Best Wi-Fi system? Mesh or wired APs?

[DominikHoffmann]

If you know you need to cover your home with multiple Wi-Fi access points, what is the best Wi-Fi system? I am asking for a client.

I would personally install a Ubiquiti system with wired backhauls to the internet gateway, but that might be more expensive than what my client would like to pay for.

There is Google’s system, Amazon’s Eero, LinkSys’s Velop and TP-Link’s Deco line. Which have you chosen over the others, and what features made you decide?

 

[Fishrrman]

I believe you'd want a mesh system with the "third radio band" that serves as a dedicated "backhaul channel" (not interfering with the 2.4 and 5.0 bands).

I think that at least some of the mesh systems can use wired ethernet backhaul, as well.

 

[bigjnyc]

I am using Eero, initially went with it because my internet installer recommended it. I love the simplicity of set up... The app is very robust and user friendly. And most importantly reliability has been great.... I set it and forget it... Internet speeds and connectivity have been excellent throughout the house.

 

[Tech_Fan]

I am using Eero, initially went with it because my internet installer recommended it. I love the simplicity of set up... The app is very robust and user friendly. And most importantly reliability has been great.... I set it and forget it... Internet speeds and connectivity have been excellent throughout the house.

Same here. Simple to use, stable, great connection.

 

[DominikHoffmann]

I am using Eero, initially went with it because my internet installer recommended it. I love the simplicity of set up... The app is very robust and user friendly. And most importantly reliability has been great.... I set it and forget it... Internet speeds and connectivity have been excellent throughout the house.

Same here. Simple to use, stable, great connection.

I am old school. I don’t like that the Eero system does not have a web interface and requires the user to use an app for configuration and maintenance.

How many different SSIDs can one set up with an Eero?

 

[mfram]

I have the Linksys Velop 6E Atlas routers. My system has three nodes configured with a gigabit wired backhaul. With a wired backhaul I get full speed with my 500mbps Internet service almost anyplace in my house. With a wireless backhaul the system goes quite a bit slower and I don't get my full Internet speed. The Linksys system has a dedicated app but also has a web interface running on each router.

 

[DominikHoffmann]

I have the Linksys Velop 6E Atlas routers. My system has three nodes configured with a gigabit wired backhaul. With a wired backhaul I get full speed with my 500mbps Internet service almost anyplace in my house. With a wireless backhaul the system goes quite a bit slower and I don't get my full Internet speed. The Linksys system has a dedicated app but also has a web interface running on each router.

Before switching to EnGenius APs (access points) I had a first- or second-generation Velop system. Those APs’ web interface was not as capable as the app was at configuring the system. Has that changed?

Also, those Velops were not VLAN-capable. They had a way to protect the Wi-Fi network from HomeKit devices that might go rogue, but it was a proprietary approach and imho not as solid as just putting HomeKit devices on their own VLAN with separately configurable firewall rules. I don’t think, Apple HomeKit-certifies routers, anymore.

 

[mfram]

From what I've seen on the Velop 6E system the web interface is *more* capable than the app. There were certain 'advanced' types of things I could only configure from the web interface. Including things like configuring a wired backhaul and certain network parameters. The Linksys app couldn't do it. I assume because the Linksys app probably has to be dumbed down to support all of their different types of routers.
The only VLAN type functionality I see on Velop is the ability to have a 'guest' network that is separated out from the normal network in some way. I don't have that feature enabled though.

 

[Mactagonist]

If you know you need to cover your home with multiple Wi-Fi access points, what is the best Wi-Fi system? I am asking for a client.

I would personally install a Ubiquiti system with wired backhauls to the internet gateway, but that might be more expensive than what my client would like to pay for.

There is Google’s system, Amazon’s Eero, LinkSys’s Velop and TP-Link’s Deco line. Which have you chosen over the others, and what features made you decide?

$200 for a Cloud Gateway Max, 3x u6+ for $390 and some cable and POE injectors?

Price that out compared to a three pack of EERO Pro or three pack Orbi.

Not that big of a difference really. And a far better more reliable more upgradable product. If you have to service it the Ubiquiti will be much easier to remotely troubleshoot and administer as well.

Might not even need all three Access points either, depending on square footage and wall material.

 

[zach-coleman]

Probably not popular on an apple forum but easily the google nest wifi pro (for now) you can get them on a decent discount rn too. Only flaw is they don't work on networks that are over 1 gigabit. Wired would be better but I'm doubtful it's worth the cost for any but the most obsessed with honing their connection. (Unless you're going into the walls anyways...)

The google ones work great, rock solid, and due to the 6E connection preferring line of sight meaning they should be out in the open I think they are elevated further by being the only router currently sold that isn't a total eyesore.

Requires an app but its for about 10 minutes a single time, as you honestly never need to think about it ever again.

I have read that they're not quite as good with the connection as some other options, but I really think people need to keep in mind the average person's point of comparison is not to professional grade hyper expensive consumer routers, but to whatever crap their ISP mailed them when they set up their account. I recently upgraded my friend's router from the wifi 6 xfinity router + modem combo to a nest pro and it nearly doubled the wifi speeds near the router, and over tripled them in further off rooms, and this was just with a single point for their whole house. it also significantly sped up DNS lookup speeds in comparison to whatever mangled situation xfinity had.

How many different SSIDs can one set up with an Eero?

Not sure if you mean for guests or something along those lines, but if you mean separating 2.4/5/6ghz from each other, Apple does not recommend doing so in their documentation.

 

[ChrisA]

If you know you need to cover your home with multiple Wi-Fi access points, what is the best Wi-Fi system? I am asking for a client.

I would personally install a Ubiquiti system with wired backhauls to the internet gateway, but that might be more expensive than what my client would like to pay for.

There is Google’s system, Amazon’s Eero, LinkSys’s Velop and TP-Link’s Deco line. Which have you chosen over the others, and what features made you decide?

Asus routers will do the same thing for a lot less $$.

All of their router run the same firmware so you can mix and match. They can use a wired or WiFi backhaul or a mix of both.

An economical way to build upa mesh system with Asus is to first buy any router. Then someday you upgrade it and re-purpose the old router as an access point or mesh node. And just keep doing this.

Or if you are looking to save and you need it setup today, buy used Asus routers. Again, they all use the same firmwae so just look at the radios. In my house the majority of the devices are 2.4 GHz only. (Most are WiFi enabled smart switches or sensors) as I can use even an old 2.5 Ghz Asus router just to make the lights and door locks work more reliably. Or I can buy three new WiFi 7 Asus routers. So there is a huge range of possible costs.

 

[KDNYC]

I am using Eero, initially went with it because my internet installer recommended it. I love the simplicity of set up... The app is very robust and user friendly. And most importantly reliability has been great.... I set it and forget it... Internet speeds and connectivity have been excellent throughout the house.

I can’t get the eero 6 to work reliably with AppleTV 4k 1st gen, despite being in a studio. My setup doesn’t allow me to plug the eero into ATV. I think it’s a 2.4/5ghz issue, and no way to designate SSID. I don’t want to go back to my very reliable but old Apple tc, which hasn’t been used for Time Machine for years, but still has great wifi for multiple devices. Will try disabling ipv6 on the eero 6 which is an old fix.

 

[hobowankenobi]

Unifi APs with a POE switch. Done.

Scalable, manageable, updateable, reliable.

The biggest challenge is good network design, as Ubibquiti offers so many AP options. Wall models are a nice option.

I have been running them at home (2 indoors, 1 outside) for over a decade. Rock solid. Only reboot when there is a firmware update. I did replace the older units after about 7 years...because I wanted an upgrade. Still working when I took down the old ones.

My wife works from home, and we stream wifi content to 2 TVs and 2 gaming systems, so I know when there is a problem.

There is never a wifi problem.

 

[danniexi]

ubiquiti.

i recently bought my first home and before moving in, did some renovations and asked the electrician for CAT6 runs throughout the house. have three APs currently and will install another two once i get started on the downstairs reno. of course, everyone’s use case is different so you can go for a small efficient setup with a cloud gateway max + switch or go all out with a dream machine pro max + POE switch (which is what i did).

honestly, WHATEVER you go with, definitely go start with an ethernet backhaul. the speed and reliability of ethernet is far more important than just the hardware itself. hell, my brother in law went for an extremely basic eero setup but his wifi performance is still top notch because he connected everything via CAT6.

 

[erihp]

thirding wired ap's. i have a grandstream 6e model that works great and was pretty low cost for the feature set.

your router, switch and access point dont have to be the same device. consider options that provide flexibility. if you must have an all in one solution, find a well supported openwrt device, like one of the popular gl.inet routers.

personally, im not a fan of ubiquity, feels like too much lock in. its like the sonos of networking

 

[hobowankenobi]

personally, im not a fan of ubiquity, feels like too much lock in. its like the sonos of networking

Huh. Not following...what is the lock-in for Unifi APs? You can use the free java app, or the free iOS app to manage. Is there something else required?

 

[elvisimprsntr]

Engenius APs with wired back haul for the win. Best bang for the buck.

 

[erihp]

Huh. Not following...what is the lock-in for Unifi APs? You can use the free java app, or the free iOS app to manage. Is there something else required?

every vendor kinda does it, i think the tooling and apps and all are great... until they arent, arent available, arent supported, dont integrate with other vendor products, etc etc.

im from a land before apps. they arent a big selling point to me if i cant easily get to the cli or do standard functions without an account or cloud subscription or dongle or software update or support account.

dont get me wrong ubiquiti seems great and i know people who are happy with their networking products, but open standards and basic sanity ultimately wins out for me. the extra costs for the 'shine' also helps persuade looking for other solutions, too.

 

[hobowankenobi]

every vendor kinda does it, i think the tooling and apps and all are great... until they arent, arent available, arent supported, dont integrate with other vendor products, etc etc.

im from a land before apps. they arent a big selling point to me if i cant easily get to the cli or do standard functions without an account or cloud subscription or dongle or software update or support account.

dont get me wrong ubiquiti seems great and i know people who are happy with their networking products, but open standards and basic sanity ultimately wins out for me. the extra costs for the 'shine' also helps persuade looking for other solutions, too.

I see. Thanks for clarifying.

Are there any APs for sale today that fit this criteria? While I understand the sentiment (I remember the before time too), I am under the impression that with very few exceptions, that world no longer exists.

 

[erihp]

I see. Thanks for clarifying.

Are there any APs for sale today that fit this criteria? While I understand the sentiment (I remember the before time too), I am under the impression that with very few exceptions, that world no longer exists.

Some folks are rolling their own software APs, others leaning on Openwrt. Ive been happy with my Grandstream 6E AP and am running older Brocade ICX POE switches. all the same features, none of the flash.