Mesh or wired access points: what to choose for a house
Both give you one Wi-Fi network across the house. The difference is how the points connect to each other, and speed depends on that.
What mesh is
A mesh system is a set of nodes that connect to each other by radio. It is simple to set up and needs no cables, so it is a great choice for apartments and already finished houses.
What wired access points are
Each point is connected by an Ethernet cable to a switch, often powered over PoE. Data between points travels over the cable and the airwaves stay free for your devices.
The main difference: the link between points
In mesh the nodes talk by radio, which takes part of the speed, especially when there is another node between a node and the router. Tri-band systems with a dedicated link between nodes suffer less. A cable between points removes the problem completely.
Comparison
- Speed: cable is steadier; mesh depends on the distance between nodes.
- Installation: mesh is simpler; cable needs running.
- Reliability: cable depends less on obstacles; mesh is more sensitive to walls.
- Scale: a wired network is easier to grow and manage centrally.
- Cost: mesh is cheaper at the start; a wired system pays off in a long house with many points.
How to decide
- Renovation still ahead: lay cable (category 6 is plenty for gigabit) to every point location and to the utility cabinet.
- House finished and cable is hard to run: mesh with a dedicated link between nodes, or cable in trunking where possible.
- Cameras, smart home, a home office: wired points and separate networks for guests, cameras and smart devices are better.
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