Recommend a Mesh WiFi Router with APs

[Zoom7000]

I was given a free Meraki MR33 access point for attending one of their webinars, which came with a free 3 year license. I've been using it at home with my Virgin Media SuperHub for a while now, however, my free license is coming to an end and I will not be renewing it. I've also been told by my landlord that he'll be selling my 2 bedroom flat and that I'll need to move. Because of my family size, I'll be moving to a 3 bedroom terraced house. So, I'll need a new router, ideally with mesh options to get full household coverage.

 

Could someone please recommend a decent enough mesh router with mesh APs that isn't over £200 as I really don't have the money to spend on a fancy Asus setup or Google Nest WiFi.

[MatthewL]

I have 1 x Unifi AC-Pro that covers my whole house and garden, 3 bed 1950's ex council (well built) semi detached. My brother has the AC-Lite similar style house and he gets good coverage too. Both are ceiling mounted, mine upstairs his downstairs in hall way.

[RobD]

Unless you have dead zones in the house I wouldnt bother with Mesh, you're just adding extra hops to the traffic (which can drop bandwidth by half). See if you ISP router covers it and if not then think about a new AP. Edited June 19, 2020 by RobD

[Zoom7000]

I have 1 x Unifi AC-Pro that covers my whole house and garden, 3 bed 1950's ex council (well built) semi detached. My brother has the AC-Lite similar style house and he gets good coverage too. Both are ceiling mounted, mine upstairs his downstairs in hall way.

 

I'll probably need a router, not an AP as the SuperHub doesn't allow you to disable WiFi, unless you put it into modem mode. As the device is going to be right next to the SuperHub, I don't want the wireless signals clashing.

 

Unless you have dead zones in the house I wouldnt bother with Mesh, you're just adding extra hops to the traffic. See if you ISP router covers it and if not then think about a new AP.

 

I'm only thinking about it because in my experience, the Virgin Media SuperHub 3.0 doesn't normally cover the whole household.

[Chaniel]

I've replaced my plusnet router at home with a TP-Link Archer A7 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-A7-Wireless-Combined-Supports/dp/B00416PTDW) and no longer have any wi-fi issues so can happily recommend that. Supports OpenWRT too if that's a plus for you, out of the box the TP-Link firmware supports "OneMesh" with their range extenders.

 

Used to have a ton of wireless issues with the plusnet router and since replacing it, we have strong signal throughout and no random disconnects.

[Norphy]

I'll probably need a router, not an AP as the SuperHub doesn't allow you to disable WiFi, unless you put it into modem mode. As the device is going to be right next to the SuperHub, I don't want the wireless signals clashing.

 

 

 

I'm only thinking about it because in my experience, the Virgin Media SuperHub 3.0 doesn't normally cover the whole household.

 

I have a SuperHub 3, it’s still acting as a router and I’ve got its wifi radios disabled.

 

I’ve got an Aruba InstantOn AP11 access point, cost me about £70. The difference is incredible. It can act as a router if you want and supports AP meshing.

 

They also do a version with a built in switch, the AP11D.

[Primus]

I have a SuperHub 3, it’s still acting as a router and I’ve got its wifi radios disabled.

 

I’ve got an Aruba InstantOn AP11 access point, cost me about £70. The difference is incredible. It can act as a router if you want and supports AP meshing.

 

They also do a version with a built in switch, the AP11D.

 

Yeah the SuperHub does let you disable WiFi without putting it into router mode - did this for a family member recently.

[Zoom7000]

Ah, looks like I was wrong on the SuperHub not allowing disabling of WiFi

[XiJ]

I use a unifi AC lite a ceiling mounted at the top of the stairs but it’s a relative new build of of 2014. Coverage everywhere in a 4 bed detached + garden which is cool. The super hub 2 wasn’t bad but the AC lite is fantastic

[HPlum78]

I have got a large 3 story house and I have just got myself a nighthawk router, it has the ability to have mesh add on access points but there is absolutely no need for one. Comes with some nice features an all.

[FN-GM]

If you want a router as well the Unifi UDM might be worth a look at. It’s a router and AP built in 1 unit. You can add additional AP at a later date if you wish.

[Zoom7000]

If you want a router as well the Unifi UDM might be worth a look at. It’s a router and AP built in 1 unit. You can add additional AP at a later date if you wish.

 

If you mean this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ubiquiti-UniFi-Dream-Machine-Router/dp/B082QMR5ML

 

Then that's way outta my price range! [emoji85]

[RobD]

I have got a large 3 story house and I have just got myself a nighthawk router, it has the ability to have mesh add on access points but there is absolutely no need for one. Comes with some nice features an all.

 

I quite fancy a nighthawk, are they good? Which one do you have?

[GrumbleDook]

Although I won’t be doing this soon, I’m looking at options as well. I’ve been using Apple’s Airport for some time and it generally just works (apart from a bizarre situation with next door’s broken wireless printer) but to extend or replace anything we are now on eBay hunts.

 

I’ll put a bit away each month to sort out a replacement setup (knowing I will recoup some when I flog my Apple kit on eBay) but I am still mindful that I’ve seen mixed messages about what works best.

 

One thing I am certain of, I want it to be in house management and not linked to Google/Amazon.

 

I’ll keep a track on this thread and always interested to see what folk suggest.

[5tu]

I got a pair of these just before lockdown. Performance is excellent and they’ve been rock solid. Nice management features too.

 

https://www.asus.com/Networking/ZenWiFi-AC-CT8/

[XiJ]

Unifi has an interesting mesh router system. Dream machine had router, wireless, firewall and cloud controller built in.

[FN-GM]

Unifi has an interesting mesh router system. Dream machine had router, wireless, firewall and cloud controller built in.

 

I did suggest this. But its a little out of his price range.

[Localtechie]

I'm using TP Decos, brilliant things can be used as a router with a BT modem or Virgin superhub in modem mode.

 

Full signal round the house and 2 ethernet ports so one wired for backhaul and then another for a separate device if needed.

 

Recommended

[hardtailstar]

I have my Virgin superhub 3 in modem mode and two Google wifi's in my three bedroom house.

 

One AP downstairs next to the Superhub and one upstairs in the second bedroom.

 

Covers the whole house and into the garden about half way.

 

One thing to know is that if Virgin decide to push an update to the Superhub and its in modem mode it completely knocks everything offline! Spent about three days trying to work out the issue!