MESH - if I have ethernet around the house ?

[BIgbirdDK]

I currently have just the router from my provider, which doesnt give me the best coverage or speed for wifi. I was planning on buying the Orbi WiFi System (RBK50) AC3000, which is big enough for my place, but then I start thinking, is MESH the correct solution for me ?

My reasoning is that I have ethernet in all corners of the house, but I lack a better wifi. Can I with a MESH setup take advantage of the already installed ethernet, so that the satellite gets the internet from ethernet instead of from the MESH ? Or am I better of with a new router and then 1-2 accesspoints on ethernet ? 

Please dont take money into consideration, if the MESH is the most expensive solution but is the best. I am looking for the best option, but necessarily the cheapest...

[schumaku]

With an existing Ethernet cabling (assume CAT5E or better, GbE capable), ideally from a central point in a star architecture, a PoE switch and some wireless access points to at least the same if not the better job. You might want to disable the provider router wireless, but keep it running for NAT, DHCP, Internet, VoIP, IPTV, .... and to serve the Internet.

Some Netgear Insight managed PoE switch like a GC110PE, some insight managed wireless AP like the WAC505 (really inexpensive in packages of three or five), or if you desire the max possible 802.11ac WAC head for some of WAC540 (at least where you have a higher density of wireless devices, like living room, office, ...). This set-up does support RRM (radio resource management), offers seamless roaming, ... and won't have any issues with IGMP multicast if you get some IGMP based IPTV instead of cable or satellite one day.

Can't be easier. In my opinion the much better investment than an expensive Mesh system (where most in the market are more "marketing" mesh).

And the management is a snap for a few USD per device and year, using the Insight App or the Insight Web platform.

Regards,

-Kurt

[FURRYe38]

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?

You can wire up the satellites on the Orbi system to work on an LAN. 

I have a 5000sq ft home. Use one base at one end and just 1 satellite at the other end 40 feet away. Wired or wireless. Have great coverage and performance. 

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@BIgbirdDK wrote:

I currently have just the router from my provider, which doesnt give me the best coverage or speed for wifi. I was planning on buying the Orbi WiFi System (RBK50) AC3000, which is big enough for my place, but then I start thinking, is MESH the correct solution for me ?

My reasoning is that I have ethernet in all corners of the house, but I lack a better wifi. Can I with a MESH setup take advantage of the already installed ethernet, so that the satellite gets the internet from ethernet instead of from the MESH ? Or am I better of with a new router and then 1-2 accesspoints on ethernet ? 

Please dont take money into consideration, if the MESH is the most expensive solution but is the best. I am looking for the best option, but necessarily the cheapest...

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[schumaku]

I would stay away from Orbi - to expensive, you can't use both 5 GHz radios (the expensive Orbi models use a dedicated radio for the Orbi Backhaul - and it's in fact the (much better one on the higher end models) even if everything is wired. Under the hood, e.g. the WAC540 has a similar hardware architecture, but here you heve both 5 GHz (along with the 2.4 GHz) available for client access.

And the non-existing IGMP snooping support is prohibitive in the year 2019 in my opinion.