Wi-Fi mesh?

[EmpirE231]

Looking to get my wi-fi with clear signal out to the pool area and shop garage.

Currently have ATT internet service with their router.... which pretty much covers the whole house. I added a netgear repeater thing a few years ago by the pool, and it worked decent, but sometimes it works and sometimes it does not... I would like get that area working properly, and then bounce it to the shop garage, which is about 35-60' away from the pool.

Do I need to go with a mesh system... or are there better repeaters available now? trying to find something that is very user friendly... but also secure / keeping privacy in mind.

 

[Instigator]

Mesh for sure. We did our house and shop on 1.5 acres last year and should have done it years ago.

 

[USMC2010]

I have ATT fiber, their combo router sucks. I'm in a 1400sqft 3/2 and wifi was horrible across the house. Mesh yes but use something completely different than the built in wifi they provide. You will have way better throughput.

 

[Yldboyz]

Works great, we purchased the Google 4 pack at Costco last year for $150 on sale. It so good I have one spare.

 

[gqchris]

Empire, where ya located? Havasu?

 

[EmpirE231]

Works great, we purchased the Google 4 pack at Costco last year for $150 on sale. It so good I have one spare.

Costco has a deal right not on a mesh system w/ router... I would like to have something without microphones etc, don't need any more voice activated crap around other than the iphone lol

 

[EmpirE231]

Empire, where ya located? Havasu?

Riverside, CA

 

[Cole Trickle]

interested in this....

I want great coverage everywhere. I also think i need the pass through so you can use these and also a computer/tv.

Experts...whats the best easist system.

 

[BUDMAN]

I added the Nighthawk NetGear mesh system to our house and wished I would have done it sooner. Huge improvement and no lost signals

 

[Done-it-again]

Orbi 6 has been great........

 

[socal0487]

Looking to get my wi-fi with clear signal out to the pool area and shop garage.

Currently have ATT internet service with their router.... which pretty much covers the whole house. I added a netgear repeater thing a few years ago by the pool, and it worked decent, but sometimes it works and sometimes it does not... I would like get that area working properly, and then bounce it to the shop garage, which is about 35-60' away from the pool.

Do I need to go with a mesh system... or are there better repeaters available now? trying to find something that is very user friendly... but also secure / keeping privacy in mind.

The problem with a extender is it has its own network. So when you leave your main network to your extender it has to get off main network and then find the extender network. I had problems with extenders. Switch to a mesh system a couple of years ago and extremely happy with it.

 

[BingerFang]

Mesh for sure... I love my eero setup and the app is awesome as well. It notifies you (if you want) when someone connects and you can kick whoever/whatever device you want off. You can also see which devices are using the most data, etc. Also, very easy to setup which is always a plus.

https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-eero-dual-band-system-routers/dp/B097VJS3Y3

 

[gqchris]

Riverside, CA

I sell/install Ubiquiti gear for my clients. It is a true mesh business grade network. I can provision them and they can work off my Controller and ship em your way and you install. Let me know

Access Point U6 Plus - Ubiquiti Store United States

Compact, ceiling-mounted WiFi 6 AP with 4 spatial streams that improves upon the U6 Lite with higher performance and dual-band WiFi 6 support. Ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.

store.ui.com

 

[gqchris]

interested in this....

I want great coverage everywhere. I also think i need the pass through so you can use these and also a computer/tv.

Experts...whats the best easist system.

PM me Sir!

 

[paradise]

Agree with @gqchris. Unifi is great, the price is reasonable and it's true business class gear. What we use on our installs

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Was just dealing with this last night at the new house. There is literally a WiFi dead spot midway across where I put my desk in my new office. Work laptop on one side of the desk gets 300+MB down and 30+MB up (not great but good enough for work) Personal machine 3 feet away gets 2 MB down and 0 up .

Outside the office is 600+ MB up and down.

This is off the CenturyLink combo router/modem deal.

The traffic tracking on some of the mesh systems from the tech giants is concerning for me.

Was also looking at ubiquiti. @gqchris got a parts list?

 

[Big B Hova]

Eero pro here. 2000 sq ft house. 9000 sq ft property. Full service / fast internet all the way to the end of my street lol.

 

[WhatExit?]

Orbi for the win

 

[havasujeeper]

Agree on Orbi

 

[btaco35]

Was just dealing with this last night at the new house. There is literally a WiFi dead spot midway across where I put my desk in my new office. Work laptop on one side of the desk gets 300+MB down and 30+MB up (not great but good enough for work) Personal machine 3 feet away gets 2 MB down and 0 up .

Outside the office is 600+ MB up and down.

This is off the CenturyLink combo router/modem deal.

The traffic tracking on some of the mesh systems from the tech giants is concerning for me.

Was also looking at ubiquiti. @gqchris got a parts list?

Worth every penny.

 

[CarolynandBob]

What is the farthest you can go with wifi?

 

[USMC2010]

I sell/install Ubiquiti gear for my clients. It is a true mesh business grade network. I can provision them and they can work off my Controller and ship em your way and you install. Let me know

Access Point U6 Plus - Ubiquiti Store United States

Compact, ceiling-mounted WiFi 6 AP with 4 spatial streams that improves upon the U6 Lite with higher performance and dual-band WiFi 6 support. Ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.

store.ui.com

We upgraded all 3 buildings at my last Havasu job to that. It's rock solid.

 

[EmpirE231]

I sell/install Ubiquiti gear for my clients. It is a true mesh business grade network. I can provision them and they can work off my Controller and ship em your way and you install. Let me know

Access Point U6 Plus - Ubiquiti Store United States

Compact, ceiling-mounted WiFi 6 AP with 4 spatial streams that improves upon the U6 Lite with higher performance and dual-band WiFi 6 support. Ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.

store.ui.com

I’m assuming with this brand, my router has to be replaced as well?

How are they regarding privacy / security?

Thanks.

 

[Riverhound]

Orbi setup here... Big improvement in connectivity consistency and range. I'm on a 3/4 ac lot and have strong service to all 4 corners.

 

[$hot]

I also agree with orbi, they have an outdoor rated satellite to add into the system. This will give you huge range outside and to a shop

Pressroom - NETGEAR

Welcome to NETGEAR PRESSROOM. Here you can download our latest news, images and videos. All content can be used rights-free for editorial purposes.

www.netgear.com

 

[Ziggy]

Are mesh systems 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz or dual?

 

[$hot]

The orbi is dual

 

[gqchris]

I’m assuming with this brand, my router has to be replaced as well?

How are they regarding privacy / security?

Thanks.

You dont have to replace router. Just disable the wifi on it and use the Unifi AP's. They do make a nice router though for about $250 if you decide to do the whole setup. It provides a bunch of insight if you do.

You will need a controller.Mines in the cloud and I can host, but you can have one at home also by using a Cloud Key or Dream Machine for your own control etc.

Privacy and Security have been good since they have alot of business footprints. They did have a security snafu last year and I feel handled it quickly. Cant say that for TP link etc. Every company suffers a breach at some point, its how they handle is important in my eyes. It was actually an insider extortion job, which is interesting!

Man charged with Ubiquiti data breach and extortion was employee assigned to investigate hack

A former employee of Ubiquiti Networks has been arrested and charged in connection with a hack that stole gigabytes of data and attempted to extort US $2 million from the firm.

www.bitdefender.com

 

[caribbean20]

We use eero. Works well and they have great customer support. 6,000 sq. ft house and pool in back yard.

 

[EmpirE231]

Okay... so I always look at costco when making decisions...

any feedback on these two systems? or which is better etc / more use setup friendly

on sale right now for $299

https://www.costco.com/.product.100517182.html

This orbi system is $380.... not sure if its an older model or what not, as the other orbi systems are close to 1k

https://www.costco.com/netgear---orbi-rbk753s-ax4200-wifi-6-mesh-system%2c-one-year-advanced-cyber-security-included.product.100533367.html

 

[Hammer]

Following, I need a mesh system for my house. 3k Sq. Ft. home, property is 15k I need better coverage in the backyard.

 

[Gramps]

Was just dealing with this last night at the new house. There is literally a WiFi dead spot midway across where I put my desk in my new office. Work laptop on one side of the desk gets 300+MB down and 30+MB up (not great but good enough for work) Personal machine 3 feet away gets 2 MB down and 0 up .

Outside the office is 600+ MB up and down.

This is off the CenturyLink combo router/modem deal.

The traffic tracking on some of the mesh systems from the tech giants is concerning for me.

Was also looking at ubiquiti. @gqchris got a parts list?

You're in St, George arn't you? Infowest has ubiquiti in service in many areas but they are phasing it out soon with some ne fangeled mesh type system that will cover alot of southern Utah

 

[Hammer]

Bump..... Still on the house to do list. Anything new out there?

 

[sintax]

You dont have to replace router. Just disable the wifi on it and use the Unifi AP's. They do make a nice router though for about $250 if you decide to do the whole setup. It provides a bunch of insight if you do.

You will need a controller.Mines in the cloud and I can host, but you can have one at home also by using a Cloud Key or Dream Machine for your own control etc.

Privacy and Security have been good since they have alot of business footprints. They did have a security snafu last year and I feel handled it quickly. Cant say that for TP link etc. Every company suffers a breach at some point, its how they handle is important in my eyes. It was actually an insider extortion job, which is interesting!

Man charged with Ubiquiti data breach and extortion was employee assigned to investigate hack

A former employee of Ubiquiti Networks has been arrested and charged in connection with a hack that stole gigabytes of data and attempted to extort US $2 million from the firm.

www.bitdefender.com

I've been a big Ubiquiti fan for quite a few years, and have ran their gear since they released their first EdgeRouter.

I have issues recommending their hardware to people due to the level of setup needed to get things really running well to actually see some of the benefits of their gear. On the upside, for my close friends, I just go in there and setup Unifi gear, and I manage it all remotely, so thats easy for them.

I ran a few HD wall mounts, and 1 HD ceiling mount upstairs in the hallway, all tied back to an EdgeSwitch, its all been rock solid

 

[pronstar]

Wife and I both work from home.

I went from google mesh (which was easy to setup but buggy), to TP link (easy to setup, not buggy).

Honestly I don’t think there’s much difference in the mesh offerings from reputable brands. Make sure you get the latest tech ( 802.11ax or simply AX is the latest I believe).

Biggest suggestion would be to use an Ethernet backhaul - each mesh unit has a dedicated hard line - as it works MUCH better than having a wireless backhaul.

From https://www.windowscentral.com/ethernet-backhaul-or-wireless-which-mesh:

Ethernet backhaul or wireless: Which should you choose for your mesh router?

Best answer: If you can neatly fit Ethernet cables around your home at your required length, you absolutely should Ethernet backhaul to take advantage of your maximum network speeds. Ethernet cables usually work reliably up to around 300 feet and help avoid common Wi-Fi woes like channel congestion.
Why use Ethernet backhaul in a mesh system?

Using mesh Wi-Fi kits is a fantastic way to deliver a reliable wireless signal around your home, often supporting up to as many as 10 nodes effortlessly transporting data traffic from your modem and router. You can move from one node to another without switching Wi-Fi networks or needing separate passwords, so the benefits for larger homes are fantastic.

One downside to mesh Wi-Fi is that data travels node to node from the router and then back again using the wireless backhaul, meaning each packet of data must make multiple stops in each direction of its journey of your mesh network. Using an Ethernet backhaul means that outgoing traffic can travel directly back to the router via a high-speed LAN port, faster and more reliably than any current wireless technology could match.

Since Ethernet cables can reach lengths around 300 feet before demonstrating any signs of degradation, connecting the farthest-reaching mesh node to a LAN port means you won't have to sacrifice internet speed for convenience in hard-to-reach places. If you can reliably fit an Ethernet cable long enough, you'll enjoy the best possible network performance by connecting your mesh Wi-Fi system with Ethernet backhaul.

 

[Echo Lodge]

Heads up with the old Google WiFi Mesh. You can't turn off the 5 ghz. If you have old wifi enabled devices that won't run on 5 ghz it gets tricky having to set them up on 2.4 ghz. My work around is to use the hotspot on my phone that mirrors my SSID and password for my home network. Turn off the Google wifi. Setup the device using my phones network. Turn off the phone and turn back on the Google WiFi.

 

[havasujeeper]

or simply AX

Ebonics?

 

[USMC2010]

I've been a big Ubiquiti fan for quite a few years, and have ran their gear since they released their first EdgeRouter.

I have issues recommending their hardware to people due to the level of setup needed to get things really running well to actually see some of the benefits of their gear. On the upside, for my close friends, I just go in there and setup Unifi gear, and I manage it all remotely, so thats easy for them.

I ran a few HD wall mounts, and 1 HD ceiling mount upstairs in the hallway, all tied back to an EdgeSwitch, its all been rock solid

I helped update the company I last worked for in Havasu to Ubiquiti. It is definitely a good system but not exactly plug and play.

 

[CLdrinker]

I’m going to need something for the new office.

I’m far from tech savy. What does it take to
Install this stuff?

My router is in my den/kitchen which is a good 60’ and 4 walls away from The new building.

Is this equipment blue tooth or hard wired?

 

[Echo Lodge]

I’m going to need something for the new office.

I’m far from tech savy. What does it take to
Install this stuff?

My router is in my den/kitchen which is a good 60’ and 4 walls away from The new building.

Is this equipment blue tooth or hard wired?

The main router is wired to your modem. The satellite hubs can be up to 30 feet away from the main router. As mentioned above, it's better to have all the satellite hubs wired to the main router tho. I have a switch that my main Google router plugs into. My three other satellite hubs are wired to the switch. If you do not have the ability to wire your hubs together you could get away with putting the one satellite hub within 30 ft of the main router and possibly get the coverage you need.

 

[gqchris]

I've been a big Ubiquiti fan for quite a few years, and have ran their gear since they released their first EdgeRouter.

I have issues recommending their hardware to people due to the level of setup needed to get things really running well to actually see some of the benefits of their gear. On the upside, for my close friends, I just go in there and setup Unifi gear, and I manage it all remotely, so thats easy for them.

I ran a few HD wall mounts, and 1 HD ceiling mount upstairs in the hallway, all tied back to an EdgeSwitch, its all been rock solid

Thats what I do for my clients also. Exact same thing. I been chatting with Hammer and ill program his gear and get him setup on my Unifi Host in the cloud!

 

[spectra3279]

Hahahaha. Asus ac5300 router. I get good signal a block away. Now I do scan the frequencies and pick unused or minimal usage frequencies. Have not needed a mesh network as it covers my whole yard and upto a block away with ease.

 

[relaxalot]

If you use Sonos check to see if your mesh is compatible

 

[pronstar]

I’m going to need something for the new office.

I’m far from tech savy. What does it take to
Install this stuff?

My router is in my den/kitchen which is a good 60’ and 4 walls away from The new building.

Is this equipment blue tooth or hard wired?

Mesh is super easy to setup

 

[SFV2RVR]

If you use Sonos check to see if your mesh is compatible

Mesh is super easy to setup

Can you help with that? Lol. I want to throw my Orbi in the trash! I could never find out how to make it work with my Sonos

 

[pronstar]

Can you help with that? Lol. I want to throw my Orbi in the trash! I could never find out how to make it work with my Sonos

Sonos is a competitor, so I don’t have any insight into this

 

[relaxalot]

Sonos is a competitor, so I don’t have any insight into this

I tried a couple of mesh systems.. I would recommend calling Sonos and asking them. I ended up getting a new router from suddenstink and it worked for my whole house