Backhaul is the connection carrying traffic from an access point, mesh node or other intermediate network unit toward the rest of the network. It can be wired or wireless. A client device's strong local link cannot exceed an inadequate upstream path indefinitely, making backhaul a separate part of home-network diagnosis from the signal shown at the television.
A practical example
A mesh node can receive a television's traffic clearly but struggle to forward it over a weak wireless link to the main unit. A suitable wired backhaul or different placement can change that upstream path without altering the television's player settings.
A common misunderstanding
Do not judge a mesh connection solely by the television-to-node signal. The node's own route onward can have different conditions and can be shared by several nearby devices.
Related terms
Stable technical definition. Editorial approach