Wired or Wireless?

Just want to check I'm not missing something.

For years we have been told about speeds (and other numbers) that in reality never materialise both because 1024 doesn't equal 1000 and no-one as far as I know lives inside a telephone exchange.

I am of the belief that the best home network is a wired network, commonly, devices are rated at 1Gb/s, so when I have recently been looking at upgrading my home network I have found some confusing information, I have just has a look at a Netgear Mesh router that is ridiculously expensive but it makes an interesting claim

NETGEAR Orbi Quad-band WiFi 6E Mesh System (RBKE963B) - Router with 2 Satellites | Coverage up to 7,500 sq. ft, 200 Devices | AXE11000 (Up to 10.8Gbps)

Up to 10.8Gbps!

Now even allowing for a bit of over-inflation have I now got things all wrong, has mesh networking overtaken Cat 6 cable?

They mean a theoretical 10.8Gbps spread across the 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz ranges.

And that is only the theoretical thoughput between one set of clients and one access point.

As soon as you involve meshing with multiple access points then the actual theoretical throughput is much, much lower. 2.4GHz is typically the only sensible frequency range to connect one AP to another, at which point you are down an a theoretical max throughput from one AP to another of ~1Gbps.

(though looking at the product specs, those ones do claim to use 5GHz for the mesh link)

So these devices do provide an awful lot of wireless throughput, but wiring them together is still by far the best plan, preferably using the 2.5 gig network ports.

In reply to a post by andynormancx:

2.4GHz is typically the only sensible frequency range to connect one AP to another,

I disagree, you should position the mesh modes so that they can talk between each other at 5 GHz to avoid neighbour interference, and get best performance. The more expensive models use separate 5GHz radio for this backhaul to the 2.4 and 5 GHz radios used for devices.

In reply to a post by tallseabird:

Up to 10.8Gbps!

Hehehe. Yeah good luck with that on WiFi. You'd be doing well to confidently and consistently break a Gig

I'm sensing a difference in opinion here - but - it is based on a dedicated 5Ghz wireless backhaul that can be badly affected by any distance or obstruction.

I guess the mesh nodes hard connected via 2.5Gb/s ports is going to be the best option.

I'm not considering the Netgear, I can't see me spending £500 let alone £1500 on networking - but I think Eero have mesh nodes with 1 or 2 2.5G ports for not ridiculous money.


There is a lot of mis-information around networking and also there is confusion between internet speed and network speed.

In reply to a post by tallseabird:

I'm sensing a difference in opinion here - but - it is based on a dedicated 5Ghz wireless backhaul that can be badly affected by any distance or obstruction.

I guess the mesh nodes hard connected via 2.5Gb/s ports is going to be the best option.

Yes, if you have Ethernet cabling in each room, a wired backhaul connection will always win, but many people can’t install that in the homes, or can’t get partner approval, so radio has a lot of advantages.

There is a lot of mis-information around networking and also there is confusion between internet speed and network speed.

Correct. As long as network speed is faster than internet speed most people don’t care unless they are copying large files to and from a Network Attached Storage box (or server) as they are doing video editing etc.

I don't think it matters what their claims are with wireless, you are still better off with wired. Wired don't get any interference and is constant, also you don't have to pay out stupid prices for equipment.

I currently only run wired to my TV set up and didn't pay a stupid price for a simple network switch to connect each bit of kit. Actually I do have a wire run to upstairs with nothing connected to it and the old desktop which hasn't been turned on in years sat next to the router is connected by wire,

Otherwise wireless is just too damn convenient for phone, tablet and laptop to do otherwise. Apart from my old microwave having a habit of killing the wi-fi signal - the new one doesn't do that.

I've got pretty much the opposite opinion- I regard wireless as a device of Beelzebub

I'll use it if

a) the device I'm using doesn't have an RJ45 socket (phone, tablet etc) and/or

b) the device is inherently a "move-about" one, eg laptop.

But each to their own

I have a 300/50 (actual speeds) FTTP service with two Fritz repeaters meshed to a Fritz!box 4060.

If my device decides to connect to the router/device in the room that I am in, then I will get 300/50 via wifi. Sadly, my experience of mesh is that devices don’t switch quickly: device to router/repeater distance then becomes an issue and I get a drop in download speed to c.200. That said, the speed drop is not enough to make me want to pull Cat 6 cables throughout the house.

In reply to a post by gomezz:

I currently only run wired to my TV set up and didn't pay a stupid price for a simple network switch to connect each bit of kit. Actually I do have a wire run to upstairs with nothing connected to it and the old desktop which hasn't been turned on in years sat next to the router is connected by wire,

Otherwise wireless is just too damn convenient for phone, tablet and laptop to do otherwise. Apart from my old microwave having a habit of killing the wi-fi signal - the new one doesn't do that.

Wireless is stupid prices, well for a normal router no, but if you need repeaters or nests, it can be very expensive.
I will stick everything I can on Ethernet. I have two switches, one up here, for the computer, printer, Philips hue hub and the Thermostat hub, another downstairs where all the TV stuff is on and the Voip. Both cheap Tp-link ones.
at the moment my Switchbot hub seems to be playing up, I don't know if it is a problem their side or mine. I am going to see if it is connected to my network, if i can bear to be in this room for long, it is so warm in here.

I'm used to companies overclaiming but this is such a massive over estimation I just thought that maybe I was missing something - but no, it appears I'm not.

Thanks for all the replies

Simple answer, both wired and wireless, stay away from mesh as there are always loss of speed.

Use a wireless ap for phones, laptops and wired for fixed devices. Desktops, NAS drives, CCTV etc

IF you are going for a new install I would look at 2.5g switches but cable in cat6a for 10g support down the line of backbone between 2.5g switches.

+1. Don’t understand all this it must be one, no it must be the other! If it’s a mobile device (hint it doesn’t have an Ethernet port) guess what…use wireless baby.

If it’s got an Ethernet port (and you have accessible cable handy) well use that in preference. Don’t die on a hill over it folks.

You can get some amazing wireless results with half decent (new-ish) kit and judicious placement of access point(s).

Haven't paid a penny for wireless connectivity - ever.. It comes as standard in every router I have used.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

You can get some amazing wireless results with half decent (new-ish) kit and judicious placement of access point(s).

Couldn't agree more, I get over 350 Mb/s anywhere in the house using three Unifi access points. Given that my Internet connection is under 150 Mb/s most of the time (Starlink) wireless is plenty fast enough for all my devices that don't pull down data from my local server.

So I have wired Ethernet in my office (where I need >350 Mb/s access to my server) and Ethernet connecting all the APs together but most of the rest of the devices in the house are on wireless.

This would be terrible if I was relying on a single wifi router, but because I've got three good APs connected via Ethernet it works really well (though admittedly it does help that our neighbours are far enough away that I can't "see" their wifi networks).

In reply to a post by gomezz:

Haven't paid a penny for wireless connectivity - ever.. It comes as standard in every router I have used.

Do you mean you have never paid for a router or that you have never paid for anything extra like an extender?

If it is the latter, then neither have I, if it is the former, then yes I have as I paid for a Netgear router years ago when I was on ADSL and I paid for a router when I went to wireless broadband a few years ago. But apart from that, nope I have not paid for any extra extensions, I am lucky that I can normally get a pretty good Wi-fi signal around the house. But some people can't, i know a couple of people who can't get wi-fi in parts of their accommodation, due to the building materials or the size of the property.

This is why the other half decided to do a wired network in her house, and we decided that fibre was the best way to go. Also installed a Tp-link mesh system, for phones and tablets.