In the battle of WiFi versus mesh networks, the latter has the edge. Two tech leaders share why.

• Mesh networks consist of devices that connect to each other rather than to a single router.
• Leaders at Rajant Corporation say mesh networking offers more reliable connectivity for businesses.
• This article is part of “5G and Connectivity Playbook,” a series exploring some of our time’s most important tech innovations.

For businesses that struggle with slow WiFi or connectivity interruptions, mesh networks can be a “game changer,” said Steven Griggs, a vice president of sales engineering at the communications technology company Rajant Corporation.

A mesh network is a private wireless broadband network in which devices, or connection points, link to one another in a weblike structure.

It’s unlike a WiFi setup, where smartphones, laptops, or other devices connect to a router, which serves as an access point. Todd Rigby, a director of sales at Rajant, says a mesh network allows organizations to have many access points that can “talk to one another.”

Griggs added, “Imagine all smartphones being able to talk directly to each other and the hot spot.”

Griggs argued that mesh networks can offer more reliability, faster connectivity, and better mobility and network security.

Rigby and Griggs discussed the ways mesh networks could benefit businesses and the challenges of adopting the technology.

These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

Erica Sweeney: What are the main benefits of mesh networks?

Todd Rigby: Reliability of data. When you need coverage for a larger area, up to hundreds of miles in any direction, they can provide much faster transfer speeds and significantly higher connectivity.

There’s scalability when you’re struggling with connectivity. We can scale to all shapes, sizes, and types of businesses to provide that critical level of communication — from a building that’s 10,000 square feet to a business that’s covering hundreds of square miles.

Mesh networks also offer significantly more safety and security, whether from a malicious attack or other breach.

Steven Griggs: Mesh networks have a lot of network redundancy built in that keeps them connected to one another. You just put it out there, and if they can see each other, they can talk. It’s easy to manage. They’re very flexible and can work with other technologies, like LTE and Starlink. We’re also moving toward more autonomy and artificial-intelligence-driven decision-making, applications, and technologies; mesh networks are built for that.

Sweeney: How do mesh networks enhance connectivity for businesses?

Griggs: They’re versatile. They very easily integrate into an existing network. There’s a lot you can do with them. They can be as complicated or as simple as the network administrator wants to make them.

Rigby: One of the challenges that businesses often have, especially when they’re moving into environments beyond a traditional office — spaces with manufacturing or material processing and where goods are coming in and out of a warehouse — is they end up with a lot of physical obstruction.

With WiFi, you may struggle with connectivity between the worker and the network. If workers continuously have connectivity problems, they’re going to have a hard time producing what their employer expects.

Mesh networks work in highly obstructed, highly mobile environments where machines and equipment move around, where you have racks, materials, and products stacked up and volumes are changing every day. That would wreak havoc on traditional WiFi. A mesh network is able to adapt automatically and provide seamless service to people working in those environments.

Sweeney: What do businesses need to do to successfully adopt a mesh network?

Griggs: A company has to have a good solid backbone. It must get its wired network working correctly before introducing a mesh network.

Rigby: If you apply automation to an inefficient process, you’re just speeding up the error rate. If you drop a mesh network into an environment with poor LAN architecture and configuration, it will become apparent pretty quickly. When deploying a mesh network, companies need to optimize their wireless and wired communications.