# Even the best mesh Wi-Fi system can be easily improved with a simple cable

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/even-the-best-mesh-wi-fi-system-can-be-easily-improved-with-a-simple-cable/
- Published: 2026-10-25T18:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-25T18:09:38+00:00
- Original publisher: Engadget
- Original article: https://www.engadget.com/2293493/mesh-wifi-system-improved-with-simple-cable/
- Topics: Gadgets

## Key points

- Ethernet backhaul can improve mesh Wi-Fi speeds.
- Cat 6 can deliver at least 1 Gbps in typical homes.
- Cable routing and port speeds may limit the upgrade.

## Summary

A wired Ethernet backhaul can improve a mesh Wi-Fi system by carrying data between its nodes over cable instead of relying on a wireless link. This can avoid speed losses caused by distance and reduce competition for wireless capacity, giving connected devices more of the available bandwidth.

The article says a Cat 6 cable can typically support at least 1 Gbps over the distances found in an average home, while a pair of 50-foot cables costs around $30. Running cable through a home can be inconvenient, and each mesh node needs a suitable Ethernet port; 2.5 or 10 Gbps ports are preferable for faster systems such as Wi-Fi 7. A switch can add ports, but also adds cost.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.