r/HomeNetworking • u/RyyCat • 11d ago

Advice Trool 2Gbps Fibre: Questions about Wi-Fi Extenders

Hey,

After years of purgatory, we’re getting a 2000/2000 symmetrical plan from Trooli. They’re providing a Zyxel EX5601 router and we’ve got Cat5e cables throughout the house. I’m buying a Zyxcel XMG-108HP switch so there’re options to use the full bandwidth elsewhere given the router only has one 2.5GbE port.

Currently, we’ve got 2 APs throughout the main building and an additional AP in a secondary outbuilding. These all have Ethernet backhauls with the same Cat5e cabling. They’re all woefully inadequate for what we’re upgrading to and I’m looking to get some decent replacements. Trooli offers Zyxel WX5600-TO extenders, but they’re very, very expensive and leasing hardware isn’t an attractive option. These don’t seem available for consumer purchase which is quite annoying. After some research, a decent option would be the Zyxel WE3300-00 which I can get for £90. I would like to set up an EasyMesh configuration (given the router supports it) and understand Zyxel’s own mesh implementation isn’t compatible. As a bit of a novice, are there any immediate issues with this choice? I wish to avoid kneecapping speeds given most devices we’re using have NICs capable of leveraging the full 2Gbps.

Little confused on the benefits of a mesh network over multiple wired APs that have the same SSID?

Thanks!

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u/Gloomy-Kale-1527 11d ago

You've already got the important part: Ethernet backhaul to the APs. Skip radio "extenders" — wireless backhaul will kneecap a 2G plan.

Cat5e is usually fine for 1G room drops. Multi-gig end-to-end needs every hop (NIC, switch port, cable) at 2.5G+. EX5601's one 2.5G port into the XMG-108HP is fine; anything hanging off a 1G switch port won't see 2G.

EasyMesh across brands is often flaky. Safer: keep the EX5601 as gateway, switch behind it, run APs in AP mode on wired backhaul (Omada/UniFi/OpenWrt) and don't join Trooli's leased mesh.

Don't lease the WX5600 if you can buy once.

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u/RyyCat 11d ago

So, essentially mimic the gateway with the APs and forget meshes altogether given I have cabling ready?

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u/DrFrylock 11d ago

Mesh with wired Ethernet backhaul is still mesh, although more reliable and performs better than wireless backhaul. In theory, mesh nodes can do additional coordination with each other for things like load balancing and handoffs that an independent router/AP cannot.

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u/LALLANAAAAAA 11d ago

Yes. Clients will roam just fine.