How much is great WiFi worth to you?

 

Have you ever missed the final over because your stream cut out?

 

Has the music ever stopped mid-party - just when everyone was up dancing?

 

Has your teenager ever told you the internet in your house sucks? Incessantly. Like, 450 times every day?

 

D-Link has a simple, effective solution. But it doesn't come cheap.

 

 

The COVR-2202 "Seamless" WiFi system from D-Link is one of the new breed of mesh configurations currently taking over from where the old "add an extender" situations came up short.

 

Extenders come in all shapes, sizes and capabilities of course - but if you think plugging in something that looks like a night light will get your Netflix working down the other end of the house, you're probably going to be disappointed.

 

Those wall-plug extenders generally offer limited connection speeds and almost no bandwidth in terms of managing multiple devices at once. What's more, you have to give the extender it's own network name (SSID). This generally leads to frustrating dropouts if you're using the same device in different parts of the house.

 

What's more, if you're trying to stream to a Chromecast or screen-share with a smart TV, you need to be on the same network - often this will mean having to manually open your WiFi settings on your phone or tablet to switch from your extender back to your router or vice versa.

 

The mesh system is a vast improvement because it allows multiple WiFi access points all using the same network, so no more cumbersome switching. However, like routers, not all mesh systems are created equal.

 

What gives the D-Link COVR-2202 a big advantage over many of its competitors (and even it's lower powered relative, the COVR-C1203) is its extra 5GHz band reserved for Smart Backhaul communication between the primary COVR unit and any satellite units. This tri-band configuration combines with D-Link's Smart Steering technology to give every connected device as much bandwidth and speed possible, with very little chance of overlap or interference.

 

What really sets the COVR-2202 apart is the sheer power of these units. Although you'll need slightly taller shelf space to accommodate the more tower-shaped profile of the devices, it's well worth it because underneath those subtle, attractive covers nestle an impressive six antennae. D-Link claims this kind of power will easily cover up to 560 square metres, which is way bigger than my house - in fact, it's a fair chunk of my whole section.

 

I've tested it pretty extensively and it lives up to those claims. I set up the two pre-paired COVR-2202 units in diagonally opposite corners of my two-storey house and not only did the connection between them remain rock solid, the internet speeds stayed right up there as well - more than enough for HD streaming or gaming or both, even when connected at the satellite end of things.

 

In the past, I've found setting up devices like these a confusing trial-and-error process. Swapping between app and browser-based interfaces to get everything connected. D-Link has definitely ironed out all those kinks these days and the latest iteration of the D-Link setup app prompts you with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions that are foolproof - even for someone as foolish as me.

 

To be honest, there weren't really very many steps at all, as there was no pairing required between the primary and secondary units - that's taken care of straight out of the box. It was literally just a matter of plugging the main unit into the modem, firing it up and giving your network a name and password.

 

The LED COVR logo on each unit doubles as a status light, red bad, white good, flashing somewhere in between. Once you've got everything up and humming, the light can easily be turned off via the app.

 

There's real versatility here too, because each unit has two ethernet ports. This means you can use your new mesh network almost like a WiFi bridge - connecting both your smart TV and a set-top box. Or a PC and a gaming console.

 

In fact, go crazy - there's plenty of bandwidth to spare.

 

Speed, power, stability - all packed into two subtle but attractively designed units.

 

At $549.99, I think the COVR-2202 is a bit expensive - I mean, you could buy ten of those plug-in extenders for that price. Except...

 

I have to admit, the COVR-2202 works at least ten times better than those little extenders and it's probably slightly easier to set up.

 

So put a dollar amount on it; your WiFi frustration, how much is it worth to you to kiss it goodbye? Then maybe next time your teen emerges from their room to complain Fortnite won't load, you could suggest they chip in...

 

 

Click here for more information and pricing on the D-Link COVR 2202 mesh WiFi system