Modern wired access point with mesh wifi capability

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ScreenDazed

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#323594 19-Dec-2025 13:14

In my 2 story home I'm looking to replace my downstairs wifi network as the old router/access point there has died. I was using it in a bridging type mode, connected via RJ45/ethernet cable back to the main (spark supplied) HG659 router upstairs. The HG659 provides upstairs wifi cover and is near the ONT (it also feeds a switch and a few other wired connections to rooms and main TV).

On wifi, we did have some annoyance with switching between 2 wifi networks, so I'm keen to try a mesh-style system, but I really only need 1 node, and I would like to keep using an ethernet point downstairs for the link back to the HG659 to maintain speed and reduce interference etc.

I saw the Netgear EAX12 access point/extender says it works with your existing router as a mesh system, and it has a gig ethernet port which I assume could provide the link to the HG659. If that last point is correct then it seems like a good option for my needs? Or is there another more cost effective set up or other gear from the modern era that people would recommend?

Thanks

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#3445609 19-Dec-2025 13:37

Most of the recent mesh devices I've come across will allow you to "extend" the network via Cable rather than the mesh network.....

noroad

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#3445611 19-Dec-2025 13:41

Here you go, assuming you want Wifi 7 - https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/NETGSM26124/Grandstream-GWN7670-BE3600-Dual-Band-4-Stream-Wi-F

ScreenDazed

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#3445613 19-Dec-2025 13:44

wellygary:

Most of the recent mesh devices I've come across will allow you to "extend" the network via Cable rather than the mesh network.....

Thanks - just checking my grip on the terminology, "extend" meaning I would still end up with a second wifi network?

ScreenDazed

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#3445615 19-Dec-2025 13:57

noroad:

Here you go, assuming you want Wifi 7 - https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/NETGSM26124/Grandstream-GWN7670-BE3600-Dual-Band-4-Stream-Wi-F

I can't tell from the product description if it will create a wifi mesh with other gear i.e. my HG659? I'm also not sure if my ethernet switch delivers PoE (will have to check my switch tonight).
- Yes Wifi 7 would be useful for the future, thanks!

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#3445617 19-Dec-2025 14:10

ScreenDazed:

wellygary:

Most of the recent mesh devices I've come across will allow you to "extend" the network via Cable rather than the mesh network.....

Thanks - just checking my grip on the terminology, "extend" meaning I would still end up with a second wifi network?

Depends what you configure it with. The need for a separate SSID doesnt happen when you are using wired backhaul to a repeater operating as an accesspoint, but you will still be at the mercy of the device deciding which one to connect to.

IMO disable the router wireless or give it a different name and use the same brand and series of devices for all your accesspoints.

Richard rich.ms

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#3445625 19-Dec-2025 15:29

its not going to work how you think its going to work by buying ony a single device, devices wont roam smoothly between differing brands of equipment. you want to buy 2x mesh devices and disable to Wi-Fi on your router.

it will be one Wi-Fi network for the whole house and devices should swap between access points all by themselves.

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#3445720 19-Dec-2025 16:17

I can't tell from the product description if it will create a wifi mesh with other gear i.e. my HG659? I'm also not sure if my ethernet switch delivers PoE (will have to check my switch tonight).
- Yes Wifi 7 would be useful for the future, thanks!

These are enterprise AP's with a built in controller. You end up with one network (with as many wifi ssid's as you see fit) and your devices roam in between as controlled by the master AP. You disable the wireless on your gateway router. They can be connected both to the ethernet switch or via wireless mesh if you don't have ethernet in between (not as good)

These AP's have 2.5G ethernet but can also run at 1G if desired. If you don't know if your switch is a POE switch it likely is not. So to power the AP's via the ethernet cable you need something like this - https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/NETGSM690100/Grandstream-GSPoE-GS-POE15W-MG-15W-25-GigE-PoE-Inj or https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/IPHGSM402554/Grandstream-GWN7700P-5-Port-Gigabit-Unmanaged-PoE or https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/IPHGSM1108/Grandstream-GWN7700MP-6-Port-25G-Unmanaged-PoE-Swi

noroad

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#3445723 19-Dec-2025 16:26

wellygary:

Most of the recent mesh devices I've come across will allow you to "extend" the network via Cable rather than the mesh network.....

The mesh part of the description means the AP's mesh and work together to form one wireless network as far as the clients are concerned. In general mesh routers will connect by either/or ethernet and wifi (and data over power in some cases). If there is ethernet they will talk to each other via that, otherwise as long as they are in range they can use wifi to form the mesh. Using wifi to form the mesh is ok but speed and reliability is reduced compared to ethernet as the traffic needs to be re transmitted over the wifi more than once. Consumer mesh systems like the tp-link deco can also act as the gateway router, i.e. one of the mesh devices is allocated as the master and it becomes both the gateway router and the master access point. The OP specifically asked for "wired access points" however and these generally are only used as the AP, not the gateway.

ScreenDazed

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#3445782 19-Dec-2025 22:12

Great I appreciate the explanations thanks. It sounds well worth it for the performance and experience (and less grief!) to get a pair of matched access points. I'm looking at going for something self-powered like the Deco be 25 since my switch still works fine but is not PoE -

Deco-BE25

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#3445796 19-Dec-2025 23:20

ScreenDazed:

Great I appreciate the explanations thanks. It sounds well worth it for the performance and experience (and less grief!) to get a pair of matched access points. I'm looking at going for something self-powered like the Deco be 25 since my switch still works fine but is not PoE -

Deco-BE25

The Deco BE25 is an excellent choice and can also replace the gateway router. This simplifies everything and makes things "just work".

freitasm

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#3445824 20-Dec-2025 08:17

wellygary:

Most of the recent mesh devices I've come across will allow you to "extend" the network via Cable rather than the mesh network.....

Not sure where this comes from and I think it's not really how it works. A mesh network can be extended either via ethernet or Wi-Fi itself (sometimes using an ununsed band). In both cases, if the devices are all of the same brand then a central device will control the network settings across all devices. That's the mesh.

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#3445825 20-Dec-2025 08:22

Regarding the mesh idea you have, are you using one LAN only at home?

My router allows me to define multiple VLANs, so I have different segments, for security and performance purposes. One Primary for our computers and phones, an IoT segment for cameras and other devices, a Streaming network for TV and streaming sticks.

Since I also wanted to reduce interference and usage, I made the IoT network 2.4 GHz only. I made the Primary network 5 GHz only using the first 5 GHz band, and I made the Streaming network 5 GHz only, using the second 5 GHz band.

This way I can reduce traffic on each band and avoid devices switching between bands, which seemed to cause problems, mainly with IoT devices with some not robust network stack.

Roaming between access points still work fine in this scenario.

Of course your network will be different, depending on the router and mesh network you use.

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#3445826 20-Dec-2025 08:26

freitasm:

wellygary:

Most of the recent mesh devices I've come across will allow you to "extend" the network via Cable rather than the mesh network.....

Not sure where this comes from and I think it's not really how it works. A mesh network can be extended either via ethernet or Wi-Fi itself (sometimes using an ununsed band). In both cases, if the devices are all of the same brand then a central device will control the network settings across all devices. That's the mesh.

That's right. But it has been recognised that a cable can also be beneficial for a mesh network. Fritzboxes work much more reliably and faster with them (e.g. across three floors, if the ‘unused channel’ from the bottom to the top floor is connected by cable and the middle floor is connected to both via WiFi).

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freitasm

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#3445827 20-Dec-2025 08:26

ScreenDazed:

I saw the Netgear EAX12 access point/extender says it works with your existing router as a mesh system, and it has a gig ethernet port which I assume could provide the link to the HG659. If that last point is correct then it seems like a good option for my needs? Or is there another more cost effective set up or other gear from the modern era that people would recommend?

I have the impression this is a Wi-Fi extender, and they call it "mesh" foir marketing purposes.

Wi-Fi extenders connect to your existing network over Wi-Fi, using the same band as every other device uses. Also, Wi-Fi extenders are seen by the router as just another Wi-Fi device, so there's no effective control from the router.

This means Wi-Fi extenders are basically consuming the bandwidth on your network, reducing capacity for everyone else.

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ScreenDazed

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#3446024 20-Dec-2025 16:01

freitasm:

Regarding the mesh idea you have, are you using one LAN only at home?

My router allows me to define multiple VLANs, so I have different segments, for security and performance purposes. One Primary for our computers and phones, an IoT segment for cameras and other devices, a Streaming network for TV and streaming sticks.

Only one LAN (wired), but two WiFi networks if that's what is meant? However, looking at it as a plumber might(!), I ran 3 cables from the ports on the HG659 to my highest use cases (4k TVs, downstairs extender) and the 4th to the switch, which I figure could get more congested as it feeds 5 other room ports (rarely used currently). A more explicit prioritisation using vlan would be a good idea with the new setup.

I was thinking to keep the HG659 (with WiFi off) because it offers some extra ethernet ports for my LAN, and add the mesh devices in access point mode downstream. Could a new 'lead' access point run VLANs, or would it have to be done at the 'head' of the network by the HG659 (or by a new mesh unit as gateway if I ditch the 659)?

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