by Dan Tynan

Let’s face it: WiFi can be maddening.

One minute you’re cruising the web at supersonic speeds, the next minute you’re tapping your fingers while waiting for Netflix to buffer. Or your bandwidth suddenly takes a nosedive because the kids have logged onto Xbox Live and you’re forced to wander around your house with your laptop hunting for a decent signal.

As the Internet of Things expands, this situation will only get worse. That’s why router makers like Eero and Luma are promoting a multi-unit solution: instead of one big ugly router beaming signals in every direction, they use a handful of smaller units connected via a mesh network — where each device (or node) communicates with others near it — to spread that yummy WiFi goodness to every corner of your home.

View photos luma wi-fi-router More

These gadgets are different than traditional routers in other ways. They’re designed to look good on your coffee table, for example — and being out in the open, instead of hidden on a bookshelf, also increases their range. They’re easy to set up, using a mobile app. In the case of Luma, they also add something routers have desperately needed for a long time: beefed up security designed to protect all the devices on your home network, along with some parental control features.

Today, Luma made its routers available to the general public ($149 for one; $399 for a pack of three). We took a pre-release unit for a spin. The hardware is impressive; the software not so much, but the company promises it will get better.

Stylish design, easy setup

The hexagonally-shaped Luma is slightly larger than a hockey puck and available in four colors: silver, gold, orange, or white. The design is minimalist: two Ethernet ports (in and out), a USB 2.0 for attaching external storage, and an AC port. Two 802.11ac antennas (2.4-GHz and 5-GHz) are tucked away inside.

Setting up the Luma is about as easy as it gets. You start by downloading the Luma app to your phone and create an account. You tell the app how many routers you want to set up, what kind of place you live in (apartment or home), how many floors your home has, and where your modem is located.

View photos Lm More

Name your network, choose a password, connect the Luma to the wall outlet and your modem via Ethernet, reboot the modem, and assign a location (living room, kitchen, etc). A blue light swirls around the Luma’s circular light ring for about a minute then turns solid. Tap the “Start Wifi” button in the app and you’re online.

You can then set up other Lumas, if you have them. The app will make suggestions on where to place the second and third units to maximize your coverage. (Each Luma unit has to be within 50 feet of another in order to communicate across the mesh network.) Setting up additional units is just a matter of plugging them in and waiting for them to find the network.

Using the Wi-Fi Sweetspots app from ASSIA, I clocked average network speeds of more than 200 megabits per second near each router and a respectable 28mbps from about 100 feet away, with no discernible dead-spots anywhere. Of course, I live in a relatively small (800 square foot) apartment on one floor. If you live in a larger, multi-level space your bandwidth mileage may vary. Luma recommends one router per floor or roughly 1500 square feet of living space.

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