Wifi mesh systems

ThunbergsAreGo

JimmyVik wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT1NH5_Wew4

Ive been using a set of 3 of these for about a year and found them great. House has stone walls and foil back insulation everywhere so normal wifi doesnt get everywhere in the house and definitely not into the garden or garage.
These, you just plug in. One is plugged directly into the router. One in the center of the house and I even have one on top of the fridge in the kitchen which gives perfect wifi to the garage and the garden.
3 of these cover the whole house, garden, granny flat and garage perfectly. They cost £60 on Amazon. You can get even more powerful ones for MW6 I think they are called.
Also you can add 1 or more of each type at any time, and mix MW3 and MW6. And they all have a wired access port too if you wanted to wire any device into it.

Are you (or anyoone) using a mesh system with Sky Q? have heard it can cause some issues

JimmyVik

ThunbergsAreGo wrote: »

Are you (or anyoone) using a mesh system with Sky Q? have heard it can cause some issues

No. Ours is with Eir.
Its a very easy setup.
But there are smart light bulbs coming out next month that are also mesh network pints. I think thats a great idea. They look to be cheap too.

ThunbergsAreGo

JimmyVik wrote: »

No. Ours is with Eir.
Its a very easy setup.
But there are smart light bulbs coming out next month that are also mesh network pints. I think thats a great idea. They look to be cheap too.

Yeah have just heard as the Sky Q is a mesh itself there can be problems with it

JimmyVik

ThunbergsAreGo wrote: »

Yeah have just heard as the Sky Q is a mesh itself there can be problems with it

What I did with the Tenda was just wire one into one of the network sockets on the eir router.
Then turn off eir wifi altogether and let the tenda mesh nodes take care of the wifi. Works a treat. Full speed everywhere in the house. Even down to the end of the garden and in the garage.

ThunbergsAreGo

JimmyVik wrote: »

What I did with the Tenda was just wire one into one of the network sockets on the eir router.
Then turn off eir wifi altogether and let the tenda mesh nodes take care of the wifi. Works a treat. Full speed everywhere in the house. Even down to the end of the garden and in the garage.

Yeah tempted to go with the Tenda M3 - cheap as chips and a good entry point.

degsie

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B0851D6MXY

TP-Link Deco S4(3-pack) - £110

garo

What’s the difference between the S4 and M4 and E4?

Shefwedfan

garo wrote: »

What’s the difference between the S4 and M4 and E4?

Not sure if this will work but TP-Link you can compare


https://www.tp-link.com/uk/compare/?typeId=5700&productIds=35621%2C35616%2C38653


THe E4 seems to be the base model, the S4 and M4 seems to have more about them but nto a whole pile based on TP-Link comparison

matzen

ThunbergsAreGo wrote: »

Yeah have just heard as the Sky Q is a mesh itself there can be problems with it

Using Google WiFi Mesh with Sky Q and no issues.

Shefwedfan

Right so feedback on the TP-Link System. SO I got the 3 x P9 Deco and I also got the TP-Link E3(2pack) https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QRCD2X7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So setup again fairly simple, you do have to set up each unit at a time. Not like Huawei which you set up and then the rest set themselves up. Fairly easy to set up, plus I set up all the P9 and then a few days later the E3 set arrived. App is better, a small bit, to the Huawei, just a little easier to see but not close to Linksys at all. No option to reboot the entire network which I like to do to clean it out. You can reboot each unit at a time but that takes ages

Everything is running perfect apart from the M3W which seems to have awfull issues picking up the network. I had it sitting beside a box once and it had red light on, need to spend some time on it and if not then will have to return and juts buy two of the E4/M4/S4 units.

All in seems to be a failry robust system. Especially if you are replacing older powerline TP-600 which is what I was orignally doing when I started all this messing.

To be honest at this stage its a throw up between the Linksys Tri-Band and the TP-link with Powerline but if I really think about it the Linksys is the one I would go back to, the cost is the limiting factor for me as I would need close to 6 units

iba

JimmyVik wrote: »

No. Ours is with Eir.
Its a very easy setup.
But there are smart light bulbs coming out next month that are also mesh network pints. I think thats a great idea. They look to be cheap too.

I think the bulbs are Tuya ones. Paul Hibbert did a YT vid on them about two weeks ago.

Shefwedfan

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Right so feedback on the TP-Link System. SO I got the 3 x P9 Deco and I also got the TP-Link E3(2pack) https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QRCD2X7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So setup again fairly simple, you do have to set up each unit at a time. Not like Huawei which you set up and then the rest set themselves up. Fairly easy to set up, plus I set up all the P9 and then a few days later the E3 set arrived. App is better, a small bit, to the Huawei, just a little easier to see but not close to Linksys at all. No option to reboot the entire network which I like to do to clean it out. You can reboot each unit at a time but that takes ages

Everything is running perfect apart from the M3W which seems to have awfull issues picking up the network. I had it sitting beside a box once and it had red light on, need to spend some time on it and if not then will have to return and juts buy two of the E4/M4/S4 units.

All in seems to be a failry robust system. Especially if you are replacing older powerline TP-600 which is what I was orignally doing when I started all this messing.

To be honest at this stage its a throw up between the Linksys Tri-Band and the TP-link with Powerline but if I really think about it the Linksys is the one I would go back to, the cost is the limiting factor for me as I would need close to 6 units

To update, I have moved the M3W further away from the other units, the distance whcih I would have thought would make it less stable has had the opposite affect and now no issues.

Aquos76

My current set-up, 360mb with Virgin Media, wifi set to 2.4 and 5ghz, cat6 cable running from read of hub 3.0 up to an 8way giagbit switch in attic, from there I have ethernet cables run to all 4 bedrooms, study and sunroom. One of the bedrooms has a f2000 modem set up as an AP and it works fine, however I am sick of the Virgin hub constantly dropping the WiFi. Wifi isnt great in half the house and non existent in the sunroom. I am looking at the TP Link Deco M4 3 pack so hardwiring all 3 wont be an issue, The first one will be wired from the hub and 2 and 3 will be wired from the switch in the attic.

Am I missing something or should they all work seamlessly due to the fact that they will all be hardwired from the switch, or do they have to be daisy chained for the ethernet backhaul to work correctly?

degsie

Aquos76 wrote: »

Am I missing something or should they all work seamlessly due to the fact that they will all be hardwired from the switch, or do they have to be daisy chained for the ethernet backhaul to work correctly?

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/1794/

Aquos76

degsie wrote: »

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/1794/

Excellent, thanks for that. I see someone mentioned the TP Link Deco S4 earlier in the thread, has anyone managed to find any differences between the S4 and the M4. Anything Im finding seems to indicate their specs are the very same, other than that the S4 are not at tall as the M4. The S4 are also cheaper than the M4's

nc6000

The S4 can use third party firmware.

https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/2423/

tommycahir

garo wrote: »

I'd be happy to get some advice on this. I have wood floors and a fireplace in the middle of where the cable-run would be. How do I run the cable without destroying the aesthetics and pissing off the SO?

How about popping off the skirting board and running the cable in the space between the floor and board? Around fireplace there is usually a similar space but covered with 1/4 inch round edge beading which can also be popped off and retailed (or using no more nails)
Regards
Tommy

Tabby McTat

Looking for some advice here.

Currently have the Vodafone Gigabox router for their ADSL service. As is well documented here, the service is sh*te! Speeds are fine, regularly get 70-75mb on speed test but the connection with devices drops on a regular basis. Like multiple times every day.

I'm in a new build, 2 stories and an attic and have power line extenders to get WiFi around the house. All my devices connect via WiFi and it's the usual, a few phones and TV connected over internet.

I have been trying to improve things with VF technical support but as yet it's no better.

Would it be a good idea to get a Linksys Ac2200 router to replace what I have. The way I see it I could then upgrade this to include a few mesh units. Would this be the best one?

Would that be compatible with powerline extender. Thinking of moving to Virgin when the 12 month contract is up. But I presume the standard router with them is rubbish also.

GinSoaked

nc6000 wrote: »

The S4 can use third party firmware.

https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/2423/

Which third party hardware?

degsie

GinSoaked wrote: »

Which third party hardware?

???

GinSoaked

degsie wrote: »

???

Sorry firmware.

degsie

GinSoaked wrote: »

Sorry firmware.

DD-WRT and OpenWRT in the works, apparently.

Aquos76

So, would the S4 be a better purchase than the M4 so?

garo

barrac wrote: »

Looking for some advice here.

Currently have the Vodafone Gigabox router for their ADSL service. As is well documented here, the service is sh*te! Speeds are fine, regularly get 70-75mb on speed test but the connection with devices drops on a regular basis. Like multiple times every day.

I'm in a new build, 2 stories and an attic and have power line extenders to get WiFi around the house. All my devices connect via WiFi and it's the usual, a few phones and TV connected over internet.

I have been trying to improve things with VF technical support but as yet it's no better.

Would it be a good idea to get a Linksys Ac2200 router to replace what I have. The way I see it I could then upgrade this to include a few mesh units. Would this be the best one?

Would that be compatible with powerline extender. Thinking of moving to Virgin when the 12 month contract is up. But I presume the standard router with them is rubbish also.

Do you really need a mesh system if the powerline extenders are doing the job? I have the Virgin hub and it is ok. It’s Wi-Fi reaches the attic on 2.4 GHz but the 5 GHz band has issues. In the same room as the router I get 480 Mbps over Wi-Fi. Switch to Virgin then see if powerline extenders do a good enough job and if not think of the LinkSys.

Tabby McTat

garo wrote: »

Do you really need a mesh system if the powerline extenders are doing the job? I have the Virgin hub and it is ok. It’s Wi-Fi reaches the attic on 2.4 GHz but the 5 GHz band has issues. In the same room as the router I get 480 Mbps over Wi-Fi. Switch to Virgin then see if powerline extenders do a good enough job and if not think of the LinkSys.

Thanks for coming back. The issue with my current Vodafone router is that the connection drops throughout the day. I have 5 months left until I'm out of contract so still a while to wait.

I'm wondering will a new router sort this do you think? Also I know mesh is probably overkill but I'd rather have something that was future proof. Especially if work from home is here to stay and all.

Clareman

barrac wrote: »

Thanks for coming back. The issue with my current Vodafone router is that the connection drops throughout the day. I have 5 months left until I'm out of contract so still a while to wait.

I'm wondering will a new router sort this do you think? Also I know mesh is probably overkill but I'd rather have something that was future proof. Especially if work from home is here to stay and all.

The free routers are worth the price you pay for them in my opinion, the own brand ones especially so.

I've a Google Mesh system that connects to my free router, I've WiFi through Google and everything wired through the ISP router, works a dream and if i change ISP I just have to plug out the old 1 and in the new 1.

In my opinion this is probably the worst time to be getting a future proof mesh system as WiFi 6 is just launching so WiFi 6 systems are expensive and WiFi 5 systems are going to be old soon. If you have to get something I'd say make sure it's Wi-Fi 6 and go from there, I'm actually very annoyed that I didn't wait

Clareman

Clareman wrote: »

The free routers are worth the price you pay for them in my opinion, the own brand ones especially so.

I've a Google Mesh system that connects to my free router, I've WiFi through Google and everything wired through the ISP router, works a dream and if i change ISP I just have to plug out the old 1 and in the new 1.

In my opinion this is probably the worst time to be getting a future proof mesh system as WiFi 6 is just launching so WiFi 6 systems are expensive and WiFi 5 systems are going to be old soon. If you have to get something I'd say make sure it's Wi-Fi 6 and go from there, I'm actually very annoyed that I didn't wait

I've a lot of opinions there, sorry

Tabby McTat

Clareman wrote: »

I've a lot of opinions there, sorry

Opinions are good!!

I don't know anything about WiFi 6 v WiFi 5?

Clareman

barrac wrote: »

Opinions are good!!

I don't know anything about WiFi 6 v WiFi 5?

At a high level its the same change as going from 2. 4ghz to 5GHz, could you imagine trying to use a 2.4 connection now?? Functionality wise its grand but once you use the faster connection you'll find it hard to use the old 1,chances are you don't have any WiFi 6 devices at the moment but in a year or so you'll have more and more. Personally I've a few Wi-Fi 6 devices which are 5g as well, I'm fine on 4g and 5GHz at the moment but I know the geek in me will be annoyed soon.

If your post didn't say future proof I wouldn't have mentioned it and would have recommended the Google Wifi but you did say it so it's worth considering

Tabby McTat

Clareman wrote: »

At a high level its the same change as going from 2. 4ghz to 5GHz, could you imagine trying to use a 2.4 connection now?? Functionality wise its grand but once you use the faster connection you'll find it hard to use the old 1,chances are you don't have any WiFi 6 devices at the moment but in a year or so you'll have more and more. Personally I've a few Wi-Fi 6 devices which are 5g as well, I'm fine on 4g and 5GHz at the moment but I know the geek in me will be annoyed soon.

If your post didn't say future proof I wouldn't have mentioned it and would have recommended the Google Wifi but you did say it so it's worth considering

That's exactly the type of knowledge that boards is great for!!

Are there particular routers to look out for them?