Most people prefer it don’t bother with device settings, bands and channels, or the deepest intricacies of Wi-Fi. They just want fast, reliable connections at home. Plume SuperPods are a plug-and-play mesh system that anyone can set up and use with a simple mobile app.
Just because Plume SuperPods are easy to use doesn’t mean they don’t have top-notch features or performance. There is integrated cybersecurity and parental controls, with automated management managed in the cloud. You also get good extras like ad blocking and motion detection.
During testing in recent weeks, I’ve found that Plume is a sleek system with a lot to recommend, but (and it’s a big one though) SuperPods with Wi-Fi 6 cost $ 159 each. Most homes will want three, which costs $ 477, and you need a $ 99 HomePass subscription a year. This makes Plume significantly more expensive than any of the best mesh systems or Wi-Fi routers we recommend.
Set and forget
Each Plume SuperPod connects directly to a power outlet (wireless) and features a sleek silver hexagonal design that integrates silently. Do you hate ugly routers with antennas? You will appreciate the look of Plume. Connect your Internet connection to the main router and place the identical nodes (each with two Gigabit Ethernet ports). The company suggests that three SuperPods are enough for the average house (it was enough for my 1,600-square-foot two-story house).
Setup is easy in the HomePass app. Within minutes, I had my house covered. The only potential problem is finding convenient outlets. I used extensions and strips for a couple of my SuperPods. But because they are bulky, it can be difficult to connect anything right next to the SuperPod.
The HomePass mobile app is easy to use for anyone. Keep track of the internet speed you get from your provider and show a connectivity map for SuperPods and connected devices. You can create individual profiles and set child content filters. You can also assign key devices, such as a smartphone, to each person in the household to keep track of when they are at home. If you want to schedule Internet downtime, you can do it by device, which gives you a lot of flexibility.
The performance is excellent, with fast Wi-Fi speeds and reliable connections. We had no problems with multiple video streams and simultaneous game sessions. In a room that contained a SuperPod, the Plume system worked just as well as any I’ve tried, including the Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8, my current top recommendation. Where the XT8 thrived was in long-range performance. In the backyard or a couple of rooms away, SuperPods were slower. A trio of SuperPods served well at home and in the backyard, but people with larger properties may need more.
Comprehensive security blocks malicious software, key loggers, fishing attempts, and other unwanted intrusions. There is also an optional ad blocker, which worked well in my tests.
One thing I’ve never seen before is Plume’s motion detection, which uses its analysis of radio waves bouncing around your home to determine when there’s a person-sized movement. It can mark your children getting up at night, an intruder at home while on vacation, or helping you keep a close eye on an elderly family member (more private than a camera). My cats didn’t cause it. You can also turn on motion alerts and review a chart showing movement at home over the past seven days.
The cloud model
Plume started out as a software company focused on moving network optimization and management to the cloud. But the major router manufacturers passed, so he started making his own hardware. Although most routers receive infrequent firmware updates, with the abandonment of support after a few years, algorithm and firmware updates are deployed to Plume systems automatically every three weeks. This process is less painful with the Asus XT8, where you have to start the firmware installation, which sometimes fails, and then reboot the system.
By monitoring the quality of your experience for all access points and connected devices, Plume also constantly changes the topology of your system to optimize your Wi-Fi connections. Let’s say, for example, that your neighbor comes home and starts watching a lot of YouTube and interferes with you. Plume will switch channels to make sure all your devices have the best connection. Many routers have an automatic scan feature that is intended to do this, but in practice, they scan and make changes infrequently.
With Plume, you may need to upgrade your hardware every few years, but your settings and history persist. Much of the value is not the hardware, but the custom cloud intelligence and the expectation of constant improvements and new features.
