

(As advertising schemes go, Meraki’s is pretty unobtrusive.) The advertising and messaging feature is also present on Pro Edition, but can be disabled. The hardware is actually identical irrespective of the edition you choose, but Meraki keys each device to your chosen edition before shipping it to you.Īside from the hardware costs there are no other fees to pay to Meraki, but choosing Standard Edition requires the use of Meraki’s Advertising and Messaging Platform, which manifests itself as a thin strip at the top of a user’s browser that will contain text ads or custom messages from the network administrator.

Standard Edition users pay $49 for a Mini and $99 for an Outdoor, while Pro subscribers must ante up $100 more for each device–$149 and $199, respectively. The cost of a Meraki network depends on whether you opt for the Standard or Pro Edition, which in turn determines the price of the hardware you select. (Meraki is also developing a solar-powered add-on for the Outdoor, which is currently slated for a December release.) You can choose from the Meraki Mini, a diminutive device that’s designed for indoor use, or the Meraki Outdoor, a larger (and weatherproof) unit for use when you want wireless access under the sun and stars rather than a roof. (Meraki offers a third service option– which we won’t cover here– called Carrier, offering features and customization options designed for service providers interested in large-scale deployments.)Īfter you’ve chosen a plan, the next step is to pick your hardware. The Pro Edition adds billing and branding features to support paid hotspots and provides a higher level of administrative control over the network, including configurable bandwidth tiers so you can do things like charge different amounts for faster connections, or offer both free (slow) and paid (fast) service. The Standard Edition is aimed at individuals or groups that want to set up free community-based Wi-Fi networks, while the Pro Edition is designed for businesses or other organizations interested in providing wireless access to customers or employees, and offers the ability to set up a paid hotspot.īoth the Standard and Pro Editions include the same core set of features like centralized Web-based administration and the ability to limit the amount of Internet connection bandwidth consumed by your Meraki network (as well as set up a private network segment for personal use). » Agere ORiNOCO RG-1000 Residential Gatewayīefore setting up a Meraki network, you need to choose one of Meraki’s service plans (which it calls “editions”), and pick from a pair of hardware devices.
