Which Mesh System

[Bobhon]

I'm currently using some old Netgear Powerline WIFI extenders to try to stretch my BT WIFI signal around the house, with limited success. They seem to get hot and drop out occasionally, usually while I'm in the middle of a WIFI mobile call (no mobile signal in our area).

So I'm looking at trying a Mesh system, (which seems to be advertised as the answer to a maidens prayer??). But there are dozens of types of these about, so it's quite confusing.

Can anyone recommend a decent Mesh system for around the £100 mark? Amazon are doing a set of 4 BT Mini Mesh units for £99. I need to cover a 4 bed house and ideally have it stretch into the attached garage so that Alexa can play some music while I potter about.

[Gren]

I would have thought that the BT one would be best for you as it should work with your current router SSID/password etc

Anything else may require you to change settings on your current router and set up a new network. That's what I had to do with my Google Nest setup - I would recommend that but it comes in well above £100.

[Tycho]

I bought the TP-Link Deco M4 this morning and have just finished setting it up. I'm really impressed so far and it was £99 from PC World for the triple pack which is the same as Amazon is selling it for. The app seems to have a lot of functionality and I'm just diving into what it can do.

[bad company]

Gren said:

I would have thought that the BT one would be best for you as it should work with your current router SSID/password etc

Anything else may require you to change settings on your current router and set up a new network. That's what I had to do with my Google Nest setup - I would recommend that but it comes in well above £100.

We have the BT Whole Home system. Easy to set up and works very well.

[s2kjock]

I have the Deco E4's and also a doddle to set up and perform very reliably, although I can't seem to get ethernet backhaul to work (not that probably makes much difference for my needs).

[bing]

bad company said:

We have the BT Whole Home system. Easy to set up and works very well.

Same BT Whole Home system here and works well.

[IanJ9375]

Tycho said:

I bought the TP-Link Deco M4 this morning and have just finished setting it up. I'm really impressed so far and it was £99 from PC World for the triple pack which is the same as Amazon is selling it for. The app seems to have a lot of functionality and I'm just diving into what it can do.

Also have the M4 - have you tried using your BT Sport channels if you have them? Won't work unless you've put the Deco's in AP mode rather than Router mode.

I had some weird error over the weekend and ended up putting them back in AP mode and everything works as expected now. I originally had them work as a Router as the FTTP ONT box does the modem part.

[IanJ9375]

s2kjock said:

I have the Deco E4's and also a doddle to set up and perform very reliably, although I can't seem to get ethernet backhaul to work (not that probably makes much difference for my needs).

Have you had a look on the TP forum?
https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/39?pag...

[Tycho]

IanJ9375 said:

Tycho said:

I bought the TP-Link Deco M4 this morning and have just finished setting it up. I'm really impressed so far and it was £99 from PC World for the triple pack which is the same as Amazon is selling it for. The app seems to have a lot of functionality and I'm just diving into what it can do.

Also have the M4 - have you tried using your BT Sport channels if you have them? Won't work unless you've put the Deco's in AP mode rather than Router mode.

I had some weird error over the weekend and ended up putting them back in AP mode and everything works as expected now. I originally had them work as a Router as the FTTP ONT box does the modem part.

I did have issues with the Sky Go app streaming from my box and noticed on my sons XBox it said that there was a double NAT issue so I switched it to Access Point mode and it is now fine.

[Louis Balfour]

TP-Link Deco M4 here. Quite good but my gaming son tells me that it sometimes has ping spikes for no apparent reason.

[IanJ9375]

Tycho said:

I did have issues with the Sky Go app streaming from my box and noticed on my sons XBox it said that there was a double NAT issue so I switched it to Access Point mode and it is now fine.

Not sure it's the same issue on the apps - for instance my BT apps worked fine but the actual channels on the TV no joy, it's something to do with IGMP snooping and multicast broadcasts.

Until they pop out a firmware update then AP mode is the safest bet, you still have a mesh and with most routers (apart from the one I have) you can disable the WiFi on the "router" to just leave the Deco Mesh in play. Otherwise you can simply use the same SSID/Password as the main router or set up your own Deco network

[RVVUNM]

bing said:

bad company said:

We have the BT Whole Home system. Easy to set up and works very well.

Same BT Whole Home system here and works well.

Another one here for the BT Whole Home System, cured all my Wi-Fi problems.

[IanJ9375]

RVVUNM said:

Another one here for the BT Whole Home System, cured all my Wi-Fi problems.

Seeing as it uses the router as a part of the mesh knowing what I know now I would have stumped up for the BT stuff especially that offer that was there for 3 or 4 of them for £99 which is the same as I paid for the Deco.

In fact I might get it and use the Deco's elsewhere at some point

[Tymb]

IanJ9375 said:

RVVUNM said:

Another one here for the BT Whole Home System, cured all my Wi-Fi problems.

Seeing as it uses the router as a part of the mesh knowing what I know now I would have stumped up for the BT stuff especially that offer that was there for 3 or 4 of them for £99 which is the same as I paid for the Deco.

In fact I might get it and use the Deco's elsewhere at some point

Installed the BT 4 unit set at my mothers last week, made big a difference to coverage.
I don’t think the units use the BT router as part of the mesh, the first unit plugs into the router and appears to create a new Wi-Fi network.
Relatively straight forward to install, had to close and open the app a few times as it seemed to get stuck finding the units as they were added.
The forth unit is an add on and has to be installed slightly differently.
Easiest probably to set all the units up next to the router and then move them.
Easy to change the password and set up a guest network.

[Tycho]

IanJ9375 said:

Tycho said:

I did have issues with the Sky Go app streaming from my box and noticed on my sons XBox it said that there was a double NAT issue so I switched it to Access Point mode and it is now fine.

Not sure it's the same issue on the apps - for instance my BT apps worked fine but the actual channels on the TV no joy, it's something to do with IGMP snooping and multicast broadcasts.

Until they pop out a firmware update then AP mode is the safest bet, you still have a mesh and with most routers (apart from the one I have) you can disable the WiFi on the "router" to just leave the Deco Mesh in play. Otherwise you can simply use the same SSID/Password as the main router or set up your own Deco network

Yeah, it is in AP mode and the router wifi is disabled as it is rubbish.

Edited by Tycho on Tuesday 6th October 16:57

[basherX]

Tymb said:

IanJ9375 said:

RVVUNM said:

Another one here for the BT Whole Home System, cured all my Wi-Fi problems.

Seeing as it uses the router as a part of the mesh knowing what I know now I would have stumped up for the BT stuff especially that offer that was there for 3 or 4 of them for £99 which is the same as I paid for the Deco.

In fact I might get it and use the Deco's elsewhere at some point

Installed the BT 4 unit set at my mothers last week, made big a difference to coverage.
I don’t think the units use the BT router as part of the mesh, the first unit plugs into the router and appears to create a new Wi-Fi network.
Relatively straight forward to install, had to close and open the app a few times as it seemed to get stuck finding the units as they were added.
The forth unit is an add on and has to be installed slightly differently.
Easiest probably to set all the units up next to the router and then move them.
Easy to change the password and set up a guest network.

And another one for the BT system. For my home hub it didn't (or I couldn't see how to) form part of the mesh, although the hub is pretty old. I've had the mesh system for a couple of years I think, certainly more than 1 and it works well. One is wired to the hub and another has a fixed line from a switch I have behind my TV. The third just seems to triangulate off the others. I've spent ages over the years faffing about with powerline adapters and secondary wifi spots but the mesh system worked straight out of the box and has given me perfect and reliable signal all over the house and a reasonable distance outside.

[Zoon]

I have the Eero system and it works great.

Get full internet speed over wireless in the house and still reaches the bottom of the garden.

[Tim O]

Looking for advice this, too. Struggling to get decent WiFi coverage throughout the house. Would MESH fix all the problems?

WiFi Router is downstairs at one end of the house, signal strength very weak in the next room, and non-existent at the far end of the house. So I added three Devolo WiFi adaptors, one next to the router, one next room (hall) and one at far end (kitchen). I've also added a couple of Powerline adaptors in other rooms where WiFi not essential (eg office computer). I've renamed the tree WiFi adaptors all the same and given them the same password.

Problem is that I now have four networks and my devices (iPad, MacBook, phones) don't always move to the strongest signal when moving room to room. They hang onto the one they were first hooked up to. Mostly works okay but it's a pain, tbh.

So, MESH would create one network, but I'm unsure that it would work as desired with the thick walls. Thoughts, please.

An alternative I have read about is the TP-Llink Deco P9 system, which is both Powerline and Mesh (if I understand correctly). Would this be an improvement of standard MESH or a waste of money?

Help!

[IanJ9375]

Tim O said:

Looking for advice this, too. Struggling to get decent WiFi coverage throughout the house. Would MESH fix all the problems?

WiFi Router is downstairs at one end of the house, signal strength very weak in the next room, and non-existent at the far end of the house. So I added three Devolo WiFi adaptors, one next to the router, one next room (hall) and one at far end (kitchen). I've also added a couple of Powerline adaptors in other rooms where WiFi not essential (eg office computer). I've renamed the tree WiFi adaptors all the same and given them the same password.

Problem is that I now have four networks and my devices (iPad, MacBook, phones) don't always move to the strongest signal when moving room to room. They hang onto the one they were first hooked up to. Mostly works okay but it's a pain, tbh.

So, MESH would create one network, but I'm unsure that it would work as desired with the thick walls. Thoughts, please.

An alternative I have read about is the TP-Llink Deco P9 system, which is both Powerline and Mesh (if I understand correctly). Would this be an improvement of standard MESH or a waste of money?

Help!

Yes a Mesh would be a better solution for you - if you have BT one then I'd look at their Mesh system that will work with the router otherwise you might end up needing to plug one of the Mesh units directly to the Router.

Size of property would determine how many units you'd need but ultimately having one SSID and a true Mesh handling of the connection (so it doesn't disconnect from one AP and reconnects to another AP as you move around the house) is going to make your life easier.
Handy having the Powerline built in to the Deco unit but I'd prefer to fix it with WiFi if possible

[Tim O]

IanJ9375 said:

Yes a Mesh would be a better solution for you - if you have BT one then I'd look at their Mesh system that will work with the router otherwise you might end up needing to plug one of the Mesh units directly to the Router.

Size of property would determine how many units you'd need but ultimately having one SSID and a true Mesh handling of the connection (so it doesn't disconnect from one AP and reconnects to another AP as you move around the house) is going to make your life easier.
Handy having the Powerline built in to the Deco unit but I'd prefer to fix it with WiFi if possible

Thanks for that. One of the joys of country living is no fibre BB here, so I'm running BB via a 4G antenna/modem on the roof and a a MicroTik router** in the sitting room (which also feeds the TV stream). I don't know if any MESH system will use the MicroTik as part of he MESH. At the extreme limit of my technical knowledge.

• supplies PoE to the antenna on the roof, which limits my router options.