Nearly ten million homes already have fiber internet access and although the operators that deploy it continue to focus a large part of their offerings on promoting access at high speeds, they are also beginning to pay attention to other important factors that influence the experience end of the user, as is the WiFi router installed.
Beyond the technologies used to bring high speed to homes through FTTH or HFC, a large part of the accesses within the home are established through WiFi, and services such as Vodafone's Super WiFi that we have analyzed, aim to improve the experience in a simple way.
What is Vodafone Super WiFi? Vodafone Super WiFi is a service that combines the advantages of mesh or mesh WiFi networks, with remote maintenance in the cloud from which Vodafone is able to optimize the connection of all devices connected to WiFi and anticipate possible problems that prevent the correct operation.
In addition to expanding the WiFi signal as PLCs do, the service promises to automatically calculate which is the best extender to connect to at all times, taking into account aspects such as interference, the appearance of new devices, saturation or in case you you find yourself in motion.
And it does so in a "smart", transparent and continuous way.
The network created through all extenders will share the same network name and password.
As an initial check, I started playing a 4K resolution movie on the TV, while on the laptop I played another movie in 1080p and found that it could move smoothly, even when moving between different rooms.
In addition, while the television continued to reproduce 4K, despite positioning myself with the laptop next to the same extender as the one the television was connected to, it only connected to that node when it stopped being saturated after finishing the 4K playback.
Vodafone WiFi ac extenders are dark gray and at 16 cm high and 12 cm wide, they are somewhat larger than other mesh on the market.
But beyond the taste for their design, it must be taken into account that they only have an Ethernet port and that both the power socket and the extender have an LED that could become annoying for certain people used to complete darkness.
when they go to sleep.
In addition, unlike other models, from Vodafone they state that they opted for a design with an independent power socket, in order to place the extender in the optimal position and height.
The installer takes care of everything and the cloud will do it in the future.After requesting the Super WiFi service in My Vodafone, a Vodafone technician will contact you to set up a visit in which the expert will study the size and topology of the housing, to indicate the number of extenders required and the most optimal situation for each of them.
Once all the repeaters have been turned on, and one of them connected to the main router via Ethernet, the technician will be in charge of registering us in the Vodafone cloud platform through a user, which will be an email.
It will also disable the main router's WiFi network to avoid interference with the new network created by the Super WiFi.
With everything organized and prepared by the technician, it will be time to get wet and download the app available for Android and iOS, from which we can perform a minimum configuration on our part, such as setting the name and password of the network, and from which We can also make other inquiries.
The app complies, but some functions are missed.
Once the Super WiFi app is installed, the first thing it will ask us to do is log in, and for this we will use the same email that was registered in the cloud platform as a user.
Once the email has been entered, they will send us an email with a link from which the Super WiFi app will open again, but already authenticated and without the need for passwords to remember.
As shown in the image above, from the upper left menu we can access the configuration of the WiFi network, where to set the name of the network and the password, and the configuration of the extenders, where we can establish a name for each of they.
And to help identify each extender, we can do it using a QR code.
In addition, from the main screen, we can also access: By clicking on the central Super WiFi symbol, we will access the percentage of bandwidth used by each of the devices connected to the network.
From the upper right corner, we can share the name and password of our WiFi network through the usual methods.
From the lower left corner, we will access a map of the network showing the devices connected to each extender, and the channel through which the different extenders connect to each other.
From the lower right corner, we will directly access the list with all the devices that have been connected to the network at some point, indicating which are active and which are not.
Whether we access from the network map, or from the list with all the devices, we can click on each of them to find out other details such as the MAC address, the band to which we are connected or the bandwidth used (uploading and download) in periods to choose between 24 hours, a week or 30 days.
Although the operation of the app is fluid and has not given any problem during the tests, other known options are missing and that for example allow to block devices, restrict access via parental control, create networks for guests, or access to other more advanced settings.
Performance test passed The installation of the Super WiFi for this analysis has been carried out on a floor of about 90 square meters, with the main extender in the study, another extender in the bedroom and a third in the kitchen, as can be seen distributed in the next picture.
The connection is made through the HFC inherited from ONO and the contracted speed is 600/100 Mbps.
The tests have been carried out from the speedtest app on an HTC U11.
For the tests, two measurements have been made per test (we have stayed with the highest one) and they have been made from six different locations to see how different obstacles and conditions affect at the time of measurement.
Starting with the Studio, the place closest to the main router, the device did not connect to the closest extender, but to the one that gave a more stable upload speed (the one in the bedroom).
Leaving only the extender that connects to the router, the speed shot up to 471 Mbps as seen in the image.
From the living room, located at one end of the floor, while with the Vodafone / Ono Compal router it continued to connect to the 5 GHz network and the speed barely exceeded 50 Mbps, with one and three extenders, the download speed went from 50 to 100 and 200 Mbps respectively, in addition to continuing to gain stability.
Something similar happened at the other end of the floor, in the master bedroom, where data similar to those obtained in the living room are obtained with extenders, although without them the speed was only 20 Mbps.
That is, this case has been where the improvement has been more remarkable, with speeds up to 10 times faster and a practically impeccable stability as seen in the image.
The improvement of the connection in the kitchen has also been appreciable despite being practically in the center of the floor and a short distance from the main router.
Here the original connection was not particularly good either, possibly due to the tiling of the entire kitchen and the existence of interfering pipes and appliances.
As expected, the connection with three extenders has been up to five times faster and more stable, since one of the extenders is located in the same cabin.
But the speed and stability improvement with a single extender has also been remarkable despite being at the same distance as the Compal router.
Since the floor is not large, I also wanted to check the connection on other floors of the building from the stairs, even though the position of the extenders was not designed to cover these extensions.
Upstairs the Compal lost its connection to the 5 GHz network, but got better download speeds than a single extender.
With three extenders, the speed reached was around 80 Mbps symmetrical.
Two floors below the house, the connection with a single extender was lost and the connection to the Compal router was maintained with a speed of 7 Mbps, but the Super WiFi again showed that the connections were more stable, and also faster , reaching up to 40 Mbps.
The conclusion of Daxdi Móvil After the installation of Vodafone Super WiFi, the feeling has been positive, both due to the fact that no type of knowledge is needed for the correct installation, because the installer takes care of everything ; as for the appreciation of the speed increase in everyday use.
The sense of near immediacy in streaming playback was evident from the get-go.
And subsequent speed tests confirmed that the feeling made sense.
With the three Super WiFi extenders, the connection in all corners of the floor has remained practically stable at 200/90 Mbps, while previously speeds ranged, depending on the room, between 140 and 18 Mbps download and 84 and 23 Upload Mbps.
Therefore, it could be concluded that the service works as it promises and that the improvement is notable, although it carries an additional cost that must also be taken into account.
While some mesh routers on the market such as the TP-Link Deco P9 and the eero have a cost of close to 300 euros, the payment to Vodafone will be 6 euros per month (or free if you have 1 Gbps fiber), with two extenders included, and three euros more for each additional extender.
In addition, it has a stay of three months.
The device has been loaned for testing by Vodafone.
Can inquire our policy of relationships with enterprises. Nearly ten million homes already have fiber internet access and although the operators that deploy it continue to focus a large part of their offerings on promoting access at high speeds, they are also beginning to pay attention to other important factors that influence the experience end of the user, as is the WiFi router installed.
Beyond the technologies used to bring high speed to homes through FTTH or HFC, a large part of the accesses within the home are established through WiFi, and services such as Vodafone's Super WiFi that we have analyzed, aim to improve the experience in a simple way.
What is Vodafone Super WiFi? Vodafone Super WiFi is a service that combines the advantages of mesh or mesh WiFi networks, with remote maintenance in the cloud from which Vodafone is able to optimize the connection of all devices connected to WiFi and anticipate possible problems that prevent the correct operation.
In addition to expanding the WiFi signal as PLCs do, the service promises to automatically calculate which is the best extender to connect to at all times, taking into account aspects such as interference, the appearance of new devices, saturation or in case you you find yourself in motion.
And it does so in a "smart", transparent and continuous way.
The network created through all extenders will share the same network name and password.
As an initial check, I started playing a 4K resolution movie on the TV, while on the laptop I played another movie in 1080p and found that it could move smoothly, even when moving between different rooms.
In addition, while the television continued to reproduce 4K, despite positioning myself with the laptop next to the same extender as the one the television was connected to, it only connected to that node when it stopped being saturated after finishing the 4K playback.
Vodafone WiFi ac extenders are dark gray and at 16 cm high and 12 cm wide, they are somewhat larger than other mesh on the market.
But beyond the taste for their design, it must be taken into account that they only have an Ethernet port and that both the power socket and the extender have an LED that could become annoying for certain people used to complete darkness.
when they go to sleep.
In addition, unlike other models, from Vodafone they state that they opted for a design with an independent power socket, in order to place the extender in the optimal position and height.
The installer takes care of everything and the cloud will do it in the future.After requesting the Super WiFi service in My Vodafone, a Vodafone technician will contact you to set up a visit in which the expert will study the size and topology of the housing, to indicate the number of extenders required and the most optimal situation for each of them.
Once all the repeaters have been turned on, and one of them connected to the main router via Ethernet, the technician will be in charge of registering us in the Vodafone cloud platform through a user, which will be an email.
It will also disable the main router's WiFi network to avoid interference with the new network created by the Super WiFi.
With everything organized and prepared by the technician, it will be time to get wet and download the app available for Android and iOS, from which we can perform a minimum configuration on our part, such as setting the name and password of the network, and from which We can also make other inquiries.
The app complies, but some functions are missed.
Once the Super WiFi app is installed, the first thing it will ask us to do is log in, and for this we will use the same email that was registered in the cloud platform as a user.
Once the email has been entered, they will send us an email with a link from which the Super WiFi app will open again, but already authenticated and without the need for passwords to remember.
As shown in the image above, from the upper left menu we can access the configuration of the WiFi network, where to set the name of the network and the password, and the configuration of the extenders, where we can establish a name for each of they.
And to help identify each extender, we can do it using a QR code.
In addition, from the main screen, we can also access: By clicking on the central Super WiFi symbol, we will access the percentage of bandwidth used by each of the devices connected to the network.
From the upper right corner, we can share the name and password of our WiFi network through the usual methods.
From the lower left corner, we will access a map of the network showing the devices connected to each extender, and the channel through which the different extenders connect to each other.
From the lower right corner, we will directly access the list with all the devices that have been connected to the network at some point, indicating which are active and which are not.
Whether we access from the network map, or from the list with all the devices, we can click on each of them to find out other details such as the MAC address, the band to which we are connected or the bandwidth used (uploading and download) in periods to choose between 24 hours, a week or 30 days.
Although the operation of the app is fluid and has not given any problem during the tests, other known options are missing and that for example allow to block devices, restrict access via parental control, create networks for guests, or access to other more advanced settings.
Performance test passed The installation of the Super WiFi for this analysis has been carried out on a floor of about 90 square meters, with the main extender in the study, another extender in the bedroom and a third in the kitchen, as can be seen distributed in the next picture.
The connection is made through the HFC inherited from ONO and the contracted speed is 600/100 Mbps.
The tests have been carried out from the speedtest app on an HTC U11.
For the tests, two measurements have been made per test (we have stayed with the highest one) and they have been made from six different locations to see how different obstacles and conditions affect at the time of measurement.
Starting with the Studio, the place closest to the main router, the device did not connect to the closest extender, but to the one that gave a more stable upload speed (the one in the bedroom).
Leaving only the extender that connects to the router, the speed shot up to 471 Mbps as seen in the image.
From the living room, located at one end of the floor, while with the Vodafone / Ono Compal router it continued to connect to the 5 GHz network and the speed barely exceeded 50 Mbps, with one and three extenders, the download speed went from 50 to 100 and 200 Mbps respectively, in addition to continuing to gain stability.
Something similar happened at the other end of the floor, in the master bedroom, where data similar to those obtained in the living room are obtained with extenders, although without them the speed was only 20 Mbps.
That is, this case has been where the improvement has been more remarkable, with speeds up to 10 times faster and a practically impeccable stability as seen in the image.
The improvement of the connection in the kitchen has also been appreciable despite being practically in the center of the floor and a short distance from the main router.
Here the original connection was not particularly good either, possibly due to the tiling of the entire kitchen and the existence of interfering pipes and appliances.
As expected, the connection with three extenders has been up to five times faster and more stable, since one of the extenders is located in the same cabin.
But the speed and stability improvement with a single extender has also been remarkable despite being at the same distance as the Compal router.
Since the floor is not large, I also wanted to check the connection on other floors of the building from the stairs, even though the position of the extenders was not designed to cover these extensions.
Upstairs the Compal lost its connection to the 5 GHz network, but got better download speeds than a single extender.
With three extenders, the speed reached was around 80 Mbps symmetrical.
Two floors below the house, the connection with a single extender was lost and the connection to the Compal router was maintained with a speed of 7 Mbps, but the Super WiFi again showed that the connections were more stable, and also faster , reaching up to 40 Mbps.
The conclusion of Daxdi Móvil After the installation of Vodafone Super WiFi, the feeling has been positive, both due to the fact that no type of knowledge is needed for the correct installation, because the installer takes care of everything ; as for the appreciation of the speed increase in everyday use.
The sense of near immediacy in streaming playback was evident from the get-go.
And subsequent speed tests confirmed that the feeling made sense.
With the three Super WiFi extenders, the connection in all corners of the floor has remained practically stable at 200/90 Mbps, while previously speeds ranged, depending on the room, between 140 and 18 Mbps download and 84 and 23 Upload Mbps.
Therefore, it could be concluded that the service works as it promises and that the improvement is notable, although it carries an additional cost that must also be taken into account.
While some mesh routers on the market such as the TP-Link Deco P9 and the eero have a cost of close to 300 euros, the payment to Vodafone will be 6 euros per month (or free if you have 1 Gbps fiber), with two extenders included, and three euros more for each additional extender.
In addition, it has a stay of three months.
The device has been loaned for testing by Vodafone.
Can inquire our policy of relationships with enterprises.
