Compare Mesh Ethernet ports with multiple Ethernet ports and access points.
Compare Mesh Ethernet ports with multiple Ethernet ports and access points.
Hi everyone! I’m reaching out again for your help. First, I want to express my gratitude to this wonderful community for the valuable suggestions and information you’ve shared. My current situation involves planning a house renovation, and we’re discussing how to set up the network. We’re thinking about using Ethernet cables through the walls and exploring a mesh system. Essentially, instead of running four separate cables to the PC room, we could run one main cable connected to a mesh box with four Ethernet ports. The main question is whether it makes sense to connect devices directly to the router port or to a mesh box connected to the router via a cable. It seems like a cheaper option, but I’m worried about the impact on bandwidth. If we use high-speed cables like CAT 6 and transfer gigabit data, each device would get about 250 Mbps—should that be enough? Thanks to all for your time and ideas!
we haven't finalized a brand yet, but we're exploring possibilities. we're focusing on narrowing down our options before diving into specific products. i came across this link: https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/store/wif...WjcnBszQi9 it seems there might be other alternatives, and i think the main concern is whether everything works smoothly over a single cable.
A direct ethernet link guarantees a high-speed connection to other devices that are also directly connected. The mesh port would have been transferred from the device you’re directly linked to. This means the mesh device linking to the router would share its bandwidth with wired devices connected via Wi-Fi. The next hop in the mesh network could cause a 1 gig connection to be split among multiple devices. Even if the mesh port shows a full gigabit rate, it’s best to use Ethernet access points connected through the router and keep spare Ethernet ports in areas like offices, streaming boxes, or consoles. Mesh works well where installing cables is difficult or not allowed, or simply more convenient. It doesn’t improve performance.
Mesh box refers to an Ethernet switch, not a Wi-Fi mesh device. Based on your post, you're imagining multiple high-speed devices connected together. Would you like to push the 1GB link to handle simultaneous transfers? Most households won't face this problem. I own a smart TV, my computer, my wife's computer, and a Nintendo Switch all connected to one network. I haven't noticed bandwidth limits in the last three years, usually only a couple devices at once, and even then large transfers aren't typical.
I actually wanted a Wi-Fi mesh network. We're considering combining the Ethernet ports with the Wi-Fi setup to cut costs, so we're thinking about purchasing a solid Wi-Fi mesh system that also includes Ethernet ports.
When considering this, it seems unlikely. In the living room we’ll likely have a console, an HTPC setup or a streamer, and possibly other devices. Not all mesh boxes will necessarily pass through the main box before reaching the router, which could help avoid bandwidth issues with other mesh units.
If these mesh satellites will have an ethernet backhaul to the primary router, then the satellites are essentially just behaving like wireless APs with an ethernet passthrough for your wired devices. You might only run into a bandwidth slowdown if you plan on using mesh via a wireless backhaul to the primary router. What internet speed are you paying for? If this is well below what the router/APs/mesh can provide, then this isn't something to be worried about. Firstly, if you want to allow for 1Gbps LAN transfers, use Cat5E, Cat6 or Cat6a cable. Not "something"! It's important to be specific about this. Secondly, that's not how bandwidth is divided up. The router decides based on the type of traffic and what devices are demanding. If only 1 device is active, it can utilize the full bandwidth of the cable; if 2 are active, then this can be split 50:50, but also depends on the type of traffic and if QoS/traffic management is configured at the router.