Wired Mesh versus Wireless Mesh

[KelloggKid]

We live in a long narrow house with the ISP connection coming into one end and most of our computer equipment at the other end.  I've installed a 3-pack of A3's but have a question.  What are the pro's and con's of a wireless mesh versus a wired mesh?  I set the A3's up in a wireless mesh configuration but we have ethernet to every room in the house so could easily switch it to wired.  If the wireless mesh works the way I think it does my computer is talking to A3-3 which is talking to A3-2 which is talking to A3-1 (router).  This seems horribly inefficient to me.

[fillibar]

If you have the Ethernet cabling, use that. Wired is the better way to do it in almost all scenarios (only one I can think of that is not is if there is improperly/outdated wiring). In any case, you wanted benefits (assuming proper cat5e/6 or higher wiring):
1) Almost no chance of interference.
2) Better bandwidth in general.
3) More bandwidth available for devices USING the wireless (not the routers talking).
4) Security, requires physical access to a port.
5) Point to point communication.

There are more. I know you did nit ask, but many people might want disadvantages also but mostly they apply if you do not have the wiring.
1) Expense
2) Difficulty of installation especially in existing spaces

For an example article:
www.howtogeek.com/217463/wi-fi-vs.-ethernet-how-much-better-is-a-wired-connection/

[joltdude]

Wired is usually the best solution.... I wonder how Almond 3 treats wired mesh... is it akin to just adding an AP... or is it separate...
I noticed the Wired vs Wireless mesh option when setting up... though I just went for the wireless mesh solution... Sort of wonder if i can have a hybrid of the two... wired to a secondary almond... then wireless mesh from that almond ...


-J

[fillibar]

You can definitely have one Almond 3 be meshed by wired and another meshed by wireless (my current setup). Unfortunately I cannot specifically say about connecting primary to mesh to mesh. My house layout does not need that and it would be difficult for me to check. If you have that setup I am sure people will want to hear how it goes.

[Evan]

On a related note, can multiple A3s be connected in parallel (i.e. ISP -> Switch -> A3s) or do they need to be in series (ISP -> A3(1) -> A3(2))?

[fillibar]

From a network safety perspective I would never recommend a switch connected to the ISP.

I would recommend having the switch after the first Almond 3. This is actually what mine looks like:
Cable Modem -> Almond 3 -> Switch -> Almond 3 Wired Mesh AND all my wired devices
The second meshed Almond 3 I have currently connects to the primary (Router) Almond 3 using wireless. So it bypasses the switch.

[KelloggKid]

Thank you all for taking the time to comment.  I think I'll switch over to a wired mesh.  Quick question, however.  I was led to believe that the three A3's won't work as device hubs if they are set up as a wired mesh whereas they will function as control hubs if they are set up as a wireless mesh. 

[fillibar]

Do you mean for HA devices? Only the primary can control HA devices at this time, regardless of whether the mesh Almond 3s are by wired or wireless.

[KelloggKid]

That sucks.  I had two reasons for switching to Almond.  One was to be able to have a single SSID throughout the house and the second was to be able to set up some automation without having to have control hubs from multiple vendors. 

[mparadis]

This doesn't change that. In most cases you won't need the meshed A3 units to act as repeaters or such since most HA (Zigbee and Z Wave in this case) devices act as repeaters to extend the coverage.

[fillibar]

Securifi has said that they are working at making the Almond 3s able to "mesh" their HA devices as well. So it sounds like both things you wanted either exist (single SSID) or will be there eventually (even if, as mparadis says, there really is minimal need for the mesh Almond 3s to do HA, due to devices acting as repeaters).

[mparadis]

I think the biggest advantage of this would be if you could use the screen of the additional mesh A3's to control the HA devices of the network.

[KelloggKid]

This doesn't change that. In most cases you won't need the meshed A3 units to act as repeaters or such since most HA (Zigbee and Z Wave in this case) devices act as repeaters to extend the coverage.

Unfortunately with my floor plan it does matter.  My primary A3 is at one far end of the house and all of our HA devices tend to be toward the middle.  The A3 can't see any of them due to distance and walls.  All the HA devices are within 25' of my middle A3 which is wirelessly meshed. 

[mparadis]

Move a device closer to the router A3 in the meantime or add another device between the A3 router and your other units. They should work at a substantial range.

[joltdude]

Move a device closer to the router A3 in the meantime or add another device between the A3 router and your other units. They should work at a substantial range.

If your trying to extend HA, you can just add a plug-in device that supports the standard somewhere in range of the main A3 (which has the fob and/or internal Zigbee adapter) .... most of the time it will repeat whatever standard it uses....

(i.e ... Zigbee repeats Zigbee, Zwave repeats Zwave).... Battery operated devices usually (only because i have yet to see one to the contrary) DO NOT repeat the signal for the HA networking tech they are using...