Totally agree that mesh is the way to go. One thing to keep in mind with the brick veneer mentioned earlier: if Node 1 is in the garage, the signal has to punch through an external brick wall just to get to the rest of the house.
In that specific layout, the extra cash for WiFi 7 (like the Deco BE85 or BE65) actually makes sense. It uses MLO (Multi-Link Operation), which lets the nodes talk to each other across multiple bands at the same time. It’s way better at 'punching' through that first brick wall and the floor to reach the upstairs node without the speeds dropping off a cliff. WiFi 6E is great, but WiFi 7 is built for exactly this kind of 'obstacle course' layout.
I guess I am the only one voting Omada... I had the Deco BE22000 beasts. They worked great but extreme overkill for iPhones and iPad (Apple restricts you to 160Hz wide @ 5&6 GHz) although a ton of IoT. They were nice for laptops but not so much so that they were worth the cost, watts, and restricted VLAN... I grabbed a few EAP773's and VLAN support just works. Also, no more counter decor, lol. Price-wise wise there are half the cost of the beasts for more AP's and wider coverage with the same speed at the end device for me. The controller works fine via Docker container, but could just as easily be the hardware box... It feels more complex due to the controller but it isn't really.
Yes, you will want to buy a mesh network that supports wired backhaul. Mesh on this sub usually refers to wireless backhaul connected nodes. However, when looking up products you will want to search for a mesh network. I use TP-Link Decos (3xBE63's and the main node is a BE85). I'm pretty happy with the performance. Others like Asus or Unify. Look up the features and reviews of each and decide. All of those options will allow you to have the same SSID and switch between nodes effortlessly.
2. You should install conduit during the remodel if possible. Continue connecting the nodes via ethernet backhaul. I'm a little unclear if you mean running new ethernet during the remodel or replacing old cables. In reality, Cat5e is great for most users and already supports PoE, so existing runs should be just fine!
3. I would considering upgrading your switches if you want greater speeds. Cat5e and Cat6 can support 2.5gbe and 10gbe respectively and is likely to be one of the bigger bottlenecks in your network. I'm not sure how many switches and ports you have, but the good news is 2.5gbe switches are fairly inexpensive! This really only applies if you're ISP plan speed is over 1 gig or you need a faster internal network like if you own a NAS.
I had a TP-Link BE85 setup before this and returned it because of constant disconnects which is a known issue with them. I felt like their speeds were higher than Eero but the disconnects and the complexity of three separate SSID’s versus a single one made Eero a better choice. Prior to that, I owned an AMPLIFI Alien setup that I really liked. One of my units started having issues and needed replaced after several years. AMPLIFI has decided not to continue supporting the Alien product anymore so that was stuck on WiFi 6. Before the AMPLIFI setup I owned a Linksys Velop system and it was absolute trash. I don’t think there is a such thing as a perfect mesh system because if there was I would have bought it. That being said, I am sharing the same frustrations as you with the recent firmware updates.
Well what do you want your home network to do...speed or range (coverage).
For faster network speed, there are several factors to consider. Your router, devices (i.e. pc, laptop, NAS drive or other devices that you want to commect to your 10 GB home Network)must be able to handle 10 GB), your internet cables need to category 6 or higher, your need your ports to be able to handle 10 GB...if it can only handle 1 GB, even if you purchase a 10 GB plan, your port will ONLY push in/out to a max of 1 GB. Remember the home network will only process data by default to its lowest speed. This means that even if you have a 10 GB plan but your internet cables can only handle 5 GB...you will NEVER get the full benefit of that 10 GB data flow. The same goes for your laptop or PC...it has to have NIC (Network Interface Card that is built inside your laptop or PC) that can handle 10 GB...if it can only handle 5 GB...then you may be paying for 10 GB but your system/network ca only handle 5 GB.
For range or coverage, you home physical layout is important...hard walls, electronic devices like microwave machines can interfere with your home network connectivity. This why you have to consider using a mesh router network or set up hard wired access points (nodes) which allow for LAN connection and is faster and more stable (no break in connection and lag).
I have a 5 GB plan with starhub and I can get up to 5 GB connection for upload and download between my router and my mini pc and my home NAS device (Terramaster which gives me a personal cloud of up 32 TB)...but apart from the the things I mentioned above that you need to have...I also use an OWC thunderbolt booster and a switch panel that has 8 ports where each port can handle 10 GB to connect to several devices.
Important to note that your high end routers wifi 7 have two 10 GB ports... is likely to have only one 10 GB ports...one for WAN and the other for LAN and they will have four 2.5 GbE ports...this is where you have a problem...because any devices connected to these 2.5 GbE ports will ONLY process up to 2.5 GbPS of data EVEN if you have a 10 GB data plan. Remember your home network will default to its lowest speed. This is why I needed to add a thunderbolt booster and a switch which had eight 10 GbE ports.
If all this sound complicated...it is. It took me a long time of experimenting and spending money wastefully to learn things the hard way. If you are a noob on home networking my advice is to get professional help. It is not expensive because I found a guy and he has helped me and another friend with our home network issues. If you are in Singapore, anyone interested can DM me and I will provide this guy's contact. He used to be tech support for an ISP until he went out and set up his own company. He will study your needs, look over your floor plans and recommend the right router configuration. He will even set up your home network for you. He did this for me for under $1 k ($800 was for a BE 22000 Deco TpLink dual mesh router) He fixed my friend's home network problem by connecting his audio devices to a NAS storage device in a 3 storey house for under $200.
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