Mesh Wi-Fi uses multiple coordinated network units to extend wireless coverage or manage connections across a location. The links connecting those units, known as backhaul, are important to performance. A nearby mesh node can improve the local signal while its own upstream connection still becomes a bottleneck for the traffic it forwards.
A practical example
A television can show a strong signal to a node in the same room while that node communicates poorly with the main router. Testing the node's backhaul and placement helps explain why a strong television signal does not always translate into steady streaming.
A common misunderstanding
Adding more nodes is not automatically an improvement. Poor placement or an overloaded wireless backhaul can limit the benefit, so evaluate the whole route rather than only the nearest node.
Related terms
Stable technical definition. Editorial approach