A router or a mesh system?

[AaronB]

Hey guys,

Been reading here for awhile but still confused what advantages a mesh wireless has over a router.
Mesh seems slower than a decent router and much more expensive too.
When you run a mesh network, do you have to have a physical connection between the nodes?
Does each node work as a repeater slowing down the network?

Sorry if it is a lame questions, but I'm trying to upgrade my aging BT router with something faster and more reliable.

Cheers!

 

[Internet Man]

Check out this article from last month: Router Or Wi-Fi System: How To Choose

Most of the appeal of these Wi-Fi Systems is their ability to communicate wirelessly but some of them support a wired backhaul. Some systems have a dedicated wireless backhaul which helps them to avoid the half-bandwidth problem of typical wireless repeaters.

 

[joegreat]

...confused what advantages a mesh wireless has over a router.
Mesh seems slower than a decent router and much more expensive too.
When you run a mesh network, do you have to have a physical connection between the nodes?
Does each node work as a repeater slowing down the network?

Your observation is correct: It's confusing...!

But there is a simple principle: there is no magic solution: You need to bring WLAN in the black spots by adding transmitting devices...

Given the fact that I have put two 1 Gigabit LAN ports in each room of my flat (thanks to planning ahead before I moved in) so that I can easily add APs where needed - currently two of them do the job (see footer).

You are right mesh is slower the APs due the fact that the communication between the mesh nodes goes also over wireless (no need for physical connection) - worst case it will be the half of the possible throughput.
There are concepts to have a separate/dedicated 5 GHz WLAN network for the mesh interconnect - not sure which product does that - and the price will be even higher.

As far as I have seen mesh solution, they are only a good solution if you have no way of getting a physical LAN (dedicated cables or power line) across your home to put cheap APs on the right places.