Home Networking

Mesh can certainly be viable in situations where it is simply not possible or practical to install ethernet to support traditional access points.

You could be in an apartment or rental housing where you can't readily install the necessary cabling because you don't own the property, are in a historic home where you can't or don't want to risk damage to finished surfaces, or simply don't want the interruptions to the aesthetics. Or you might be in a home where there aren't accessible wall or ceiling cavities to run cabling.

Then there is always the balance between affordability and portability.

That being said, distributed WiFi via traditional ceiling-mounted access points are generally better than integrated table-top mesh units, both from a performance and stability stand point.

Stand-alone, non-mesh routers. . . probably about profitability. Low cost routers for the folks that can't afford, or don't need more advanced devices.

Mesh networks use bandwidth to make the network... That bandwidth could be utilized for your traffic instead of sustaining the network.

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Mesh networks are generally for lazy people who cannot do cabling. That's why most consumer network products are mesh crap.

I will and would never use Wi-Fi mesh. All access points always wired (they need PoE anyway) for best throughput and lowest latency (8ms to 8.8.8.8) possible. Wi-Fi mesh is pure marketing.

What? Mesh always underperforms against properly deployed AP's. Mesh is shittier in every way.

Because SDN setups are significantly better than Mesh

Let’s say you have two scenarios. Scenario 1: Two AP, both wired

Scenario 2: One wired AP, the other AP using mesh

Would it make a difference for mobile devices when switch between the two AP in terms of one having a better signal because you changed your position?

I’m not taking about bandwidth, of course the both wired AP will have better bandwidth. I’m just asking about which scenario provides better automatic switching for mobile devices connected via wifi.

Having a purpose built router with Access Points would be one reason.

Mesh networks use bandwidth to make the network... That bandwidth could be utilized for your traffic instead of sustaining the network.

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Mesh networks are generally for lazy people who cannot do cabling. That's why most consumer network products are mesh crap.

I used mesh wifi in a house of mine as I didn't want to run cables through 3 floors. It served it's purpose to the various smart devices around the house and I didn't have issues with latency in gaming. Sometimes the mesh hotspots would crash or de-sync which would cause some headaches (especially from the inept ex) if I was out of town. Next home I will probably run wires with APs. I think mesh WiFi is good for standard home use but for power users a wired connection will always be better\less headache.

It's cheaper to install ethernet with wireless access points, which work better than a mesh network.

Mesh networks should only be used where you can't install ethernet for some legitimate reason. If you can install ethernet it would be silly to pay more for worse performance.

If you are a home user and IT ignorant, MESH is fine.

Not something I would ever use, but I'm sure the glossy ads sell plenty of units, along with fanciful max speeds.

But then thise same users are exactly the type who would also have uPnP enabled..

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