Mesh or different router
- Thread starter ade555
- Start date
@Bug One you've also completely ignored this as it doesn't suit your rhetoric.
Is this not the case because you have Unifi gear with a central controller much like how mesh systems work with a master?
I don't know how these really work I just use the stuff, so it's a genuine question rather than an argumentative one in case some one gets the wrong end of the stick on my question.
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I can do it in my work office with Aruba gear, or my old office which had Meraki, or another office I used to frequent which had Ruckus. The point is, most modern systems allow seamless roaming between devices. Some require configuration, some don't. It's usually a check-box exercise.
Of course, each AP would otherwise just do whatever the **** it wants.
More precisely, it's the TCP handoff that is crucial for user experience. This is why mesh systems elect a master node.
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Sounds like your solution is right there, you can probably use the old hardware you have if it can be put in AP mode to extend or just get a Cheap Zyxel AP with Mpro, ~40quid job done it'd likely just be repeating and any manufacturers AP will likely do but this is fine if you don't require max performance and just want better coverage for tablets and phones.
You can of course go nuts kitting out your house with new high spec APs/Mesh etc and it will be awesome but not entirely necessary if you just want slightly better coverage in one area.
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Soldato
The controller simply provisions (programs) each device on the network so they all work together. Unless you want to make a configuration change the controller is not required. Each access point is cabled back to the device that does the routing.
The difference between a mesh and an access point system is the access points are cabled directly and the mesh units connect wirelessly. They’re called mesh because they constantly look for the node that gives them the fastest route back to the device that does the routing. This is not necessarily the closest one as they’re constantly juggling bandwidth.
If a cable gives you 1Gbps and a decent WiFi connection gives you 600Mbps it doesn’t take a genius to see that the access point solution will be better.
Then take that 600Mbps and you have two types of mesh. The ones with dedicated wireless backhaul and the ones without. Dedicated wireless backhaul gives you a 600Mbps connection back to the device that does the routing and the other take your 600Mbps and split it so now you have a 300Mbps connection at best. And that 600Mbps is in perfect conditions. Generally you won’t get perfect conditions.
Mesh units with cabled backhaul are access points.
The take home message is that cable is (currently) always fastest. Direct cabled access points next fastest then mesh with dedicated backhaul and then mesh with split backhaul.
Ironically, wired access points are generally the cheapest solution but people don‘t want the disruption that installing the cabling involves so they start off on the cheapest non-disruptive solution then that’s rubbish they spend more on a supposedly better non-disruptive solution until they’re spending £1000+ on an Orbi system. To be fair, Orbi does a good job and it’s still slower than £5 worth of cable.
As long as the OP makes an informed decision then we have to leave that choice to them. If you go through the possibly hundreds of threads on this subject you‘ll not find anyone posting “I spent £500 having my attic cabled for a wireless access point and I regret it”. One or two upper floor ceiling mounted access points will generally give excellent coverage in a house built in the last 50 years. So you don’t need to rip up floorboards. And if you run the cable(s) externally there is surprisingly little disruption or mess.
Soldato
It is impossible to switch between two mesh nodes or two access points without dropping one radio connection and making another. To overcome this the implantation of WiFi buffers the connections so it appears seamless. There is no benefit in a mesh system over an access point system with common SSID in this regard. Your WiFi device is constantly looking for the strongest signal which is why you can have the same SSID on a 2.4GHz and 5GHz system and your WiFi device switches between them. Do you notice that switch? Generally no. It’s the same with mesh nodes and access points. The client device is always asking every broadcaster what it can offer and if it’s faster it switches to that one.
If mesh was any good, I’d promote it more. It‘s a very clever use of technology but it’s fundamentally flawed and that’s why you don’t see mesh anywhere good WiFi is important. If Deco is as great as TP-link say, why do they also sell Omada? Omada is their version of UniFi. It doesn’t take a genius to see that they market different solutions to different customer bases.
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Thanks for earlier explanation.
I'm sure there must be something in it though, or perhaps some addendum in wifi standards that facilitates this as before I bought a mesh setup I'd forever get complaints from the missus that our Wifi was terrible, this was despite being sat next to the AP, this was because she has come from upstairs on another AP all same SSID etc and the iPad refused to switch to the stronger signal and held on to the old weak signaled AP providing a really poor experience, only remedied by toggling Wifi, once we got a mesh there's never been a wifi complaint, only change is the APs and see it still plodding along on a gen 1 Pro.
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Soldato
Wireless communication is the fall back method for a Deco P9. The P9's the OP is thinking of buying will use either gigabit ethernet, or a combination of powerline and wireless. They're also pretty cheap.
Deco are very much consumer orientated devices, all wrapped up in a very consumer orientated app.
Soldato
The client decides which node or access point it connects to, not the node or client.
Soldato
Just keep in mind, what you're reading here is individual opinions.
It could also have been an Apple issue remedied by firmware to be fair that just coincided with my upgrade as all my Android and PC gear was flawlessly switching.
Brought on quite some Apple hatred up in me because you know, happy wife, happy life and this wifi issue.....Aaaargh
Brought on quite some Apple hatred up in me because you know, happy wife, happy life and this wifi issue.....Aaaargh
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Soldato
It doesn’t change the fact that it’s the client that determines what access point it links to.