Smartthings hub or mesh wifi with hub functionality? (UK)

Hi there, I’m just starting to look at smartthings to replace an old Vera system I don’t really understand, that has stopped working.

I was looking at the smartthings hubs, and in a separate conversation, someone mentioned I should replace my WiFi extender with mesh wifi, as the extender could create problems like reducing my bandwidth.

I saw that smartthings mesh wifi also functions as a hub, so that could be two birds with one stone. But I can’t seem to find it for sale in the UK.

Is the smartthings mesh wifi available in the UK? Is it good?

Is it better to have a separate hub, or is the hub functionality in the mesh wifi just as good?

Any help hugely appreciated!
H

It’s OK. Just OK. there are certainly much better Wi-Fi mesh systems out there such as Ubiquiti or Netgear Orbi, but they have features that a typical consumer might never use. On the other hand, if you get the newest model which comes with the Plume software, that software is very good for what it does. Although again, missing some of the technical features that more advanced users might expect from a Wi-Fi mesh system.

So it really comes down to your own needs. If you just want to use it with the default features to cover some Wi-Fi dead zones in your home, it’s good enough. :sunglasses: If you’re already familiar with terms like “backhaul” and “ MU-MIMO,” you’ll probably find the Samsung SmartThings Wi-Fi mesh system frustratingly oversimplified. :rage:

And while The early model was available in the UK, I believe the current model, the one with plume, is not.

If you want a very simple easy to use mesh Wi-Fi without advanced features, eero is worth considering and it’s very popular for people who want a “plug and play“ mesh Wi-Fi system. A UK model was released a few months ago. Otherwise look at Netgear or ubiquiti if you want more advanced features.

Here’s a good review:

https://www.digitaltrends.com/?review=samsung-smartthings-wi-fi-review

Is it better to have a separate hub, or is the hub functionality in the mesh wifi just as good?

The home automation functionality is exactly the same in both products except that the firmware for the standalone hub gets updated more often so it will tend to get new features somewhat sooner. They have different development teams, or at least they have had in the past. So that’s the good news if you decide to get a different brand of mesh Wi-Fi.