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Already have Homeplugs, will Mesh be any better?

custardracer — Fri, 03 May 2024 16:34:25 GMT

Hi all, I'm on a Full Fibre 500 package with TP-link 1300Mbps homeplugs over a three-storey house. Ethernet or Wifi from the Homeplug on the top floor only gives me ~50Mbps from a homeplug data rate showing as ~230Mbps. So I've dropped from 500Mbps on entry to 50Mbps at the furthest point. Question is, if I tried to set up a Mesh wi-fi system would I expect it to be any faster? I can't ethernet backhaul other than through the same homeplugs. Thoughts?

Custard

Re: Already have Homeplugs, will Mesh be any better?

Forthay — Fri, 03 May 2024 18:42:27 GMT

@custardracer It depends on a broad set of factors including the construction of your house, the mesh you choose, number of nodes, dedicated backhaul etc. I use old Orbi’s and get 600 to 700 download to devices that support higher rates. My advice would be to buy from a company that has an easy returns policy.

Re: Already have Homeplugs, will Mesh be any better?

Crimliar — Sat, 04 May 2024 01:40:40 GMT

How much data do you need at that farthest point? Most power line adapters (such as homeplugs) don't like traversing the fuse box from ring main to ring main, but better powerline adapters may do a better job. If you do go with a mesh, then the trick is to get the nodes as far apart from each other while still maintaining the maximum connection speed between them - and too many nodes can actually slow things down. Final point, especially if you have solid walls, you'll find that WiFi penetrates the ceilings and floors better than the walls, so zig-zagging the nodes up a column of stacked rooms can often be the best solution.

Re: Already have Homeplugs, will Mesh be any better?

custardracer — Sun, 05 May 2024 18:06:36 GMT

I guess I don't need more than the 50Mbps that I get, but since I've got 500Mbps at the point of entry and have lost 90% of that by the time my signal gets to my office I'm intrigued to know if this is 'normal' or I could do better with a better/different setup. Sounds like the answer is 'it depends...'

Re: Already have Homeplugs, will Mesh be any better?

Crimliar — Sun, 05 May 2024 18:40:26 GMT

Every powerline install is different! I've seen it work fantastically, and I've seen it absolutely fail. As your first reply suggested the best bet is to try them from a supplier who will take returns without fuss!

Re: Already have Homeplugs, will Mesh be any better?

Anonymous — Sun, 05 May 2024 19:39:28 GMT

If it's a relatively new build then installing ethernet may not be too difficult or expensive, compared to what you may need to spend on a decent mesh. Might be an idea to get someone in to give you a quote.