Mesh kits promise “Wi-Fi everywhere, one name, zero drops,” but the magic only happens if you set the stage correctly. Run through this quick list before you click “buy” or drill holes in the drywall.
1. Start with the right pack
– One-pack = upgrade your main router only.
– Two-pack = flats and single-storey homes ≤ 100 m².
– Three-pack or more = multi-floor, L-shaped, thick brick or garden office.
2. Same family = same brain
Buy nodes that share the same chipset and firmware. Mixing brands is possible only if every box shouts “EasyMesh” on the spec sheet, but even then you lose vendor-only tricks like one-click pairing or dedicated back-haul radios. When in doubt, stay in the same model line (e.g., COMFAST CF-WR631AX V3 throughout).
3. Map the cable first, wireless second
Best performance: run one Ethernet cable from the main LAN port to each satellite. This “wired back-haul” keeps full speed and frees the radios for your phones.
No cable? Keep wireless hops to one wall or floor; signal between nodes should read ≥ –70 dBm in the router dashboard. Kitchen microwaves and baby monitors count as walls too.
4. Node placement rule of thumb
– Height: chest level or higher, never on the floor.
– Distance: ≤ 15 m and no more than two plasterboard walls apart.
– Sight-line: if you can see the node from the place you need coverage, the radio can probably see you back.
5. Use the same passport everywhere
One SSID, one password, one security mode (WPA2/WPA3). Let the controller—built into the main router—handle channels, band steering and client roaming. Resist the urge to give the 5 GHz band a different name; seamless roaming dies the moment users must “choose” a network.
6. Power-up order matters
1) Connect main router to modem and get internet working.
2) Add nodes one at a time; power on closest node first, let it go solid blue, then the next.
3) Finally, update firmware on every unit before you declare victory.
Do it once, do it right, and the only time you’ll remember you have Wi-Fi is when you leave the house.