Mesh network versus a simple Wi-Fi extender

High quality streamers cashe and isolate, making up for deficiencies in bandwidth, latency and such. While admittedly I have been in IT most of my life, this comes from observation of my own streamers producing simply stunning, uninterrupted sound quality from cheap repeaters. Observation to me trumps theory. I recently took a EtherRegen out of my system that performed no useful function and with two high end Ethernet cables on it degraded the sound.

With very inexpensive streamers I believe the network reliability is important. But with contemporary high quality streamers, typically it is not that important.

Overall Wi-Fi extenders are terrible. A lot of them take a weak Wi-Fi signal and try to extend that signal further which further degrades the signal. The best Wi-Fi extenders use a wired connection but they are still use older technology.

mesh networks are so much better especially using the newer Wi-Fi 6e connection. I used to use 4 routers in my house in a wired/non-wired bridge mode setup with good coverage, plus getting decent speeds. I moved to a newer 6e mesh network and coverage is better using less equipment, and internal network speed (Wi-Fi and wired from each mesh router) has almost doubled in speed. I use switches attached to each mesh router so all the devices in each room think they are attached to a wired network instead of Wi-Fi. 

@rbstehno 

I use switches attached to each mesh router so all the devices in each room think they are attached to a wired network instead of Wi-Fi. 

So, in rooms where you have a mesh satellite, and where you have multiple devices, you run the hardwired output from the mesh satellite into a switch and then hard wire each device with Ethernet from the switch?  I assume if you only had one device you could run the hardwired output directly from the satellite into that one device for the same result?  I do this for my outdoor/garage system, which sits near a mesh satellite and have had reliable performance. The 6e systems are still pricy so I might wait for a while before trying that level, but after moving from a single router to a mesh system I have never had trouble with internet signal throughout three levels and several outdoor areas.

@mitch2 

I assume if you only had one device you could run the hardwired output directly from the satellite into that one device for the same result?

Thats what I do.  Main rig has a SGC Sonic Transport hard wired to a satalite node. Works great.  The base node in my office has about a 20 foot run to a switch with various devices attached. 

The new Asus ZenWifi comes with 3 ethernet ports but not sure if that is on each node or just the base.