Home Networks & Wi-Fi · Wi-Fi Speed & Coverage · Lesson 4 of 5

Mesh Systems and Extenders

Spread Wi-Fi to far rooms with mesh or an extender, and know the trade-offs.

How mesh Wi-Fi works

Sometimes one router can't cover the whole home, even in the best spot. Big houses, thick walls and extra floors all get in the way. That is when you add more Wi-Fi.

A mesh system is a set of matching Wi-Fi boxes that work as one team. Each box is called a node, or sometimes a satellite or point. One node connects to your modem. The others go around the house.

Here is what makes mesh nice to live with:

• One network name. The whole house shares one Wi-Fi name and password.
• Smooth moving. Walk to another room and your phone switches to the closest node on its own.
• One app. You set up and manage every node from your router's app or admin page.

The nodes talk to each other over Wi-Fi. That link back to the main node is called the backhaul. Wireless backhaul uses some of the Wi-Fi's capacity, so each extra wireless hop costs some speed. Better systems use a separate radio just for this link.

Placement still matters. A good rule is halfway. Put each node about halfway between the main node and the dead zone. There, the signal is still strong. A node in the dead zone itself only has a weak signal to pass along.

Many mesh apps show the link quality for each node. They often suggest moving a node closer if the link is weak.

Extenders and wired backhaul

An extender, also called a repeater, is one small box that plugs into an outlet. It picks up your router's Wi-Fi and sends it out again, farther away. It costs less than mesh and works with the router you already have.

Extenders have trade-offs:

• Lower speed. Many extenders use the same radio to listen and to repeat. That can cut speed roughly in half for devices connected to them.
• Sometimes a second name. Some extenders create a new network, like "Home_EXT". You may have to switch by hand as you walk around.
• Placement. Like a mesh node, it needs a strong signal from the router. Halfway is best.

An extender is fine for one weak room, like a back bedroom where you browse and stream. For a whole floor or a big home, mesh usually works better.

The best link of all is a cable. Ethernet is the network cable with a wide plug. Wired backhaul means joining a mesh node, or some extenders, to the router with one. The cable carries the data between boxes, so the Wi-Fi stays free for your devices. You get close to full speed at every node, even through thick walls. If your home already has Ethernet outlets in the walls, use them. If not, a long cable along the baseboard can still be worth it.

Check your router's app or admin page to see if your system supports wired backhaul.