Mesh Wi-Fi or an access point for home dead spots?

[Michael_M]

i'm trying to figure out the best way to cover rooms where the router's Wi-Fi is weak. How do you decide between a mesh system and adding an access point? The layout and thick walls seem like they could affect the choice, and running Ethernet to an access point may help avoid relying on a wireless connection back to the router. In what situations is a basic extender still a reasonable option?

 

[Jorn Keis]

If you can run Ethernet, a wired access point is a good starting point. Thick walls then affect the connection to your devices, but not the link back to the router.

If cabling isn’t practical, mesh can help, but place the satellite where it still receives a decent signal—not in the middle of the dead spot. Some mesh systems also support Ethernet backhaul, so these aren’t mutually exclusive options.

A basic extender can be enough for one room and light use, provided it has a good connection to the router.

 

[Michael_M]

the wired AP route seems simplest if Ethernet is available. Could an older router be reused for that, assuming it has AP mode? I’m also curious whether devices generally roam smoothly between two APs using the same network name and password, or if that depends more on the client device.

 

[hannahwhite]

Yes, an older router with a true AP mode can work: connect it by Ethernet to the main router, give it a LAN IP outside the main router’s DHCP pool, and disable its DHCP server. Use the same SSID, password and security type, but set non-overlapping channels. Roaming is mostly client-driven: same credentials let devices move, but how quickly they switch depends on the device and on AP support for 802.11k/v/r. Some clients stick to the weaker AP, so placement and a little overlap matter. If it lacks AP mode, manual LAN-to-LAN configuration with DHCP off can work, but AP mode is cleaner.