Anyone using MESH Wifi network?

[Thai]

As the title says...anyone? If so, what kind/company?

I am thinking of upgrading my wifi at home because i just got Gigabit internet.

My current setup is old but VERY reliable...i have Apple Airport Extreme (2013) as base connected to modem in my Study room. Then i have another Airport Extreme (2013) as extender in family room. I have an older Aiport Extreme upstairs as extender for 2nd floor coverage. Very reliable. Problem...i am getting max 300-400 Mbps download right next to main router (on 5G). With extenders, at worst, i am getting around 50 Mbps download at the far end of house on 2nd floor. For most part, around my house, i get around 90-120 Mbps download.

So, yeah, the speed from my current setup is more than adequate for my family needs...but i feel that i am wasting my Gigabit potential. Thus, my research past 2 days.

Brief research so far yielded these things: (feel free to correct me)

1. Google Wifi - easy setup, fairly cheap, good reliability, but not the best range from unit, only dual band, and you always have the fear that Google is invading your house.

2. Eero Pro Wifi - super easy setup, very expensive, good customer service and update record, triband, excellent reliability, but OK range and unknown future due to small company. It is the "Apple" of mesh from what i gather...it just works.

3. Linksys Velop - super duper fast speeds (fastest of mesh), triband, expensive, big company (good and bad in terms of support), reliability is only OK, based on cloud service (like Google) which may fail and thus your system goes down.

4. Netgear Orbi - not really a mesh, but fastest speeds of all, just two piece, big company (good and bad again), dual band + 1 band for communication, reliability can be bad (drop signal, requiring reboots), and decent value.

Personally, i am leaning toward Eero PRO because i am not exactly good with these things. I prefer reliability over raw speed. Google Wifi is up there but i am not too happy with Google's data mining and it only has dual band. Linksys and Orbi are too "involved" in setup and maintenance due to reliability/connection issues...but i do realize that the reward of raw speed can be had with these two.

Any comments?

 

[eddielasvegas]

Been using Netgear Orbi AC3000 with 2 Sats for 6 months with zero complaints. Have about 20 devices attached from VOIP, TV, Ipads, etc.

I came from from an Asus RT-16N (IIRC) running Tomato FW and it was the epitome of stable as I used it for eight years with nary a problem, but the router died last year, and a friend recommended the Orbi and it has been great.

Good luck,

Eddie

 

[mistervague]

I use an eero (main pod with two satellites) and have been happy with it . . . except for the price. This past weekend I needed to call customer support for some help setting it up with a new modem (turns out it was super easy) and the service was indeed quite good. Initial setup was really straightforward. Plus, the device doesn't look as awful as others.

 

[Thai]

Oh look, Linksys just updated their router for mesh: CES 2019: Linksys Debuts New MR8300 Wi-Fi Router With Velop Mesh Technology - MacRumors

 

[Jesse1983]

I upgraded to Google Wifi about a year ago and could not be more happy. No more weak signal in or around my house. anywhere. as an added bonus you can hardwire devices that don't have wifi to any puck to network them, like my Yamaha receiver for example. I have one puck in my office, one in our main tv room, and one in the garage. The Google Wifi app is pretty helpful in letting you know how well you've placed your pucks. it will test the connection strength of each puck which eliminates any guess work regarding their placement. My Google system is connected to my Xfinity XFI gigabit internet.

 

[Thai]

I upgraded to Google Wifi about a year ago and could not be more happy. No more weak signal in or around my house. anywhere. as an added bonus you can hardwire devices that don't have wifi to any puck to network them, like my Yamaha receiver for example. I have one puck in my office, one in our main tv room, and one in the garage. The Google Wifi app is pretty helpful in letting you know how well you've placed your pucks. it will test the connection strength of each puck which eliminates any guess work regarding their placement. My Google system is connected to my Xfinity XFI gigabit internet.

Since you have Gigabit, how is the speeds near main puck vs. distance vs at satellite puck?

 

[Jesse1983]

The Google app runs speed tests every other day and saves the history for the last 30 days. Right now it shows an average of 725mpbs over that same period (i don't know what time it runs). it would be a little tricky to find your speed per puck. You never really know which puck you're on. you have to go into the app, select the device, then you can see which puck each device is connected to. from there you could run a speed test then move around and repeat. I've never done this as i'm always satisfied with the speed i feel i'm getting.

 

[Net4n6]

I installed Google Wi-Fi for my sister's house. I used 4 "pucks" for 4.5K square feet house. No problem at all. To manage Google Wi-Fi, you have to subscribe to Google. They collect your data. It's no big deal to me. We don't do anything illegal.

 

[BrianSD_42]

I installed Google Wi-Fi for my sister's house. I used 4 "pucks" for 4.5K square feet house. No problem at all. To manage Google Wi-Fi, you have to subscribe to Google. They collect your data. It's no big deal to me. We don't do anything illegal.

Google Wi-Fi isn't the product, you and your families personal actions are the product.

:dizzy:

 

[Quantumkiwi]

Google Wi-Fi isn't the product, you and your families personal actions are the product.

This here is why I won't buy Google devices. I don't like being used.
Also, I do occasionally work with sensitive data as part of my job and don't like the idea of that leaking out.

I don't have gigabit, but I've been using MicroTik routers and switches for a few years now and as long as you keep them updated, they are pretty decent.

 

[-JD-]

Was just reading about TP-Link's Deco X10 Whole Home Mesh WiFi System's that are coming out this year. AX2700 tri-band speeds with a strong backhaul up to 1.95Gbps

It sounds like there are several new mesh networking products releasing in 2019. Might be worth it to wait a while?

 

[Thai]

Was just reading about TP-Link's Deco X10 Whole Home Mesh WiFi System's that are coming out this year. AX2700 tri-band speeds with a strong backhaul up to 1.95Gbps

It sounds like there are several new mesh networking products releasing in 2019. Might be worth it to wait a while?

Yeah, you’re right. I did not check out TP-Link because i think that they are a Chinese company. With Huawei, ZTE, etc.. i just don’t trust Chinese electronics...avoid where possible i guess.

 

[-JD-]

Yea, i get the concern. It's certainly possible.
But, based on the actual evidence available isn't it Google/Amazon/facebook/etc who have been demonstrated to actually be spying on us. AFAIK despite actual investigation there hasn't been any demonstrable way in which these Chinese companies have been proven to be spying on us through hardware.

I mean, nearly everything is made in China already anyway right? If they are somehow sneaking spyware into the Cinese branded stuff that we can't detect couldn't they just as easily be slipping the same spyware into the US branded stuff thats made in China as well?

 

[Thai]

Yea, i get the concern. It's certainly possible.
But, based on the actual evidence available isn't it Google/Amazon/facebook/etc who have been demonstrated to actually be spying on us. AFAIK despite actual investigation there hasn't been any demonstrable way in which these Chinese companies have been proven to be spying on us through hardware.

I mean, nearly everything is made in China already anyway right? If they are somehow sneaking spyware into the Cinese branded stuff that we can't detect couldn't they just as easily be slipping the same spyware into the US branded stuff thats made in China as well?

Huawei and ZTE have been accused of such for years now, not just recent.

However, recent China law change requires that these Chinese OEMs become China’s little biatch at the government’s will. I think that is what freaked Western nations out! And of course, the stealing of IPs and technology certainly didn’t help. Huawei i think got accused of stealing Samsung’s folding display technology. It goes on and on.

Again, my feeling is that...i want to avoid Chinese OEMs whereever possible. YMMV. If you feel that Chinese OEMs are innocent, then by all means, buy them.

 

[Bumbo]

I use Ubiquity Networks for all my distributed wireless and mesh networking.

I use it at home, work, and for many of my customers. Pretty robust, good quality, good performance, and very cost effective.

UniFi SDN

The website looks a lot more complicated than it really is... they try (and do) compete with the bigger players in the commercial space, but for home use, it can be done at consumer price levels.

All you need at a bare minimum to get started is:
1 x CloudKey controller
1 or more UniFi wireless access points.

You can always use their firewall and switches too, but it's not mandatory to make it all work, but it is pretty nice. I have a full setup with firewall, PoE switch, controller, and 4 access points in my place. It's blanketed with fast 2.5 and 5ghz wireless AC. Zero handoff so I can roam without loosing connections, you just get handed off from AP to AP. Its also smart enough to load balance, meaning if one AP starts getting too busy it moves users to more available APs to improve bandwidth / quality of service.

 

[The_Green_Wang]

Just hooked up the google wifi in my parents 4 floor house and I am impressed. The setup is extremely easy, and the app that controls the router is very minimalistic. Has built in programs to test almost every aspect of your mesh system. The nice part is that all routers( mine being 4 of them) act as one system and decide which to connect and what freq (2.4 or 5). It reevaluates each device every 5minutes to make sure your device is receiving the best connection. My download speed is 800 and upload is 970 at the main hub and on the 4th floor (which is far and the floors are thick), it is 300down and 600up. Nice system that is very appealing and works on it's own. It updates itself, let's you know outage, and much more. Only issue is that it is not friendly to those who likes to configure every aspect of their router though I believe in future updates they will add more features. They did add port forwarding.


Nick


The google wifi does ask if they have your consent on using your data to improve their system but you can just say no. I think those that freak out are also the guys that just agree to everything when doing setup, etc. And if you did say no and somewhere or you find out they were actually doing that then $$$ but I highly doubt it.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[METIS]

Jumped onto the bandwagon early on. IIRC the only real choices when I installed mesh was EERO, Google WiFi and Orbi. EERO won on speed but at an exorbitant additional cost.

Ended up going with Google WiFi for various reasons and been very happy with the results. Covers 2700 sqft, the back yard, front decks, garage, front yard, etc.

 

[mscot]

I have the Orbi with 2 satellites. I'm able to get wifi in my shop now, which is 20 feet away from the house.
Main router is in the basement near the middle of the house. Second satellite is in the kitchen on the wall closest to the shop - but i don't think that matters I believe the Orbi satellites connect directly to the main router, not to each other.

I don't have gigabit but I do have a good signal everywhere I need it, including outside.

 

[msp]

I use an eero (main pod with two satellites) and have been happy with it . . . except for the price. This past weekend I needed to call customer support for some help setting it up with a new modem (turns out it was super easy) and the service was indeed quite good. Initial setup was really straightforward. Plus, the device doesn't look as awful as others.

Eero here too. Works great. Maybe not enough for me to tinker with, but that's the way most people like their wireless.

 

[Thai]

Well, after all the research, i have decided to go with installing Ethernet outlets in 6 outlets throughout my house. My house is pre-wired with Cat-5e outlets that is wired for telephone. So, AV guy converted 6 of these outlets to Ethernet.

So, now i have good old three Apple Extremes (6th gen) scattered throughout my house. So, now, each one is capable of Gigabit at the router (via hardwire) and Wifi speed of 300-400 at these 3 points!

So, my system is not fancy (2013 Wifi routers from Apple) but Apple routers are just so damn stable and reliable...i cannot remember the last time that it had to reboot it!