Huawei’s new whole-home Wi-Fi system combines Powerline and mesh networking

Huawei today announced a new whole-home Wi-Fi system, the WiFi Q2. Wi-Fi mesh network systems are quickly becoming the standard, with companies like Qualcomm estimating that they now account for 40 percent of new Wi-Fi router sales. Huawei is going a different route, though. In addition to a Wi-Fi mesh, it also uses a Powerline network that routes your traffic over the existing electrical system in your house instead of dedicated Ethernet cables.

The result of this (ideally), is that your various satellite access points all get full-speed internet access without the potential of network degradation as you get further away from the main hub. And when both the mesh and the Powerline network work together at full speed, you could get connections with up to 1867Mbps (if your home internet can handle that, of course). The company also promises that you’ll be able to connect up to 192 devices and that the switching time for the network is about 100ms.

“We are streaming more content than ever before, more music, more movies, and more social media on more connected devices, which makes fast and reliable Wi-Fi an essential need,” said Richard Yu, CEO, Huawei Consumer Business Group in today’s announcement.” ͞The Huawei WiFi Q2 offers today’s families a hybrid whole home Wi-Fi system with a reliable, flexible solution that expands Wi-Fi throughout our homes.”

The company also notes that, in addition to all of the usual Wi-Fi encryption and password protection, it’s also using an “anti-brute force algorithm” to keep hackers from getting into your network.

It’s worth noting that Huawei isn’t the first company to combine Powerline and Wi-Fi mesh networking. TP-Link announced a similar system at CES last year, but it doesn’t look like it ever went on sale.

The Q2 will sell in the U.S., with three-packs selling for $349. What we do know, though, is that the company plans to sell it in two versions: the hybrid solution we described above, as well as one that only relies on Powerline networking with up to 1 Gbps speeds. These will sell in three-packs, though the company will also sell individual base and satellite routers.

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.

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.

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.

Huawei WiFi Q2 mesh router adds Powerline for easy setup
Huawei is getting into the mesh router business, unveiling the Huawei WiFi Q2, a multi-unit networking system that combines wireless and powerline backhaul. Announced at CES 2018 today, the WiFi Q2 also has an eye on the Internet of Things (IoT), promising a dedicated channel that will automatically shift connected device and smart home traffic into its own, separate lane.

It’s not, in fact, Huawei‘s first ride of the mesh networking horse. Before this new system came the Huawei WiFi Q1 in mid-2016, though the company only offered it in China. In contrast, the WiFi Q2 will be sold in the US later this year.


Like eero’s second-generation setup, Huawei has opted for two types of router. The core of the system is the larger base station, which has three gigabit ethernet ports. The smaller satellites have a single ethernet port, and are designed to plug straight into an outlet. Each support AC1200.

You can have up to sixteen different routers working in a single configuration. What sets Huawei’s approach apart from that of, say, Google Wifi is its use of powerline networking.


Huawei is calling it a “Hybrid Home WiFi System,” and it’s basically combining wired and wireless options. On the one hand, there’s a 1,867 Mbps wireless link between each of the units. However, they also get a 1 Gbps PLC powerline backhaul they can use instead. The WiFi Q2 automatically adjusts its use of each, choosing the best connection for each purpose and doing active load balancing to shift traffic between the two.

Huawei says that takes less than 100 ms to do, and is imperceivable to the user. The WiFi Q2 auto-selects the channel to use, but also reserves a second channel that it saves for IoT devices. There’s no manual setup for that, with Huawei promising that its mesh system can automatically spot IoT traffic and route it accordingly.


Powerline networking has another advantage, and that’s in setup. After you’ve configured the first base station, it shares all your settings over the power network with each subsequent unit you plug in. Huawei says that it means each satellite installation takes only around two minutes.

Three boxed systems will be offered, their suitability based on home size and layout. The largest will have three base stations, which Huawei suggests is sufficient for coverage across 5-7 rooms in a multi-floor home. A second set, with a single base station and two satellites, is enough for 4-5 rooms, while a pair of one base station and one satellite will do for 3-4 rooms.

Of course, you’ll also be able to buy them each individually, to expand coverage as required. Pricing for the Huawei WiFi Q2 will be announced closer to its launch, which is expected to take place at the end of April.

Huawei’s new Wi-Fi routers solve a serious first world problem

Yesterday, Chinese networking giant Huawei unveiled its new Wi-Fi router at the CES exhibition in Las Vegas. The Huawei WiFi Q2 is the company’s latest mesh network router, allowing users to pair a base station with as many as sixteen satellites in order to provide a larger area with coverage.


So, if you’ve ever complained that your house is too big for your existing router, these are for you. If you live in a pokey little apartment, not so much.


Routers that use mesh networking technology are nothing new. Linksys, Netgear, and Google all have their own compelling offerings. Huawei says the WiFi Q2 is unique as it uses a hybrid system that also employs a 1Gb PLC (Power Line Communication) connection, which offers backhaul and load balancing across the network.


The WiFi Q2 looks pretty nice, at least by the low standard set by routers. They’re solid, sterile-looking tubes, with no protruding buttons and aerials. They’re also purportedly easy to set up, and are largely plug-and-play. According to Huawei, a satellite can connect in just under two minutes.


Huawei is selling the WiFi Q2 in three variants. It comes with either one, two, or three satellites. Medium sized offices and apartments could probably eke by with either one or two, but if you’re struggling to get a solid connection from the wing of your mansion that houses your Scrooge McDuck pool of money, you might want to stump up for the three satellite version. And at that point, if you’re still struggling to cover your entire house, you can purchase additional satellite hotspots. Or, like, maybe downsize?


Unfortunately, the company is yet to announce pricing and availability.

Understand. Disappointed tho. Bought my M5 early with the understanding and hope that it would be possible to upgrade it to the M5 plus that was presented at the time. Now I'm supposed to buy a new kit with P7 instead of 3 powerplugs, quite a difference in price. Remind me not to buy a new product early anymore and not to believe anything until it actually already released. In the meantime I'll settle with the M5. Thx for the answer anyways.