BT Whole Home WiFi Mesh Network – one for network bods

What makes the BT Whole Home WiFi better than multiple independent WAPs (Wireless Access Points)? E.g. 2 BT Whole Home discs vs. 2 WAPs connected to the same router by ethernet (or ethernet over powerline).

Is there some sort of intelligent handover as you move from one BT disc to another, which 2 WAPs won’t have?

Is there some sort of intelligent handover as you move from one BT disc to another, which 2 WAPs won’t have?

Yeah I think so. I’ve never used a WAP domestically but I have (a set of three) of the BT whole home routers and the handover between discs is seemless (ooh super cheap on Amazon atm). I wished I’d got one of the Linksys or Netgear alternatives but price won out.

Is there some sort of intelligent handover as you move from one BT disc to another, which 2 WAPs won’t have?

I don’t have the BT one (have Orbi), but yes – they act as one network and handoff to each other seamlessly*.

*Or so I don’t notice anyway – it’s not often I’ll walk down to the garage or between floors whilst streaming something

Mesh networks work by having the same SSID available on all access points and then your client devices will connect to whichever access point is giving the best signal. If you move to another room and therefore begin to get a better signal from a different access point the client device will seamlessly connect to that new access point.

Separate non mesh access points work differently. The client device will connect to the first access point it finds and will stay connected until the signal completely drops out. It will then connect to a new ap (assuming it can find a signal) but any services you were using during that time will be disrupted, ie its not a seamless transition.

I think that two different things are being confused here, but Wifi infrastructure really isn’t my strong point, so please correct me if I’m wrong.

Mesh network: The base stations communicate with each other on a peer-to-peer basis wirelessly.

Roaming network: Multiple access points are part of the same WiFi network (SSID) and clients should connect to the strongest signal and transfer seamlessly (in theory). These could be wired together of part of a mesh network.

All I know is that we went from an Apple linked WAP system (Airport Extremes) to a Google WiFi mesh system as the difference was night and day – with the latter being the best by far.

I was looking into this just a few days back. Essentially the advantages are seamless switching between the nodes as they all use the same SSID. The other advantage is speeds – especially compared to a Wifi ‘booster’. Boosters halve the speed due to the way they connect, whereas mesh networks give full speed everywhere they are connected. Or at least that’s the gist of what I got when looking at various reviews.

Sounds like you’re onto something Toby. I think the BT system is both a mesh network and a roaming network.

Mesh network: The base stations communicate with each other on a peer-to-peer basis wirelessly.
Roaming network: Multiple access points are part of the same WiFi network (SSID) and clients should connect to the strongest signal and transfer seamlessly (in theory). These could be wired together of part of a mesh network.

There are only mesh networks. Roaming is what happens to the client on a mesh network. Both of your description are mesh networks.

Might also be worth pointing out, that as many have said mesh networks use the same ssid on all ap`s. That does not mean if you set the same ssid on separate wifi aps that it will act like a mesh network.

I agree that setting the same SSID on more than one AP does not magically make roaming.

However there are APs which offer roaming where the access points are connected via Ethernet cables. The UniFi range, for example

might just be coming up for air here not a network bod but have a TP Deco Mesh set up – yes single SSID and just hands over does some smart internal reconfigure works very well – only downside was the area covered should have worked well within stated for pack of 4 all good positions and thin walls but very so so in some locations – bought 2 more and wow this is great ….to the punchline sort of….. I notice the TP deco app has an option called Fast Roaming IEEE 802.11r seamless switching – has a warning if turned on will f’off old non compliant devices – so non nerd standard seamless roaming and fast seamless roaming depending what people walk in with and how you configure

However there are APs which offer roaming where the access points are connected via Ethernet cables. The UniFi range, for example

Technically correct, but to the end user the only difference is how it handles the backhaul.

However there are APs which offer roaming where the access points are connected via Ethernet cables. The UniFi range, for example

Most Enterprise wLAN works like this, with a central controller engine for rules etc.

The benefits of seemless handover vs. multi WAPs with the same SSID and key are a bit overblown for home use. How often do you roam between signal areas and need to maintain a session… Voice over Wifi (as mobile signal replacement) is about the most useful thing I can think of that might break without proper handovers. I’ve run on 3 APs with the same SSID and key backhauled over mains adaptors as it works well enough and was really cheap to do. This may be down to how iOS handles connecting to different strength APs, might be hopeless for Android, not tried it.

The benefits of seemless handover vs. multi WAPs with the same SSID and key are a bit overblown for home use. How often do you roam between signal areas and need to maintain a session… Voice over Wifi (as mobile signal replacement) is about the most useful thing I can think of that might break without proper handovers. I’ve run on 3 APs with the same SSID and key backhauled over mains adaptors as it works well enough and was really cheap to do. This may be down to how iOS handles connecting to different strength APs, might be hopeless for Android, not tried it.

Have you checked to see which ap you are connected to and when? With the setup you are describing there are no handovers, let alone seemless ones. There will only be disconnects and reconnects. And the client os will make no difference.

However exactly it works I don’t particularly care, but in practice the BT Whole Home system is giving me about double the internet speed that I had using just the router with additional coverage through wifi extenders. Also so far in several months it has worked perfectly, whereas before I would regular lose internet, or the Sonos system would not work because it had somehow lost wifi connection. Everything just works now!

After this thread https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/wi-fi-extenders-dame-or-different-ssids/

I bought these – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07CTKHRG8

All my network woes are history 🙂

How does the BT mesh work with connectivity between them? Does it involve wires between them, or is it a repeater (and if so, how does it avoid halving the signal)?

Parents have been asking about it having seen the adverts and complaining of dead spots in the house. I need something really simple for them and not costly. Wiring would be beyond them. Though I could do it myself, but there’s a reluctance to have visible wires along skirting boards etc.

Was thinking of a Powerline extender, though if BT have something simple and given they’re on BT, then that could be an easy option.

Roaming between them with same SSID also makes it easier for them instead of having to configure another access point on devices.

Have you checked to see which ap you are connected to and when? With the setup you are describing there are no handovers, let alone seemless ones. There will only be disconnects and reconnects. And the client os will make no difference.

To agree with brassneck – I have no idea how it works, or what it is technically doing, but I have multiple Apple Airports with the same SSID connected via powerlink adaptors and as I wander about the house I can see the device transferring between access points without a noticeable drop in connection at any point.

How does the BT mesh work with connectivity between them? Does it involve wires between them, or is it a repeater (and if so, how does it avoid halving the signal)?

Cant speak specifically about the BT system, but a decent system will use a different range for the backhaul. That way it doesn’t effect the “speed” or “half the signal” as you say.

To agree with brassneck – I have no idea how it works, or what it is technically doing, but I have multiple Apple Airports with the same SSID connected via powerlink adaptors and as I wander about the house I can see the device transferring between access points without a noticeable drop in connection at any point.

Its the same as the Unifi that Toby mentioned above. Its a simple mesh or roaming network that uses ethernet for the backhaul. Its not relying on any Apple wizardry.
This is different to having standalone aps setup with the same ssid and key.

Just installed a Netgear Orbi system into my house. Wi-Fi performance has dramatically changed and I only have a router and one satellite. You can see which devices are connected to teh router or satellite but from the users perspective there is a single SSID running on both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. Just need to move all the devices to teh new network and then I’ll turn the Virgin hub WI-FI off.

Just got the BT System. Comes with router and 1 disc. Didn’t quite give enough signal to the disc in the garage, so requested another (upto 2 additional discs for free), and the additional disk repeats to the garage (it sits in between the router and the garage). No wires needed.

You can also see how each device is connected through the system. So much easier going out to the garage and wifi follows, rather than having to re-connect to the powerline wifi extender.