How can I wire my home network for optimum wifi coverage and internal network speed (2 storey house)

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altf4

altf4

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Location
Bangalore
ISP
Airtel XStream Fiber - 200 Mbps plan
idk what devices are needed, but this is how the network will function

main devices on the network (wired connections only)
1. old laptop that'll run as a media and print server
2. a tv in one room
3. a tv upstairs
4. a ps4
5. work laptop in upstairs room and one of the rooms

requirements
1. wireless devices must connect to best network automatically
1. example: i'm taking my phone upstairs, wifi stay connected, and still maintain a strong signal
2. if there will be multiple networks, wireless devices shouldn't have to manually switch to the strongest wifi network
2. communication between wired and wireless devices needs to be extremely fast (within the network) as the main media consumption tv will be connected via wifi, and needs to communicate with the media server effectively (fire tv stick) (ethernet adapter for fire tv stick only supports 100 mbps, wifi router is right next to the tv in question, will get faster speeds)
3. ps4 remote play with high speed anywhere throughout the house (wired or wireless)

current ISP: airtel xstream fiber 200mbps plan - using their provided Nokia ont

available:
1. an ethernet cable in each room, all terminated at the main router. wired cabling is not an issue
2. an 8 port TP-Link switch (TL-SG108E)
3. another spare nokia ont (again, airtel provided)

can you suggest the best and most cost effective method to satisfy my requirements with the available resources? if required, I am willing to spend upto 3k INR (can be extended slightly according to requirement).

PS: Sorry if this an extremely basic question, I just want my home network to be perfect :)
 
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Invest in a good mesh router/access point to get seamless wireless connectivity across the house. If you are on a tight budget you can go for TP-Link mesh routers. Since you already have ethernet cable in every room, setup would be a breeze and you would have an advantage of wired backhaul.
 
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I had my eyes on the mercusys halo h80x, but that was too expensive. If I instead bought a TP-Link Archer router and used that in access point mode, would that do the trick?

Also, would setup be a breeze with the current airtel stuff in place? And is it doable myself?
 
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I won't recommend mercusys mesh routers, i've heard negative reviews about them. Using TP-Link Archer router would give you better performance than your current Airtel ONT but only on a single floor. You have to put another router on the other floor if you want good coverage. Also wireless connectivity won't be seamless you have to manually switch it every time.
You mentioned a 2 storey house but didn't mention the carpet area. If it is a very big house then yes, a mesh router would be an ideal choice.
 
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Yup, my plan was to connect the router to the ont and keep that on the 2nd floor of my house. I also read that setting up the AP to have the same SSID and password would ensure this seamless switching. Would that work as well?
 
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No, don't do that. Two routers with same SSID and password that too on the same channel will cause interference and decrease performance. Also the switching won't be as seamless as a mesh router.
 
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Ah ok, understood. That means mesh is the way to go then? What would be a budget mesh wifi option, and would you recommend getting my own mesh wifi setup or getting the coverage+ plan from airtel, because that seems cheaper in the short term.

If I were to buy my own mesh wifi setup, is it worth it?
 
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Yes it's wise to get your own mesh setup if you want good performance and seamless connectivity on your devices. Airtel coverage+ might seem lucrative but i don't think it's performance would be good as they provide the sercomm router + mesh extender. Trust me the sercomm router is very bad in terms of performance w.r.t. handling multiple clients.
Budget depends on the number of clients which are connected to your network simultaneously.
 
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Number of clients connected simultaneously might vary from 10-25 (both wired and wireless connections)
 
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TP link Deco X20
You would need 2 of these units(one on each floor). This system should easily be able to handle 10-20 clients.Wait for the upcoming Big Billion Days/Great indian festival sale if you can, you might get a very good deal on this.
 
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