Update: Pre-orders for Samsung's mesh Wi-Fi router begin June 4

Original Story – March 29: There were tons of leaks about the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus before they was officially announced earlier today. However, the company managed to keep another upcoming new device on the down low before today. That is the Samsung Connect Home Smart Wi-Fi System, a mesh Wi-Fi router with a really long name. On the surface, it appears that it will compete with similar routers from NETGEAR and with Google Wifi, among others.

According to Engadget, not only will Samsung’s Connect Home router serve as a Wi-Fi station, it will also double as a SmartThings hub. Connected devices that use Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi, Zigbee or Z-wave will be able to access Connect Home, which means owners will be able to remotely control their compatible Samsung appliances from the router, along with connected lights, security cameras and more devices that support SmartThings.

Like Google Wifi, the Samsung Connect Home router will be sold by itself, or in packs of three. Each station will have a range of 1,500 square feet, and they will have two RJ-45 Ethernet ports in the back. Samsung will sell two versions of the Connect Home. The standard version will have dual-band 802.11ac hardware at AC1300 (866 Mbps) speeds, but the Pro edition will have more advanced quad-band 802.11ac hardware that supports AC2600 (1.7 Gbps) speeds.

Samsung has not yet announced a release date or prices for its new Connect Home routers, but it’s likely that the integrated SmartThings hub hardware will make it more expensive than Google Wifi and other competing mesh routers. It will be interesting to see if the general public will gravitate to such a router that can also quickly connect to smart devices.