WiFi extender, powerline or mesh: which one to choose?

The WiFi extender: the best-selling bad idea

An extender picks up the box's signal and re-broadcasts it. Two structural problems: it halves your speed (it listens and talks on the same radio), and it only transmits well where it receives well — yet we place it precisely where the signal is already weak. Add the most irritating flaw: your phone clings to the original network even when the extender is right next to you.

When it makes sense: one room to cover, just behind a wall, for light use (email, music). Beyond that: walk away.

Powerline: at the mercy of your electrical wiring

Powerline (CPL in France) sends data over your electrical cables. Attractive on paper; in practice, throughput depends entirely on the state and topology of the wiring: age, separate phases, power strips, interference from chargers, LEDs or a pool pump. We've measured "2000 Mbit/s" powerline kits delivering 40 real Mbit/s in older houses of the back-country. In apartment buildings, performance varies unpredictably from socket to socket.

When it makes sense: feeding ONE fixed device (TV, console, desk) where running a cable is impossible. As the backbone of a whole house network: no.

Mesh: the right home solution — if you pick the right one

A mesh system replaces the box's WiFi with several units forming one intelligent network: your phone hops automatically to the nearest unit, and high-end systems talk to each other on a dedicated radio (backhaul), so nothing is halved. It's what we install in most homes of 80–150 m².

Beware: "mesh" has become a marketing sticker on wildly unequal products. What matters: a dedicated band between units (tri-band), the option to wire units together, proper channel management. That's exactly where an installer who measures the result differs from a box dropped on a shelf.

The level above: cabled access points (UniFi), for villas and businesses

For a multi-storey villa, stone walls, an annexe, a large garden or a shop, the definitive answer remains professional Ubiquiti UniFi access points, each fed by an ethernet cable: zero loss between points, coverage designed room by room, separate guest network, remote management, no subscription. It's the hotel standard — and what we fit when the result has to be guaranteed. If the home already has conduits, the cabling is often simpler (and cheaper) than you'd think.

The one-minute comparison

To decide quickly:

• Extender (€20–60): one room, light use. Halved speed, fickle roaming. A patch, not a solution.
• Powerline (€60–150): one isolated fixed device, when no cable is possible. Lottery performance depending on the wiring.
• High-end mesh (from €390 installed): houses and flats up to ~150 m². One network, true roaming, speed preserved.
• Cabled UniFi access points (from €790 installed): villas, thick walls, outdoor areas, businesses. Guaranteed result, scalable, no subscription.

The real question isn't "which gadget to buy" but "what speed do you want, in which rooms". That's a measuring question — and conveniently, the phone diagnosis is free.