Why I’m fighting "Big Mesh": How a simple web app can save you $400 on hardware

Hey IH,

I noticed a frustrating trend lately: every time someone complains about a "dead zone" in their house, the immediate advice is: "Just buy a 3-pack Mesh system."

The problem? Most people don't need a $500 6E Mesh setup. They often just have a placement issue, a channel interference problem, or their specific "floor plan" is actually fine for a single router if they understood where the signal was actually dropping.

I built WifiProof (https://wifiproof.netlify.app/) to be the "Truth Layer" for your home network.

The goal is to help users decide based on data, not marketing:

• App-specific requirements: You don’t need a mesh node in the bedroom if all you do there is browse Reddit. You do need one if you’re 4K streaming or gaming.

• Floorplan vs. Reality: Walls (especially brick or plaster) kill signal faster than distance. WifiProof lets you test the actual throughput in different rooms so you can see if a $20 extender—or just moving your router 3 feet—solves the problem instead of a $400 mesh.

• Stop Over-Prescribing: I want to help people figure out their "Minimum Viable Network."

I’m curious to hear from the IH community:

1. Have you ever bought expensive networking gear only to find out it didn't actually fix your "dead zone"?

2. As a dev, do you care more about raw speed (Mbps) or stability (Ping/Jitter) when you're working remotely?

I’m currently keeping this as a lightweight web app on Netlify because I want it to be "zero-friction"—no app store, no accounts, just a quick proof of your WiFi quality.

Would love your thoughts on the UI and if the "Money Saving" angle resonates!