Question Mesh WiFi recommendation or something else?

pete6032

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2010
8,016
3,487
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Hi everyone, I am building a new WiFi network and need some help. I have a 2 story house, plus another floor in the basement. I need to have WiFi on all levels of the home. The cable modem is connected in the basement. I need to build a WiFi network that non-tech people can use where you can just connect to one network regardless of location. I'm replacing a set of access points right now that project their own SSIDs, which has become a point of confusion for the family.

If I understand correctly, I can set up a mesh network that would allow a single SSID to be broadcast in all three levels of the house so when people took their device from the basement to the second floor they would not need to switch to the 2nd floor accees point network. As things are set up now I can hard wire the router to the first mesh device, which I will put on 1st floor, and then the 2nd mesh device will be on 2nd floor, probably wirelessly connected. The network only needs to be used for WiFi connection. No file transfers or home automation or anything complicated.

Is a mesh system what I need? Any recommendations on the most cost effective way to do this?
 

razel

Platinum Member
May 14, 2002
2,337
93
101
Yes. Asus' AiMesh or Google/Nest WiFi are my default choices. Linksys' Velop is somewhere in between, but tends to get expensive for the newer AX variety. Sounds like you know what you are doing, so I'd start with one Asus AX AiMesh. The AX92u when sold for 2 at $350 is a great start for next gen WiFi6 AX. Otherwise GWiFi for a 3 pack for $179 at the Google Store refurb is hard to beat.
 

pete6032

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2010
8,016
3,487
136
Yes. Asus' AiMesh or Google/Nest WiFi are my default choices. Linksys' Velop is somewhere in between, but tends to get expensive for the newer AX variety. Sounds like you know what you are doing, so I'd start with one Asus AX AiMesh. The AX92u when sold for 2 at $350 is a great start for next gen WiFi6 AX. Otherwise GWiFi for a 3 pack for $179 at the Google Store refurb is hard to beat.
So I was looking at these devices and most of the routers on these devices have 2 RJ45 jacks. One will obviously be going from the router to the cable modem. The other jack I would like to hard wire my desktop PC to the router, but then I would not have the option to hardwire the 2nd or 3rd mesh device to the router? Am I missing something here? Why do these routers only have 2 ethernet ports?
 

Eric Fazekas

Member
Jun 27, 2017
43
10
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So I was looking at these devices and most of the routers on these devices have 2 RJ45 jacks. One will obviously be going from the router to the cable modem. The other jack I would like to hard wire my desktop PC to the router, but then I would not have the option to hardwire the 2nd or 3rd mesh device to the router? Am I missing something here? Why do these routers only have 2 ethernet ports?


I have LinkSys Velop with two jacks on the bottom. I can only speak to this, but they all should be similar.

The mesh systems are made to expand wireless throughout a house with or without capability to connect the individual nodes to a wire. They should have at least two wireless channels...one they use to talk to each other and one they use to talk to devices. So, while you have to connect one of them to your provider's modem (directly or indirectly) the other nodes shouldn't require any hardwire connection.

This means if your nodes have one or more jacks, you could connect a device such as a computer to them. You could even connect a switch to them and have more than one wired connection in that room (such as to a television).

In my case, I have four Velop nodes, one connects the main router, two others are connected via a wired backhaul, but one is in another building (detached garage) that talks wirelessly to the nodes in the house. The one that is in the detached garage has a small 8 port POE switch on it and transmits data from two wired security cameras that gets recorded 24/7 by an NVR in the house.

Good luck.
 

swanysto

Golden Member
May 8, 2005
1,949
9
81
I can't speak to other systems, but I have the Netgear Orbi RBK50 system. It comes with two (identical looking nodes). One is the router, and one is just a node. They both have 4 ethernet ports. The router has 1 for the cable/dsl modem, and 4 open ones.

Honestly, there might be better out there, but this system has changed my house. We have tons of devices connected, with only one SSID and password. It has been rock solid. All our phones, computers, ipads, phillips hue, ring home security, 2 rokus,fire stick, and an alexa hub. We have a 2000sf house with two levels and a basement.We have the router and modem in the basement, and the hub is on the first floor. Everywhere in our home get maximum speed from out internet provider.

I have a ton of stuff hardwired to the orbi. I even bought a little $8 switch. We have a ring home security system, Xbox, a home server, and a phillips hue bridge connected with wires. And our home computer is actually wired to the second node.

The only negative that annoys me is that when the nodes need updating, they will start acting funny, like dropping connection. I have kinda learned when that starts happening to check the app, but it is kind of a weird/annoying bug.

Edit: And make sure you don't put the nodes too close together, it seems to make them both work a bit slower.(I am not smart enough to understand why that is)
 

DooKey

Golden Member
Nov 9, 2005
1,811
458
136
I can't speak to other systems, but I have the Netgear Orbi RBK50 system. It comes with two (identical looking nodes). One is the router, and one is just a node. They both have 4 ethernet ports. The router has 1 for the cable/dsl modem, and 4 open ones.

Honestly, there might be better out there, but this system has changed my house. We have tons of devices connected, with only one SSID and password. It has been rock solid. All our phones, computers, ipads, phillips hue, ring home security, 2 rokus,fire stick, and an alexa hub. We have a 2000sf house with two levels and a basement.We have the router and modem in the basement, and the hub is on the first floor. Everywhere in our home get maximum speed from out internet provider.

I have a ton of stuff hardwired to the orbi. I even bought a little $8 switch. We have a ring home security system, Xbox, a home server, and a phillips hue bridge connected with wires. And our home computer is actually wired to the second node.

The only negative that annoys me is that when the nodes need updating, they will start acting funny, like dropping connection. I have kinda learned when that starts happening to check the app, but it is kind of a weird/annoying bug.

Edit: And make sure you don't put the nodes too close together, it seems to make them both work a bit slower.(I am not smart enough to understand why that is)

I've been running the Orbi since shortly after they were released. Best investment I ever made for router/wireless connection in my home.
 

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,340
10,859
136
I have LinkSys Velop with two jacks on the bottom. I can only speak to this, but they all should be similar.

The mesh systems are made to expand wireless throughout a house with or without capability to connect the individual nodes to a wire. They should have at least two wireless channels...one they use to talk to each other and one they use to talk to devices. So, while you have to connect one of them to your provider's modem (directly or indirectly) the other nodes shouldn't require any hardwire connection.

This means if your nodes have one or more jacks, you could connect a device such as a computer to them. You could even connect a switch to them and have more than one wired connection in that room (such as to a television).

In my case, I have four Velop nodes, one connects the main router, two others are connected via a wired backhaul, but one is in another building (detached garage) that talks wirelessly to the nodes in the house. The one that is in the detached garage has a small 8 port POE switch on it and transmits data from two wired security cameras that gets recorded 24/7 by an NVR in the house.

Good luck.


Is the router you went with wifi 6?

Curious because I just snagged a Linksys MR6350 ($74 on sale) wifi 5 mesh router which is more then sufficient for my needs by itself.

Since it was only $10 more then the non-mesh version and Best Buy allows returns for 14 days I figured wth and went for it.

Happy so far but wondering if I'll regret not spending more to get the wifi 6 AX-1800 7350 model down the road.
 

Eric Fazekas

Member
Jun 27, 2017
43
10
81
Is the router you went with wifi 6?

Curious because I just snagged a Linksys MR6350 ($74 on sale) wifi 5 mesh router which is more then sufficient for my needs by itself.

Since it was only $10 more then the non-mesh version and Best Buy allows returns for 14 days I figured wth and went for it.

Happy so far but wondering if I'll regret not spending more to get the wifi 6 AX-1800 7350 model down the road.

I'm not in the wifi 6 world yet. I'm waiting till I need it in my life, until I have to upgrade, or until prices come down.
 
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