Q - FTTP wifi mesh setup / looking for recommendations

[BrumGB]

I recently moved to BT FTTP which is great so far (through wired items anyway, PC and Xbox X)

Just thinking of ways to enhance our experience when using wireless devices, and have come to the decision to purchase a mesh system. (Our back rooms upstairs have horrible signal)

My question is does anyone have a mesh setup that they can recommend? Ideally I want to get rid of the BT hub entirely and just use the main mesh device as the router, plugged straight into the ONT box at the front of our house. As I've wired ethernet upstairs as well, it'd be great if the mesh system supported (ethernet backhaul?).

 

[EndlessWaves]

If you're going to use ethernet backhaul then I wouldn't bother specifically looking for mesh functionality (the ability to route backhaul traffic through multiple units). Instead just focus on access point performance.

 

[Thornhill5]

I recently moved to BT FTTP which is great so far (through wired items anyway, PC and Xbox X)

Just thinking of ways to enhance our experience when using wireless devices, and have come to the decision to purchase a mesh system. (Our back rooms upstairs have horrible signal)

My question is does anyone have a mesh setup that they can recommend? Ideally I want to get rid of the BT hub entirely and just use the main mesh device as the router, plugged straight into the ONT box at the front of our house. As I've wired ethernet upstairs as well, it'd be great if the mesh system supported (ethernet backhaul?).

Congrats on getting FTTP. It's a game changer if you'll pardon the pun relating to your post.

What's your actual line speed? It all hinges on what speed you want to move around the house. Given you already have ethernet "backhaul" with wired points around the property, you have a great advantage already since that's the best way to ultimately get the speed around.

So firstly you can either set the BT hub to Bridge mode and plug your new Router into that, or else you could remove the BT hub from the equation. I'm not sure the specifics of the BT password that you need to type into your new Router settings in that case, but the ISP can probably provide you with that.

If you were going for wireless backhaul, you could get a Triband Mesh system (e.g. something like a Asus Zen XT8, Asus Zen XT12, Netgear Orbi RBK 852, Netgear Orbi RBKE953, Amplifi Alien or even the BT Whole Home Wifi 6).

Since you have the option for wired backhaul, you could theoretically get the Amplifi Alien (e.g. buy two of them which can be meshed together) or Asus Zen XT12 and have all 3 bands as client bands for wireless device access.

For ethernet backhaul, I think the ASUS systems or Alien might work better than the Netgear (where there is always a wireless backhaul band unavailable to clients at least on the consumer/residential gear).

 

[outoftheknow]

As I've wired ethernet upstairs as well, it'd be great if the mesh system supported (ethernet backhaul?).

Orbi's running the latest firmware will do what you want. Wi-Fi mesh with ethernet backhaul. RBR50 as an example

Set Up An Ethernet Backhaul Connection - NETGEAR Orbi RBR50 User Manual [Page 26] | ManualsLib

www.manualslib.com

Assuming your wired system has a central switch with each port you plug an Orbi into in a room being on separate ports of that switch, it should behave like the example with two satellites with a switch on page 27. as far as I can see.

The satellite will still have ethernet ports you can use for local wired devices as well if you prefer.

Or as noted use a decent router at the NTD and a capable wifi router or two in AP mode connected by ethernet. You can change the APs SSID to match the main router but the wifi network will not be a "mesh". Devices may or may not switch between APs and when they do it is unlikey to be seamless. Would be fine for "fixed" wifi devices - the Orbi with ethernet backhaul though will provide the full mesh wi-fi experience. A bit pricey but I haven't regretted buying the RBK752 single satellite system. As it has a dedicated backhaul channel and I don't have ethernet wiired around the house, I have it using the wireless backhaul. Wired backhaul will in theory be "better" so if you have the cables give it a go.

 

[BrumGB]

Cheers for them replies @Thornhill5 @outoftheknow really useful responses. I'll keep them in mind for my next upgrade.

As I'd already wired the upstairs with multiple ethernet points, and also was using the BT "hub" already I ended up buying this, fortunately it supports ethernet backhaul so my devices switch seamlessly.

Will come back to this thread in the future when I upgrade any further and keep it up to date. The BT ecosystem is really locked down and I want the ability to prioritise devices going / split wireless channels.

Notes:
PPPoE username: [email protected]
PPPoE password: <blank>

Annoyingly I found a useful thread on this forum posted previously that had lots of useful info in.

 

[Thornhill5]

Cheers for them replies @Thornhill5 @outoftheknow really useful responses. I'll keep them in mind for my next upgrade.

As I'd already wired the upstairs with multiple ethernet points, and also was using the BT "hub" already I ended up buying this, fortunately it supports ethernet backhaul so my devices switch seamlessly.

Will come back to this thread in the future when I upgrade any further and keep it up to date. The BT ecosystem is really locked down and I want the ability to prioritise devices going / split wireless channels.

Notes:
PPPoE username: [email protected]
PPPoE password: <blank>

Annoyingly I found a useful thread on this forum posted previously that had lots of useful info in.

You're welcome. Glad it's working.

I think if you want to customise, then the ASUS lets you do that a bit better than Netgear usually, whilst the Amplifi Alien also lets you split wireless channels easily - especially if you're using wired backhaul as well.