Whole Home Wifi System with Wired Parallel Network?

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mg8987

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Aug 1, 2017
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I'm looking into a whole home wifi system, possibly the BT whole home, or the Linksys Velop, or the Netgear Orbi. I also have a fair bit of hard-wired network throughout the house. I have had really trouble making wireless tech play nicely when adding an AP to other parts of the house via the wired network - both with and without the same SSID/password, the wireless devices always cling on far too long to the AP/router.
My question, which I had assumed wouldn't need to be asked, but now I'm not sure due to something I've read, is - will devices on the wifi system be able to file/printer share with wired devices or use my NAS/Plex server which is also wired?
My presumption had been that the router/modem (currently a BT smart hub) would maintain DHCP autonomy and everything would play nice, but I'm now wondering if the wifi system creates its own network.
Has someone had a play with these devices and do they know the answer? It's a fair investement if it's not going to work properly.
Thanks
Mike
 
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nigelivey

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Dec 6, 2011
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If the wireless system is connected to your wired network, on the same subnet and there is only one DHCP server they will all play nicely. Handoff between access points or wireless routers is handled by the host device not the routers/WAPs and indeed they will cling on unless you stop and restart the wireless service on the hosts. The only successful way around the issue is to invest in a commercial system with a controller $$$$$$$$ (Your different APs/wifi routers should all be on non overlapping channels not broadcasting on the same ones, having the same SSIDs is sometimes a pain as you can't see which base station you are connecting to).
 
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bill001g

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Aug 9, 2012
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I suspect if you mix systems like orbi with your current network you will end up with 2 networks. I do not think you can run those mesh devices as purely a AP network so you will have 2 routers in your network.

As you have found there is major issues with wifi moving between radios. This is a end device issue not a AP issue. I am not sure how the new mesh systems solve this issue with no changes to the end client. It can not be some magically great solution since nobody uses this solution in enterprise installations where money is not the limitation. The may use the same trick that companies like ubiquiti use and the AP will force a drop of the connection to that the end client searches for a better connection.

I am skeptical that these system really solve this problem especially when they are running as repeaters in addition to doing the AP function. But maybe I just have to study more but I am pretty sure they are not designed to co-exist with your existing network so you will likely have 2 networks.
 
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mg8987

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Aug 1, 2017
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Thanks for your suggestions, you are both right. I have gone with the Linksys Velop, and it seems to have gone ok. There is a Bridge Mode buried in the advanced settings, which make it all work the way I want. Before activating that mode, I couldn't get windows file sharing working between wireless and wired networks (but Plex worked ok). Turning on the Bridge Mode turns off some of the additional features like device prioritisation and parental controls, but my router can pick up the slack. Thanks again.
 
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