Wi-Fi & connectivity

[Scott101]

Hello! I am moving into a new home in two weeks and have a blank slate to build my home network.

Currently I live in a studio apartment where a single wireless router covers everything. I will be moving to a 2500 sq ft home with 4 floors. Each floor has one RJ45 jack. All my important devices will be plugged in via Ethernet, but I will still need a wireless network for phones, tablets, smart devices, guests, etc.

I have been lurking on here for a consensus on what hardware to go with, but it seems to fluctuate a lot. My goal is to put together something that I can initially set up and then is low maintenance once turned up. A “set it and forget it” if you will. Initially, I wanted to go with a router, switch, and APs. However, there seems to be performance issues with both Ubiquiti and Omada (mostly with the controllers). Should I mix and match? Would a consumer “mesh” just be the easier solution?

If you were in my situation and starting fresh, what equipment would use of the categories listed below:

Router

POE Switch

Wireless APs

Controller (Optional)

OR

“Wireless Mesh” solution (must have wired connectivity between each other)

Thanks in advance!

[DBDukes]

@Scott101 

For my mother's house -- first built in 1956, added on in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, etc. -- it was a networking nightmare. Walls that used to be outside walls now in the middle of the house. All kind of wiring to different standards. I tried many different solutions. I finally achieved good full house coverage with a mesh network. I only tried Google WiFi (now called Nest WiFi I think), but I expect the other major ones would work just as well as it did.

Yes, it cost a little more to replace everything, but she was happy when it was all said and done.

[MilesT]

Ethernet jack on each floor? Lots of options for an inexpensive reliable solution.

Cheap devices which can be set up as WiFi access point bridges plugged into each jack may be enough (although fiddly to set up..different SSID/password per floor, or same SSID/password but different WiFi channels). Ideally a bridge with 2+ RH45 ports so you can also hardwire per floor to other devices, direct into bridge AP or via a hub/switch. Can also make cheap secondhand WiFi routers work in a similar way.

I have a Roku streambar with wired connection into a cheap comfast bridge (2.4ghz/5ghz/300mbs, 2 ports) with a wired connection to router* on another floor, works great for me, but I don't need 1000baseT network speed, 100baseT is faster than incoming broadband.  Recommend using Roku devices which can accept a hardwired connection. (*actually connected to a Samknows internet performance survey device, downstream from VDSL router running at 75mbs)

Some floors will need a hub/switch to make one RJ45 into multiples.