Mesh Wifi Systems?

[Wagonwheel555]

Hi

I currently have 2x Unifi AC-Lite WAP's, one is cabled into the router downstairs and one is in my loft room office hanging off a powerline adapter. Getting a network cable up there just isn't practical and the one off the powerline gives me 25Mbps at best from a 150Mbps internet.

We live somewhere where FTTP is unlikely to happen to 150Mbps is the most we will get so AC Wifi is fine, I don't need AX and half our devices don't support it anyway.

To that end, I have been looking at the TP-Link Deco S4 3x WAP deal on Amazon for £100 but reviews seem mixed.

Surely it has to be better than what I have now? I can plug the 'base' one into the router and the other two will be mesh, one upstairs and one in the loft room where my office is.

I do a couple of Zoom/Teams meetings each day so hopefully they will be ok for these.

Does anybody use them or another AC Mesh System similar?

Its a standard 3 bed semi, masonry internal walls.

[simon_harris]

IIRC you "lose" 2db of signal power for every masonary wall the signal goes through.

I have a TP-Link Archer AX6000 router in conjunction with a AC-1750 and it delivers great wifi signal throughout the house where before even with powerline adapters I struggled. I can wander with my laptop from upstairs to downstairs and the handoff between signal providers is seamless, control is all from one interface and super easy to configure.

[arcturus]

Sorry - Am I missing something? Why not just mesh the UAP AC Lites rather than buy new kit.

[Wagonwheel555]

arcturus said:

Sorry - Am I missing something? Why not just mesh the UAP AC Lites rather than buy new kit.

Hang on, where can I do that?

There are two floors between the main unit which is plugged into the router so if Mesh is possible, I would probably need a third one on the floor between but would prefer to buy another Unif than a new system

[somouk]

Enable wifi uplink on the one connected to the router is usually all that's required.

[SteveKTMer]

Make sure you're on the latest software for the controller and the devices.

[Wagonwheel555]

I wasn't aware I could mesh the Unifi ones.

I have just meshed the one in the loft with the main one two floors down, shows 93% connection between them.

Speedtest shows the full 150Mbps so much better than the powerlines I was using.

Thanks all

[simon_harris]

Great result and no spending required!

downside is no new gadgets

[xeny]

Curses, I was all set to put in a low offer to buy the two surplus old APs :-).