My Airtel broadband router is on the first floor, but the Wi‑Fi signal is almost unusable on the ground floor. I'm considering buying a Wi‑Fi 6 mesh system and connecting a node to the router with Ethernet on the ground floor. Would using just one additional mesh unit work, or would I need two units and use the existing broadband router only as the internet gateway? Also, what advantages does solid copper Ethernet cable have over copper-clad aluminium (CCA), and would a 250 Mbps connection be enough to comfortably stream 4K video on a ground-floor TV?
3 Answers
Yes, a single additional access point or mesh node connected by Ethernet can work well for the ground floor. Ideally, use a system that supports access-point mode, disable the router’s Wi‑Fi, and let the new system handle wireless coverage. A two-node mesh is useful if you also want seamless roaming and better coverage across both floors, but it isn’t mandatory if one wired unit covers the ground floor.
A 250 Mbps broadband connection is more than enough for 4K streaming; many services use roughly 15–30 Mbps, though extra capacity helps prevent buffering when other devices are active. The bigger issue will be the signal quality between the ground-floor node and the TV. A wired connection to the node, or Ethernet directly to the TV if possible, should provide the most reliable result.
Solid copper Ethernet is generally preferable to CCA. It has better conductivity, is more durable when cables are bent or moved, and works more reliably with power over Ethernet. CCA is cheaper but is more brittle and may not perform as well over longer runs, so use proper solid-copper Cat5e or Cat6 cable for a permanent installation.
That clears it up—my connection is 250 Mbps, so I’ll look for a wired access-point or mesh setup rather than assuming I need several units.