Tenda Nova MW5s Mesh System Review: Seamless Wi-Fi Network Up to 300 Sq. meters

Fortunately, there is an easy way out in this situation. There is no need to invent anything – the manufacturers took over our problems. Mesh systems help, which implement a seamless Wi-Fi network, expanding it without much user effort. Such modules themselves coordinate the transfer of data between each other. Tenda has already established itself in our market with low cost and reliable network devices. There are also Mesh systems in its range, today we will talk about the Nova MW5s model, its capabilities and customization.

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Features of Tenda Nova MW5s

The mesh system can be supplied in a set of two or three blocks. Working together, the system can form a seamless indoor Wi-Fi network. Of course, this makes sense in large areas, in a country house, 3-4 room apartment or office. Such a network will cover the entire room, while ensuring the stable operation of all devices. A pair of Tenda Nova MW5s blocks will be enough to cover an area of ​​200 square meters, while three blocks will be able to cover 300 square meters.

Each module has two built-in 3 dBi antennas. The manufacturer has equipped the devices with Beamforming and Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC) technologies, which help the signal to better pass through walls and other similar obstacles.

The main Mesh5 module has two Gigabit ports, one of which is WAN / LAN and the other is LAN. Mesh3f accessory modules support speeds up to 100Mbps over Ethernet ports. When working in wireless networks, speeds of 867 Mbps at 5 GHz and 300 Mbps at 2.4 GHz are achieved. The total speed is 1267 Mbps, which corresponds to the AC1200 Wi-Fi class.

Functional features of Tenda Nova MW5s

• Supports Wi-Fi IEEE11 a / b / g / n / ac standards.
• Easily build a seamless network of several modules. At the same time, configuration and control can be done directly from a mobile device using a proprietary application.
• Supports simultaneous operation of up to 60 devices on the network.
• Mesh protocols IEEE11 k / v / r are supported.
• Built-in firewall.
• Isolated guest Wi-Fi network.
• Parental control function.
• Support for MU-MIMO technology.

Specifications Tenda Nova MW5s

General characteristics

• Main color: white
• Placement: indoor
• Installation: Desktop or Wall Mounted

Nutrition

• Power type: AC 100-240 V – 50/60 Hz, 0.6A (0.3A for the auxiliary unit)
• Output: DC 12V, 1A (9V, 1A for auxiliary unit)
• Working temperature range: 0 ℃ ~ 40 ℃
• Humidity: 5% – 90% non-condensing
• PoE Support: No

Dimensions (edit)

Dimensions of one block: 91 × 91 × 93 mm

Interfaces

• Ethernet ports (LAN): 2 on each unit, WAN and LAN
• Ethernet port speed: 10/100/1000 Mbps (10/100 Mbps at the auxiliary unit)
• Other interfaces: no

Antenna

• Antenna type: internal
• Detachable antenna: no
• Number of antennas: 2
• Antenna gain: 3 dBi

Wi-Fi

• Chipset: 28nm Realtek RTL8197FNT @ 600MHz (2.4GHz), Realtek RTL8812BRH (5GHz)
• Memory: 64 MB RAM, 8 MB ROM.
• Wi-Fi 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac Wave2
• Transmitter frequency: 2.4 GHz: 2400 MHz – 2483 MHz, 5 GHz: 5150 MHz – 5250 MHz or 5725 MHz – 5825 MHz
• Simultaneous work in two bands: yes, 2.4 and 5 GHz.
• Maximum wireless speed: 1167 Mbps (up to 300 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and up to 867 Mbps on 5 GHz)
• Transmitter output power: 20 dBM (2.4 GHz) and 23 dBM (5 GHz)
• Operating modes: guest network, repeater, access point, wireless client, Wireless Distribution System (WDS), repeater
• WiMAX support: no
• Connection Security: WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK

Complete set Tenda Nova MW5s

Tenda does not change itself, its products are recognizable on store shelves thanks to the bright orange stripes on the black box. The front side of the box has an image of a set of modules, and on the orange stripe there is information about the area covered by the system in large letters. For two blocks this is 200 squares, and for three blocks it is 300.

The sides of the box are given over to basic technical information about the system. At the back, traditionally, again, for Tenda, a diagram of the device’s operation is shown with the connection of all modules, and also lists the main features of the product and a comparison with both less and more advanced brothers in the line.

The manufacturer clearly and honestly shows how this solution is superior to cheaper options and how it is inferior to expensive ones. The information provided helps the buyer to make a choice and gives him an understanding of what exactly he is buying.

Inside the box are the modules themselves, as well as packaged power supplies with a non-removable cable. Each item in the package has its own cell, which allows the blocks not to touch each other. A network cable can be found under one of the modules in a recess. With its help, it will be possible to connect the main unit to the Internet using the WAN / LAN port. Also included is an instruction manual that may be useful when setting up the system for the first time.

The Tenda Nova MW5s blocks themselves are made in a style similar to their brothers in the series, but at the same time they have their own face. The shape is very laconic – white plastic cubes with a matte surface, rounded vertical edges. But the glossy top surface has a barely noticeable bulge. On the front, closer to the bottom, there is a gray logo of the line – Nova. An LED is located immediately below it.

On the back of the cube, at the very bottom, there is a pair of Ethernet ports. To the left of them is a round hole for resetting the device, and to the right is the power connector. All elements are marked with embossing – it is not striking, but it helps to understand which connector is used for what. However, the only question that raises here is which port is WAN. Traditionally, it is located to the left.

Almost the entire area of ​​the lower facet is given to a shallow notch. In it there was a place for a couple of holes for fastening to the wall, as well as a sticker with technical information. In addition to the model name, its serial number and MAC, the SSID of the wireless network and its password for initial configuration are listed.

Setting up and connecting Tenda Nova MW5s

1. Before starting the setup, it is important to pay attention to the following point. Among the modules there is one that will act as the main one. The other or others are auxiliary. And although outwardly the cubes are no different, identification will be helped by a sticker on the bottom of the case. The main module is marked as Mesh5 model, and auxiliary ones – Mesh3f. This is important if only because the main module requires a more powerful power supply, 12 V 1 A. However, on the sticker you can also see what kind of power is required for this unit.

2. First, the main unit must be connected to the electrical network using the dedicated 12-volt power supply unit.

3. Connect an Ethernet cable from your ISP to the WAN / LAN port. The indicator on the front panel will start blinking green. If it is constantly on, you will have to reset the module settings. To do this, simply hold down the button on the back, recessed into the hole marked RST for 10 seconds.

4. The next step is to install the Tenda WiFi proprietary application on your smartphone or tablet (link to Google Play, link to App Store). The application itself has been developing for a long time, the Russian language is supported, so there should be no problems with understanding the functions.

5. Now connect from your mobile device to the new network created by Tenda Nova MW5s. Its access name and password are indicated on a label on the bottom of each module. Typically the network name is a combination like NOVA_XXXX.

6. Now you need to launch the Tenda Wi-Fi application from a device connected to the new network. Click on the “Settings” button in this program.

7. In the first step, select the type of connection. If this question baffles you, then check with your provider for information. After configuring the parameter, click Next.

8. Set a name and password for the future Wi-Fi network. Click OK.

9. The device will reboot and create a new network with the parameters you specified. Connect to this network.

10. Now power up the additional modules of the Mesh system by placing them in the correct places. In the Tenda Wi-Fi app, go to the “Add Nova” menu, follow the simple steps and give permission to connect additional devices. The blocks will automatically connect to the main one. In this case, the indicator on the auxiliary dice will stop flashing green.

11. On the “My Wi-Fi network” tab in the application, you can see the units connected to each other. They should be highlighted in green.

12. The signal level between the modules can be monitored by the indicator glowing. If it is green, then the connection is stable. If the diode is yellow or red, then the modules should be placed closer to each other.

So, the network is built. Its further configuration will be carried out through the proprietary Tenda Wi-Fi application. This Mesh system does not have a web app, and its full functionality will become available after activation of all modules. The created network will be unified for 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies. You will not be able to turn off one of the frequencies or select a specific channel to work. Avoiding these features contributes to ease of setup.

The main application window has two tabs. The first, “My Wi-Fi network”, will give you the necessary information about the current state of your network. You will see the current speed of data exchange with the Internet, the switching scheme of the modules, as well as a list of devices connected to the network with information about them (frequency, operating time, exchange rates). When you click on any of the elements, an additional window will appear. So, you can set the location of the module, configure the behavior of its LED, find out the quality of the connection and the serial number of the device.

The main network configuration is done using the “Settings” tab.

The parameters are collected in a vertical menu, each element is expanded by an additional window. The application allows you to change the Wi-Fi network settings, create a guest network, set up parental access control, set up Internet access, QoS function, add a new nova module to extend Mesh. Pay attention to the Fast Roaming menu.

Activating a single switch will help to transfer clients between Mesh units faster if the function is supported by the client device’s operating system. In the High Performance menu, you can fine tune Tenda Nova MW5s to speed up your work.

Performance testing

In tests, the system shows a very decent performance. A wireless network built on top of this solution will be more than good for most small to medium sized rooms.

Installed in the same room with the main unit, client devices show a Wi-Fi access speed of 400 Mbps. Yes, it’s not as fast as the MW6, but still fast enough for gaming and 4K streaming. In an office where the Wi-Fi signal was so bad that it had to rely on Powerline adapters, one of the Nova MW5s modules was installed, and another module was located in the corridor nearby. We managed to achieve a decent average speed of 200 Mbps, although it was not always stable.

Conclusion

Tenda has created several models of Mesh systems within the Nova MW line. All of them are distinguished by their external laconicism and ease of customization. In the face of Nova MW5s, we are dealing with a typical middle peasant, and this can even be understood from the comparative table on the box. It will help you choose the most suitable option for the user. So, if you want to constantly transfer large amounts of media from a NAS-drive, then this model will not be the best option – 100-megabit Ethernet ports may turn out to be a “bottleneck”.

But if you just need to expand your home Wi-Fi network to the most remote corners of the apartment, then Tenda Nova MW5s is a great option. It will cover the “white spots”, and the setting will be very simple. And the connection speed of the system is quite high so that you can play online, watch and broadcast videos without any problems.

This model is a reasonable and inexpensive compromise. Tenda demonstrates that for little money, you can build a seamless Mesh network in your home or office. The compactness of the solution allows you to easily move it, in search of a better location, or even to a new place. In this case, the Wi-Fi network settings will be the same. Tenda Nova MW5s is a great low-cost Mesh solution for your home with a clean design and easy setup.

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