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Forum Discussion
Nighthawk C7800 and Nighthawk mesh
I have a Nighthawk C7800 modem/router. I'd like to extend coverage with a Nighthawk Mesh system, keeping my C7800 and using the mesh devices to extend coverage with a single SSID. Are these compati...
Are you planning on getting a mesh extender or a full mesh system?
And if a system, which do you plan on getting.
some people simply add a mesh extender. If you're needing more than 1 extender, I usually recommend a full mesh system.
If you do that you have options.
you can leave the c7800's wireless running and put the mesh system in access point mode. You'd want to seperate out the 2 devices wireless channels to reduce interference.
or you can disable the router portion of the c7800 and use it as a modem only device.
Thanks for the response. I'm not sure if I want a Mesh extender or a mesh system. The c7800 works great for wifi, but is centrally located, meaning I have dead spots at ends of my property. So I feel like i need more tha one device since the dead spots are spread out. I do want seamless movement and one SSID fror the entire property.
If the C7800 is used only as a modem, does one Mesh component connect directly to it as the router, and then satellite mesh devices become the access points?
yes, if you use the c7800 in modem only mode, then you simply connect the router portion of the mesh system to the c7800 and the satellites act as access points.
Or you leave the c7800 in router mode with the mesh system in access point mode. That would allow you to connect some of your fixed position devices (iot, smart tv, etc) to the c7800 to offload the mesh system. Or even to use it as a backup wireless.
Thanks. Just so I am understanding, if i decide to leave the c7800 in router mode to offload some of the load from the mesh system:
1) can everything still have the same SSID for seamless movement (no connection drops) as I move throughout the property from node to node?
2) If the C7800 remains the router, is the mesh access point mode performance any less than if I just use the C7800 as the modem and let the mesh router "route"?
If you leave the c7800 in router mode, set it with a seperate ssid from the mesh network. Then connect a few of the devices that are close/don't roam to it. It takes a little of the wireless burden off your mesh network. Its not something you have to do but it can help at times if you have devices that use a lot of bandwidth and don't move around (streamers/gaming setups).
The c7800 is a pretty powerful/solid router so you shouldn't see any performance difference in using the mesh system in router versus access point mode. If you were using an older combo device, I might not say that but I've used the c7800 and it was solid.