Best Wi Fi System for House ?

[jaizan]

I would like to upgrade my WiFi system to improve signal strength in parts of the house away from the router.

Mesh systems seem nice in concept, but when I have looked at them, the documentation does NOT explicitly say that the system will move users onto the mesh unit with the best signal as they move around the house. To me, that seems critical.

If my devices will remain hooked up to the first signal they detect until this is dropped, then the mesh is underperforming.

I already see such behaviour with my existing routers. The "BT Smart Hub" has 2.4 and 5GHz bands. As we know 2.4 has more range, but 5 is faster. My phone will typically log onto the 2.4 GHz band as I approach the house and stay on that. Unlike earlier BT hubs, there is no way of having separate SSIDs for 2.4 and 5GHz. The "Smart Hub" is not smart enough to automatically move me onto a frequency that supports the 300 Mbps that I pay for.
My Asus router has this, but it seems the BT router signal is stronger.

Anyhow, enough of the ranting.
Have any members done any trials to confirm mesh systems are continually moving devices onto the best signal source ?
[I have tried google, without much success]

[Stompa]

The "BT Smart Hub" has 2.4 and 5GHz bands. As we know 2.4 has more range, but 5 is faster. My phone will typically log onto the 2.4 GHz band as I approach the house and stay on that. Unlike earlier BT hubs, there is no way of having separate SSIDs for 2.4 and 5GHz.

Yes there is, I do. You just need to use "Separate bands":

https://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/det ... ord%29-for

(though I'm not sure if that applies to the very latest Smart Hub?)

[jaizan]

(though I'm not sure if that applies to the very latest Smart Hub?)

As I stated in my opening post, this does not apply to my Smart Hub (latest model). I've separated the bands on every other router I've had, including earlier BT hubs and the almost identical EE hub, but it's not possible with the "Dumb Hub".

However, my primary question is about mesh systems.
I would like to know if anyone has verified that these continually move devices onto the mesh unit with the best signal ?

I see the Ubiquity units do this, but these are expensive and require a separate controller.

[Infrasonic]

Ubiquiti kit comes up on eBay pretty regularly, factory refurbished and secondhand.

If you want the higher end features/ performance and settings flexibility then using business grade hardware is the best route.

[GrahamPlatt]

However, my primary question is about mesh systems.
I would like to know if anyone has verified that these continually move devices onto the mesh unit with the best signal ?

Mesh wifi systems always come with at least a pair of 'hubs'. As you move about, your device will automatically jump from one to another for a constant connection. It's "seamless" - that's the whole point of MESH.

[Gerry557]

I have just connected to my bt whole home and then walked away to the opposite end of the house and the device swapped connection to the closer disc automatically.

I tried using dual routers method but it didn't cover the whole house. I saw the whole home on offer and gave it a go and its been great. I have 6 disks probably could have gotten away with 4 but they come in pack of three at the time for the deal. Individually it was almost as much to buy just the one. I might use a couple in another property.

They are not the fastest spec on paper but I don't have the fastest incoming Internet (Come on Open reach! ) but I thought I would give them a try and sell them on if it didn't work.

I would consider a faster version if I could get better tinternet but these have been simple, effective and have filled all the dead spots. I can even surf in the garage and garden. I would recommend a mesh based on using these.

[wanderer]

.
I would like to know if anyone has verified that these continually move devices onto the mesh unit with the best signal ?

I have the BT Whole Home (standard, not mini) and can confirm this is the case and can be verified via the app which shows which unit you are connected to at any point in time. This also means you can optimise location of the units according to their coverage area.

[tikunetih]

[I have the BT Whole Home (standard, not mini) and can confirm this is the case and can be verified via the app which shows which unit you are connected to at any point in time.

Similar thing with the Google Wifi I use: inspecting the details of a Device in the provided app tells you the Wifi point it's connected to - and this Wifi point changes as you move the Device around the gaff.

[xeny]

However, my primary question is about mesh systems.
I would like to know if anyone has verified that these continually move devices onto the mesh unit with the best signal ?

I see the Ubiquity units do this, but these are expensive and require a separate controller.

Ubiquiti and mesh systems generally will attempt to do this, but keep in mind that ultimately the client device decides which AP it associates with.

WRT the Unifi AC and HD systems, although they require a separate controller there's a little subtlety there.

You can either use a phone app to set the APs up, or install the controller on a computer, do the AP config, and then shut the controller down. Unless you want a guest portal, there's no need for the controller to be running for normal WiFi operation. Remember they really want a wired backhaul for best results.

[Infrasonic]

...but keep in mind that ultimately the client device decides which AP it associates with.

In W10... Device Manager/network adapter/properties/advanced tab
You might be able to dictate what happens there depending on the granularity offered by the WiFi adapter and drivers.
https://www.mist.com/documentation/forc ... -machines/

On my Realtek WiFi adapter I don't get many options there beyond the very basic, so it's stuck on 2.4GHz.

[xeny]

My experience is that you can bias a client to associate on the 5 GHz band (and similar with Unifi and other "serious" APs you can turn down the 2.4GHz signal strength to encourage clients to associate on 5 GHz), but what is significantly harder is to manage when a client dissociates with one AP and associates with the next.