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CarAnalogy

macrumors 601
Jun 9, 2021
4,401
8,038
While it seems logical do use the same SSID on all bands on the same AP, it often doesn't work that well. And I mean 2.4GHz in particular. Today that band is over occupied and in my experience, whenever a device switches over to 2.4GHz the performance drops even though the signal strength looks better. The 2.4GHz frequency band is over occupied with wifi (wireless mesh and or repeaters), bluetooth, thread, zigbee stuff and many other wireless devices.

I for one have limited the 2.4GHz wifi to single channel mode and is only in use for a few IoT devices that do not need high bandwidth anyway. This way the disturbance I get from neighbours is reduced. All the high bandwidth Mac's are on 5GHz.

Just like the 5GHz band was kind of empty 15 years ago, the 6GHz will probably be relatively empty for the coming 5 years. I'll wait a few years until I replace my Zyxel WAX650S, when the 5GHz becomes overcrowded too. Maybe when wifi 8 is introduced? 😉

I haven’t tried to go 5GHz only for a while, might try again. There’s always one pesky old device that it turns out I still need. Lowest common denominator wins again.
 

Powerbooky

macrumors demi-god
Mar 15, 2008
603
502
Europe
I haven’t tried to go 5GHz only for a while, might try again. There’s always one pesky old device that it turns out I still need. Lowest common denominator wins again.

Yes, especially the stuff like e-readers and robot vacuums. I still have 2.4GHz in use, but again it has its own SSID and is limited to single channel (20MHz). All the rest is in the 5GHz band or direct on ethernet.
 
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CarAnalogy

macrumors 601
Jun 9, 2021
4,401
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Yes, especially the stuff like e-readers and robot vacuums. I still have 2.4GHz in use, but again it has its own SSID and is limited to single channel (20MHz). All the rest is in the 5GHz band or direct on ethernet.

Good point actually, I forgot last time I re-arranged I put all that stuff on the guest network anyway.
 

CarAnalogy

macrumors 601
Jun 9, 2021
4,401
8,038

In my experience, in a not particularly wifi congested area, I didn't find it to be much better than using a repeater. The latency added was slightly less but it noticeably reduced my bandwidth. Plugged the exact same AP into wired backhaul and it works so much better.

This was on an Eero system that doesn't give you any options, but it confirmed in the app that it was using mesh.
 
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d5aqoëp

macrumors 68000
Feb 9, 2016
1,685
2,886
Yeah Wi-Fi 6E is like just a stop gap to Wi-Fi 7.
I heard some brands already released routers for it.
Wifi7 is currently busted on all Wifi7 routers available on the market. Most of the routers don't support MLO (Multi-Link Operation) and even Intel BE200 m.2 modules available on aliexpress and mouser don't have MLO support in latest drivers. Hell, Wifi7 standard itself is not finalized so no point in testing beta stuff. Hopefully things improve by fall next year when Apple launches Wifi7 products and router companies throw existing wifi7 router users under the bus and force them to buy newer Certified devices. Wonderful world we live in. 😆
 

matrix07

macrumors G3
Jun 24, 2010
8,226
4,893
In my experience, in a not particularly wifi congested area, I didn't find it to be much better than using a repeater. The latency added was slightly less but it noticeably reduced my bandwidth. Plugged the exact same AP into wired backhaul and it works so much better.

This was on an Eero system that doesn't give you any options, but it confirmed in the app that it was using mesh.
I used to use the small AirPort as an extender. Works really well.
 

metalsiren

macrumors 6502a
Oct 28, 2017
897
1,601
Wifi7 is currently busted on all Wifi7 routers available on the market. Most of the routers don't support MLO (Multi-Link Operation) and even Intel BE200 m.2 modules available on aliexpress and mouser don't have MLO support in latest drivers. Hell, Wifi7 standard itself is not finalized so no point in testing beta stuff. Hopefully things improve by fall next year when Apple launches Wifi7 products and router companies throw existing wifi7 router users under the bus and force them to buy newer Certified devices. Wonderful world we live in. 😆
lol yea always happens. I mean “technically “ the hardware revisions for wifi7 are done so don’t think the hardware will change but no 100% guarantee I mean with 8011n it was a disaster because the hardware changed and home devices had to get replaced. With the specs after it was better like 6 and 6e they came out first and I don’t think the hardware had to be replaced but I could be wrong.

Mesh is a good option for people if they don’t mind the 1/2 throughout hit on each hop. (I mean with devices like Cisco it’s not as bad a half but good rule of thumb). I just paid for a guy to run a home Ethernet run for the upstairs AP. I stopped using home stuff long time ago

Better off using separate AP with router like UniFi
 
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Onelifenofear

macrumors 6502a
Feb 20, 2019
728
1,386
London
Best 6E mesh router?

generally, Unifi and their Access Points.

Problem is some are better in certain houses than other... it's all down to the building construction and materials. I've tried TP-Link, Orbi, Tenda, Amplifi, Velop and in my last house Velop worked great....and the others didn't ( hadn't tried amplify by then ) and in the new house it's not so good... but Amplifi is awesome.

I am now in the process of switching to proper Unifi with the 6e Enterprise Access Points and some of the other door stuff.

Mainly as it can run a load of VLANs and it's easy to manage a HomeKit smart home network with it.

Short Answer Try Amplifi...
 

Onelifenofear

macrumors 6502a
Feb 20, 2019
728
1,386
London
Do these new WiFi standards really make a difference? I mean, if you are serious about network speed you’ll (have to) use ethernet anyway.

Well the main point is are you going to notice really?

1 Gb connections are common now... but that's more than most islands have for hundreds of homes...

it's about 40x 4K Streams of video!

I ustilise it for Work due to video and 3d animation work... but other than that it's overkill for pretty much any web viewing etc. 100mb is still great for most people.
 
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foobarbaz

macrumors 6502a
Nov 29, 2007
896
2,152
While it seems logical do use the same SSID on all bands on the same AP, it often doesn't work that well. And I mean 2.4GHz in particular. Today that band is over occupied and in my experience, whenever a device switches over to 2.4GHz the performance drops even though the signal strength looks better. The 2.4GHz frequency band is over occupied with wifi (wireless mesh and or repeaters), bluetooth, thread, zigbee stuff and many other wireless devices.

I for one have limited the 2.4GHz wifi to single channel mode and is only in use for a few IoT devices that do not need high bandwidth anyway. This way the disturbance I get from neighbours is reduced. All the high bandwidth Mac's are on 5GHz.
I absolutely second this, at least when living in a dense urban environment. 5GHz covers my entire apartment but blocks most neighborhood networks, so it's super stable even though 2.4GHz theoretically has better range. The neighbor's network also get the higher range and thus it always ends up sharing the bandwidth.

Even HomePods started working better in 5GHz-only. And I feel better having a separate password I can put into those small iot devices.

But when I get 6GHz, I'll probably try throwing 5 and 6 together into one SSID, though.
 
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Devnul0

macrumors regular
May 28, 2018
222
324
Greater Boston
Almost every HomeKit device in my house runs on 2.4GHz only. Wall switches, controllable outlets, even the doorbell. Adding such devices, still sold this way today, to HomeKit requires either going to every Wi-Fi base station and temporarily disabling the 5GHz (and upcoming 6GHz) radios, or the more logical approach of using a separate SSID. I do the latter, and will continue to do so. Putting everything on the same SSID … not going to happen.
 

Harry Haller

Suspended
Oct 31, 2023
566
1,255
I just upgraded to wifi 6 from 802.11n last year.. It'll probably be another decade until I look at 6e, or 7.

Upgrading routers is like buying a water heater. What a hassle.

I must have the luck of the Irish.
Three routers over the years, 2 pc and the latest for Mac and all have been a breeze.
 

tfresquezdxs

macrumors regular
May 21, 2019
122
182
East Coast, USA
The way apple implentmented 6E is confusing. It you have the radio SSID separate, apple devices tend to not scan for them or even seen them until you wait for an extra period of time before the 6G shows up and even then you cant connect to it always, meanwhile a 6E android and windows computer connect to it all the time consistently.
 
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SuperCachetes

macrumors 65816
Nov 28, 2010
1,236
1,115
Away from you
My humble suggestion is to not use mesh if you can avoid it. Use MoCA adapters to take advantage of the coaxial cable you probably already have, or go to the trouble once to run a network cable.

Having said that, if you really want to or have to go mesh, then either TP-Link or Eero probably have the best.
Just bought a TP-Link mesh system and really like it. It is much better (and cheaper) than the Netgear Orbi setup it replaced. Happened to go with a 6E variant, only because it came with a 2.5G ethernet connection. No 6E devices in the house, so I am using the 6gHz band as the dedicated wireless backhaul between router/satellite. No complaints at all.
 

CarAnalogy

macrumors 601
Jun 9, 2021
4,401
8,038
I absolutely second this, at least when living in a dense urban environment. 5GHz covers my entire apartment but blocks most neighborhood networks, so it's super stable even though 2.4GHz theoretically has better range. The neighbor's network also get the higher range and thus it always ends up sharing the bandwidth.

Even HomePods started working better in 5GHz-only. And I feel better having a separate password I can put into those small iot devices.

But when I get 6GHz, I'll probably try throwing 5 and 6 together into one SSID, though.

One of the improvements with 6E I believe and definitely with 7, is supposed to be that APs that aren't on the same network can still talk to each other and mutually negotiate better power levels and channel distributions.

Right now it's like a crowded lunchroom with everyone just getting louder and louder to be heard at all. If everyone could just agree to speak quietly it would work better for everyone.
 

metalsiren

macrumors 6502a
Oct 28, 2017
897
1,601
The way apple implentmented 6E is confusing. It you have the radio SSID separate, apple devices tend to not scan for them or even seen them until you wait for an extra period of time before the 6G shows up and even then you cant connect to it always, meanwhile a 6E android and windows computer connect to it all the time consistently.
yea it seems apple taks a little but longer but for me nothing to significant. I mean all devices should scan 24,5,6 (PSC Only) in that order. for 6E there are to many 20 mh channels so they only scan select channels, so i fyour device base channel is not a PSC channel it will be an issue. if the base is not a PSC channel , it will take longer to see because the AP has to steer it to the 6
 
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CarAnalogy

macrumors 601
Jun 9, 2021
4,401
8,038
I must have the luck of the Irish.
Three routers over the years, 2 pc and the latest for Mac and all have been a breeze.

Just depends whether you're more familiar with water heaters or wifi hardware. I've been lucky enough to have not much trouble with either. Just putting in a new one always seems to do the trick.
 

metalsiren

macrumors 6502a
Oct 28, 2017
897
1,601
One of the improvements with 6E I believe and definitely with 7, is supposed to be that APs that aren't on the same network can still talk to each other and mutually negotiate better power levels and channel distributions.

Right now it's like a crowded lunchroom with everyone just getting louder and louder to be heard at all. If everyone could just agree to speak quietly it would work better for everyone.
This happens even with wifi 4,5,6 etc as long as the system can do it. Cisco calls it Auto RF but you need systems like that that can analyze the data and tell the AP to adjust. wifi 6e uses something called BSS Coloring which allows it to basically transmit in the same channel if the other detected network has a different color (numerical ID)
 
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CarAnalogy

macrumors 601
Jun 9, 2021
4,401
8,038
yea it seems apple taks a little but longer but for me nothing to significant. I mean all devices should scan 24,5,6 (PSC Only) in that order. for 6E there are to many 20 mh channels so they only scan select channels, so i fyour device base channel is not a PSC channel it will be an issue. if the base is not a PSC channel , it will take longer to see because the AP has to steer it to the 6

Which probably explains why they complain about there not being a 5GHz SSID.
 

CarAnalogy

macrumors 601
Jun 9, 2021
4,401
8,038
This happens even with wifi 4,5,6 etc as long as the system can do it. Cisco calls it Auto RF but you need systems like that that can analyze the data and tell the AP to adjust.

Yeah I've seen those settings before but they all seem to do their own scanning and decide on their own still. I believe it was something along the lines of color coding they call it on the newer versions. I'll have to look up the details but the negotiation between unrelated devices is supposed to be further improved.
 
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