Which Mesh WIFI?

[Vertigo]

For most of the mesh units with the option simply means the devices form the mesh using the ethernet instead of a wifi connection between each unit eating into available bandwidth.

Then surely it's not a mesh any more, they're just multiple overlapping access points on Ethernet?

I have to sort out the networking at my parents house soon. Their VM service comes in on first floor so that's where the hub is but, as it's a 100+ year old house with thick walls, the Wifi signal downstairs is shocking.
We've tried extenders and powerline but been disappointed with both.

I've thought about mesh systems but frankly don't trust them and can't bring myself to drop hundreds on a system that may not even work properly.
My intention is to run Ethernet downstairs, possibly outside the house for simplicity, then just use an additional access point downstairs. Cheaper, more reliable and I have 'native' (as opposed to via the Wifi mesh) Ethernet downstairs too.

 

[Daaaavvveee]

We use a Tenda MW6 as our main hub, then have 3 additional MW3's in a 4 bed detached, not a large house by any means. This does our needs perfectly.

My parents just got the BT Mini Whole home solution...... 3 disks, doesn't seem as good, but they are in a large Dorma with thick walls.

Personally, I would recommend the Tenda!

 

[cheesyboy]

Then surely it's not a mesh any more, they're just multiple overlapping access points on Ethernet?

I have to sort out the networking at my parents house soon. Their VM service comes in on first floor so that's where the hub is but, as it's a 100+ year old house with thick walls, the Wifi signal downstairs is shocking.
We've tried extenders and powerline but been disappointed with both.

I've thought about mesh systems but frankly don't trust them and can't bring myself to drop hundreds on a system that may not even work properly.
My intention is to run Ethernet downstairs, possibly outside the house for simplicity, then just use an additional access point downstairs. Cheaper, more reliable and I have 'native' (as opposed to via the Wifi mesh) Ethernet downstairs too.

BT mini kit is pretty cheap (I got the 3 node kit for £75, and the 4-kit is £100 on amazon now).

It's been a huge improvement in my house. No regrets at all.

Can't say I know much about any of this stuff, but getting my full 66mbps everywhere in the house is a delight! (especially as the Wifi speed from the Vodafone router itself is generally only half that!)

 

[Vertigo]

BT mini kit is pretty cheap (I got the 3 node kit for £75, and the 4-kit is £100 on amazon now).

It's been a huge improvement in my house. No regrets at all.

Can't say I know much about any of this stuff, but getting my full 66mbps everywhere in the house is a delight! (especially as the Wifi speed from the Vodafone router itself is generally only half that!)

Hmm thanks, at that price they're almost worth a punt.

 

[edscdk]

I have the decos they worked so well when I accidently unplugged an ethernet cable they bridged the gap and it took over a month for me to notice my home office was connected via wireless bridge to the Internet.. I also installed a pair as a wireless bridge for a friend who was always having witless issues.. Its all worked really well, very basic software and I hate the cloud part of it.. But they work well for me and my friend

 

[Bug One]

Has anyone tried the Huawei hybrid Mesh - uses gigabit powerline as well as Mesh?

 

[Avalon]

Has anyone tried the Huawei hybrid Mesh - uses gigabit powerline as well as Mesh?

Don't be that person.

 

[Bug One]

Don't be that person.

What's that supposed to mean?

 

[IvanDobskey]

I have the deco p9's and they work great for me. Getting between 150 and 200mbps all over the house.

 

[MrRockliffe]

Hmm thanks, at that price they're almost worth a punt.

They’re really not.

Spend the extra on more expensive ones - we went with the mini and they have been nothing but trouble. Poor WiFi, stability and speed.

I’ve personally got google WiFi which are excellent but I’m sure most of the top end ones are decent.

Even the normal BT discs are pretty good. Not much in the way of features and control though. Eg you can’t set a custom DNS.

 

[Midget Mafia]

I have read all the reviews and think we'll go for these:



If they suck I'll send them back.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Really, £660?

 

[Midget Mafia]

Really, £660?

I know. Believe me, I am not happy about it, but all of the other options are a compromise in one way or another.

Ideally I'd just have the house hard wired and use APs, but I don't know of a firm that would do that in a residence in a way that wouldn't require redecoration etc. But even that wouldn't deal with the number of WiFi devices we have; it can only cope with so many. A more capable router is £400 on it's own.

 

[Dave85]

It makes sense to future proof going with the latest WiFi standard but that price is a ridiculous but if your happy that’s all that counts let us know how you get on with them please.

personally I would be getting 2 sets of google WiFi or eeros or tp link p9 and having them in many rooms and areas for that price. More nodes gives better redundancy and coverage.

 

[BigT]

Holy moly that's an expensive way to sort out patchy WiFi for dropped video calls.

I'm sorry you can't find an electrician or aerial fitter who will run an ethernet cable up and down behind a drainpipe with a discrete hole in the wall on each floor and put a face plate on the other side. That would require minimal to no decoration.

I have to disagree with your assertion with APs not handing the number of WiFi devices you have. Some modestly priced ones will cope with hundreds of clients per access point. I've probably got more than the average with 113 wireless devices across 4 APs at any one time and my Ubiquiti's don't break a sweat.

Still if you're set on mesh then that looks the creme-de-la-creme and I genuinely hope it works well for you - I just hope your wife's video conferencing device supports WiFi 6 to make use of its capabilities. It's definitely a better option than a more 'capable' router which still won't be able to break the laws of physics and transmit/receive imbalances over a large distance in a sizable house.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Something like this would be worth a punt at £35 before you spend £660. I'm using one for streaming 4k TV upstairs and it works pretty well. I'm really researching mesh systems as a little project to improve what I have.

TP-Link TL-WPA4220KIT

 

[Midget Mafia]

Holy moly that's an expensive way to sort out patchy WiFi for dropped video calls.

I'm sorry you can't find an electrician or aerial fitter who will run an ethernet cable up and down behind a drainpipe with a discrete hole in the wall on each floor and put a face plate on the other side. That would require minimal to no decoration.

I have to disagree with your assertion with APs not handing the number of WiFi devices you have. Some modestly priced ones will cope with hundreds of clients per access point. I've probably got more than the average with 113 wireless devices across 4 APs at any one time and my Ubiquiti's don't break a sweat.

Still if you're set on mesh then that looks the creme-de-la-creme and I genuinely hope it works well for you - I just hope your wife's video conferencing device supports WiFi 6 to make use of its capabilities. It's definitely a better option than a more 'capable' router which still won't be able to break the laws of physics and transmit/receive imbalances over a large distance in a sizable house.

It's not the APs, it's the router that concerns me. Unless I just don't understand the way this works and am about to make an expensive mistake.

Which APs and router would you suggest in your scenario?

 

[BigT]

Oh if it's the router then maybe. I had a Vodafone provided router once that used to get hot and throw clients off when it got too many but that was resolved when I took WiFi duties off it to give it less workload.

Are you about to make an expensive mistake? Not necessarily a mistake but I can't help but think you'll solve your particular problem equally well without needing to spend that much money. My personal approach wouldn't cost you any less though. Getting an electrician to run a few cables + three APs of decent quality is going to be the same as that Orbi kit. Plus it wouldn't be WiFi 6, but then I'm not going to invest in that standard for years to come when it'll be more commoditised, cheaper and I'll actually have devices that can use it.

If you want to drop the cash on it then do it. If you don't then on the basis it is easy to return stuff to Amazon I just think I'd be trying the £100-£200 solutions mentioned in this thread as I suspect they'd still result in a happy wife. I can't recommend any one as it would be disingenuous as I don't use mesh - I'd just be regurgitating opinions from what I read on the internet which no doubt you've also done. The one system I put in place (Tenda MW3) was fine for £60 but it was just for my mother-in-law who is hardly the most demanding of use cases so don't think it'd be fit for purpose for you.

 

[Avalon]

What's that supposed to mean?

You have hard wired cat5e (or better) and you have powerline, they are polar opposites in terms of speed and reliability. Combining mesh with powerline - unless you live in a single socket circuit dwelling such as a flat or bungalow, in which case hardwired AP’s should be easy to deploy anyway - is less likely to result in a fast/reliable system due to jumping two breakers to get from the upstairs sockets to the downstairs.

 

[Bug One]

You have hard wired cat5e (or better) and you have powerline, they are polar opposites in terms of speed and reliability. Combining mesh with powerline - unless you live in a single socket circuit dwelling such as a flat or bungalow, in which case hardwired AP’s should be easy to deploy anyway - is less likely to result in a fast/reliable system due to jumping two breakers to get from the upstairs sockets to the downstairs.

So, powerline doesn't work reliably. See, that's much better than wasting a post like your previous reply.