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Huawei WiFi Q2 says it solves your wireless router problems

One of the world's largest telecom networking companies wants you to let it into your home.

Jessica Dolcourt Senior Director, Commerce & Content Operations
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
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Jessica Dolcourt
2 min read
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There are two problems with wireless routers at home. The first is getting seamless coverage -- there are always blind spots. The second is that the further you get from the access point, the slower your connection speeds. Mesh network systems, in which devices on the network can talk to each other, have addressed both of these issues by blanketing your home with multiple satellite access points. 

A new contender in this market is  Huawei , one of the world's biggest suppliers of networking infrastructure equipment. It got up on stage at CES 2018 to announce its humble offering, a hybrid 5G-powerline Wi-Fi system called the Huawei WiFi Q2. It pairs base units and satellite repeaters that plug into an ordinary wall outlet.

Watch this: Huawei home Wi-Fi router sets up in 2 minutes

Huawei will sell the base units and repeaters in sets. A three-pack of base units will cover five to seven rooms in your home (think kitchen, living room, bedrooms...), and a base unit and two satellites will supply Wi-Fi to four or five rooms. If you've got a smaller place, like an apartment, the smallest grouping of one base and one satellite should suffice.

The Huawei WiFi Q2 is $349.99 for three bases, or $219.99 for one base plus two satellites.

Blanket your home in Wi-Fi with Huawei's Q2 routers

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We'll update this when Huawei reveals when the units will hit the market -- that could help make or break the WiFi Q2's appeal compared to other options out there.

More Huawei WiFi Q2 details

  • Defaults to 5GHz network
  • Supports up to 16 hotspots
  • Dedicated channel for internet-of-things connections
  • Hybrid network: 5G mesh Wi-Fi plus powerline
  • Seamless roaming, faster switching at 100ms, on 802.11v protocol

All the cool new gadgets at CES 2018

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What to expect from the smart home at CES 2018: We take a look at the smart home and appliance trends we expect to see this year.

CES 2018: CNET's complete coverage of tech's biggest show.