Mesh WiFi vs Access Points

A customer wants WiFi that reaches every room, and two very different designs can deliver it. The mesh WiFi vs access points decision comes down to one thing above all: how each radio connects back to the network. Get that right and the rest, roaming, management and how far the system can grow, follows from it.

Mesh WiFi vs access points at a glance

Both designs put several radios around a building under one network name. The difference is the link behind each radio and who manages it.

How mesh WiFi works

A mesh kit has a main unit connected to the modem or router and satellite nodes placed around the building. Each satellite serves nearby clients and passes their traffic toward the main unit, either directly or through another node. The kit picks the path and the channels itself, which is why setup is quick.

That self-configuration is the appeal for a finished home: no ceilings to open, no cable to fish, and a working network in an afternoon.

If the customer keeps an existing router, set the kit to its access point or bridge mode so only one device routes. Two routers in series, known as double NAT, can break port forwarding and confuse some devices.

Wireless backhaul and the cost of each hop

When nodes share one radio for clients and backhaul, every frame that crosses a hop uses airtime twice: once to reach the node and once to leave it. A University of Washington paper on multi-radio mesh networks notes that end-to-end throughput on a route drops as the number of hops increases, mainly because a single radio is half-duplex and cannot transmit and receive at the same time.

The same paper finds that extra radios and channels help but are not a complete fix. In practice that means:

• Keep hops short: one hop from each satellite to the main unit beats a daisy chain.
• Use a dedicated backhaul radio where the kit has one, so clients and backhaul do not share the same channel.
• Check the node to node link before blaming the internet service; a weak link slows every client behind it.

Wired backhaul mesh: the middle ground

Most mesh kits can use an Ethernet cable between nodes in place of the radio link. With wired backhaul mesh, each node gets a full-speed connection, the radios serve clients only, and throughput no longer falls with distance from the main unit.

It suits a home with a few existing runs: wire the nodes you can reach and leave one or two on wireless backhaul. Use the cable guidance in our Cat5e vs Cat6 comparison for new runs, which applies to any PoE device.

Wired access points: built to scale

An access point system separates the jobs. A router or firewall handles routing, a PoE switch powers and connects each access point, and a controller, on site or in the cloud, configures every unit from one place. Each access point has its own cable, so adding one does not slow the others. The trade off is labor: each unit needs a cable drop, easy in new construction and harder in a finished home.

Power comes over the same cable from the switch; add the load as shown in our PoE budget guide. Where each unit goes, and how many a building needs, is covered in our WiFi access point placement guide, and the head end in network rack cable management.

Roaming between nodes and access points

In both designs the client device, not the network, decides when to move to a stronger radio. A phone that holds on to a distant unit is the usual roaming complaint, mesh or not.

Many mesh kits and managed access points can send clients hints through the IEEE 802.11k, 802.11v and 802.11r features, which help a device find a better radio and reconnect faster. What helps most is one system throughout: radios from different systems under the same network name do not coordinate, so clients roam between them poorly.

Central management and support

For an installer, management is often the deciding factor. A controller-based access point system lets one login reach every site, push firmware, set separate networks for guests, cameras and staff, and see which clients are struggling before the customer calls.

Most mesh kits are managed through a phone app tied to the homeowner’s account. That is fine for one house, but harder to support across many customers, and it may offer fewer options for separate networks. Before choosing, agree who holds the admin account: a network the installer cannot log into is a network the installer cannot support.

Which fits: home or business

Choose by the building, how much cable can reach, and who will support the network.

• Apartment or small finished home: a mesh kit, ideally with every node one hop from the main unit.
• Large home with some cable runs: mesh with wired backhaul, or access points where most rooms can be cabled.
• New construction or a remodel: access points for large homes, cabled while the walls are open.
• Office, retail or multi-tenant site: wired access points with a controller and separate networks.
• Detached building: a radio bridge; see how to plan a point-to-point wireless link.

Where to find access points and network gear

The wireless access point category lists indoor, long range and outdoor units, and PoE switches are in the network switches category, both part of the broadband and WiFi division.

For pricing and availability, ask your sales representative through the Bursma contact page or the Columbus, Ohio branch. If you install for a living, open a Bursma dealer account.

Frequently asked questions