Solve Weak WiFi: Mesh Network, WiFi Extender or Access Point?
Last month, a reader emailed me about their problematic Wi-Fi setup. They’d bought 3 different extenders over two years, each one promising to fix the dead zones in their house. Not only were they still getting terrible speeds in their home office, but now they had to manually switch between four different network names just to move around their house. Three different solutions are often suggested to solve the problem of inadequate wireless coverage in a house or business. The choice between extenders, mesh systems, and access points isn’t just about coverage, it’s about how your network actually behaves day to day.
The Hidden Price of Cheap Unbranded Wi-Fi Extenders
You walk into any Currys and see Wi-Fi extenders f(starting around £15), promising to solve all your coverage problems. The packaging shows happy families streaming movies in every corner of their house. Most people grab one of the cheapest extenders on offer thinking they’re getting a bargain, and I understand the appeal. I’ve tested dozens of these devices over the years, from basic models to supposedly premium versions, and the pattern is always the same.
That cheap extender creates a separate network name from your existing network, so you’re constantly switching between ‘HomeWiFi’ and ‘HomeWiFi_EXT’ as you move around your house. Your phones, tablets & laptops don’t always pick the strongest signal automatically, which means you’ll find yourself manually connecting to different networks depending on where you are. I’ve watched people walk from their living room to their kitchen, wondering why their video call suddenly got choppy, only to realize their phone is still connected to the weak signal from the main router instead of the extender that’s five feet away. Image your trying to bid on an auction with only seconds left HomeWiFi is out of range so you have to swap over to HomeWiFi Ext?
Apart from this awkward connection switching, speed is a big problem. Your internet traffic has to make two wireless hops instead of one, which can cut your bandwidth in half, especially if you’re using an older extender that only supports single-band operation. I tested a setup last year where someone was paying for 200mb/s internet but only getting 40 megabits through their extender. That’s not just slower – that’s unusable for video conferencing or large file uploads and it’s a waste of resources that are already paying for. Its like having a Bentley in the garage, but you drive around in a mini!
I’ve seen setups where people bought multiple extenders to cover a large office space, and now they’re managing 4 different SSIDs (network names), each with its own different management interface, username & password. Its too much! You would have to remember which extender covers which area, and if you want to change your Wi-Fi password, you have to log into four separate devices. Also 4 difference SSIDs raises the strong possibility of wireless interference. If a couple of these extenders happen to be operating on the same wireless channels (or sometimes even adjacent channels) then interference is possible leading to bad internet, slow internet or no internet! One viewer told me they keep a spreadsheet with all their network passwords because they couldn’t remember which extender was which. Overall, the more links any chain has, the more points of failure that exist. Then when something goes wrong, troubleshooting is extended, potentially by 400%!
The frustration factor builds over time in unexpected ways. You’re paying for internet speeds you don’t get to use, and every video call or file transfer becomes a guessing game about which network will work better. I’ve had people tell me they avoid using certain rooms in their house because the Wi-Fi there is unreliable, even though they bought the extender specifically to fix that problem. Then users become afraid to move around the space during critical moments incase they ‘loose signal’ on 1 extender, necessitating a manual move over to another extender.
Plus, if one extender fails or needs a firmware update, you’re back to dead zones until you can troubleshoot it. And by the way, firmware updates are a ‘thing’ for range extenders. They are released fairly regularly updating standards and bug fixing. Good luck remembering which brand’s software interface you need to log into, especially if you bought that extender 2 or 3 years ago and the app has changed completely. I’ve spent hours helping people figure out why their Wi-Fi suddenly stopped working, only to discover the extender there had reset itself and needed to be reconfigured. On a side note, the administration pages for most range extenders can be quirky to say the least. In addition to learning the basics, you usually have to find out through usage some strange lessons about how a particular admin app or admin page works. The TP-Link Deco app for example I find to have the most horrendous UI I have ever used. I don’t know specifically why, but it takes me 10 minutes to do a simple task in this quirky app!
The maintenance headache multiplies when you mix brands. I’ve seen people with a Netgear router, a TP-Link extender, and a Linksys extender, each requiring different apps and update schedules. None of these systems talk to each other, so troubleshooting becomes a process of elimination across multiple interfaces that all look different. At the very least if you were determined to use multiple range extenders, your life would be made a little brighter if you brand matched (and even used the same models).
The real cost isn’t the small spend upfront. It’s the ongoing frustration, the slower speeds you’ll live with every day, the lack of mobility/reliability within the workspace and the time you’ll spend managing a patchwork network that never quite works seamlessly. My advice is to spend a chunk of time understanding the alternatives before buying a thing, because sometimes spending more initially on more suitable equipment saves you money (and headaches) in the long run.
Mesh Networks Cost More But Deliver Less Frustration
When I first started recommending mesh systems to viewers, the biggest pushback was always the price. People would email me saying they found a £30 extender in Currys (or even worse an unbranded £14 extender on eBay) that promised the same coverage as a £200 mesh system. But let me show you exactly what you’re paying for and why it might be worth every penny, especially if you put a value your time.
A mesh system replaces your existing routers Wi-Fi entirely and uses multiple nodes that talk to each other, creating one seamless network name throughout your home or office. Instead of having ‘HomeWiFi’ and ‘HomeWiFi_EXT’ cluttering your device’s network list, you get one network that follows you around automatically. The upfront cost can be 2 or 3 times higher than a basic extender setup, which makes people hesitate. But the performance difference is dramatic when you actually use it day to day, and I’ve tested enough of these systems to know the difference isn’t just marketing.
Your devices automatically connect to the strongest signal as you move around, without you having to think about it. No more manually switching networks or wondering why your laptop is still connected to the weak signal from two rooms away. I’ve tested this by walking around my house during video calls, and with a properly configured mesh system, the handoff between nodes is seamless. Your call doesn’t drop, streaming doesn’t buffer, and you don’t even notice it’s happening.
The speed stays consistent because mesh nodes use dedicated radio channels to communicate with each other, so your internet traffic doesn’t get bottlenecked like it does with traditional extenders. While an extender cuts your bandwidth roughly in half by rebroadcasting the same signal, mesh systems generally maintain full speed because each node has its own dedicated backhaul connection to the network. I’ve measured this difference repeatedly, and it’s dramatically better.
Setup is genuinely simpler despite the higher price. Most mesh systems guide you through installation with a smartphone app, and they handle firmware updates automatically across all nodes. This sounds simple but it is a massive timesaver. You’re not logging into multiple web interfaces or trying to remember which device needs updating. I’ve helped people set up both types of systems, and mesh installation typically takes twenty minutes versus hours of configuration with multiple extenders. I also noticed that mesh networking equipment recovers well by itself after a power outage or accidental switch off which is another pleasant characteristic.
I’ve tested systems where adding coverage to a new area means plugging in one more node, and the network automatically incorporates it without any complex configuration on your part. The TP-Link Deco system I tested last month recognized a new node within thirty seconds and had it fully integrated in under two minutes. Try doing that with a traditional extender setup.
The management advantage is huge. One app controls your entire network, you can see which devices are connected where, and you can prioritize bandwidth for specific devices or activities. Need to give your work laptop priority during video conferences? Set it up once in the app. Want to limit your kids’ gaming bandwidth during homework time? Done. These features exist across your entire network, not just in certain rooms. As well as this, the guest Wi-Fi feature available on nearly all Mesh networks is great, especially for businesses. It provides a secure way to give internet to a device without compromising the security of your own network users and resources. The guest wifi network is generally fully isolated from the rest of the network, so the guest won’t be able to see your devices and vice versa.
Yes, you’re paying more upfront, but you’re buying time, convenience, and consistent performance that actually delivers the internet speeds you’re paying your broadband provider for. The question becomes whether your time and frustration are worth the price difference, especially if you’re running a business or working from home where reliable connectivity is a must.
When Access Points Make Sense Despite the Complexity
Access points are the option most people never consider, but for certain situations, they’re actually the most powerful and cost-effective solution if you can handle the setup requirements. I’ve tested access points in office environments and larger homes, and the performance difference compared to wireless solutions is substantial. But there’s a catch that stops most people before they even start.
Unlike extenders or mesh systems, access points require a wired connection back to your main router, which means running ethernet cables or using existing wiring in your building. This isn’t just plugging something into the wall and waiting for it to connect wirelessly. You need physical cables running from your router or network switch to each access point location. The installation complexity scares people away, and I understand why. But access points can handle more simultaneous devices and provide faster, more reliable connections than wireless-only solutions. Always remember that a set of powerline adapers in many cases can replace the need for a physical cable back to the router, making the access point a more desirable option.
If you’re in a larger office building or have a detached garage or workshop, access points give you the flexibility to place Wi-Fi exactly where you need it without worrying about wireless signal strength between nodes. I’ve set up access points in metal workshops where wireless signals struggle to penetrate, and the performance is excellent because each access point has that dedicated wired connection to your network. There’s no speed loss from wireless backhaul like you get with some mesh systems or extenders.
You can mix and match access points from different manufacturers more easily than with mesh systems, and you can upgrade individual access points without replacing your entire network infrastructure. I’ve seen setups where someone started with one Ubiquiti access point and added different models over time as their needs changed. The flexibility is significant if you’re planning to expand coverage gradually or have specific requirements for different areas.
The cost per coverage area can be lower than mesh systems if you already have ethernet wiring in place, and enterprise-grade access points often last longer and handle more traffic than consumer mesh nodes. I’ve tested access points like TP-Links that cost £40 each but provide coverage equivalent to mesh nodes that cost twice as much. I personally have a love of ethernet cabling, viewing ethernet as the fastest and most reliable way to delivery network. Its no surprise then that I really like access points since they are fed by ethernet.
Therein lies the catch that makes this option impractical for most home users. If you don’t have existing ethernet runs, the cost of hiring an electrician to install proper wiring can quickly make this the most expensive option. Electricians bills for ethernet installation will be substantial. Running cables through finished walls, especially in multi-story homes will cost. However it could become a viable reality with a pair of £60 powerline ethernet adapters, if your electrical circuit supported them.
The technical complexity extends beyond just the wiring. Access points typically require more networking knowledge to configure properly. You’ll be, managing IP addresses, maybe setting up VLANs and potentially configuring more complex features that don’t exist on other equipment. The management interfaces assume you understand networking concepts that mesh systems generally by themselves handle automatically.
Access points are the professional solution when you need maximum performance and maximum reliability (and have the infrastructure to support them), but they’re overkill for most home users who just want to eliminate dead zones in the home. I’ve recommended them for small businesses, large homes with existing network cabling, and situations where you need to cover outdoor areas or outbuildings. The decision often comes down to whether you’re comfortable with more complex networking concepts and whether your building can accommodate the wiring requirements without major cabling work.
