Call NOW!
855-349-9328
Follow Us
When it comes to internet plans, download speed is the crux of all advertising. After all, that’s the first thing any user thinks about. However, while it is no doubt an essential factor to consider, you should just as well keep an eye out on the kind of home WiFi service the provider offers.
All ISPs offer rental equipment. You can get quite a variety of modems, routers, and 2-in-1 wireless gateway devices. And, almost all service providers allow you the option to bring your own device if you so wish. As long as it is compatible with the provider’s service, and supports the internet speeds your subscribed plan delivers. Choosing to BYOD can sure save a good amount of money annually, but if you are not tech savvy, it is advisable to opt for the provider-supplied equipment. This way you won’t have to struggle with troubleshooting problems, upgrading the firmware, making sure your modem is able to support any speed upgrades from the provider’s end, etc.
Our article today takes a look at broadband plans from Grande Communications Networks. But not just the internet plans and prices, we will also walk you through your Grande WiFi options. After all, having a great home internet connection boils down to near-nothing without a powerful WiFi network that keeps the whole family connected.
Grande Communications is not a stranger to Texans. The telecommunications company based in Marcos, Texas, delivers high-speed internet, digital cable TV and local plus long-distance phone services in 9 Texan markets. Available to an estimated 1.4 million people, Grande Internet is a favorite in dorms at institutes such as the University of the Incarnate Word, Baylor University, University of Texas at Austin, and Texas State University.
Grande Communications utilizes the newest networking technologies to deliver the full benefit of current advancements to the consumer. While the provider’s hybrid Fiber-Coaxial network is the primary source of delivering its high-speed internet service, in select locations Grande also offers pure Fiber. Service plans are designed to deliver maximum value and flexibility to the customer, and Grande ensures subscribers find ready after-sales service right in Texas!
Here is a list of Texan markets Grande offers services in. If you’re located in any of these areas, chances are you’ll be able to subscribe to a Grande Internet plan with ease.
When it comes to finding the best internet plan, it all depends on what you need the service for. While Grande offers a reliable and fast cable internet service backed by Fiber, with speeds up to 940 Mbps the Gig plan can be an overkill for many. And, this is where the lower range of Fiber-powered speeds comes in handy. You can get speed tiers starting at 25 Mbps.
While super-connected homes do great with the Gig plan, and the low tier speed plans are ideal for small families, the most popular Grande Internet plans are a good fit for mid to large sized families. The 300 Mbps and 600 Mbps speed tiers are therefore a popular choice.
Here’s a look into what these competitively priced Grande plans have to offer. This should give you a good idea of the value of each.
| Max. Download/Upload Speed | Promo Price (for 12 months) | Key Plan Features |
|---|---|---|
|
300/20 Mbps |
$35.99/mo. Get $5/mo. discount with AutoPay & ebill |
|
|
600/35 Mbps |
$49.99/mo. Get $5/mo. discount with AutoPay & ebill |
|
|
940/50 Mbps |
$59.99/mo. Get $5/mo. discount with AutoPay & ebill |
|
Here are some other features of the Grande Internet service that are common to all plans:
With that out of the way, let’s get into how to connect to your Grande Internet wirelessly. Because you cannot make the final call until you factor in all that Grande WiFi involves. Without WiFi, your Grande Communications Internet connection is not of much utility, is it?
Well, here is the deal. Grande offers you to use the WiFi feature on its 2-in-1 modem-cum-router device without charging extra like some ISPs in the market do. You pay a monthly rental, that is about $15, for using the provider-supplied device to connect to the Grande network. And, this device also gets you standard in-home WiFi coverage, so you don’t need to use a WiFi router separately.
But this is not the only option you get. Grande Communications gives you an option that uses advanced technology and delivers reliable and secure whole-home WiFi coverage no matter what shape and size your house maybe.
Grande gives subscribers the option to add-on enhanced whole-home WiFi for better coverage around a larger house. Grande WiFi uses the high-end eero equipment to make sure your in-home network allows everyone to connect in any room. It creates a mesh WiFi system which enables multiple access points to work together at improving the range, speed and stability of the WiFi connection.
You can strategically place as many access points as needed around the house. While your modem stays in one place, the eero routers use TrueMesh technology to blanket your home. This arrangement provides seamless internet from one room to the next.
What’s more, eero upgrades its security protocol automatically so you can relax knowing your network is safe from malware and other cyber threats. Add to that, you can easily check which devices are connected to your WiFi, what the network speed is, and more, via an app on your phone.
For larger homes, an upgrade from standard Grande WiFi to enhanced whole-home WiFi, is the answer to dead zones.
Grande offers two types of eero whole home WiFi systems: the standard eero and eero Pro 6.
The latter is a WiFi 6 system, which handles the Grande Gig service perfectly. You get enough bandwidth for 75+ devices. And comes with the ZigBee smart home hub built-in so you can connect compatible devices to Alexa if you want. On the other hand, the standard eero system works fine for lower speed tiers such as 300 and 600 Mbps.
The standard eero whole-home WiFi add-on is priced as follows:
The eero Pro 6 whole-home WiFi add-on is priced as follows:
How many eero devices you’ll need depends on the size and shape of your house. Each beacon has a specific range and in order to ensure the signals aren’t going weak in any part of the house, these additional access points need to be placed thoughtfully.
A Mesh WiFi system allows you to connect multiple devices seamlessly around the house. And, if you optimize your home WiFi, it only gets better.
Here are a few quick tips to keep the WiFi network from getting crowded and under-performing:
That’s all the information to get you started with your evaluation of Grande Internet and Grande WiFi. Now, when you consider a Grande plan for your home, you will know exactly what you may require for whole-home WiFi coverage, and what kind of costs are likely to be involved. If you still have any questions about the Grande WiFi feature of the service, or you wish to determine offer availability in your area, speak to a Grande Customer Service representative at 1-844-381-0817.
WiFi 6 is the next generation of WiFi which uses technology that allows you to connect more devices more efficiently via a single network. Routers that run on the WiFi 6 protocol deliver a substantially improved connection for more devices.
Mesh WiFi makes use of two or more nodes that create a secure and strong network. Only one of the nodes must be connected to your modem via Ethernet. Added nodes are placed around your home to get the signal where you need it. By adding more nodes, the range of the connection can be extended further. Nodes communicate with each another to find you the fastest frequency band for your device. And in case one node fails, the traffic is rerouted so you never feel a loss in connectivity.
While WiFi extenders rebroadcast a router’s WiFi signal, Mesh WiFi uses multiple devices (nodes) placed around your house to create one seamless network. When using WiFi extenders your devices do not switch between WiFi broadcasts automatically, and there is a disconnect as you switch manually. But with Mesh WiFi, its just one network all around, so you do not need to switch around.
Mesh WiFi supports speeds up to 1,300 Mbps. Most popular internet plans offer around 200 Mbps, and single-point as well as Mesh WiFi allow you to make the most of the delivered speed. But when you connect more devices to the network, the extra bandwidth you get with Mesh WiFi helps significantly.
If you’re fine with the standard eero setup, it starts at $9.95/mo. for one eero base and eero beacon. For each additional beacon you’ll be charged $5/mo. On the other hand, if you want eero Pro 6 devices the cost involved is different. Two eero Pro 6 devices costs $9.95/mo. and if you want to add more eero devices to your setup, you’ll have to pay an additional $10.95/mo. per device.
If your Grande WiFi is not working reboot your WiFi gateway (or the modem and router if you are not using a 2-in-1 device). You can also learn more about troubleshooting your home WiFi, and try other tips and tricks before you call for pro help. And, if still isn’t working as it should, contact Grande tech support.