Have you ever put foil on your router’s antenna in the hopes of boosting its signal? How about straining your arms, smartphone in hand, just to access Wi-Fi from a certain spot in your room?

With more devices connecting to the Internet, we often find ourselves with slow Internet connections as devices compete for a slice of the signal, and free routers free from service providers often lack in quality and strength. Videos constantly buffering, dead signal spots in your home, web pages taking longer to load – the agony is all too real.

One company aims to address these issues and make data faster with a new Wi-Fi system called Luma.

Luma is a small, white hexagonal box that is described as a “surround WiFi system” that covers “every inch of your home in reliable, fast internet so you can forget about buffering and dead-zones.” Essentially it’s like a router, but better.

What makes it different from traditional routers is that it didn’t just add antennas to boost its signals but, “utilizes multiple access points that coordinate to give complete coverage like what is used for large enterprise networks. Similar to the top sound systems that surround your home with speakers, Luma allows you to easily add more  access points to surround your home in fast and reliable internet–putting an end to dead zones.”

Which means if you have a large house, you need more than one Luma to cover the grounds and have strong signal throughout.

It is easy to use and install. Just plug it in, download the Luma app and you’re good to go. The devices are autonomous in the sense that they are able to update and auto-tune their signal in real time, so even if you have one or more Lumas in your home, they’re all up to date.

“Put simply, today’s in-home WiFi experience is archaic,” said Mike Van Bruinisse, CEO and co-founder of Luma. “After decades of working on enterprise networks, we constantly wondered why home WiFi systems completely ignored fundamental features like speed and safety, with absolutely no visibility into the network. That’s why we created Luma: to offer people the WiFi solution they need, and deserve.”

Customization per device

Most routers these days allow you to control what devices can connect to the network and some even allow you to designate how much data is allotted for devices connected to the network. Luma takes things further by allowing you to control and customize each device connected on your network.

Using your Luma app on your smartphone, you can easily block or revoke access of any device connected on the network. It also claims to be the first system that allows users to customize safety features for every device on the network (tablet, phone, computer, etc.) from one central app. Using the security slider on the app, as the network moderator, you can ensure that every user has a custom internet access level. That means you can easily set G-rated for your second grader, PG-13 for a 16 year-old or no restrictions for your spouse.

You can also set time limits per device, great for controlling Internet access for kids an teens on school nights, or even pause the Internet during dinner time so no one is on their smartphone while at the dinner table.

Keeping things secure

As stated above, revoking access is as easy as manipulating the slider on the app. From hackers to pesky neighbors trying to sneak onto your network, you’ll be the first to know–and can quickly revoke access. This helps protect your personal information and improves your network’s overall health. Sharing your WiFi with visitors is simple too–forget remembering complex passwords, one tap and they’re good to go.

Luma also brings enterprise-grade cyber-security to your home. Now more than ever before, there has been an explosion of devices that we allow into our home, most of which are ill-equipped to prevent security risks. According to a recent study, 70 percent of all “Internet of Things” devices are susceptible to getting hacked or compromised, mostly due to weak password protection requirements or lax security measures. Luma applies bank-level protection to your network and alerts you to potential threats without any additional software to make sure viruses, malware and hackers can never compromise your sensitive information.

Availability

Luma is accepting orders starting today and will begin shipping throughout the United States in early 2016. Luma will retail for $199 per device and $499 for a pack of three, but for the next 30 days, buyers can enjoy an early-bird price of $99 per device and $299 for three.

This sounds familiar…

Earlier this year, Google introduced the OnHub, a cylindrical-shaped device that was made in collaboration with TP-Link Technologies Co. Ltd. It utilizes six 2.4GHz antennas, six 5GHz antennas, and a congestion-sensing antenna- that are arranged in a unique circular pattern so that signals are better dispersed throughout your home. Features of the router can be easily accessed using a mobile app, such as checking who are connected to the network as well as allow remote access for easy troubleshooting when used by older relatives. The goal of the Google OnHub is to make Wi-Fi signal reach more space in the house so there are no dead zones, plus it can support up to 128 connected devices from smart TVs to refrigetators to bulbs and more. It costs $199, causing some to describe it as a very expensive router.

Though Luma and Google OnHub both aims to make Wi-Fi signal to be more far reaching, Luma may be a better choice than what Google offers because of its customization features. The only downside for Luma is that if you live in a huge house, you need more than one to have all your bases covered.

Image source: SiliconANGLE screenshot from Lumahome.com