Skip to main content

Linksys Velop mesh gets bridge mode, routers score new parental controls

When you really need to get something done, then losing your internet connection can be a real drag. Router manufacturers keep looking for ways to keep us connected, from pumping out routers with more powerful radios to creating new mesh technologies that use intelligence instead.

Linksys has its Velop mesh network solution and “App Enabled” routers (formerly called Smart Wi-Fi Routers) that are aimed at both covering spaces with solid wireless connectivity and offering new features as technology progresses. The company is addressing both objectives with its latest updates, due on Tuesday.

Recommended Videos

According to Dan Albertson, a Linksys senior product manager, “These two new App features have been among those most requested by our customers. Many Velop customers need the ability to configure Velop in Bridge Mode to allow them to keep their existing router or gateway from their service provider in place for other services such as voice or IPTV while leveraging Velop’s whole-home Wi-Fi coverage and performance. Parental controls scheduling has been a feature in the Linksys browser-based interface but our users have told us they need the flexibility to manage internet access schedules for their kids’ devices from the Linksys App. These are just two features among many we’ll be rolling out to the Linksys App in the coming months.”

Accordingly, the Velop whole-home mesh Wi-Fi solution is getting a new bridge mode, which will accommodate users whose internet service providers (ISPs) provide hardware that cannot be removed or replaced. For these customers, the latest update allows Velop to be configured in bridge mode and connect to an ISP-provided gateway device. The feature can be simply configured by using the Linksys app to change the connection type.

Other features that the new Bridge Mode enables include:

  • Dynamic Tri-Band selection: The Velop can dynamically select either the 2.4GHz band or one of the two 5GHz bands to provide the optimal connectivity for each client. This should help the solution enable 100 percent of the available bandwidth at the edge of the mesh network.
  • One guest network: The system can now accommodate a guest network that supports all mesh nodes, with improved range and performance.
  • Amazon Alexa support is being added.
  • Auto firmware updates: The system can now automatically update the firmware, to ensure that the Velop system remains up to date with the newest security fixes and features.

In addition, the latest update for Linksys App-Enabled routers adds in a parental control scheduler to make it easier for parents to limit the amount of time their kids spend connected to the internet. The new feature is enabled via the Linksys app for Velop, Max-Stream, WRT, and EA series routers and systems.

The updates to Velop and App-Enabled routers is available as of Tuesday. Head over to the Linksys support site for more information on updating your Linksys router, including the automatic firmware update capability.

Mark Coppock
Mark Coppock is a Freelance Writer at Digital Trends covering primarily laptop and other computing technologies. He has…
These two macOS 26 features would transform the way I use my Mac
Writing tools in Apple Notes.

Apple’s execution with note-taking on macOS leaves a lot of room for improvement. There are so many areas where it feels like an abandoned project, instead of the future-proof experience that native iOS apps often deliver. In fact, the disparity across its own platforms is troubling. 

Take, for example, iPadOS and iOS. You can quickly launch a notes page straight from the control, without having to close the existing app and launch the Notes app. On macOS, you don’t get any such facility. 

Read more
Looking for a 2-in-1 laptop? The Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 is $250 off
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 front view showing tend mode.

Samsung is a brand that's better known for its smartphones and TVs, but it also has fantastic laptop deals, like this one for the Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360. You can currently get this 2-in-1 laptop with a $250 discount, which slashes its price from $1,700 to $1,450. We're not sure how much time is remaining on this offer though, so if you're interested in buying this premium device but you want to get it for a lower price than usual, you're going to have to proceed with your purchase immediately.

Why you should buy the Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 2-in-1 laptop

Read more
Upgrade to this Alienware 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor while it’s $300 off
Cyberpunk 2077 being played on the Alienware 32 QD-OLED.

The powerful machine you purchased from gaming PC deals should be paired with a premium display, and the 32-inch Alienware 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor comes with our stamp of approval. It's also on sale from Dell right now, with a $300 discount slashing its price from $1,200 to only $900. That's a steal when you consider the capabilities of this screen, so you're going to have to hurry with your purchase as stocks may run out at any moment.

Why you should buy the 32-inch Alienware 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor

Read more