FreeMesh (https://freemeshwireless.com) is the first fully Open Source wireless mesh package. Designed for residential or SOHO (Small Office, Home Office) use, it is built entirely off Open Source software, so you have full control of every detail of your home network. The inexpensive package is a simple way to cover your entire home in fast, stable, secure wifi without breaking the bank.
FreeMesh is Open Source so you have complete control over the configuration of your mesh network in your home! And not only will it keep your data safe, it is the most inexpensive, powerful mesh set you can purchase! And since it is open source, you can know exactly where all of your data is going.
Sound too complicated to tackle?
“We have made this so simple that you can set it up in minutes!” founder Spencer Thomason said. And he knows. Spencer is the co-founder of CleanRouter, the leader in residential gateway filtering. “We have made content filtering so simple that over 50,000 parents have setup the Ultimate Parental controls in their home in minutes. Now we take everything that we have learned in building custom router firmware into the mesh arena.”
FreeMesh wireless is a new product that was built from the ground up on the popular OpenWRT . (It doesn’t include filtering.) It uses existing 802.11s and 802.11r technologies, but now it is coupled with simple configurations that anyone can use. The setup is done in 3 easy steps and can be completed in minutes.
So why mesh? “As apps become more and more data-hungry, having every corner of your house covered in fast, reliable wifi has become critical.” says Thomason. Devices connected to the internet grow in the average home by 25% per year.
But isn’t there current mesh configurations out there? “I have been building router firmwares for a living for over 10 years. I tried to build a mesh configuration for my home and it took me days to figure out, configure it and tweak. I figured that if it took me that long - the average person doesn’t have a shot.” So he set out with a team of developers and built a custom-built, easy to manage, fully Open Source product that is faster than the competitors.
Since Clean Router has been building and shipping routers for over 10 years, Spencer has been a major player in router development thru the years. He is well connected to manufacturers in China and has watched for the best hardware to build this new Mesh platform on. By using the same hardware that Clean Router is already using, it allows them to keep the cost of FreeMesh low. “I know most people that like to work with Open Source are price conscientious. So my #1 goal was that the offering had to be a better price than anything else you could get on the market, and then keep it Open Source.”
The main router is a powerful dual-core 880Mhz, with 512MB of DDR3 RAM, and dual-band 2.4Ghz / 5Ghz 802.11ac wireless to effortlessly handle the heavy lifting. This also leaves plenty of computing power to help with any other tasks you want the main router to do. With an expandable microSD card and usb slot, you can expand to add Network Storage, Print Server, and much more. The nodes are designed for throughput with 580Mhz processor, 128MB of DDR2 RAM, and dual-band 2.4Ghz / 5Ghz 802.11ac. Together they provide fast, stable, secure wifi to blanket your entire home.
Aren’t there other wireless mesh offerings out there? “Sure - you could go and pay exorbitant prices and get an eero or Google system - but you are just handing your data over to Amazon or Google. So as long as you have no problem paying twice as much money and giving all of your data way - go for it. As for me, I would rather keep my money and my data to myself.” says Thomason.
Not only that, since FreeMesh is fully Open Source and built on OpenWRT then you can add any further configurations that you want. You can add popular features like VPN, Network Sharing, Print Server, or anything that you want. Whether you are interested in Performance & Stability, Security, or Extensibility, OpenWRT is the platform of choice to customize your setup to your liking.
“Ultimately, you won’t find a cheaper, faster, more secure option - and one that you have all the flexibility to configure yourself.” Thomason said. And the best part - this is just the start. With the help of the Open Source community he knows that it will only get better with time.
Company info
CleanRouter is the brand that parents have trusted for over 10 years to provide the safest, simplest way to protect all of the devices in your home. Founded in 2010 and based out of Gilbert, AZ, CleanRouter provides over 50,000 parents fast, simple and secure ability to keep their kids safe online. Having worked in embedded wireless router development for over 10 years, they have the experience to bring to market a reliable product to help move mesh network technology forward.
