To me it seems more nuanced.
First, a VPN won’t solve much because this garbage will still be able to log connection periods (when you are home), signal strengths changing over time, (where are you in your home), and traffic bursts (when are you doing something on your phone or other devices).
Second, this is not about mesh WiFi, as I understand. Install OpenWRT, and the mesh function of that won’t do any of this.
The problem is with new (but probably preexisting too) router brands who’s sole purpose is making all the unknowing customers into a product, but stealing their private life and giving it away for money (or anything else).
The problem is basically that a facebook-like company has got deep insight into your network, which you can’t avoid using, especially if your ISP forced you to use these garbage.
hobovision@lemm.ee 2 months ago
I get why ISP provided routers and some brands of mesh router would collect and sell data but what is it about “mesh” that is particularly bad here? I have a cheap TP Link router that is apparently mesh compatible but it seems like a traditional router in all the other way. Should I be concerned?
F04118F@feddit.nl 2 months ago
Obviously, I can’t tell you about the privacy implications of every internet roiting device on the planet.
I was just trying to provide a more complete and longer TL;DR than the one I was responding to.
Sounds like you know what you are doing as well as anyone could, you don’t need my TLDR
Evotech@lemmy.world 2 months ago
You state that mesh is much worse for privacy than traditional access points but refuse to elaborate?
ayyy@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
And for absolutely showered in upvotes. This community is trash.
MasterBuilder@lemmy.one 2 months ago
I’ll elaborate for him/her: mesh devices sold by untrusted companies with a profit model will almost surely be collecting your data.
The problem is not “mesh”, it is the companies using a new, cool, buzzword to sell their spyware that is the problem.
They are basically enhanced repeaters that don’t require a seperate network access point.
If you get a device that is primarily marketed as basic hardware, like the Asus router, you are more likely to avoid the collection. Bonus points if you can flash FOSS software to it, also like Asus, so yiu know it is clean. Regardless, use a VPN for external communications.
My home is small enough that mesh is unnecessary, but I’d buy another Asus device for mesh if it were necessary.