New to openwrt... Mesh Vs AP

Installing and Using OpenWrt
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Hello people, got on order a couple of Asus BT8 routers and want to start experimenting again with openwrt, previously had an R7800 and a RPi4, both using community builds.

I've had Asus routers before using merlin, and had the two of them in Asus ai mesh configuration, so watched a couple of videos of mesh in openwrt, but it dawned on me that both configurations I saw in setting up on openwrt involved linking radios together in the associated stations section… however I'm intending to have the two linked via ethernet, which is never mentioned, in this case do I just configure it as a wired dumb AP and enable fast roaming??

If that's the case can I still use the same SSIDs on the 2 routers? Would I be best to use opposite ends of the channel scales for 2 routers or the use the same channel??

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If they're wired up you don't need mesh.
You might not even need fast roaming.
Set them up as dumb aps with matching ssids and see how you get on

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That's the conclusion I was coming too after watching a tutorial on mesh…

So what's your thoughts on channels? In the mesh set up it said use the same SSID and channel on both routers.

If I'm running them as seperate APs would I be better with one say channel 1 and the other at 11 so the signals don't fight each other on the same channel?

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I run mine on opposing channels 1 and 13, 36 and 100 or 149.

How many neighbouring channels are you competing with for airtime and bandwidth?

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Use ethernet backhaul. If you splurge on a managed 2.5G switch, you can have your AP's use the 2.5G port as the uplink. 2.5G is a very nice upgrade.

Same SSID is fine. Use the built in scanner under "Channel Analysis" for each device to decide what channels to use and where.

I personally split wifi into different bands e.g. "SampleWifi24G" "SampleWifi5G" etc.

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On 2.4ghz I can see 4 other networks, on 5ghz I can see 2 which I assume to be neighbours either side.

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Yes I will be connecting the router to the AP via 2.5gb ethernet for backhaul.

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Thanks everyone.

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