh is so full of holes, Webex is, for all intent and purpose, unusable. Velop sucks...

Is there a better brand of network hardware out there? Should I try to get our Extreme's back? WHY APPLE, WHY!!! ?

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

So it's just me?

So I got the new Velop node in yesterday, and it was actually a brand new one in a retail box, still shrink wrapped.

So I tried to add it to the mesh, and couldn't get it to add. It was in 'new' mode, and I could see the '_velopsetupxxx' ssid, but couldn't get it to add. Nice...

So, having nothing else better to do, I reset the entire network. The manual says al I have to do is reset the 'parent' node. So I did, and tried to add the existing child node to the new one that I used as the parent (I figured it's probably newer) and it wouldn't add. So I reset that node, and after a few 'Try again's' it joined. The old parent was a bear to get to be a child. I reset it four times! Apparently there is an error in the manual. It says to release the reset button after it blinks red, but the ex-parent only worked after I released the button after it stayed blue. I called their tech support, and was disconnected (they didn't call back), and the last thing she was trying to say was when it stays blue, release the button. Apparently I was lucky with the first one. Grrr...

So, it is back working. Getting it back took a lot of time. Likewise, their support took a lot of my life, like 5 hours on a tech support chat, but the replacement came pretty quickly. But adding it to the existing network didn't work, so a '-5' for style.

Would I recommend Velop? No, but that assumes there is something else better out there. My faith in the tech industry to produce something that would be better isn't very high. I'm so completely disappointed that Apple dropped out on providing network gear to their customers. I attended a Cisco talk, and they stated a couple of times that their opinion on how they operate is to be a 'single source' for their customers who already have their systems. Like buy a router, get their phone system, get their firewall... Apple *should* have their own wifi, and their own servers, and maybe event heir own network gear (small SOHO switches). To push people away from them into the arms of a tone deaf market is sad. *shrug* I used their wifi equipment at least. I had three extremes, and several Express', and recommended them to many clients back in the day.

Sorry for the rant, but I feel bitchy today...

 

[hobowankenobi]

I have not used Velop, so no opinion. Linksys gear, in general, has been OK historically, like most other consumer-grade network gear. But not great.

No idea if there is a fix, although in general, I would be looking for firmware updates (or downgrades) for relief. If they are set up as true wireless/mesh APs, consider that if they are too far apart, performance is hindered, and at the extreme edge of coverage, they could disconnect. Noise or interference could also be a concern with a weak signal between APs.

If you want better than OK, consider something that is not consumer-grade if you are looking to switch. There are several brands to choose from.

I use and recommend Ubiquiti APs. My two AC Lites and one AC Mesh have been rock-solid wifi for years. Never need reboots, don't even look at them for months at a time. The base model APs are wired, so they are never disconnected. Ubiquiti was started by a former Apple engineer as I understand it, and it shows in many of their products. They are pretty close to what you describe for network gear: One stop shopping for basic to massive enterprise gear. Puts Cisco to shame on the cost/value equation.

There is no reason to suffer with mediocre "consumer" grade network gear anymore.

 

[Merc66man]

You have the same problem I do. One problem node, regular hangs, and need to reboot the whole thing regularly. Today I watched signal strength and connect speed....sitting right beside the bad node.....jump around from zero to 800 mbps. So I have now grown tired of tech support, resetting the node, power cycling it etc...it’s now permanently off and I’m going to try and run two nodes only for a while....

and....today I ordered an ASUS Zenwifi AX two node mesh system to give it a try. Being in lock down mode, impossible to do my job and home and talk to family with garbage, unstable wifi. So sad my AirPort Extreme failed last year....

 

[D3ggy]

no it’s not just you, I’m disappointed with mine too.

 

[Fly Georgia]

I just received a replacement main node from Velop and they just seem weak and flakey.
The speed drop even 20 feet away is rediculas. I am hoping they will take them back and refund my cost.
I have had 2 technicians have me change settings. I don't think that should be necessary.

 

[hobowankenobi]

Update to my post above. One of my UBNT APs started misbehaving...after more than 10 years of 24/7 use.

So I replaced both in-door APs with the latest UP 6 lite model. Happy to report, after about 6 months, every bit as rock-solid as what they replaced. They are the same size, but weigh quite a bit more...either more steel or a bigger board I would guess.

Not much else has changed, a bit better range I would guess, but nothing measurable I could point to. Oh, and the software controls and features keep getting better over time, which is a nice bonus over most gear.