Nokia has quietly launched its latest WiFi mesh
router - the Beacon 1 which aims to offer an experience similar to the Beacon 3
at a lower price. The unit supports 802.11 k/v Dual-Band Wi-Fi with AC1200
speeds and has 2-gigabit Ethernet ports.
A single Beacon 1 router can cover an estimated 140
square meters (1500 sq. feet) but undoubtedly its key feature is its mesh
support where you can hook three of them to seamlessly cover even larger areas
up to 420 square meters (4500 sq. feet).
The router can also combine 2.4GHz, 5GHz Wi-Fi with
Ethernet for optimal network connectivity. Nokia also provides its Wi-Fi app
to managing the devices. From there you get a heat map for fixing dead zones as
well as a list of connected devices. There’s also a pre-pairing feature for the
Beacon 1 multi packs which allows you to install only one of the routers while
the others will set up and connect automatically.
The Beacon 1 router is priced at US$ 129 while a
three-pack goes for US$ 299. Both variants are already available on Amazon.
