Mesh wifi recommendations?

[BABAR]

Starting to be working from home (two story plus walk out basement, so functionally 3 stories.)
Working office is in basement, my current router on the main (central) level which is where our internet service plug is anyway, gets weak in the basement area where I will be working.

Looking at the Google Nest three piece , $349 at Best Buy


https://www.bestbuy.com/site/google...on-points-3-pack-snow/6382518.p?skuId=6382518
The two extra “Points” do not have Ethernet plugs , but whatever computer I have down there will have WiFi anyway. They do function as speakers and voice recognition (not sure whether I want that or not, but it can be turned off.)

Vs TP-Link Deco M5 three piece $170 at Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WVCB86...colid=K7TLKQZ5QZHF&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
It comes with a lifetime antivirus subscription (although if you look it up, company reserves right to “change” the terms at any time.)

• Secure WiFi Mesh Network: Protect your network and connected devices with a free lifetime subscription to TP-Link HomeCare featuring Next-level Antivirus, Robust Parental Controls, and QoS.

The points here each have two internet ports. They are gigabyte ports, but my service is only 150MB, which seems plenty for me and my wife, Lucy the Lab doesn’t surf much!

Any advice?

Thanks

 

[markjos]

I don't have personal experience, but I've been pretty happy with reviews from Wirecutter on lots of similar technologies:

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-wi-fi-mesh-networking-kits/
and

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/wi-fi-router-good-as-mesh/

 

[user 30299]

Starting to be working from home (two story plus walk out basement, so functionally 3 stories.)
Working office is in basement, my current router on the main (central) level which is where our internet service plug is anyway, gets weak in the basement area where I will be working.

Looking at the Google Nest three piece , $349 at Best Buy


https://www.bestbuy.com/site/google...on-points-3-pack-snow/6382518.p?skuId=6382518
The two extra “Points” do not have Ethernet plugs , but whatever computer I have down there will have WiFi anyway. They do function as speakers and voice recognition (not sure whether I want that or not, but it can be turned off.)

Vs TP-Link Deco M5 three piece $170 at Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WVCB86...colid=K7TLKQZ5QZHF&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
It comes with a lifetime antivirus subscription (although if you look it up, company reserves right to “change” the terms at any time.)

• Secure WiFi Mesh Network: Protect your network and connected devices with a free lifetime subscription to TP-Link HomeCare featuring Next-level Antivirus, Robust Parental Controls, and QoS.

The points here each have two internet ports. They are gigabyte ports, but my service is only 150MB, which seems plenty for me and my wife, Lucy the Lab doesn’t surf much!

Any advice?

Thanks

Are you able to snake a single Cat5 cable down to the basement from your unit on the Main Level ?

Your Main Level unit may have extra Cat5 ports for adding a cable. Then you can add an inexpensive router on the end of the cable in the basement. This way you are wireless to you office electronics and anyone else that's down there with you.

This would guarantee a strong signal in the basement. The method you asked about is basically taking a weak signal and boosting it.

 

[cerving]

I have an Orbi system, it works great. We have three people working from home, plus the Eggtimer business, so it has to be reliable. I had a three-radio router before that, but the Orbi's coverage is much better, over a much larger area. Another big improvement is with wireless printing... it was dicey with the previous router, and is rock solid with the Orbi.

 

[askrob]

If you can run a network cable to the basement, that would be ideal. You can setup a wireless access point and get wifi in the basement.

Another thing to look at is a wifi extender. For example this one on Amazon: Wifi Extender.

 

[shawn_rocket]

Google Wifi or Eero. I have installed both of them for many clients and no complaints. Eero does very well in older homes with lots of thick walls and interference. I use Google Wifi with (knock on wood) no issues for a few years now.

 

[FredA]

Tis my understanding that a new mesh standard is coming very soon -- shop carefully.
Also - watch the backhaul - is it a unique radio, shared radio, and/or Ethernet - this is key factor IMHO.

 

[XrayLizard]

Voice recognition.
You think it can be turned off.
Good ol google.

 

[FredA]

You CAN physically remove the mic's.....just saying....

 

[mooffle]

Tis my understanding that a new mesh standard is coming very soon -- shop carefully.
Also - watch the backhaul - is it a unique radio, shared radio, and/or Ethernet - this is key factor IMHO.

Yep, sometimes this can have unintended interference consequences. Like if the links share wifi frequencies, usually though it is fairly minimal.

Ho DIY are you willing to go? MikroTik has awesome stuff but it does take some networking know how. Their wifi access points can be under 50 or 60 depending on the model.

 

[neil_w]

I have 4 Google Wifis scattered around my house. The fact that each one has an Ethernet port is extremely valuable to me. They're not up to the performance of some of the newer systems, but it hasn't been an issue given my usage patterns.

 

[tsai]

MikroTik has good stuff. In the same vein, I prefer Ubiquiti’s UniFi lineup as being more user friendly.

 

[XrayLizard]

You CAN physically remove the mic's.....just saying....

Dave, why are you removing my microphone? I can still see your lips move.

 

[Zbench]

I have two Ubiquiti’s as well. They mount in the ceiling and aren’t very expensive. They have been rock solid for 5 years and run on POE. The software to access them is very robust and full featured. Plus the range is ridiculous. I pick up the signal 100 feet outside away from the house and the throughput sometimes is over 200 Mbs. Not much to complain about and since they are POE and mount in the ceiling there is no clutter on the counter.

MikroTik has good stuff. In the same vein, I prefer Ubiquiti’s UniFi lineup as being more user friendly.

 

[wolsen]

I also have the Ubiquiti gear (Ubuquiti Dream Machine + BeaconHD). Running wires through the walls wasn’t an option for me (let’s say it got voted down in the planning committee - I’m a member, just not a voting member) and this option works great. Lots of WiFi extender and AP options.

 

[mooffle]

I also have the Ubiquiti gear (Ubuquiti Dream Machine + BeaconHD). Running wires through the walls wasn’t an option for me (let’s say it got voted down in the planning committee - I’m a member, just not a voting member) and this option works great. Lots of WiFi extender and AP options.

If moderately tech savvy this is what I'd have to recommend too. Ubiquiti stuff is about the lowest end business class you can buy. Which is really a credit to their model, it's very expandable but pretty feature laden and easy to learn.

 

[afadeev]

Starting to be working from home (two story plus walk out basement, so functionally 3 stories.)
Working office is in basement, my current router on the main (central) level which is where our internet service plug is anyway, gets weak in the basement area where I will be working.

Looking at the Google Nest three piece , $349 at Best Buy

Or $199 from Amazon:
amazon.com/gp/product/B08GG9CMLR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The two extra “Points” do not have Ethernet plugs , but whatever computer I have down there will have WiFi anyway.

The ones I have include 2 ethernet ports per WiFi mesh point.
I use both in one of them for printer and video camera hookups.

Any advice?

I've had extremely good experience with my Google WiFi mesh setup.
I, actually, have 4 WiFi routers, and the above 3 are configured as slaves for the Mesh setup. The primary is AC1900 TP-link router (also co-branded with Google).
Five (5) people video conferencing/streaming at the same time, 20-35 Mbps/up & down concurrently all day, 25+ devices connected, with zero session drops over the past year +.

Pro's:

• Extremely easy to setup and manage.
  • I had outsourced setup process to my elementary graders, and they got it all done.
• 4 points are plenty to fully cover 3 floors with WiFi signal blocking fireplace/chimney in the middle of the house.
• Performance is faster than most WAN/ISP links.
• 5 GHz and 2.5 Ghz dual band 802.11ac Radio Frequency, but most devices selectively attach to one or the other.
• Home and "guest" networks, selective device blocking (e.g.: enforced kids internet-free time), etc.
• No backhaul ethernet wires required inside the house.

Potential down-sides:

• App only configuration interfaces (some folks are super-attached to CLI)
• Somewhat limited configuration options.
  • Relies on sub-NAT-ing if your ISP router is not bridgeable (few folks who care about that, will know what this can be suboptimal).
• Limited to ~<300 Mbps throughput, which is more than plenty for home use, but could be limiting if you are considering commercial deployment.
• Not the cheapest

HTH,
a

P.S..: Please don't do WiFi extenders or separate/duplicate WiFi routers. Feel free to do your own research on why that's suboptimal, or just stick with Mesh WiFi.

 

[BABAR]

Or $199 from Amazon:
amazon.com/gp/product/B08GG9CMLR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



The ones I have include 2 ethernet ports per WiFi mesh point.
I use both in one of them for printer and video camera hookups.



I've had extremely good experience with my Google WiFi mesh setup.
I, actually, have 4 WiFi routers, and the above 3 are configured as slaves for the Mesh setup. The primary is AC1900 TP-link router (also co-branded with Google).
Five (5) people video conferencing/streaming at the same time, 20-35 Mbps/up & down concurrently all day, 25+ devices connected, with zero session drops over the past year +.

Pro's:

• Extremely easy to setup and manage.
  • I had outsourced setup process to my elementary graders, and they got it all done.
• 4 points are plenty to fully cover 3 floors with WiFi signal blocking fireplace/chimney in the middle of the house.
• Performance is faster than most WAN/ISP links.
• 5 GHz and 2.5 Ghz dual band 802.11ac Radio Frequency, but most devices selectively attach to one or the other.
• Home and "guest" networks, selective device blocking (e.g.: enforced kids internet-free time), etc.
• No backhaul ethernet wires required inside the house.

Potential down-sides:

• App only configuration interfaces (some folks are super-attached to CLI)
• Somewhat limited configuration options.
  • Relies on sub-NAT-ing if your ISP router is not bridgeable (few folks who care about that, will know what this can be suboptimal).
• Limited to ~<300 Mbps throughput, which is more than plenty for home use, but could be limiting if you are considering commercial deployment.
• Not the cheapest

HTH,
a

P.S..: Please don't do WiFi extenders or separate/duplicate WiFi routers. Feel free to do your own research on why that's suboptimal, or just stick with Mesh WiFi.

I ordered the old google wifi from through amazon reseller, reconditioned, unfortunately got 3 pucks, 4 Ethernet cables, only two adapters. Contacted them through amazon, no reply, it is going back.

Best Buy had a deal on the new Google Mesh ROUTERS, set of three for $100 a piece. There are no speakers or mikes, but that lets me put them where they are most efficient as routers, rather than where I would need speakers or mikes, and I am not so sure I want Google listening in on my everyday conversations anyway.

It’s a big three story house (well, two story with walkout basement), looks like I am well covered from anywhere in the house.

Thanks guys.

 

[neil_w]

I ordered the old google wifi from through amazon reseller, reconditioned, unfortunately got 3 pucks, 4 Ethernet cables, only two adapters. Contacted them through amazon, no reply, it is going back.

Just FYI you can power the pucks with any old 15W USB-C power supply, cheap and easy to get.

 

[BABAR]

That may have been wisest course, but it irked me enough that I was getting something used (okay) but incomplete (not ok.) Also I have sometimes had problems with devices used with non manufacturer chargers.

We will see if I get my refund. I suspect the seller will claim they sent everything.

Caveat Emptor!

 

[Worsaer]

If moderately tech savvy this is what I'd have to recommend too. Ubiquiti stuff is about the lowest end business class you can buy. Which is really a credit to their model, it's very expandable but pretty feature laden and easy to learn.

I have been running Ubiquiti UniFi equipment for several years, just upgraded to newer models. I am very pleased and would not change. They update their software often. Money well spent.