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Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System Review

Nikshep Myle Avatar
Updated Feb 14, 2024 10:43 AM

True Score

74
73
4

Experts

79
820

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Expert Rankings

The Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System is best for medium/large homes with modest data needs, offering a fairly extensive range and an easy setup. However, download speeds are underwhelming for 8K, AR, and VR streaming.

Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

Launched in 2021, the Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System is a budget-friendly dual-band router operating on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands but utilizes the older Wi-Fi 5 technology. Like the best routers, it can connect to 40 devices and covers 1500 square feet per unit. Its various security modes include WPA and WPA2 but lack an in-built VPN.

The router features 1 WAN/LAN and 2 LAN ports, houses four internal antennas, and supports wired and wireless backhaul. The system also incorporates MU-MIMO data streaming parental controls and connects to the Vilo mobile app for setup.

Consensus

our Verdict

The Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System has a modest throughput of 347Mbps, making it suitable for fairly low data-consuming homes. However, it provides a reliable connection with minimal dead zones within its substantial 4500 square feet of coverage (per three-pack). While the signal strength is acceptable for 4K gaming and streaming, connecting multiple devices consuming excessive data will slow the speeds. Moreover, the slow download speeds of 140Mbps on the 5GHz band make it rank last on our certified tested routers.

The Vilo app boasts a user-friendly interface, facilitating quick setup. However, parental controls are limited to scheduling internet access timings and enabling or disabling access. There is no feature to filter age-specific content. Additionally, the absence of Quality of Service means you can’t effectively manage network traffic, and the system lacks anti-malware to block malicious activities.

ReasonS to Buy

  • Average Wi-Fi speed
    • The Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System is built for low data requirements in medium to large-sized homes, delivering great performance for web surfing and basic home networking tasks.

    • Competitive gaming and 4K and VR streaming are possible, too, but only with limited devices connected.  Its dual-band network achieves a relatively slow throughput of 347Mbps, and while it’s not big on speed, its mesh network provides a usable connection across your home.

  • Fairly wide range
    • The Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System options come in a single or three-pack, which ensures a limited coverage of 1500 square feet or a moderately large 4500 square feet coverage.

  • Easy setup
    • The no-frills Vilo app is easy to use, especially if you find router setup intimidating. It provides clear step-by-step instructions to get your routers up and running.

Reason to Avoid

  • Poor download speeds
    • Its slow download speed of 140Mbps over 5GHz places it last among our verified tested routers. Still, it will suffice for 4K and VR streaming and is just adequate for competitive gaming as long as no additional devices are connected.

  • Lacks strong parental/safety controls
    • While you can enable or disable internet access for connected devices and schedule internet access timings, there are no more advanced age-based content filters.

    • Moreover, the router lacks QoS for device prioritization and crucial security features like anti-malware to protect your home network.

Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System Specs

# of LAN Ports# of LAN Ports3
# of Phone Ports# of Phone Portsn/a
# of WAN Ports# of WAN Ports1
App CompatibleApp CompatibleYes
Available StorageAvailable Storage16MB
Band TechnologyBand TechnologyDual
Data Encryption TypeData Encryption TypeWPA, WPA2
Energy Star CertifiedEnergy Star CertifiedNo
Frequency BandsFrequency Bands2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz
Integrated ModemIntegrated ModemNo
LAN PortsLAN Ports3 Gb Ethernet
MU-MIMO SupportMU-MIMO SupportYes
Mesh SystemMesh SystemYes
Number of AntennasNumber of Antennas4
Parental ControlsParental ControlsYes
Processor CoresProcessor CoresDual
Processor SpeedProcessor Speed0.8Ghz
Quality of Service PrioritizationQuality of Service PrioritizationNo
WiFi RangeWiFi Range4500 sq. ft
WiFi SpeedWiFi Speed0.825 Gb, 0.867 Gb
Wired SpeedWired SpeedUnknown
Wireless StandardWireless StandardAC, N

All Specs

Test Results

2.4 GHz Download speed (Mbits/s)0
2.4 GHz Upload speed (Mbits/s)0
5 GHz Download speed (Mbits/s)140
5 GHz Upload speed (Mbits/s)0
Router Range (ft)0
Latency (ms)0
6 Ghz Download speed (Mbits/s)0
6 Ghz Upload speed (Mbits/s)0

All Tests

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    Product Comparison

    Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System Review

    Vilo 6 Mesh Wi-Fi System

    Linksys Hydra Pro 6 Review

    True Score

    74
    60
    70
    NR

    Ranking

    #

    38

    /

    37

    #

    43

    /

    37

    #

    41

    /

    37

    #

    6

    /

    37

    Market Context

    Launched in 2021, the Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System is a budget-friendly dual-band router operating on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands but utilizes the older Wi-Fi 5…

    Launched in 2021, the Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System is a budget-friendly dual-band router operating on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands but utilizes the older Wi-Fi 5 technology. Like the best routers, it can connect to 40 devices and covers 1500 square feet per unit. Its various security modes include WPA and WPA2 but lack an in-built VPN.

    The router features 1 WAN/LAN and 2 LAN ports, houses four internal antennas, and supports wired and wireless backhaul. The system also incorporates MU-MIMO data streaming parental controls and connects to the Vilo mobile app for setup.

    The Vilo 6 Mesh Wi-Fi System supports Wi-Fi 6 technology and is more advanced than the Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System, which is limited to Wi-Fi…

    The Vilo 6 Mesh Wi-Fi System supports Wi-Fi 6 technology and is more advanced than the Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System, which is limited to Wi-Fi 5. The 6 Mesh Wi-Fi System boasts a superior throughput, allowing for faster data transfer rates compared to the Mesh Wi-Fi System. (The 6 Mesh Wi-Fi System has a 524Mbps throughput, whereas the Mesh Wi-Fi System has a slower 347Mbps throughput). Moreover, the 6 Mesh Wi-Fi System covers larger 2000 square feet homes (per node), while the Mesh Wi-Fi System covers smaller 1500 square feet homes.

    The Wyze Wi-Fi 6E Mesh is a tri-band WiFi 6e router, whereas the Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System is limited to two bands. (The Wyze 6E…

    The Wyze Wi-Fi 6E Mesh is a tri-band WiFi 6e router, whereas the Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System is limited to two bands. (The Wyze 6E Wi-Fi Mesh has 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bandwidths. The Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System has just 2.4GHz and 5GHz). The Vilo Mesh includes 2 x LAN ports, 1 x WAN/LAN port, and 1 x USB 2.0 port, while the Wyze 6E Mesh has one less LAN port (1 x WAN and 1 x LAN) and no USB ports. To learn more, check our Wyze Wi-Fi 6E Mesh review. For another Wi-Fi 6E mesh system, read the TP-Link Deco XE75 review here.

    With greater maximum bandwidth, the Linksys Hydra Pro 6 is better suited for homes with high data consumption than the Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi system. (The…

    With greater maximum bandwidth, the Linksys Hydra Pro 6 is better suited for homes with high data consumption than the Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi system. (The Hydra Pro 6 has a bandwidth of 574Mbps over 2.4GHz and 4,804Mbps over 5GHz. The Vilo Mesh has a slower 300Mbps over 2.4GHz and 867Mbps over 5GHz bandwidth). On the flip side, the Vilo Mesh connects to 40 devices per node, whereas the Hydra Pro 6 connects to 30+ devices. For more information, read this Linksys Hydra Pro 6 review. For another model with Wi-Fi 6 support, read this TP-Link Deco X4300 Pro review.

    # of LAN Ports

    3

    1

    4

    # of Phone Ports

    n/a

    n/a

    n/a

    # of WAN Ports

    1

    1

    1

    App Compatible

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Available Storage

    16MB

    128 MB

    n/a

    Band Technology

    Dual

    Tri

    Dual

    Data Encryption Type

    WPA, WPA2

    WPA-PSK (AES), WPA2-PSK (AES), WPA3-PSK (Personal Mode)

    WPA2, WPA3, WPA3-Personal

    Energy Star Certified

    No

    No

    No

    Dig Deeper

    Wyze Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Review →

    Score Card

    E

    Expert Score

    73

    *.75

    We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

    C

    Customer Score

    79

    *.25

    We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

    True Score

    74

    Expert Scores

    • PC Mag
      82

      Category Trust Rating

      70
      The Vilo Mesh certainly isn’t the fastest system out there, but it’s easy to install… Read More

      By:

      John R. Delaney
    • CNET
      75.85

      Category Trust Rating

      68
      It finished dead last in our mesh router speed tests — but at this price,… Read More

      By:

      Ry Crist
    • Android Police
      69.75

      Category Trust Rating

      90
      Vilo delivers mesh-based Wi-Fi with AC1200 speeds at a too-good-to-be-true price. But after four months… Read More

      By:

      RYNE HAGER
    • Wired
      26.4

      Category Trust Rating

      70
      In the end, you’re getting a fairly robust mesh system that’s easy to use at… Read More

      By:

      Simon Hill

    Customer Scores