Home mesh Wi-Fi
Discussion
HI, I'm in need of a recommendation for a home mesh Wi-Fi system. Any help you could give would be much received and appreciated.
House is of a 3 floor layout and due to some weird construction the floors are made of something that is impenetrable by Wi-Fi signals. So the standard Sky router is on the ground floor. By floor 2 the signal is half of what is is downstairs and by floor 3 there is no signal, which even without the floor issue would be expected.
It is currently served by some cheaper TP-Link repeaters (in AP mode) wired in via Ethernet (there is full wired Ethernet ports through out each floor) repeating a different SSID per floor, but there are still issues. It doesn't help that the house is also receiving very poor mobile signal and such as the Wi-Fi issue meaning that Wi-Fi calling isn't working very well.
What I'm thinking is for a decent mesh Wi-Fi system that gives out one SSID over both frequencies, that can be connected via Ethernet back to the Sky router. This mean the house is catered throughout with fast Wi-Fi and this solves the Wi-Fi calling issue which means that can be semi relied on for the issue with the poor mobile signal.
As a note I work in the field of IT but have never had the need to venture into home Wi-Fi other than the standard ones dished out by the likes of Sky, Talktalk etc. Also not my house, said house is 200 miles away so have to choose the right kit upfront and repeat visits are rare.
I note some of the TP Link deco systems have to be managed by an app, for setup yes but ongoing troubleshooting need a web IP based access for diagnosis or changes etc.
House is of a 3 floor layout and due to some weird construction the floors are made of something that is impenetrable by Wi-Fi signals. So the standard Sky router is on the ground floor. By floor 2 the signal is half of what is is downstairs and by floor 3 there is no signal, which even without the floor issue would be expected.
It is currently served by some cheaper TP-Link repeaters (in AP mode) wired in via Ethernet (there is full wired Ethernet ports through out each floor) repeating a different SSID per floor, but there are still issues. It doesn't help that the house is also receiving very poor mobile signal and such as the Wi-Fi issue meaning that Wi-Fi calling isn't working very well.
What I'm thinking is for a decent mesh Wi-Fi system that gives out one SSID over both frequencies, that can be connected via Ethernet back to the Sky router. This mean the house is catered throughout with fast Wi-Fi and this solves the Wi-Fi calling issue which means that can be semi relied on for the issue with the poor mobile signal.
As a note I work in the field of IT but have never had the need to venture into home Wi-Fi other than the standard ones dished out by the likes of Sky, Talktalk etc. Also not my house, said house is 200 miles away so have to choose the right kit upfront and repeat visits are rare.
I note some of the TP Link deco systems have to be managed by an app, for setup yes but ongoing troubleshooting need a web IP based access for diagnosis or changes etc.
We could do with a sticky on this really as we get one of these a week (well it feels like it anyway) and it usually descends into Mesh (usually TP Link) vs Unifi.
Decent mesh setup with or without wired backhaul is just fine, I always recommend the TP Link Deco stuff, have been using it for years now and its been solid as a rock, I have 3 nodes on wireless backhaul and 1 on wired backhaul and it just works, setup and troubleshooting all done via an app, does require web access.
Unifi setup of varying types, not cheap but it is reliable, some can be run without a could gateway, some can't, is a faff to deploy (IMO) did I mention its not cheap? Remote troubleshooting no easier than mesh again IMO. AP's would make more sense for Unify as you have hardwire on each floor, though this is where you start running into PoE and cloud gateways again.
Also an IT bod by trade so actually don't want to spend time f
king around when I am not being paid to work on IT kit, some people live for it, I don't 
Decent mesh setup with or without wired backhaul is just fine, I always recommend the TP Link Deco stuff, have been using it for years now and its been solid as a rock, I have 3 nodes on wireless backhaul and 1 on wired backhaul and it just works, setup and troubleshooting all done via an app, does require web access.
Unifi setup of varying types, not cheap but it is reliable, some can be run without a could gateway, some can't, is a faff to deploy (IMO) did I mention its not cheap? Remote troubleshooting no easier than mesh again IMO. AP's would make more sense for Unify as you have hardwire on each floor, though this is where you start running into PoE and cloud gateways again.
Also an IT bod by trade so actually don't want to spend time f
king around when I am not being paid to work on IT kit, some people live for it, I don't For home use, TP Link P9, I must have fitted 40+ sets and never had an issue.
3 year warranty too, if needed.
https://amzn.eu/d/725C7Tg
Don't let an anorak talk you into weapons grade wifi for home use.
3 year warranty too, if needed.
https://amzn.eu/d/725C7Tg
Don't let an anorak talk you into weapons grade wifi for home use.
Ditto to the P9. I have had them since 2021 and they have been pretty flawless. The Powerline feature has been pretty useful.
There were continuous issues with Sky Q and Sky Minis, but reserving an IP for them solved the problem. Clearly an Ethernet connection is the most reliable...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deco-P9-Powerline-coverag...
There were continuous issues with Sky Q and Sky Minis, but reserving an IP for them solved the problem. Clearly an Ethernet connection is the most reliable...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deco-P9-Powerline-coverag...
geeks said:
We could do with a sticky on this really as we get one of these a week (well it feels like it anyway) and it usually descends into Mesh (usually TP Link) vs Unifi.
Yeah, I have no direct experience, but I expect the TP-Link kit works well, and they are certainly priced keenly.The M4 appears to be basically the P9 without powerline tech, which if you have wired back haul already you don't need.
Plus all the issues of injecting a load of noise into the local power distribution and pissing of all the local ham radio guys.
TP-Link Deco M4 £100
TP-Link Deco P9 £150
Ubiquiti U6+ (x3) £250
https://www.reddit.com/r/TpLink/comments/zy1k1p/is...
reddit said:
The E series are the wifi 5 value line and I think most of them only have fast ethernet ports. I'd avoid them at this point. All other Deco series have at least Gigabit ports.
The M series Decos are wifi 5. There's the M4, M5 (both dual band but the M5 has more antennas) and M9 (tri-band). There's also an S4 which is basically the same as an M4 but shorter.
The P series are powerline Decos.
X series are wifi 6 - the X20 and X60 are dual band but with 80 MHz channel width; the X55 is similar with 160 MHz channel width on 5 GHz. The X68 and X90 are tri-band. The X90 also has one 2.5 Gb ethernet port; the others in this line have Gigabit ports.
XE series are wifi 6E (they have a 6 GHz band). Right now, I only see the XE75 & XE75 Pro for sale, and it's tri-band (one 2.4 GHz, one 5 GHz, and one 6 GHz band). the difference between the two is that the Pro has a 2.5 Gb port whereas the standard XE75 does not.
There's a new X50 PoE model now available, which is similar to other X series but with power over ethernet support - so you can mount them on the ceiling, wall, or put on a desktop and have them powered via an ethernet cable if you have a PoE injector or switch. Kind of like having an Omada access point but designed for Deco.
As another poster suggested, the higher the number within a series, generally the greater the processing power and better/more capable radios. There may be some models I missed but those are the most common ones. I think there's also an X25 which is similar to an X20 but has a black cap instead of a white one.
The M series Decos are wifi 5. There's the M4, M5 (both dual band but the M5 has more antennas) and M9 (tri-band). There's also an S4 which is basically the same as an M4 but shorter.
The P series are powerline Decos.
X series are wifi 6 - the X20 and X60 are dual band but with 80 MHz channel width; the X55 is similar with 160 MHz channel width on 5 GHz. The X68 and X90 are tri-band. The X90 also has one 2.5 Gb ethernet port; the others in this line have Gigabit ports.
XE series are wifi 6E (they have a 6 GHz band). Right now, I only see the XE75 & XE75 Pro for sale, and it's tri-band (one 2.4 GHz, one 5 GHz, and one 6 GHz band). the difference between the two is that the Pro has a 2.5 Gb port whereas the standard XE75 does not.
There's a new X50 PoE model now available, which is similar to other X series but with power over ethernet support - so you can mount them on the ceiling, wall, or put on a desktop and have them powered via an ethernet cable if you have a PoE injector or switch. Kind of like having an Omada access point but designed for Deco.
As another poster suggested, the higher the number within a series, generally the greater the processing power and better/more capable radios. There may be some models I missed but those are the most common ones. I think there's also an X25 which is similar to an X20 but has a black cap instead of a white one.
I have a mix of TP-Link P9 and M4. OP says he has Ethernet for backhaul, so no point in the P9 as he doesn't need powerline. If I was going TP link now I'd go for the newer X series which are wifi-6. Deco's use a phone app for setup and management, but there is also a web interface https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/2641/ You also don't get many options in terms of managing/troubleshooting them though.
Edit: too slow, I above post basically said the same thing but better
Edit: too slow, I above post basically said the same thing but better
Edited by RizzoTheRat on Wednesday 9th October 12:15
Thank you all , I was looking and heading at the Deco range before posting. I just want some from of verification that that would have been a solid and reliable choice, it sounds now like it is.
I'm thinking the M4 with WiFi 5 would be suitable. It isn't going to be used to the extremes, more the parents/2 kids on their mobile devices, TV streaming and any home security products. The PC/s and the one VoIP are hardwired.
I will look at ordering that up later today.
I'm thinking the M4 with WiFi 5 would be suitable. It isn't going to be used to the extremes, more the parents/2 kids on their mobile devices, TV streaming and any home security products. The PC/s and the one VoIP are hardwired.
I will look at ordering that up later today.
Ironduke12 said:
Just to confirm even though I will connect these to the Sky router wired, all 3 can function as one SSID network? Technically not meshed as you say but still all act as one?
Yes. 2 ways they can operateLeave your modem in router mode, then the switch, and then hang the decos and any other devices off the switch. They just act as access points but all on the same SSID and hand off between them reasonably well
Or
Set the the modem to passthrough mode, then the first Deco set to router mode, and then the switch and the other devices. You get a bit more control of the decos in this mode, like thier inbuilt fire wall for example.
(ETA: This is generic for most Mesh setups, not just Deco)
Edited by RizzoTheRat on Wednesday 9th October 13:49
Deal of the day for Prime Members: TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro AXE5400 Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6E System, 1× 2.5 Gbps Port + 2× Gigabit Ports, AI-Driven Mesh, cover up to 2,900 ft2, Connect up to 200 devices, HomeShield, 8K, Pack of 3 https://amzn.eu/d/bOv3ShY
I bought this a little while back, mutts nuts in domestic mesh network and happy with the superb results.
Get in quick, Amazon are running their discounts which ends today.
I bought this a little while back, mutts nuts in domestic mesh network and happy with the superb results.
Get in quick, Amazon are running their discounts which ends today.
bunchofkeys said:
Deal of the day for Prime Members: TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro AXE5400 Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6E System, 1× 2.5 Gbps Port + 2× Gigabit Ports, AI-Driven Mesh, cover up to 2,900 ft2, Connect up to 200 devices, HomeShield, 8K, Pack of 3 https://amzn.eu/d/bOv3ShY
I bought this a little while back, mutts nuts in domestic mesh network and happy with the superb results.
Get in quick, Amazon are running their discounts which ends today.
£370 quid?I bought this a little while back, mutts nuts in domestic mesh network and happy with the superb results.
Get in quick, Amazon are running their discounts which ends today.
bunchofkeys said:
Deal of the day for Prime Members: TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro AXE5400 Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6E System, 1× 2.5 Gbps Port + 2× Gigabit Ports, AI-Driven Mesh, cover up to 2,900 ft2, Connect up to 200 devices, HomeShield, 8K, Pack of 3 https://amzn.eu/d/bOv3ShY
I bought this a little while back, mutts nuts in domestic mesh network and happy with the superb results.
Get in quick, Amazon are running their discounts which ends today.
It is slightly discounted, but not £120 off as they suggest, camecamel has it at mostly £400, except just before this event when it went up to £494...I bought this a little while back, mutts nuts in domestic mesh network and happy with the superb results.
Get in quick, Amazon are running their discounts which ends today.
https://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/product/B0BF5GK7TD
I bought some earbuds back in September, they are they same price now after jumping from £59 to £79 then back down again "on offer"
Standard MO for these events...
Ironduke12 said:
Many thanks I have ordered the M4's. I saw the other link but I think the M4 crosses a balance between cost and use, and on my part not too much to write off if doesn't work as expected which is highly unlikely.
Good choice, I have the M4's as well, as I said earlier in the thread, very pleased with them.:ian:. said:
bunchofkeys said:
Deal of the day for Prime Members: TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro AXE5400 Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6E System, 1× 2.5 Gbps Port + 2× Gigabit Ports, AI-Driven Mesh, cover up to 2,900 ft2, Connect up to 200 devices, HomeShield, 8K, Pack of 3 https://amzn.eu/d/bOv3ShY
I bought this a little while back, mutts nuts in domestic mesh network and happy with the superb results.
Get in quick, Amazon are running their discounts which ends today.
It is slightly discounted, but not £120 off as they suggest, camecamel has it at mostly £400, except just before this event when it went up to £494...I bought this a little while back, mutts nuts in domestic mesh network and happy with the superb results.
Get in quick, Amazon are running their discounts which ends today.
https://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/product/B0BF5GK7TD
I bought some earbuds back in September, they are they same price now after jumping from £59 to £79 then back down again "on offer"
Standard MO for these events...
I have had Mercusys H70x triple pack running over wired backhaul without issue since this time last year.
Virgin router in modem mode, Asus wifi router has it's wifi turned off and the Halo's do all the wifi seamlessly.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B6897DCW
Virgin router in modem mode, Asus wifi router has it's wifi turned off and the Halo's do all the wifi seamlessly.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B6897DCW
I've just changed from a BT Whole Home system which was very flakey, to a Deco system following a recommendation on another thread. It's been totally solid since installation.
One unit is cabled directly to the router and I have turned off the router's wifi output.
The reach of the Deco units far exceed the previous system - the app is good although I have little need to interact with it once set up.
One unit is cabled directly to the router and I have turned off the router's wifi output.
The reach of the Deco units far exceed the previous system - the app is good although I have little need to interact with it once set up.
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