Recommendations for Mesh WiFi 6 with Hub 4

[caverncaperer]

Any recommendations here? A broad question I know. I've had mixed experiences so far. Most recently tried a Mercusys H80X but it seemed it had an issue with my network topology (see image). Basically I had the first H80X in the lounge with a 8 port switch attached with various devices attached. This was connected to a CAT 6 outlet going back to the hub. All good. The device insisted on having me use enforce modem mode as it wanted to take the role of router over from the Hub 4, fair enough.  But for whatever reason, this resulted in two other switches with devices also connected via CAT 6 to the Hub 4 to become inaccessible. I tried numerous things to remedy that, no joy. I'd read the Hub 4 only supported one port in modem mode (not sure if that is true) but tried in router mode with WiFi and DHCP turned off and nothing doing

I used BT WholeHome WiFi (Wifi 5) a while back. They also expected to get a WAN address via the Hub 4 in modem mode but would work regardless provided they could reach the Hub 4 via wired backhaul (You just got an error saying it couldn't get a WAN address).

So I what I am looking for; a WiFi 6 mesh that I can basically just attach to as is to the Hub 4, that doesn't care about getting a WAN IP provided it can backhaul to the Hub 4, and won't stop two thirds of my network from working. BTW the reason I want to move to WiFi 6 is I work with large files at times and the WiFi 5 performance to my server via the Hub 4  is dire.

[legacy1]

For a simple setup you have a router to the hub and everything you want to connect goes to your router.

[caverncaperer]

Agreed, but where you have a number of other devices in different places and these are/need to be hardwired then that's when it gets difficult.

[venables · Accepted solution]

I have an ASUS ZenWiFi XT8 Mesh plugged into my Hub 3, effectively doing what you are wanting I think. It doesnt care about not getting  the WAN IP - it pops up a notice on some config screens that it is on a private IP so some features may not work, but so far everything I have setup has been OK (including an OpenVPN server).

I have the hub in normal mode as I am going to wire CCTV via another router at some point soon, and I dont want all the traffic on my normal network. 

[Tudor]

I don’t think you need a mesh system, with what you have already it’s best just to get some good quality WiFi access points.

[caverncaperer]

I did look at the XT8, the price put me off a bit especially as I'd probably need two. The range looks like its good, I'd need it to reach some IoT stuff in my garden office about 10m-15m away from where I'd site it.

[venables]

Yeah it wasnt cheap, but I got some cash from the company I work for to upgrade everything at home during various lockdowns.

If you have wired backhaul you can also use that with the second node in the XT8 set, or, as tudor said, get some decent APs and put some of those into the switches.

But the XT8 has so far been a solid piece of kit for me, 

[legacy1]

Zyxel Multy M1
https://www.zyxel.com/uk/en-gb/products/wifi-system/ax1800-wifi6-whole-home-wifi-system-multy-m1/spe...

I would suggest you use modem mode

[DaveMe]

A fairly old thread but maybe useful for others. 
I currently have the VM Hub 4 in modem mode and it's directly connected to an Asus RT-AX56U via ethernet. I also have three other Asus routers around the house (they are quite cheap on eBay) connected via ethernet backhaul to the AX56U. This gives me Wifi 6 anywhere in the house and I can add cheap Asus routers whenever I like. This system uses AiMesh built into all the Asus routers I chose.

[caverncaperer]

I gave up on mesh options and bought a TP Link AX20 (that does have mesh functionality) that supports WiFi 6and stuck an old WRT610N in as an access point in the office in the garden with the same SSID as the house. I did have a TP Link mesh extender but it didn't backhaul over ethernet which is ridiculous. The 610N Doesn't interfere with the house WiFi and effectively functions as a mesh would and runs all my IoT devices out there as well as WiFI for phones in the garden, and backhauls over my existing CAT 6 cable. Apparently superior to the "simple" mesh options I tried, including virgins slow as snails wifi pods.