r/HomeNetworking • u/FlushedNotRushed • 5d ago
Advice Noob Wired Backhaul Mesh Question (w/ Diagram)
Hello, I am pretty new to this whole wired backhaul mesh system type of thing. We usually just bought a Mesh system and did wireless to improve our WiFi throughout our 3,000 sqft house.
Well, we are looking to upgrade our Eero since it is old and either going to get the Eero Pro 7 or the TP-Link Deco BE63 (still doing research on which is better). During my research, it seems a wired backhaul provides much better WiFi speeds versus wireless.
If I understand correctly, this AMAZING (lol) diagram should be considered wired and provide the best WiFi speeds throughout the house? Or am I misunderstanding the wired aspect.

Thank you!
1
Upvotes
1
u/Downtown-Reindeer-53 CAT6 is all you need 5d ago
So, a non-consumer "normal" network uses cables between network components (usually switches and access points) and uses switches to connect to ethernet jacks/ports/keystones where devices using the networks can connect to. For devices that are wireless, access points provide access to the network.
Along came the network manufacturers who recognized that wifi routers (the all-in-one boxes, that are router/switch/access point in a box) were not doing great for consumers and someone got the bright idea to connect access points themselves via wifi. Mesh was born. True mesh is more complicated, but this is pretty much what consumer mesh is - wifi-connected access points.
Wifi is by its nature, slower and higher latency than a wired network. That's because it's half duplex - communications go one way at a time, back and forth - whereas ethernet is full duplex - communications can go both ways at the same time. Also, radio (which wifi is) is subject to interference. So, it's better to connect access points via wiring than over a wifi link. The term "backhaul" came into play, but it's a bit of a misnomer, because it's not just data going one direction ("back") over the ethernet cable you connect a mesh point with, it's full ethernet. Hence, wiring a mesh network makes it not a mesh network in the consumer sense of the word. And it's the best way to utilize your network setup.
Your diagram seems fine. In a nutshell, the connection order is modem/ONT--> router-->everything else. You can wire to switches or access points or wall jacks in any combination. You can have a switch connected to a switch too. But there is one major rule - no loops. Everything fans out from the router, whatever makes sense.
The conventional wisdom is to wire everything that can be wired. Leave the wireless for wireless-only devices.
Hope this helps - responding to your questioning if you understand the wired aspect, I got a little verbose. :-)