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Which is better for my network, an extender or another router? (toast.ooo)

submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by [email protected] to c/selfhosted

23 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Background: I am migrating from a Gen 1 Google WiFi mesh router and pulled the trigger and bought this router on prime day. TP-Link Tri-Band BE19000 WiFi 7 Router (Archer BE800) - https://a.co/d/en9OlMz

Huge upgrade, outside a few spots in my house where it's pretty spotty. I cannot easily move the router due to not having a basement, nor approval from the wife to break through a bunch of walls to wire it up how I want it.

So the question is... Do I get the BE11000 range extender that is currently $300

TP-Link Tri-Band BE9300 WiFi 7 Router Archer BE550 - https://a.co/d/bUat5G4 which is currently $250. The speed difference isn't a deal breaker for me on the other devices. My computers are hard-line and happy next to the router.

Or do I just say screw it and return it and go back to a mesh system.

I am currently unable to connect the second node to a wired connection, but I have a plan on getting that done this coming year once I get wife buy-in...

Any help is appreciated, thanks in advance!

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

His router is tri-band though meaning it has 2 5ghz transceivers. With an extender usually you use one of them as a backplane for ap->ap communication so it doesn't interfere with your performance.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

His router is tri-band though meaning it has 2 5ghz transceivers.

Unfortunately, for many models - like the Linksys WRT 3200ACM - that second antenna (technically the third one if you include the 2.4Ghz one) doesn’t function at all without the manufacturer’s firmware. It’s a dead stick with any third-party firmware, and is 100% software-enabled.

I have found this fact to be reliable whether it is DD-WRT or OpenWRT, and across several different manufacturers including Asus and D-Link.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

This thread is just full of super useful info. Cheers and thanks!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

I'm living in WiFi 5 world so this is new info to me. Neat. Thanks for the heads up.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

Wifi 5 vs 6, 6E and 7 are worlds different. A LOT has changed in that time.

It was either 6 or 7 that was designed with mesh/extenders in mind, and it actually works really well if you have good hardware.

Also even in the wifi 5 days they made mesh/extenders explicitly with duplex issues in mind. Just about every high end wifi 5 system had at least dual band wifi, with most having 3.