Question Choosing the best Mesh System (Wifi 6, 6E, 7) at the end of 2024?

[NJRonbo]

I tell yuh, nothing has been more stressful lately than trying to pick a reliable mesh system to replace my 2nd Generation Eeros.

I have a large, multi-level home. Let's say just under 3,000 square feet but not sure of that number.

I have, for years, had a 2nd generation Eero mesh unit. 5 units total strewn across my home.

2 of the 5 units are connected by ethernet, at opposite ends of the home, from the same router. I am guessing that is what is called ethernet backhaul.

With all those Eeros across my home, with a 1GB Incoming connection, I get 400mbps wireless download close to the wired Eero and 190mbps download close to the unwired Eeros.

Those are not great speeds

So, I want to upgrade to get better wireless speed results on my iPhone (WiFi 7) and Macbooks (Wifi 6)

I was going to go with the TP-LINK BE95 of BE85 (WiFi 7) 3-pack. However, having 5 Eero units scattered across my house, I don't know how well just 3, supposedly more powerful, TP-LINK units are going to boost my speed.

Then I thought since they are on sale and very cheap right now, I could buy 2x3packs of Eero 6E pro and scatter those across my home, 6 nodes total, closer together, and hope for improved speeds.

Any suggestions?

Can I get at least 600mbps+ wireless speeds anywhere in my home merely moving up from a 2nd generation Eero mesh (5Ghz) to a more modern 6E or 7 mesh?

Can 3 of the Eeero 6E or 3 of the TP-LINK units (with Ethernet backhaul) do the job of the 5 I currently have?


Finally? Which mesh unit? The professionals love ASUS. However, read reviews and so many people have problems with installation or dropouts. The YouTubers love TP-LINK DECO but most professionals refer to them as crap routers.

 

[Ralston18]

What router do you have?

What level of internet service are you paying for now?

As I understand the standards you need a Wifi 7 router as well.

FYI:

https://www.pcmag.com/news/wi-fi-7-is-now-official-promising-more-speed-lower-latency

https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/14/24038284/wi-fi-certified-7-products-list-wi-fi-alliance

Details matter.

 

[kanewolf]

I tell yuh, nothing has been more stressful lately than trying to pick a reliable mesh system to replace my 2nd Generation Eeros.

I have a large, multi-level home. Let's say just under 3,000 square feet but not sure of that number.

I have, for years, had a 2nd generation Eero mesh unit. 5 units total strewn across my home.

2 of the 5 units are connected by ethernet, at opposite ends of the home, from the same router. I am guessing that is what is called ethernet backhaul.

With all those Eeros across my home, with a 1GB Incoming connection, I get 400mbps wireless download close to the wired Eero and 190mbps download close to the unwired Eeros.

Those are not great speeds

So, I want to upgrade to get better wireless speed results on my iPhone (WiFi 7) and Macbooks (Wifi 6)

I was going to go with the TP-LINK BE95 of BE85 (WiFi 7) 3-pack. However, having 5 Eero units scattered across my house, I don't know how well just 3, supposedly more powerful, TP-LINK units are going to boost my speed.

Then I thought since they are on sale and very cheap right now, I could buy 2x3packs of Eero 6E pro and scatter those across my home, 6 nodes total, closer together, and hope for improved speeds.

Any suggestions?

Can I get at least 600mbps+ wireless speeds anywhere in my home merely moving up from a 2nd generation Eero mesh (5Ghz) to a more modern 6E or 7 mesh?

Can 3 of the Eeero 6E or 3 of the TP-LINK units (with Ethernet backhaul) do the job of the 5 I currently have?


Finally? Which mesh unit? The professionals love ASUS. However, read reviews and so many people have problems with installation or dropouts. The YouTubers love TP-LINK DECO but most professionals refer to them as crap routers.

"More powerful" radios is not a thing. Why? Because the govt regulates that. The WIFI you have is limited just as new units are. Newer hardware does support newer protocols AX vs AC for example. They might also support 6Ghz. 6Ghz is good in the same room as the unit, but penetrates walls worse than other WIFI.
The next question you have to ask is will you REALLY benefit from having more bandwidth on your phone? Probably not. MacBooks? Maybe.
Speedtest values, like other benchmarks need to be tempered with "Is 2 seconds difference really important?"

 

[lantis3]

Everyone has different environment, house layout, wall materials, wifi performance is always try and error, hit or miss, no one can guarantee you 600+Mbps in each location.

Want guaranteed speed ==> wired ethernet or MOCA.

For the price of 3 wifi7 mesh packs, you can hire someone do the wired cabling.

 

[NJRonbo]

What router do you have?

What level of internet service are you paying for now?

As I understand the standards you need a Wifi 7 router as well.

FYI:

https://www.pcmag.com/news/wi-fi-7-is-now-official-promising-more-speed-lower-latency

https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/14/24038284/wi-fi-certified-7-products-list-wi-fi-alliance

Details matter.

I have the newest Verizon Fios Router for their 1GB offering. It is included at no charge as long as you have the service. Otherwise, I would have bought a new router already.

The router is WiFi 6, but I thought that if you plug a WiFi 7 mesh unit into it, the mesh unit does all the work in converting it to WiFi 7. Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps the standards have changed.

Everyone has different environment, house layout, wall materials, wifi performance is always try and error, hit or miss, no one can guarantee you 600+Mbps in each location.

Want guaranteed speed ==> wired ethernet or MOCA.

For the price of 3 wifi7 mesh packs, you can hire someone do the wired cabling.

I have thought about that.

I have a difficult home to wire since it is split level and it is almost impossible to run cable through the attic or basement. I had to dig a long trench around my property, and bury Cat6 cable, to go from one end of the house to the other. I use that as a backhaul for the mesh units.

Question: If I did have the entire house wired with ethernet or Moca, what is then used to broadcast wireless? I would still have to, on top of the installation and hardware costs, buy some kind of broadcaster.


Thanks, everyone, for the assistance

 

[Ralston18]

"Broadcaster" : Use a wireless capable router and configure the router as an Access Point.

There are trade-offs involved so you will need to plan it all out.

Refer to your router's User Guide Manual and look for some online explanations and tutorials to learn more about the requirements and options available.

Start with a diagram of your property and house to show where devices (wired and wireless) will be located or likely used the most.

Likely you can do some testing beforehand to help identify good locations for installed APs.

And also remember that you may be able to make some use of Ethernet over Powerline adapters.

 

[Oasis Curator]

Still a good question though in what is a good Mesh provider these days?

Or should you just buy three routers and configure two of them to be access points?

I thought about the Eero when my ISP supplied me with one as I am already in bed with Ring and Alexa. But kepy my trusty TP-Link Deco M4s, which have been fine units until I changed ISP but I need to do more testing.