No, it doesn't consume bandwidth from the primary router. The second router operates independently.
No, it doesn't consume bandwidth from the primary router. The second router operates independently.
Hello, I aim to grasp how your networking setup functions and verify whether it met your expectations. Your home features a fibre box in the basement, but the only Ethernet port is on the upper floor. A room upstairs still needed internet access, so you opted for a mesh system installation. After connecting everything, the performance was subpar, delivering only about 10% of the intended speed. To boost this, you purchased an additional mesh unit and attempted to link it directly to your fibre box. You discovered that only one LAN port on your fibre box was functional. Since you couldn't return the new mesh system, you explored connecting both mesh units together. Your final arrangement involved linking your new mesh router straight into the fibre box, then routing the ethernet cable from the upstairs room into its LAN port. You also connected your previous mesh router to the Ethernet port on the upper floor and transformed it into an Access Point. You’re curious if this configuration achieves what you intended—specifically, allowing your older upstairs mesh router to broadcast signals for broader Wi-Fi coverage while reserving bandwidth for its own devices. Additionally, you wondered whether connecting a PC directly via Ethernet from your upstairs mesh router as an AP would consume bandwidth from your main new mesh network.
I own a Ubiquiti router along with a Modem/Router combo. If you've ever performed a network device scan, you'll notice that wherever you connect your device, all connected devices appear—even if it's on the main router or the secondary one. Although bandwidth is drawn from both routers, the load handling, like playing an online game on the secondary, gets reserved there. That’s what I understand so far, and sorry if my explanation differs from others.
The fibre box provides a single IP address, but you must connect a router to it so a LAN can share that address with the router handling translation. In a mesh setup, the second device should remain close enough to the main WiFi signal source for optimal reception; placing it too far weakens the connection. Ensure the mesh system is properly configured with dedicated backhaul support, as lacking this will reduce overall WiFi performance and slow down the main network when devices are actively using the mesh unit.