on 20-02-2021 14:19
Hi, I'm looking for a bit of advice on what's going to be best for me. I've got the 350 package with the Hub 3 and I'm looking for better speed and signal on WiFi but also a more consistent speed along the ethernet cable to my PC. I currently have some power line adapters/WiFi extenders that help to get some sort of a signal to the upstairs rooms however they're not the best and just about get me between 50-80mbps upstairs, it's not terrible but when I'm paying for 350, I want to try and get as much as I can. Apologies for going on.
Anyway, I've read up a little bit about the mesh systems and that seems to provide a better WiFi signal throughout the house but I'm not sure if that would be overkill considering I live in a terraced house. Would a better router make my WiFi signal better? I was on BT previously and the router seemed to work fine? If it's router you'd suggest then any recommendations? I think £200 would be my max budget but the cheaper the better?
Thanks in advance but the help
on 20-02-2021 16:15
on 20-02-2021 16:23
@jconlon1 Anyway, I've read up a little bit about the mesh systems and that seems to provide a better WiFi signal throughout the house but I'm not sure if that would be overkill considering I live in a terraced house. Would a better router make my WiFi signal better?
Excellent advice (as always) from @jbrennand
A couple of additional observations: If it's an old terraced house with brick internal walls, then although it may not be the largest property, it can be one of the harshest wifi environments, because brick is a fantastic attenuator of wifi signals. With that in mind, a mesh system COULD be a good solution, and a two-pack system would do the job, but you may need to budget for a tri-band system, or buy a less expensive system (like my TP-Link Deco M4) but be prepared to link the primary and secondary units with an ethernet cable. The cable's cheap, the concept's simple, running the cable can be a trial!
on 20-02-2021 16:28
@jconlon1 wrote:If it's router you'd suggest then any recommendations? I think £200 would be my max budget but the cheaper the better?
on 20-02-2021 16:42
However good a WiFi signal is from a router/switch/WAP it’s always better to have a wired Wireless Access Point upstairs.
on 21-02-2021 02:34
Thanks for the replies. Still don't really know what would suit me best to be honest. Think I can write off a wireless access point purely down to the fact that I'm renting and I don't think my landlord would be too happy with me routing cabling everywhere.
Do mesh systems connect wirelessly?
Would a router improve my speeds through the power lines? I'm only getting slightly more through them then what I did on BT which justs me question whether the router isn't powerful enough (I've seen the reviews of the superhub which make me question this too)
If I was to get a new router, would I be able to add on a mesh system to it?
Again, thanks for your help
on 21-02-2021 07:26
Mesh systems do connect wirelessly so no need to run cable. They also, in most cases, will provide the functions of a router, so no need to buy two separate systems. Take a look at the
a new router will not increase the powerline speeds, you’re probably hitting the limit of what your powerline hardware / electrical system is capable of carrying. It has nothing to do with the hub.
on 21-02-2021 08:54
on 21-02-2021 10:31
Think the best option for you, would be to buy one of the TP link Deco mesh systems and let it all connect together wirelessly. The decos will connect wirelessly, via Ethernet cable, or both. (best option for speed is to always connect via Ethernet cable, but in a rented property, can understand cabled is not possible).
The TP-Link Deco are both a wi-fi mesh (multiple hot-spots) and a router all in one, so you do not need an additional router. Just put your VM hub into router mode & connect to the first Deco with the supplied Ethernet cable to the VM hub (port 4 if a Hub3). Dot the others around the house to give the coverage you want. The setup app helps with location. I purchased the TP-Link Deco S4, three unit pack for £100 on Amazon. Each unit has two gigabit Ethernet ports, so as well as giving a wireless network, the ports can be used to connect to kit that is not wi-fi, or you want a wired connection, telly or telly box, smart home hub etc. You can also use this port to connect to an Ethernet switch (get a TP link one, less than £20) if you want more Ethernet ports. I use one connected to my first Deco, which then feeds the telly room (sky, sonos, tv, Blu-ray etc), NAS, PC, weather station etc.
The Deco system is great in that it is expandable and compatible across different models, so S4 will work with M5 etc. If you need more coverage, just buy additional single units.
The S4 that I have is duel band, but as the decos are Ethernet connected, does not impact speed. TP-link do tri-band models which will offer better all wi-fi setup speed, but of course at a higher cost.
Take a look at the Amazon site, as they do a good comparison between the units.
Please post back what you decide to do & how it all goes, ease of setup, speed etc, to help others & also give us feedback.
on 23-02-2021 00:20
After a lot of toing and froing on what to go for, ive decided to go for the Asus AC86U. Mainly because when i was on BT the wifi signal in the rooms was spot on anyway so if the router can be as good as that if not better then it will fix the problem and because of the AImesh that Asus incorporate in their routers, if its still bad then i can just get another AImesh enabled router. Although im hopeful that the more powerful router will be able to fix my poor wifi and hopefully give me more stable speeds on the wire too.
Cheers for your help guys