Which pods should I use?

[lyric]

I am debating between renting bell wifi pods and purchasing goggle wifi. 

What’s everyone’s thoughts 

[Sams]

I got the google wifi mesh system because I have other google nest products and wanted the same ecosystem.

If you want to avoid the hefty upfront costs (I paid over $350) then renting Bell pods is a good option.

the other nice thing would be you can control everything related to you wifi setup with their app and get support for everything if ever needed.

With google, they will only assist you with the actual wifi system but not your Bell internet connection.

overall I’m happy with google wifi and it costs less compared to renting long term.

when I was comparing options, the feedback I got from people I asked was pretty down the middle. Half said rent pods other half said buy google or tplink. 

[John-Davidson]

Another benefit of renting from Bell: as new pods are available you can upgrade to the latest generation if you want to. If you purchase a separate mesh system you have to buy a whole new system again if you want to upgrade.

[DM24]

Hi

Does Bell Wifi pods work nicely?

[BellNick · Accepted solution]

Hi there @DM24 
Thank you for your post.
The Wi-Fi pods work great when plugged within a good range from the modem to extend your Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home.
We'd recommend checking out our support article What are Whole Home Wi-Fi pods and how do I use them?for further information.
Hope this helps and Community is here if you have any further questions.

[dks]

I am quite happy with mine. I have four Gen 1 pod and one Gen 2 pod. They work well with the Giga Hub modem and with the HH3000 I had before that. 

[TerryM]

I just had Bell 3 GB Internet installed in my house. I noticed syngals are weak in certain areas. I have a WIFI extender which doesn't work really well and I am wondering whether anyone uses WIFI PODS and share your experience? I am thinking of rent 1 or two to give a try.

[atin]

Does it mean we have to register all the pods that we buy outside the Bell? I am not talking about the extender but the mesh pod. Also, some mesh pods are not compatible with the Bell router. 

[BellPatricia · Accepted solution]

Good afternoon @atin,

Thank you for reaching out to the Bell Community.

We do recommend using the Bell Wi-Fi pods which are fully compatible with your Bell modem, and you can seek support and advice from us directly if you ever have any questions. Check out the link above for more information on Bell Wi-Fi pods.

If you decide to use third party equipment, typically instructions on how to set up and use the equipment is available directly through the manufacturer.

Have a nice day 🙂

- Patricia

[Orr]

What type of pod is best

[Vanadiel]

It all depends on your needs. There's no "one solution fits all" system.

Some offer better range, some better signal strength over longer distances, some better WiFi protocols, some better security protocols.

[jdabud-Davud]

The claim that Bell pods are fully integrated with Bell modems is false. To configure them, Bell says you need Android or iPhone. (Sadly not everyone has a smartphone.) Also, Bell often needs technical support to configure a Bell modem. And if you think that is easy to obtain you haven't been a Bell customer for long. After this, the modem sees the pod but that's all.

It is a mystery why Bell recommends extenders that cannot be configured through the modem interface. But, hey, it's Bell.

Perhaps Pods can be configured using Bell online tools diagnostic tools but I wouldn't count on it.

I'm not sure what extenders are compatible with Bell modems. I ideas, anyone?

[Vanadiel]

I would not use extenders or pods. I would use a wireless AP wired directly to the home hub.

Something from TP Link, Ubiquiti will work fine.

[jdabud-Davud]

If you don't have an iPhone or Android you should be able to use an iPhone or Android emulator. Bell pods work quite well provided Bell gets the modem configuration right on their end. But, if they don't, it's hard to find someone at Bell who knows the system well enough to fix it.

[jdabud-Davud]

---

Further to my post (quoted below): I withdraw my recommendation for using an Android emulator for managing Bell pods. Configuring Android studio to access the host system's Bluetooth is too complex to be generally useful. An Android studio can be used to observe Bell pods but not to configure them. That required Bluetooth.

Also other emulators tend to be associated with dubious websites that I don't recommend.

As far as I can tell, therefore, a user's that do not have a suitable Android phone or Iphone must depend on a trusted person who has phone to perform the initial configuration of a Bell pod or choose another solution (e.g. the one posted by @Vanadiel),

@jdabud-Davud wrote:

The claim that Bell pods are fully integrated with Bell modems is false. To configure them, Bell says you need Android or iPhone. (Sadly not everyone has a smartphone.) Also, Bell often needs technical support to configure a Bell modem. And if you think that is easy to obtain you haven't been a Bell customer for long. After this, the modem sees the pod but that's all.

David.

It is a mystery why Bell recommends extenders that cannot be configured through the modem interface. But, hey, it's Bell.

Perhaps Pods can be configured using Bell online tools diagnostic tools but I wouldn't count on it.

I'm not sure what extenders are compatible with Bell modems. I ideas, anyone?

---