When you shop for a mesh network, they usually come in packs of two or three, with the option to buy extra nodes if you need them. Can you just use a single mesh network node by itself, though?

You might be surprised to find that you can, with ease even. Although they are usually sold as bundles---which certainly implies that the collection of mesh nodes you get in the box is intended to be used together---you don't actually have to use all of them. In fact, you could simply plug in one of them and stop there or not purchase a bundle in the first place and pick up a single unit instead.

While both the marketing and very design of the product are centered around you using mesh nodes together, the base unit will always function independently as a stand-alone unit.

Sure, you need at least two nodes to make a mesh network, but as long as you have one node plugged into your modem, that single node will act exactly as if you had plugged in a traditional stand-alone router.

Related: What Is a Mesh Router Backhaul?

Because, after all, that's what a mesh network system is: a node that functions as a router with all the associated functions like DHCP assignments, Quality of Service rules, and so on, and a set of additional nodes, linked by either a wireless or wired backhaul, that function as sophisticated and interlinked Wi-Fi extenders.

So for folks with small homes who want the features that many mesh network platforms offer---like polished smart apps, automatic updates, and easy-to-use parental controls---there's no reason they can't pick up, say, a single eero 6 or a Google Nest Wifi router to enjoy all those features.

And hey, better yet, should you find you need more coverage, or you move to a bigger home, you can skip buying a third-party Wi-Fi extender (and putting up with their shortcomings) and just buy another node for your mesh platform. That's a much smoother upgrade path (with a healthy dose of future-proofing) than buying a similar price stand-alone router.