Duck CheckedNode-to-network checker
Should this mesh node be wired?
The bars on your phone measure phone-to-node. Backhaul is the other half: how that node reaches the router. A node in the dead zone can share its dead connection beautifully.
Wireless backhaul is a measured route
A wireless node needs a strong link to another node, not merely proximity to the room with weak service. Test after final placement and again under normal household load.
Current official checks:Google documents which Nest and Google Wifi models and topologies can be hardwired, while itsmesh test measures the connection between a point and the primary network. Use the manual for your exact system.